David.Bornfriend.Photography

SF Bay Guardian + OccupySF

2011-11-28T16:55:00.000-08:00

The new San Francisco Bay Guardian came out Wednesday and it features some of my new wet plates that I shot at OccupySF. I was immediately interested when presented with the story - found HERE. The job was to put faces to the movement here in San Francisco. They are usually portrayed as crowds of angry protesters or images of all the signs. Hearing what they had to say and how they said it was in stark contrast to how they were being portrayed.

Listen to what they have to say:

Listen to Adam HERE
From the SF Bay Guardian Blog - HERE

Listen to Derek HERE
From the SF Bay Guardian Blog - HERE

Much thanks to Mirissa at the Bay Guardian, Patrick, my security & super assistant and those that let me photograph them.

Chlorophyl Teaser!!! + Borscht 7 Film Festival

2011-05-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Putting the finishing touches on the color. Until then check out the teaser for Chlorophyl, a new short by Barry Jenkins. I shot this down in Miami and had such a great time working on it. The cast and crew were great to work with.

Many thanks to Barry Jenkins and Borscht Film Festival for making this happen.

Teaser for our latest short film, CHLOROPHYL, commissioned by Miami arts collective Borscht. Screening April 23rd, the initiative paired Miami reared filmmakers with local musicians. In this case, Miami born and raised Strike partner Barry Jenkins paired with Miami Chill Wave artist MillionYoung to create this slice of life piece inspired by the MillionYoung track Chlorophyl.

Featuring cinematography by newest Strike collaborator David Bornfriend and a first time acting turn by newcomer Ana Laura Treviño, the short marks the first piece of Strike content created by South Florida Strike partners Barry Jenkins and Justin Barber in their native South Florida land. Hope you enjoy!

http://www.borscht.info/

2010 Collaboration - Final Version - NSFW

2011-05-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

Finally done, and so happy to finally show this. Like I said in a previous post, this was a collaboration with the super talented artists Lauren Machen, Forest Kelley, and myself. Check out her blog and website for more work. And huge thanks to Forest for the sound design/composing.

Pod from David Bornfriend on Vimeo.

An organic transformation from 1.

------------------------------------------------------------------
A collaboration between Lauren Machen, David Bornfriend, and Forest Kelley.

Creative Director/Fashion Designer: Lauren Machen
www.machenmachen.com

Director of Photography/Editor: David Bornfriend
www.davidbornfriend.com

Sound Design: Forest Kelley
www.forestkelley.net

Model: Bianca S.
http://www.modelmayhem.com/30373

Using Your Hearing - Jay Forry

2011-03-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Using Your Hearing from David Bornfriend on Vimeo.

2010 Wrap Up - Part 2

Towards the tail end of 2010, I had the opportunity to flex my cinematography skills on the project Blind Film Critic - Jay Forry. Director Michael Jacobs and I blazed through Tampa, FL, problem solving on our feet and just pure and simply, making things happen...even willing things to happen. No was not an option. If there was a test of personal and creative fortitude, this had to be it. Maintaining focus and strategizing on the fly, we made what I am proud to say is something I am humbled to have worked on. The subject, Jay Forry, a film critic who went blind at the age of 28 years old, is such a warm-hearted genuine human being. Not letting anything get in his way, he pursued his passion for film and has a fresh point of view for reviewing films. You can check out his film reviews at Blindside Reviews.

It was just a not so subtle reminder that in the creative field, whether photography or the motion picture world, things can and do go wrong. But you are defined by how you respond to these things. It sounds cliche saying it, but it's true.

Much thanks to :
Strike Anywhere Films
Michael Jacobs - Director of Audience of One
Snap Sound
Jay Forry - Film critic/writer of Blindside Reviews

2010 Collaboration - Lauren Machen

2011-03-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Putting the finishing touches on a project started at the end of 2010. It was a collaboration with a super talented artist Lauren Machen. Check out her blog and website for more work.

It has been a rough but enjoyable ride to edit the video and wet plates. Look for updates very soon.

2010 ----- what a ride it's been!

2011-01-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

2010.....what an interesting year you have been. To wrap things up proper, here is the first of a few updates from 2010, and highlights of amazing projects and collaborations I was humbled to be a part of as a contributor. Looking forward to 2011 and all the possibilities!

First things first, here is an inspiring new project for the ITVS Future States series, written and directed by the hugely talented Barry Jenkins. Had the pleasure of capturing the behind the scenes on this Strike Anywhere Production. The crew on this was absolutely awesome and inspiring. Watch for it at a film festival near you or online in March. Don't worry, I'll be sure to post when it is actually available.

Jesse Hazelip: The Belle of the Brawl

2011-01-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

Jesse Hazelip, the Oakland based artist, is putting the finishing touches on some amazing new work and will open a solo show at 941 Geary Gallery next week in San Francisco. The show is a must see!

Saturday, January 15 - February 26th, 2011
Opening: Saturday January 15th, 7-11pm
941 Geary Gallery
941 Geary St.
San Francisco, CA

New Wet Plates

2010-09-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Finally getting these up. Shot some new wet plates of a good friend and artist, Salah Khudari, super talented illustrator & painter. Check out his work HERE and keep up to date with new sketches and news of upcoming shows.

Buffalo and Birds

2010-09-20T19:30:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the opportunity to meet and shoot local Bay Area artist Jesse Hazelip. With recent work for the SFMOMA Artist Gallery and a plethora of previous shows and many more things in the works, this talented guy is going places.

I love photographing artists from other disciplines. They bring such a unique perspective that helps inform my process. His work caught my eye awhile back with some well placed wheat pasted works and eventually a solo show at
White Walls Gallery in San Francisco. It's always an amazing experience when you view an artist's work and feel such a deep connection to it. I really believe in what he is doing and can't wait to see what is coming next.

Check out his work HERE and keep up to date with all of his upcoming shows on his blog.

WET PLATE UPDATES!

2010-08-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Finally catching up on some wet plate updates. Enjoy!

LA + Breasts = EXPOSED @ This Los Angeles

2010-08-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

I am soo excited to announce the show EXPOSED which I am a part of in LA on Friday August 13th, curated by Magdalena Wosinska and This Los Angeles Gallery titled EXPOSED. First, I have to say I've been a huge fan of this gallery since it started, and to actually be a part of a show here is a real honor. The lineup is amazing, some truly talented artists. And the show is a benefit for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research, so please come out and show your support.

It is a book release for Bite It You Scum by Magdalena Wosinska, a hugely talented photographer and perhaps one of the finest people I know. She has curated this amazing show with This Los Angeles Gallery, including work by some very talented photographers. See list below.

Buy the book, you will not be disappointed and come out to the show to see some really great work and have a great time.

Please come out, I would love to see everyone!

Jaime Beechum

Lauren Dukoff

Brandon Harman

Michael de Leon

Angela Kohler

David Bornfriend

Chris McPherson

Mike Piscitelli

Louise Sturgess

Jimmy Fontaine

Magdalena Wosinska

Shook Magazine #8

2010-04-19T08:01:00.000-07:00

Came home to a package with a Royal Mail stamp on it. I couldn't see inside it because it was in a solid black plastic package, but I new immediately what it was. Shook magazine, a brilliant independent magazine out of the UK, sent me their just released issue 8 with some of my work in it.

I have to say, I was dying to see how the images would look, but I was just utterly blown away. The layout is brilliant, I just love how the images became a part of the story and vice versa.

Thanks to all the fine folks at Shook Magazine, you put out one hell of a quality magazine! I wish the rest of the publishing industry could produce work with the quality, design, content, and care you obviously pour into each issue.

Please help support independent publishers like this! We definitely need more of them.

Check out Shook Magazine and get your copy here -

For a guided soundtrack from the writer/director of Medicine for Melancholy, Barry Jenkins be sure to check it out HERE.

And this is a shout out for A Young Couple. This short film was a collaborative effort I worked on with Barry a while after Medicine for Melancholy came out and featured on the Shook Magazine website as a taster for the upcoming Issue 8 -

And I also wanted to shout out to another amazing new found thing...Stack Magazines While looking for other independent magazines, I came across Stack Magazines and was delighted to see such a great thing. I'll be getting my subscription soon.

...just brilliant...

2010-04-18T14:37:00.000-07:00

Meet Augie:

*click on image for larger version

The other day I had the shear pleasure of meeting one of the coolest dogs EVER! His name is Augie. These are the two wet plates I was able to make. Holding still for 8 seconds was near impossibility, but he was a champ.

And some outtakes:

...inspiration...works in progress...

2010-03-09T23:06:00.000-08:00

PT + WPC

2010-01-22T22:06:00.001-08:00

1.compose
2.focus
3.load
4.shutter
5.say cheese
6.1 one-thousand, 2 one-thousand...

Paul - wet plate guru

Barry Jenkins + Wet Plate Collodion = Greatness

2010-01-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

Barry Jenkins, what can I say? Saying the man is an inspiration would be an understatement. The portrait above was made recently with his cooperation on a cold, rainy day in San Francisco at the end of 2009.

As a little back story, I have been lucky enough to work with Paul Trapani for the last few months learning wet plate collodion...yes one of the original forms of photography, straight up chemistry as art. No it is not a photoshop filter, effect or have anything to do with digital other than scanning the final product, a glass negative(ambrotype) or metal positive(tintype). It is captured in camera with a 4x5 or 8x10 camera. It has been time consuming, rewarding, frustrating, tedious, and absolutely beautiful. This process has reaffirmed for me what I love about photography. Paul has been working with the process for a bit longer than me and was instrumental in bringing me up to speed with the technical and creative aspects of the process. Please check out some of his work here(website) and here(blog).

Back to Mr. Jenkins, I woke up this morning to a little surprise, aside from the little earthquake here in SF. His Facebook status update was a carefully crafted expression of gratitude that I think escapes social networking for the most part. I was expecting him to just post the picture to his Facebook and that be that. I was not expecting him to thank me for all work we have collaborated on and more specifically to comment on the above portrait that I sent him recently - "I look at this photo and see the person I 'feel' I am. David Bornfriend will be on the walls of your favorite museum someday." Not sure about that last part, but the first part really struck a chord with me. It has been something I have been thinking about with the process and a future project involving it, but have not been able to succinctly put it into words. Thank you Barry.

I can not thank him enough for including me in the creative processes of his films Medicine for Melancholy and A Young Couple. It was not a hard decision to jump on board with the first project Medicine for Melancholy. Randomly meeting at a second job while in school, and working together, I watched it evolve from a passing revelation, to rough script, and finally into a fully realized creative expression of something so personal. Collaborating on those projects has given me great perspective in terms of what personal work can be and my passion for my art.

Barry's focus, drive, and creativity are intoxicating. Every time we get a chance to catch up, I walk away with renewed creative spark, ready to start new projects and renewed spark for existing ones. I hope to continue working with him on his many, many endeavors.

And just to prove a little point, here is a list of the 19 best movies of 2009 by a little newspaper you may have heard of called the NY TIMES...check out number 5!

APA Something Personal Exhibition 2009

2009-11-23T08:30:00.000-08:00

Great news today! I had a photograph selected for the 2009 APA SF Something Personal Exhibit at Left Space Studios which will take place on December 11th (get a free invitation HERE). Please come and check out all the great work that will be up. After December 11th, the work will go to Gallery 645 for the month of January. If you can't make either, it will be up online at APASF.com

Timothy Archibald at the Apple Store

2009-10-07T10:11:00.000-07:00

*click on image for larger size*

If you are in San Francisco, you should not miss this event on October 8th at 7pm at the Apple Store. And since it's free, there is really no good excuse. Should be great, Timothy Archibald will be showing some great work, new and old, and being his usual cerebral self.

http://www.timothyarchibald.com
http://timothyarchibald.blogspot.com/

Too Much Chocolate + Kodak Film Grant

2009-09-10T18:52:00.000-07:00

Dear photographers(who actually still shoot film),

Too Much Chocolate has teamed up with Kodak. Just submit your proposal before Nov. 1st, 2009.

This grant will provide 10 non-represented photographers with the film needed to execute a new or ongoing personal project, to be completed during 2010. This partnership aims to recognize strong project ideas from talented and emerging photographers, allowing them to fully realize a body of work that may not have been achieved otherwise.

Check out the Too Much Chocolate + Kodak Film Grant HERE

FAQ's can be seen HERE

Conscientious Portfolio Competition

2009-08-26T18:51:00.000-07:00

Conscientious Portfolio Competition

*****The deadline is 31 August 2009, 11:59pm ET. No exceptions.*****

"The Conscientious Portfolio Competition (CPC) is free. It's no pay-to-play scheme. There are no costs involved for you, other than whatever time it takes to send me your stuff....The portfolio can be either a project or a collection of images; but all the images for consideration have to be in a single place on your website."

If you've got work to show, now's the time!

I'm back!

2009-08-07T13:28:00.001-07:00

© Liz Lomax

Ok,so the summer is coming to a close and I've been busy with all things non-photographic. I'm slowly gearing up for the next few months with lots of portfolio and personal work to come.

In the meantime, I like to stay inspired, even when not constantly creating. One of my favorite things is to go through the Comm Arts Illustration Annual painstakingly slow. I love this issue and this one was no exception. Great work from some really talented artists. One in particular stood out to me, and that is the work of Liz Lomax

From her blog - "Liz Lomax, a three dimensional illustrator in New York, is widely recognized as one of the leading figures in her field. Her unique process involves sculpting characters, building environments and then photographing them digitally for illustration."

Her work is mesmerizing and captivating in so many ways. Be sure to check out her blog and her website, where you may see some truly original and creative illustrations.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-05-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like WordsWithoutPictures.org just made my day. They are having a book launch on my birthday to celebrate the year long project Words Without Pictures. I have been a huge fan of the site, eagerly waiting each month for the new article to get published and doing my share of recommending it to anyone that would listen. Ordering information avialable soon. This is definitely on my list of birthday presents I would love to have.

The project founded by Charlotte Cotton, is having the finale and book launch at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Tuesday, May 26th at 7pm. More info here.

Jim Goldberg - Open See

2009-05-07T08:44:00.000-07:00

Jim Goldberg, the winner of the HCB Award 2007, opened his exhibition at the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson in Paris May 5th.

An Exhibition of works from Jim Goldberg's Open See is currently on show Foundation Cartier-Bresson, Paris.

Open See tells of the journeys of refugee and immigrant populations who travel from war torn and economically devastated countries, often leaving AIDS ravaged communities or totalitarian regimes to make new homes in Europe.

Jim Goldberg, Open See
Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson
2, Impasse Lebouis
Paris 75014
5 May - 26 July, 2009

Official Press Release

Jim has a beautiful new book up for pre-order by Steidl which will be available in June.

I had the extreme pleasure and honor of briefly working for Jim. Meeting him was a great pleasure. He is a great person and an amazing photographer. I have great respect and admiration for the work that he does. If you can't make it to the show, be sure to check out the book.

New Portfolio

2009-05-01T21:31:00.000-07:00

Today was like Christmas come early. I picked up my new portfolio, and I have to say, it is way better than I could have imagined. It feels so great in my hands and the smell of fresh leather is...well, at least to me, intoxicating. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Taurus Bookbindery here in San Francisco. They did an amazing job! And also Cal Art Inc. in San Carlos. They made the die for the stamping on the cover. They were very friendly and communicative. It really feels good to support the local economy.

AMERICANSUBURB X

2009-04-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

I've perused the site before, but it hasn't been till recently that I've really been able to really dig in to AMERICANSUBURB X. The content is vast - interviews, theory, video and more.

National Portrait Gallery with Alec Soth

2009-04-21T23:42:00.000-07:00

Don't miss this great gallery talk by Alec Soth whose work is featured now at the National Portrait Gallery. It is only audio, but while listening to the audio, just go to his website here to follow along as he talks about his work.

As a portrait photographer, I find the way he talks about his work sincerely inspiring and at the same time he is able to describe so elegantly similar feelings I have and experience with photography. If you happen to be in the Washington D.C. area before September 27th, you should definitely plan to stop in and take a look.

Also, meet another favorite of mine, Steve Pyke who will be discussing his work on Saturday, May 2, at 1:00 p.m. who is also featured in Portraiture Now: Feature Photography.

Update: In my haste to post this earlier I forgot to expand on the National Portrait Gallery. I initially discovered the National Portrait Gallery when attending a presentation "Portraiture Now"(link here). I'd also like to mention the National Portrait Gallery blog Face To Face. They feature some great work and if you are a fan of portraiture then this is THE place to visit.

Notcot Feature

2009-04-13T21:16:00.001-07:00

Original Notcot post here.

Notcot is a site I frequent often...usually when I am avoiding doing what I am supposed to be doing, but it is also a great source of inspiration for me. It was great to see fellow classmate Emily Scannell featured the other day. I have always admired her work, and by the looks of things, she recently updated her website. So if you haven't already, please check out her work and congrats Emily!

Medicine for Melancholy

2009-03-08T21:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's my picture. It made it to the movie poster. The movie opened this weekend in San Francisco. Unfortunately I was unable to go this weekend because the shows sold out, but I will be sure to catch a viewing before it is gone. The movie will be here until March 12th at the Embarcadero Theater - listings here.

Watch the official trailer here.

Here is the the official site.

Vik Muniz

2009-02-26T22:19:00.000-08:00

© Vik Muniz

Vik Muniz
Pillows After Durer
Pillow I
1999
Gelatin silver print, ed. of 10
20 x 24 inches

This is the work of Vik Muniz. Believe it or not the pillow you see above is actually constructed of nails. At first, when I came across these photographs at the Rena Bransten Gallery, it wasn't immediately obvious, but I knew something was a little odd about them. As my eye wandered around the image, I realized what I was seeing. I had seen some of his work before but it never caught my attention the way these did.

To truly appreciate the images, you really need to see them in person. They were on display at the Rena Bransten Gallery, unfortunately I believe they have come down for a new exhibit. But on the bright side, I came across this TED video from 2003 and knew I needed to share it. This guy is genius, sheer genius.

Donations Now Open

2009-02-13T10:44:00.000-08:00

As follow up to the supporting the arts article I posted yesterday, I've decided to add a DONATE button to the blog. It is something I have been thinking about for quite some time. Any money donated will contribute to the furthering of my creative exploration through photography - cameras, film, paper, books, etc. As a thank you for any donations of $40 or more I am willing to send you a 8.5in x 11in print of your choice of any of MY content posted on the blog or any image from the portfolio Collection 01 of my website.(actual image may be smaller within the 8.5x11 paper, depending on the image proportions)

This is valid until further notice. Subject to change at anytime.

The New 6x7 Rangefinder....anyone want to buy me one?

2009-02-12T10:01:00.000-08:00

It's nice to see that Fujifilm has not given up on the idea of a medium format rangefinder. It went from being a prototype to test people's reaction as to whether or not they should actually go ahead and produce it, to an actual production model. Although, we may not see it here in the states any time soon, it will be released as a Voigtlander Bessa III 667. I love the camera's ability to change between 6x6 and 6x7, but I think I will always shoot 6x7 when given the option.

If anyone is feeling so inclined, purchase one of these beauties for my upcoming birthday or at least donate to my purchase fund.

Thanks Patrick.
Via 1854.eu

Please Don't Hobble the Arts

2009-02-11T21:00:00.000-08:00

© David Bornfriend

Read a great post on Amy Stein's blog today which lead me to this article about getting appropriate funding to the arts. There couldn't be a better time to change the thinking of the way we support the arts here in the US.

If you feel so inclined, please check out this petition for a Secretary of the Arts.

Recognition and Knowing When to Work for Free

2009-01-25T15:52:00.000-08:00

This morning while I was procrastinating getting up, I received the following text message from a friend, Barry - "You got a photo in the NY Times today!" It was a great way to start my morning and a creative spark that I desperately needed. I have been slowly recovering from the flu over the past week which has left me drained mentally, physically, and creatively. Here is the article from the NY Times. I was lucky enough to be a part of the film as the set still photographer. I took on the job knowing I wasn't getting paid for it. They were working with such a small budget. Talking with the writer/director Barry Jenkins before the movie even started filming, I could see the excitement and passion in his eyes for what he wanted to do. I wanted to be a part of that. No one really knew how far this film would go, but everyone was willing to do whatever it took to get the job done. I am proud that I was a part of it all. Here is the IFC site and the official site. You can also check out the trailer on the Apple site here.

I've read discussions not too long ago about working for free, what that means and how it can pay off. For me, this is good example of knowing when to work for free. It allowed me to work on something that I believed in and where everyone was contributing something, whether it be time, money, or talent. In the end, payed or not, I am proud to have been a part of the making of this film.

Not to mention the film is nominated for a few Spirit Awards including -
Best Cinematography - James Laxton
Best First Feature - Barry Jenkins (director), Justin Barber (producer)

Deadlines Coming Fast

2009-01-22T17:12:00.000-08:00

Just an update - I have been busy preparing images for the following contests. In case you are interested, the deadlines are coming up fast and have already been extended. So get your work out there and submit something. They all have some great judges and exposure for your work. Good luck!

Monday, January 26, 2009 PDN Photo Annual

Friday, January 30, 2009 The AI28+AP25

Monday, February 2, 2009 CMYK #44

PDN Photo Annual - Monday, January 26, 2009

The AI28+AP25 - Deadline Extended To: Friday, January 30, 2009

CMYK #44 - Monday, February 2, 2009

CMYK Vol.42

2009-01-09T12:20:00.000-08:00

Well, here it is. I've been meaning to post this for some time. Check out CMYK Vol. 42 as I have made the cut once again. This time it was an image I have that has been one of my favorites for quite some time.

Also of note, fellow classmates that made it in this issue:
Matt Sartain
Audrey Amelie Rudolf
Teresa Juarez
Christopher Grecco
Emily Scannell

Self Portraits

2009-01-05T08:34:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine, Andrew Fuller, who just happens to also be a very talented photographer has started working on a new project. I had not seen him in awhile, and after running into him we discussed the work we were both working on. It just so happened to be self portraiture. I think he has a very interesting perspective and cannot wait to see where it goes next.

Welcome to 2009

2009-01-04T09:05:00.000-08:00

I know it has been awhile since my last post, but I have been taking a break from everything. I am ready to get back into the game and I will be cleaning through my hard drive and organizing to make room for 2009, so expect some new work to hit here soon. I have been thinking about my goals for 2009 and in doing so, realized how optimistic I have become over the years. I think this can only lead to good things.

Here is one of the first shoots. This is Elan, a surfer in San Francisco, whom I had met for this project I am working on. If you want to see more from the shoot you can check out more HERE.

You First

2008-11-26T21:46:00.000-08:00

Ryan

Here are a the first scans from my test roll through the new rangefinder. Carrying it around with me and shooting for a week has given me some new ideas. After looking at the contact sheets, I realized an interesting pattern. After shooting 2 portraits where the subject then asked to shoot my portrait and seeing them on the contact sheet, I began to think about my last post on Nikki S Lee's new work. I was really intrigued with the thought of allowing others to participate in making you(the photographer) the subject of the work. I also flashed back to a post by Timothy Archibald ....here.... regarding exploitation and how the word doesn't always have to have a negative meaning although I think in general people have a negative view of the word. I don't know where this is going but I am interested in finding out. So far I have shot a few people allowing them to shoot me in return. It has been interesting hearing their feedback and willingness to participate. I wasn't thrilled with the thought of a so many portraits of myself, it felt very vain and narcissistic. Does simply taking someone's portrait exploit the subject? Does my participation nullify any thoughts of exploitation in a negative view? More images to come, but for now - Happy Turkey or Tofurkey Day and weekend!

Nikki S. Lee and identity

2008-11-18T23:53:00.000-08:00

I have been struggling lately with the notion of what my blog is and where I want to take things. I want this blog to be more than just about photography, mainly because this blog is a reflection of me and my interests. The more I develop my own work, the more I have come to realize the things that I am passionate about. I am going to try a little experiment over the next few months, so please bear with me. You see, previously I refrained from posting non-photographic things because they didn't fit into this mold of what a photo blog is supposed to be. I have to confess that in addition to photography, I have been totally obsessed with and influenced by graphic design, typography, letter press, book arts, illustration, and painting.

So I guess this post is my first post to transition to a more balanced blog of what influences me and my work. And what a better way than to introduce Nikki S. Lee's new work. Thanks to Amy Elkins for the post on Nikki S. Lee's upcoming show. I wish I could check it out in person, but it will be awhile before I am back in NY. I have always been a fan of Nikki's work. In some of my more personal work I explore identity, but Nikki does it so well in her own way. I have to say this new work really intrigues me on many levels. On one level, the participatory aspect is great, but what really drew me in was the use of drawing...or should I say other artist's drawings of her. I am in the beginning stages of working on a larger series or project. I hope in the near future I can share with everyone my progress. This is also partly inspired from Timothy Archibald. I had long ago read a post on Alec Soth's blog referring to him and his work. I recently had the pleasure of meeting him and being on location for a shoot he did for Forbes magazine(see post here). I had followed his work and blog for some time and really appreciated his candor in putting his Echolilia series out there for the world to see before having a concrete idea of what he was creating, totally embracing the process. Now I can not compare myself to Timothy or his work, but he has had a good influence on freeing me of my fears of what reactions I may get for showing unfinished work.

To see more of Nikki S. Lee's work please continue here.

Rangefinders Rock!

2008-11-06T20:13:00.000-08:00

Today I got a little surprise...an early Christmas present to myself. Well, OK maybe it wasn't a complete surprise. I have been admiring this camera from afar for soooooooo long. I still can't believe I got my hands on one and in such amazing condition too! There are many reasons, both artistically and technically why I purchased this, it is not meant for everyone, but in the coming months I will have some new work from this camera to post, so stay tuned.

Steve Pyke

2008-11-05T22:28:00.000-08:00

Mulling over my experiences in NY of PDN's Photo Expo, I keep coming back to a seminar I had been lucky enough to attend called Portraiture Now. On the panel was W.M. Hunt (Owner of Hasted Hunt Gallery), Steve Pyke (Photographer), Jörg Colberg (Photographer/Writer), and Ann Shumard (Curator at the National Portrait Gallery). I was inspired by each of them in different ways. Steve spoke of different experiences he has had in portraiture, but what really struck me was how he talked about the process. In particular, discussing his Philosopher portraits, he revealed that while photographing several philosophers and hearing the same name(s) of other philosophers that influenced them, he set out to take their portrait as well. So on a whole other level, he is photographing a social tree of influence. I think this is a very smart and ingenious way to tie all their portraits together while adding another layer to the conceptual aspect of the group of images. This is in addition to the fact that as a viewer you try to compare the philosopher with their philosophy work. Going through the portrait of Philosophers I, and Philosophers II, I was pleasantly surprised at the use of text under the portrait. Just enough to give the viewer something to ponder without taking away from the viewing of the portrait as a whole.

Be sure to check out Face To Face, the National Portrait Gallery blog featuring some great content including audio of select works.

TBW Books - Series #2 is out!

2008-10-29T23:18:00.000-07:00

I've talked about it before, but it is finally here. TBW Books has just released the next installment in the series.

"Four accomplished artists working in the photographic medium were invited to present an intensely personal and poetic exploration of their work to be released in the form of a book. Each artist will be represented by one book in this four book series.

The Subscription Series is a limited edition, hand numbered book series that will not be available in stores. Subscribers will receive one book every three months beginning December 1st. Book quantities are limited to 650 unsigned subscriptions and 50 signed subscriptions."

Check it out and get them while they are hot, 'cause they won't last. I get so excited about stuff like this. I have a great appreciation for book arts, and that is exactly what this is. Paul at TBW Books has created a wonderful collaboration and I truly appreciate the work that goes into producing something of this quality. And you know you are producing something well when your work is "recognized and collected by many prominent galleries and museums, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Yale University Art Gallery."

Out of Office - NY for PDN Photo Expo

2008-10-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I will be in NY for PDN Photo Expo until Sunday. Hope to meet some new and interesting people. I'm working on having more to post regularly, so please hold tight. Here is something to hold you over. Remember to think outside the box. This is Buenos Aires street artist BLU.

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo

Hue Test - How good is your vision?

2008-09-30T23:29:00.000-07:00

It has never felt this good to get such a low score. What's your score?

Link via photostream

Orphan Works NOT GOOD - Please Act NOW!

2008-09-26T23:58:00.000-07:00

From the APA:

"THE SENATE HAS PASSED THEIR ORPHAN WORKS BILL (S2913)
For those who heeded the call to action this afternoon to try to stop the Senate from "hotlining" the bill, thank you. Passing controversial legislation by this process, i.e. under the radar, is deeply troubling to say the least and every Senator needs to be held accountable. But now our focus is the House.

We MUST try to stop the House Judiciary Committee from folding their bill (HR5889) and moving ahead to adopt the Senate version.

PLEASE EMAIL CONGRESS TONIGHT.
It will only take a few moments if you use the special letter we've provided by using the link below.

Put in your zip code at the Capwiz site, and take the next steps.

http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartnership/issues/alert/?alertid=11980321

Over 70 organizations are united in opposing this bill in its current form. Illustrators, photographers, fine artists, songwriters, musicians, and countless licensing firms all believe this bill will harm their small businesses. With thanks to the Illustrators Partnership, the Capwiz site is open to professional creators and any member of the image-making public."

It literally takes 2 mins tops, maybe 30 seconds if you type fast. Believe me it is worth it.

The Not So Secret Art of DAM

2008-09-06T09:57:00.000-07:00

This past Wednesday, I really learned the value of having an archive and keeping it maintained. My MacBook Pro(2006) starting having trouble opening programs. I checked the crash logs and noted the error. I took it in to the Genius Bar at the local Apple store and the "genius" recommended sending it in to replace the hard drive. Simple enough...he backed up my hard drive to my portable drive and sent it in to be replaced. It could have been so much worse.

As a side note, this is the first time I've had to experience the Genius Bar, and I have to say I was truly impressed by their knowledge and eagerness to please.

Rewind 3 months:
I spent the good part of this summer going through a migration from an ancient desktop pc to my MacBook Pro and organizing the increasing amount of images I continue to acquire. I had this feeling like I needed to make sure everything was backed up and safe...you know, just in case. I needed to create my archive and was at a loss for how to setup the structure and naming conventions so the archive could grow as my business grew. I decided to invest in The DAM Book by Peter Krogh. I read through this book and adapted it to my current needs and equipment. I have an external archive and backups to DVDs. If I had not been able to backup my drive to the portable, I would have had at least current copies of my photo archive and software, settings, backups of address book, calendar, etc.

Lesson learned. I will never go without keeping my backups current. You never know when that trusty hard drive will crap out leaving you franticly searching through that pile of DVDs you have growing on your desktop that may or may not have all your information on them.

Peter Krogh maintains a website HERE with updates for the book and forums for those wanting to discuss specific topics, also worth a look. If you have not read it or plan on making photography your business, you might want to take a peek.

*******UPDATE**********
ASMP NorCal is having a seminar with Peter Krogh this Tuesday, here are the details or see below:

Get Your DAM Stuff Together 2
Peter Krogh presents a fresh update of his popular Digital Asset Management program, Get your DAM Stuff Together 2. Peter helps you understand how the various parts of your digital photography collection fit together in a usable workflow. Learn to automate your entire workflow for added speed and security.

September 9th 7:00 PM

BlueSky Studio, 2325 Third St San Francisco, CA

Do not miss this ASMP seminar. Register now.

Vacation Down Memory Lane

2008-08-21T19:44:00.000-07:00

Well, I know I don't update this blog as much as I would like, and I wanted to post some things before I went on vacation, I just ran out of time planning and packing for my trip to NY and Connecticut. I had a few projects swirling around in my head for this trip. Needless to say I am back and had a great time. This was a vacation and a chance to see my family on the east coast, which I don't get to do often enough. I had a great time visiting and appreciating how family can really work together to help family members in time of need. It really didn't set in, how much some of my family members sacrifice to take care of my grand parents and other family members, until I saw it first hand. This may be the beginning of a possible project, but who knows.

After a week in NY, I went to CT to visit family. I stopped by the house I grew up in for 13 years. It was truly surreal being there, stepping on the same grass I played on as a child. This is the first time in my life that scale, the size of everything in relation to me, had the most impact on me. As a child this place seemed so large, yet walking around the house and yard, I felt like a giant. I wanted to photograph the place I had grown up, so I lugged my 4x5, tripod, holders, etc in my carry-on no less(don't ask me how I managed to do this), all the way to NY and CT, to photograph this place. And even though the house and yard had changed slightly, it was still very hard for me to focus on what I wanted to photograph.

I have a ton of stuff to develop and scan so hopefully I will have some things to post soon. So I'll leave you with this tip for NY if you plan on going anytime soon...always know what to wear :)

CMYK No.41

2008-08-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

Just got my hands on the CMYK No.41 issue. I was happy to see an image from my Scar Portraits get in. It is actually my favorite image so far from that series, so I was glad to hear it had gotten in. Pick up an issue at your local bookstore or newstand and check out more interesting work.

FilmMaker Magazine: Barry Jenkins

2008-07-31T19:51:00.000-07:00

The new issue of FilmMaker Magazine came out today with an image I shot of friend Barry Jenkins, the writer/director of a great independent film Medicine for Melancholy which just happened to get picked up by IFC Films and will appear at the Toronto Film Festival this September 4-13 and released in theaters in 2009.

Hands from AT&T and BBDO

2008-07-07T10:23:00.000-07:00

I literally just stumbled upon the new AT&T advertisements in my local public transit stop, which are plastered all over the floors and on the walls. Apparently this has been around for a few months, but I just now came across these images. I tried searching online for the photographer that shot these, only really learning that BBDO New York was responsible. In my continued search for who the photographer was, I came across this post in the blog An Art Producer's Perspective, which is a new blog to me, but I do recommend checking it out. The photographer turns out to be someone whose work I admire and had run across before,
Andric.

He is represented by Tim Mitchell.

The artist Guido Daniele did an amazing job. Check out more of his work HERE. I truly admire the craftsmanship that goes into his work.

UPDATE: After doing some looking around on Andric's site, I came across his NEWS section which has a great video HERE of how this work was done. I really enjoy the craftsmanship Guido brought to this project and I am excited that such a hand craft, no pun intended, is not lost in the digital age that we live in day to day.

These are my favorite:

Independence Day

2008-07-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. My weekend was filled with lots of great food. Here a few pictures. I can't decide which one is my favorite yet, still recovering from a food hangover.

KEEP YOUR COPYRIGHT

2008-06-23T20:31:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across THIS interesting new site that will prove to be beneficial to many, especially those creatives starting out in the world of business. The website already has a decent starting collection of example contracts and is hoping to gather more examples of contracts between creatives(photographers,writers,journalists,etc) and clients. Check it out, maybe learn a thing or two about carefully crafted verbal chess.

According to the ASMP:

"The Kernochan Center for Law, Media, and the Arts at Columbia University has launched a website, www.keepyourcopyrights.org, designed to aid artists in understanding contracts and how to interpret them. It’s pretty cool.

The Center has some sample contracts, but it would like to show more. You are invited to send your favorite (or most-hated) examples. The Center will post them on the website, alongside explanations of the legal terminology. Of course, all sensitive information such as names, addresses, and dollar amounts will be removed first.

If you are willing to share a typical (or extraordinary) contract that you have received, please send it directly to the Center. Email it to contact@keepyourcopyrights.org

or send by post to:

The Kernochan Center for Law, Media and the Arts
Columbia University School of Law
435 W. 116th Street, Box A-17
New York, New York 10027

I would not want to be here...

2008-06-13T18:22:00.000-07:00

This is an incredible photo taken by Lori Mehmen, shortly before running for cover. With digital cameras being more in use and with an increasing population that is more photographically literate, competent, and with digital camera in hand, I think this is only the beginning of seeing some incredible and rarely seen images. Read the story HERE.

Minor Threat

2008-06-11T00:12:00.000-07:00

I know I just mentioned them about this 10 days ago, but Words Without Pictures has a new essay up concerning minors as the photographic subject.

Conscientious reported previously here, here, and here about some recent news regarding Bill Henson's work being confiscated prior to a gallery opening.

San Francisco Inspiration

2008-06-10T23:44:00.000-07:00

Today I stumbled upon an old favorite while backing up my music. I found some KQED:Gallery Crawl Podcasts that I had completely forgotten about. This is a great source of inspiration if you live in the Bay Area. If you are looking for something to do or looking to see what may be currently at a Bay Area Gallery, this has some really interesting finds. Sometimes I feel like the abundance of galleries in SF can make it difficult to keep up all the great work circulating through them. Through an introduction of a gallery on Gallery Crawl I have seen some great work in person and wanted to take this second to thank KQED for some really great programming. There is more great material at KQED, like the series KQED:Spark, which focuses on artists and their current work, performance, or show. So if you are not lucky enough to catch the TV programming, or don't live in the area, you can just download the podcasts.

You can choose to get the content from their website or go to iTunes and get the podcasts there as well. Enjoy.

Who Cares About Books?

2008-06-01T23:45:00.000-07:00

There is a new article up at Words Without Pictures. I absolutely love this site. I always wait patiently for the next article to come out. If I'm not mistaken, this has a stunning similarity to a site I stumbled upon over a year ago called Tip of the Tongue.org, which seems to be non existent now. A contributor to Words Without Pictures, Charlotte Cotton, had written this essay on Tip of The Tongue, The New Color: The Return of Black-and-White. I truly enjoyed it, and even had found it in podcast form, which I still have and listen to when I need an artistic pick me up.

Words Without Pictures seems to be running smooth and has a great group of contributors so far. This month's topic covers the increasingly sought after photography book. So if you haven't seen it yet or haven't been there lately, I highly suggest you check it out. I wish there were more sites like this. If anyone out there knows of any, please let me know.

P.S. - If you want to keep these for later reading, there are PDFs you can download. However, older essays are not live on the site, so you have to contact them to request the PDF.

Kurt Vonnegut

2008-05-29T17:47:00.001-07:00

I was perusing the internet with an over abundance of boredom today. So boring that I began to stare at screen of my laptop instead of looking at the actual content. When I woke myself from this daydream I happen to glance at an advertisement that caught my attention, which usually is the first thing I pass over. It was an advertisement for Kurt Vonnegut's new book I just picked up this weekend for my birthday, sort of a present to myself along with a 1st edition, 1st printing of On Photography by Susan Sontag. The advertisement was for Mark Vonnegut's reading of his introduction to Armageddon in Retrospect, "a collection of his father's new and unpublished writings", and in an out of body experience, I actually clicked on an advertisement. It wasn't until this moment of consciousness that I realized how repelled I am by advertising on the web and how out of character this was for me to actually click through for some content of interest.

If you get a chance to listen to the podcast, I hope you find the story of his short time spent writing for Sports Illustrated as funny as I did. I also found the little details about how Mr. Vonnegut viewed his own work and whether anything he published would be his last great work, inspiring and ringing similar for photographers or any artist for that matter.

Levi Van Veluw

2008-05-28T23:53:00.000-07:00

I just discovered his work and I am truly intrigued. His work adds a completely new dimension to the act of self portraits. Check out his work HERE. Images from "Material Transfers" and "Landscapes" are my favorite.

Good Reads

2008-05-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

As I was up late one night searching for an out of print photography book, I came across a website called Good Reads. It seems interesting so i thought I would put it out there to see if anyone might be interested in it as well. I find it harder and harder to find people that actually read printed books now days. It's great to see so many people participating and sharing their reviews on books and recommendations for reading. Check it out, write a review, maybe even read a new book.

Academy Of Art 2008 Spring Show

2008-05-19T23:30:00.000-07:00

That's right, you've guessed it! I'm on a roll. First it was CMYK, now this. This Thursday May 22nd is the opening reception of the Spring Show and one of my images was selected from the "unprecedented number of entries". Hope to see you there.

For details click on the image above or go HERE

I'm in.....

2008-04-29T00:12:00.000-07:00

CMYK!!!! I awoke this morning, not so confident in how my day was going to turn out. I needed to show work tonight and wasn't as prepared as I usually am. So I stumbled to the kitchen to make breakfast. I decided anything more than coffee and some oatmeal was too much. I sit down, fire up the old Macbook and log into my email. Up pops my first message "Congratulations from CMYK magazine"! Looks like one of the images from my Scar portraits I submitted to CMYK's Call For Aspiring Creatives #41 was chosen. I'm gonna be published! I was filled with so much spirit I just put my nose to the grindstone and accomplished so much today. I wish everyday was like this. It felt so rewarding to get recognized outside of the typical family/friend/classmate circle. There are people whose judgment I trust, but this was something more. Now if I can only get some Communication Arts love that would be amazing.

For all of those interested there is another CMYK contest, deadline is July 28th. Check HERE for details.

On that note, good night and here is the chosen piece. To see it bigger, please check out my website, wwww.DavidBornfriend.com, and see more in the Scar portrait series or pick up CMYK magazine in July.

Portfolio woes and Beach Follies

2008-04-14T23:02:00.000-07:00

What an interesting weekend...sunny and 70 degrees and celebrating birthdays young and old. Just before the weekend started,Liz Kuball posted a problem about viewers having trouble viewing her website here and here.

If anyone out there can help her, please check out her blog for a description of the issues and send her any helpful advice. I wasn't able to help her much, but if anyone out there that has some Flash skills or web knowledge, please take a look and maybe help a photographer out.

And I just wanted to share two dogs I met this weekend. Here's to two of the coolest dogs I've met in awhile:

Freckles:

Knolly:

Creative Blocks and Inspiration - Part II

2008-04-09T08:25:00.000-07:00

In a follow-up to an earlier post about creative blocks and self doubt, I was happy to see Chase Jarvis blogging about it himself here, and made me feel not so alone. I think there needs to be more discussion about our motivations as image makers and our inspirations. I think a big part of my creative block was an inner voice telling me my work was not interesting or not good enough. I was browsing a local bookstore and came across this book - "How to Succeed in Commercial Photography". There is a great chapter "Working through Creative Blocks" which contains an interesting exercise called "Heartstorming" which I had never heard of before. Heartstorming is an exercise in which you identify things you love and why you love them.

You start by writing down on a large piece of paper the word "love" and draw a circle around it. Free associate things you love and draw a circle around each of them as well and draw a line connecting them to the "love" circle. Then write down what you love about the things you love and circle them. Free associate, don't get analytical, just let it flow. Circle the things in red that are missing from your work currently. Then write about thirty statements starting with "I am..." about yourself. For a more in depth description of the process check out the book by Selina Maitreya.

Heartstorming is helpful in breaking you from negative or neutralizing thoughts and just lets your inner self come out on paper. If you are interested, you should check out the book, there is more useful information there.

I Like These Photos

2008-04-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

So APE(A Photo Editor) just posted the final slide show for the Free Promo contest. Check out all the talent.

Justine Kurland

2008-04-07T23:14:00.000-07:00

I discovered Justine Kurland's work for the first time today. I can't help but be drawn to her work and the way she discusses traditional female roles. The gallery that represents her has a great collection of her images and press about her series "Of Woman Born". It is a very interesting read, but I particularly liked the way Justine has embraced her lifestyle, upbringing and photographic work and made them one. She is true to herself as a mother and a photographer. One of my favorite side notes about her in the NY Times article is that she was a studio assistant for Gregory Crewdson. "Every week or so she'd run away," he recalled, "and then she finally just left. That's when I realized her pictures are autobiographical."

New Gmail feature

2008-04-01T16:11:00.000-07:00

Love the new feature from Gmail. Read the beta user comments for ideas in just how powerful a tool this is!

The Kin Series

2008-03-27T23:13:00.000-07:00

I came across this post today on Shane Lavalette's Journal. He talks about a series in which a book is sent out about every 3 months and cover a different photographers work for a total of 4 books per year/subscription series of 350 = 50 signed + 300 unsigned. If you are as much of a fan of photography books as I am, then it's definitely worth a look here.

Photographic Criticism

2008-03-23T22:59:00.000-07:00

While perusing my Google reader, I remembered this blog I had recently found. I particularly enjoy it because it is well written and covers several courses of photography that he teaches, and being a student myself, I am able to carry out an extension of what I learn or want to learn. A recent post of his concerned criticism and linked to A.D. Coleman's archive and all around interesting website called The Photography Criticism CyberArchive. I am curious if anyone else has used this website, if so please let me know or comment on this post what you think of it. You pay a yearly subscription fee and I was wondering if it is worth it. There seems to be a tremendous amount of writings about photography and criticism.

Photo Contest

2008-03-20T11:02:00.000-07:00

Photoshelter

has a student competition underway. Submissions due by April 16th. Check it out

HERE

, there are some great prizes, especially for a student.

There is also a deadline extension till March 21st for

Communcation Arts

Students can enter in the "Unpublished" category, so HURRY!!!

Save Polaroid!

2008-03-18T08:29:00.000-07:00

Linked via A Photo Editor: Save Polaroid

Visit Save Polaroid (here) to see what you can do...I just printed and mailed mine this morning.

Creative blocks

2008-03-11T00:59:00.000-07:00

March 10th, 2008 11pm

How do you work through creative blocks? Recently I've been developing my portfolio, which has me asking myself - "Where is my work going?", "How do I narrow my vision in to a solid body of work?", "How do I stand out from the crowd?", and the list goes on. This semester has been my toughest yet, physically, emotionally, and creatively. I'm not one ot make excuses, but I've been sick for the past 4 weeks which has made any photographic efforts feel less than exciting. I have hit a creative block that I am having the toughest time pushing through - part fear, part depression, and part anxiety. I haven't been able to really wrap my head around it.

So again for you readers, I ask - How do you break through your creative blocks?

Welcome

2008-03-11T00:56:00.000-07:00

Hello all!!

Just wanted to welcome everyone to my new photography blog about my work and the world of photography. You can view my work on my website

HERE

Enjoy!