We are pleased to announce the winner and 5 runners up in the Benjamin Kanarek Blog 1st Beauty Photography Contest.
There were several interesting submissions, but after many hours of deliberation, the winner of the Beauty Category goes to GrantThomas.
Credits for his Shoot are:Model: Danielle Foster – D1 Models
Hair and Make Up: Suki Miles
His sense of style, colour, composition, casting and identification of what is important in an image, gave Grant the edge. It is a wonderful Hair Illustration that we believe could be worthy of an Advertising Campaign.
We will shortly contact the winners of the Fashion and Beauty segment, to have them write us a short bio and story about their image submission, as well as their feeling about the industry they are pursuing. They will also be interviewed by me and be given the opportunity to pick my brain. The interview will be recorded for posterity.
Here are the runners up images. They are not being presented in order of preference…
We are pleased to announce the winner and 5 runners up in the Benjamin Kanarek Blog 1st Fashion Contest.
There were many very good submissions, but after many hours of deliberation, the winner of the Fashion segment goes to… Regen Chen.
Regen was chosen for his unique presentation and his image stopping power. We loved how he mirrored the original image yet added a different twist by pulling back to reveal the boots and hand bag in their complete context. Placing the image upside down added to the impact. We were also very impressed with the styling, hair & make-up and choice of model for this shoot. Although technically well executed, we were more impressed with the impact of the overall image and felt that the technique employed married well with the overall result. A very nice balance indeed.
Credits for his shoot are:Model: Winnie Li
Styling: Winnie Li
Make Up & Hair: Annette Wong
We will shortly contact the winners of the Fashion and Beauty segment, to have them write us a short biography and story about their image submission, as well as their feeling about the industry they are pursuing. They will also be interviewed by me and be given the opportunity to pick my brain. The interview will be recorded for posterity.
Here are the runners up images. They are not being presented in order of preference…
It’s back. I’m not sure why I was left with “Body Of Work”. It’s obvious to me right now that it won’t be pursued during this writing. Hoping it’s tossed at me again at a later date. Right now what is resonating within me is, acceptance of praise and criticism and the meaning of Art to the onlooker, the listener and the reader. A seminal moment has been revisited for me. My first major tour with an important artist. I was the drummer. Big show in Detroit. Backstage after the show, we were asked if we would sign autographs. We consented and were led out the stage door to be confronted by security holding back about a couple of hundred people (fans).
A very young couple approached me with the tour brochure. The very young man, also a drummer handed me the brochure nervously. He told me that I had now become one of his favourite drummers and would I sign the the booklet? I immediately started to thank him profusely. I also asked if he wasn’t sure that he wanted the autograph of the artist I was backing up. I continued to humble myself before him and his girlfriend. He snatched the booklet from my hands and they both walked away. The seasoned tour weary artist was within earshot. He approached me saying “do you think that the fans want to know that you are normal like they are”?. Whether you like it or not, you are on a pedestal. In my case it was a drum riser. He went on to say, “just accept the compliment with grace, sign the damn thing, then do the same with every other fan” Do it with dignity and humility. Accept the praise. Don’t be arrogant about it. You have touched someone very deeply. Let them leave with great memories of the “encounter”and especially if it’s a fledgling musician, allow them to be left with the possibility of realizing their dreams. Maybe one day they too will be up there on the world stage. Interesting. Lesson learned.
I know that I can only do what I’m capable of. If it resonates within someone, that’s wonderful If it doesn’t, I’m not going to quit! I have received as much praise as I have criticism. What separated the artists from the boys is the obsessive compulsion to get the work out there. Once it does, the critics and admirers come out of the wood work. A thick skinned resilience is a requirement. A balanced perspective of who you are and what you do is paramount. The realization that you have so much left to learn is the fire that has to keep burning. I guess this applies to all walks of life, but it is a much more intense dynamic as an artist. It gets very personal. You are challenged by emotions that are inspired by both the criticism and the praise.
My first show in Paris was both an uplifting experience and an awakening. The gallery owner insisted that I be available at the opening to speak to potential patrons and collectors. I have always been a performer, but never in that venue. I told the gallery curator that this might be a bad idea. Upon his insistence I gave in. There was an elderly, very well dressed woman who was watching from afar. She sat observing me in a chair, cane in hand. I was helping myself to a glass of wine when she finally approached me. She asked if I could stand in front of one of my paintings to answer some of her questions. I of course had to comply. She was very intelligent and soft spoken. She said to me, and I’m only paraphrasing, “There is a lot of symbolism in your work. I see the suffering of humanity, the Joy of Humanity, highly ordered rhythm and movement, well placed and planned colours, layers of meanings and messages”. Am I correct?”. I stared for a moment avoiding her eyes. I finally said without looking at her “If that’s what you see, then it’s there” I knew that the conversation shouldn’t continue anymore, but she persisted. I/you, have to understand that I wasn’t quite there as a painter who had yet accepted this romanticized “on the pedestal” perception of the artist.
So she asked the inevitable question: “How long did it take you to paint this work?”. What came out of me was “All my life”. She smiled approvingly. I hoped it was over. I was nervous, drunk and under the microscope. She then asked “What inspires you, how do you do this?”. What came out of me was something like: “My inspiration? How does this come out of me?”. “Think of me as a monkey, who with enough time, attempts and lot’s of alcohol and drugs finally puts out something tolerable!”. Both her and her smile quickly went away. I couldn’t deal with being on the pedestal. The gallery owner couldn’t deal with my unpredictability. He suggested that it would be better if he handled the “schmoozing”. My band played. I was relieved. Hadn’t thought about that one for quite a while. I don’t sabotage myself as much as I used to… This one is over… Later?… Again, sorry for typos, etc… It’s the way it is…….
Amyn Nasser’s Voyeur Nocturne is a photographic celebration of Vancouver better known as the “City of Glass”, where the Winter Olympic Games are being held. With its high population density relative to most other North American cities, urban planning in Vancouver is characterized by high-rise residential and mixed-use development in the city centre as an alternative to sprawl. Glass condominium towers dominate the skyline and have been credited in contributing to the city’s high rankings in livability. Amyn Nasser has effectively captured this ‘feel’ unique to and defining of Vancouver where each layer symbolizes the excitement and vibrancy of inner city life. If windows are the eyes to the soul, can the same be said for the soul of a city?
The Voyeur Nocturne series resulted from a 10 month long project taking the photographer to different viewpoints across the city; many of the most spectacular shots are a product of careful planning and consideration. Reflections present both opportunity and challenge; windows aglow invite the viewer in. As evening comes and the lights go on, a routine scene quickly becomes something with character and mood. Voyeur Nocturne will close Monday, March 15, 2010.
Amyn Nasser’s accreditations and accolades extend internationally. From Paris to New York to Dubai, Nasser has been an established international fashion and celebrity photographer for over 25 years with editorials in Vogue, Vogue Homme, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Elle. The Voyeur Nocturne series was the only photography chosen to officially hang at the Olympic Village as chosen by Art Consultant, Miriam Aroeste. It was also accredited with an Honorable Mention at the LUCIE Pilsner Urquell International Photography Awards. In addition, Amyn was accredited by the Photography Master Cup -International Color Awards for both his nude and portrait work.
For more info or press requests please contact Cecilia Denegri Jette at cecilia@trunkgallery.ca
PRESS IMAGES LINK: www.trunkgallery.ca/EN/media
Image Credit: Amyn Nasser, TRUNK gallery; licensing through Corbis
1755 West Third Avenue, Vancouver, BC T. 604.739.0800 F. 604.669.0829 E. info@trunkgallery.ca W. www.trunkgallery.ca
What a pleasure to see an artist affiliated with a brand when it is meaningful!
10 days ago at the opening of the photo exhibition of Daniel Silva Yoshisato‘s works, I had the privilege to meet and interview the photojournalist that I consider as much an artist as a journalist. He exposes the pictures he captured in the Peruvian part of the vast Amazonian forest, for Aïny, a new bio cosmetic brand.
Exhibition at 36, Galerie Véro-Dodat, LAB by Terry, Paris 1st
from January 14th until February 13th 2010.
Daniel Joutard, founder of Aïny, commissioned Daniel Silva Yoshisato to capture the beauty, the colors, the textures of the plants from the jungle as well as the Peoples living in the rainforest whom Aïny collaborates with to elaborate their products (the Achuars, Ashàninkas, Yaneshas and Quechuas Peoples).
Daniel Silva Yoshisato is a half Peruvian and half Japanese photojournalist. He started his career in 2000 working for Lima Peru’s oldest newspaper El Comercio. His work has been published in: Time Magazine, Paris Match, L’Equipe, Der Spiegel, Stern, Geo Lino, Le Monde, El Pais Semanal. He received several photography awards including in 2002, the national photography award “Eugène Courret” in Peru, the Visa d’Or award in the daily press category in 2004 (the premier International Festival of Photojournalism) and the 1st prize Sports Feature Stories in the World Press Photo contest in 2004.
New bio cosmetic brands are blooming every day. As a citizen, a customer and after having worked over 10 years in marketing and media for the cosmetic industry, I am very suspicious when brands self proclaimed themselves as “bio”, 100% natural products, fairtrade and hide themselves behind a battery of labels and cetifications more or less binding and permissive and at the same time participate in the destruction of the rainforests in using massive amounts of non-regulated palm oil ressources. “Eco friendly” is the niche for the cosmetic industry today, where “bio” and fairtrade arguments serve the marketing sales pitch.
Biopiracy is a major scandal and a system used by many pharmaceutical companies and corporations in the cosmetic industry. After having exploited the natural ressources of the rainforest, they plunder the ancestral knowledge of indigenous Peoples.
One can appreciate the commitments taken behind the philosophy of Aïny in their statement against this practice. That is quite unusual!
“Aïny practices fair trade with the groups of producers and gatherers by committing to buy quality plants at a fair price. Aïny also pursues alternatives to biopiracy, respecting the peoples with whom they collaborate, as well as their traditional knowledge and wisdom. Aïny forms partnerships with indigenous organizations. Aïny commits to buying plants at a fair price, returning 4% of Aïny’s turnover to the peoples of Ecuador and Peru as usage rights for their traditional knowledge, and not registering any patent related to plants. Aïny also assists these peoples in defending their rights”… And four percent of the turnover is the classic medium figure for most licensing deals.
Aïny products are using sacred plants and are benefiting from the shamans’ knowledge. They collaborate with Herlinda Agustin Fernandez (opening photo and video below), from the Shipibos Indians. She lives in the native community of San Francisco Yarinacocha near Pucallpa, on the banks of the Ucayali River. She is 56 years and has 7 children.
Like all women of her tribe, she teaches ceramics. She excels in painting and embroidery of the “Kenes” which are traditional designs from the Shipibo-konibo community. Herlinda sings and draws chants!
Herlinda was the originator of the brand name “Aïny”. It means reciprocity. She designed the “Kenes” which became the visual identity that is represented on the packaging.
That is total “reciprocity”! Or should I say “Aïny” from now on?
For those who are interested in acquiring one of Daniel’s photo, they can contact him directly at on his website www.danielsilvaimages.com
Aïny is only distributed in France. It can be purchased via Internet for other European countries. For orders outside of Europe, be patient, coming soon. Stay tuned for future updates on the Aïny site.
On one of the photography forums dpchallenge, a photographer who read my article “A Funny Thing Happened to Me in the Camera Store” responded by saying “…thanks for sharing. Still waiting for my (lucky) accident”. I thought about her remark and my response was the following;
Whenever you are about to do what you think SHOULD be done, stop yourself, take a deep breath and do the opposite. If you think you are coming in too close to the subject, come in closer. If you set up your lights for a subject with your intended orientation to be at point “x”, move to point “y”. If you are standing up to take the shot, don’t. Get up on a ladder or lay down on the floor to do your capture. If your images look too bright make them brighter. If someone tells you that your images are too dark, make them darker. If your images are looking too normal, fuck them up. If you are worried about camera shake, don’t. If the dress the model is wearing is begging for the classic accessory, don’t do it. Take that Lagerfeld dress and stick a 3,95€ tacky “Eiffel Tower” huge chain around her neck.
Breaking down the walls of Predictability is a tough call. If all of the competing photographers are cropping one way that is in “Fashion” do it the other way. When I was using film, I would go to the store and ask, “what is the shittiest or most obscure brands that you have?” Ever tried Konicachrome or 3M or “CrappyChrome”. Everyone was shooting Ektachrome…BORING. I would use Agfachrome 1000 ASA film. Polachrome or anything that would make my stuff stand out from the norm. I would set up shots using totally insane Fashion Stylists, Make-Up and Hairstylists, telling them to fly and that fear is the greatest hindrance to creativity. Let accidents happen. That is how they happen. Better yet, don’t even worry about them happening, just be open to the possibilities. Don’t be AFRAID to be different. Just BE.
