Missing Link Photo: The Truth Is Out There

Speaking of nature photography, have you seen the image of the new "missing link" fossil now on view at the American Museum of Natural History in New York? This fossil, which is 47 million years old, is said by scientists to the earliest human ancestor--a link between the animals that became homo sapien and other mammals. It's a controversial theory, but very exciting, and the announcement is being pumped up with considerable marketing muscle. The fossil is called Ida ("eeda"), and when you gaze at the images of it, you understand the primordial fear evoked by the creature in the Alien films.--David Schonauer

Conservation Photography Conclave Planned for November

Does nature photography help save the environment. I want to think so, and I also happen to think so. As the Sierra Club discovered many years ago, an image of a wild, beautiful place can raise awareness of threats to the environment and be a powerful motivator for preserving fragile places. Images can also be used for scientific studies of endangered eco-systems and as evidence to influence policy makers. Only recently photographer James Balog presented his images of melting glaciers--part of his Extreme Ice Survey--to members of Congress.
     Balog is one of the founding members of the International League of Conservation Photographers, a group of landscape and wildlife photographers who have redefined their work, merging the ideas of art and activism. In November the ILCP is sponsoring a symposium during the 9th World Wilderness Conference, which will take place in Merida, Yucatan (Mexico). Cristina Mittermeier, the executive director of the ILCP, wants to make sure that photographers around the world are aware of the event--if you would like to attend, you get more information at the ILCP website, including how to register. Even if  you can't attend, you might want to look for news coming out of the symposium, which will feature panels on journalism, effective communications, and scientific ideas. If my schedule permits, I will certainly be there.--David Schonauer

Where to Go and What to See

This week, take the time to view some black-and-white portraits by famed LIFE photographer Gordon Parks, on display at The Gallery at Hermes (691 Madison Avenue, 4th Floor). The exhibit debuts on May 20 and features intimate photographs of Americans — both famous and everyday — from the past 30 years. Himself embodying the American Dream, Gordon Parks worked his way out of his impoverished Kansas hometown to become one of the most respected photographers of the 20th century. Above is Parks's iconic image of Muhammad Ali.

Follow the link below for details about this and more photography events.

Dumb and Dumbo: A Brief Review of the New York Photo Festival

You think the New York Photo Festival in Dumbo was bad last year: Be reassured, it was even worse this year. Last year was the premier for the festival, so we could understand that it was somewhat disorganized. But there can't be an excuse for the  amateurism and incompetence on display this year. On the opening night,last Wednesday, four exhibitions were closed, and one had still the prints on the floor. Most offensive were the portfolio reviews: If you were a starving artist or student, you had to pay $500 to have your portfolio looked at—far too much in the current economy. In France we describe this kind of proposal by saying, Do not shoot on the ambulance. The organizers may well be unable to find any wounded suckers next year.--Jean Jacques Naudet  

New Photo Blog from the New York Times

The New York Times has launched its new photography showcase on its website. It's calls Lens,and it features portfolios and behind-the-scenes videos from a host of the newspaper's photographers. As regular readers of State of the Art will have noticed by now, I'm a big fan of the photography from the Times, so I'm pretty happy to see this new blog. You really have to check out Stephen Crowley's video piece on Oval Office photo ops. It's a sobering looks at how political photojournalism is manufactured. Hurray for Lens.--David Schonauer

The Lasting Impact of Bob Marley

Sometimes photographers have to work long hours for days on end just to get a handful of interesting images. And sometimes all it takes is a little quality time with a generous subject.
     In 1976, Time magazine sent photojournalist David Burnett to Jamaica to work on a story about reggae music, which was becoming a popular addition to radio play lists in the U.S. Burnett started his work by shooting a number of musicians around Ocho Rios, on the island’s north coast. “They all told me that if I wanted to get the story right, I had to go see Bob Marley,” says Burnett. Traveling with a writer, Burnett ended up spending a single afternoon with Marley at his home in Kingston.
     Thirty-three years later, the images he shot that day, combined with a number of photographs he took while following Marley’s Exodus tour in Europe in 1977, have been collected in a book, Soul Rebel: An Intimate Portrait of Bob Marley (Insight Editions, $39.95). The work was also featured earlier this year in an exhibition at the Govinda Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Explaining Why the Abu Ghraib Images Should be Released

As I've noted previously, I believe it is wrong for the Obama administration to restrict the release of a another batch of images of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison. Court rulings have cleared the way for the released of the images, which were collected during the military's investigation of the Abu Ghraib scandal. But President Obama has refused to have the images released, saying they might inflame enemies and thus put Americans at risk. The New York Times weighs in today with an article that looks back to when the Nixon administration tried to stop the release of the Pentagon Papers because of potential harm that might happen to Americans. A secret history of the Vietnam War, the Pentagon Papers contained images of U.S. atrocities, and the Nixon administration argued that their release might inflame enemies and caused added danger to American troops. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled that such danger was a vague potential, not immediate and concrete  The documents were released. The comparisons to the current controversy about the Abu Ghraib images is fascinating.--David Schonauer