Cacti, Veronica Hansen

I’ve come to enjoy photojournalism classes only as avenues to inject my feminist-art agenda.

These photos are for an assignment called “portrait of a place.” They are a portrait of my house via the images and shapes I see. But they are also a portrait of space in the element of two-dimensions; flat space; portrait of a single-plane.

 What’s interesting about these three images is that they actually do tell a story of my house. The cacti was here when we moved in and remains. The Wandering Jew was a house addendum purchased in honor of my chosen-friend Stephen. And the carpet tacks serve as vindication of a newly installed floor.

Carpet Tacks, Veronica Hansen

Jupiter, Veronica Hansen

ACL is great - if you don’t stress it. It’s people watching x 150,000. Pictures of weirdos coming soon to this blog - and via the new issue of the Texas Travesty (on campus this week!).

Here are some drops of sunshine. More to come after cuddling with the cutest cat.

Virginia Woolf, Veronica Hansen

ACL be insane. So many people.  Here’s a prelim edit…

Veronica Hansen

Veronica Hansen

Veronica Hansen

IMPORTANT: The last day to enter College Photographer of the Year is tomorrow (Friday) at midnight! Everyone should enter because: a, it’s free; b, the grand prize is an internship at National Geographic; and c, all other winners receive “recognition certificates.”

I am finally editing some photos from my family trip to Hawaii.  Here are the first few…

Veronica Hansen

Veronica Hansen

 Imagine the below as a postcard with scripty font that says… “Welcome to…Hawaii.”

Veronica Hansen

So on yesterday’s blog - I posted this photograph by Imogen Cunningham called Triangles.  Yes, this is a nude photo of a woman’s body.  But no, it is not offensive or pornographic in anyway.

Triangles, Imogen Cunningham

 Regardless, photobucket.com, a photo hosting site I store my images on - then link to, removed it and said it conflicted with their policy! Which is truly appalling because the hosting site is supposedly private, i.e. my space to host what I like. Now, I have no proof they actually removed it because of the nudity, so here’s my plan: I’m going to post it again and if it is again removed, dear readers, hell will be raised. Or at least a strongly-worded letter written.

How lucky can I get? Today I not only enjoyed a delicious bowl of neapolitan ice cream (Bluebell of course!), but I also I found out one of my favorite photographers is having a show in nearby Fredericksburg, Texas! I know…Fredericksburg? Whatever.

Magnolia Blossom, Imogen Cunningham

The image above and immediately below are by Imogen Cunningham (1883-1976). Though she worked well into her nineties, her main body of work came from the pre-industrial era, when photography was transitioning between the emotional, soft-focus, Pictorialism phase and becoming more emphatic about precision, machinery and feisty ol’ westward expansion. She, along with some dude named Ansel Adams, brought the f/64 group to life with big cameras, small apertures and a penchant for contact prints. I love her works, especially these two, because they represent that transition perfectly: stunningly accurate technique but more emphasis on feeling –on looking at everything as interesting. You can see her work at the Photography 414 Gallery in Fredericksburg until November 1st.

Edward and Margrethe, Imogen Cunningham

The below image is just a bonus for all you insatiable readers. It’s by Johan Hagemeyer - another to jump on the anti-Pictorialist bandwagon in the nineteen-teens. Post if you think I’m just an angsty feminist, but doesn’t his Magnolia feel a lot more masculine than Cunninghams?

Magnolia, California. Johan Hagemeyer.

One of my favorite local photographers, Randal Ford, recently started doing “behind the scenes” videos of his photo shoots. You can check them out here: http://randalford.blogspot.com/

It’s really interesting to watch his set-ups and the way he interacts with his subjects. I’m pretty sure videos of my photo shoots would be more awkward than that time Kirstie Alley showed up on Oprah in a bikini.

Randal Ford

The above shot is from his series “inspired,” in which he recreated old Norman Rockwell paintings into a contemporary fashion spread. He also took these really cute photos of cows!!!!

Randal Ford

Veronica Hansen

I’ve noticed a lot of people are opposed to using Photoshop, especially in the photojournalism world. I’m not sure if it’s a moral objection or a fear of the unknown. I’ll save a more thought-out debate on this for when I’m not on Vicodin. In the meantime, post your thoughts!

I have to get my wisdom teeth out Friday. So I apologize in advance if there’s drool on my weekend blogs. Or references to weird morphine dreams. Speaking of which…

Veronica Hansen.

I took this photo a few weeks ago at the junior high of my hometown (Friendswood, TX). I got a wicked case of poison ivy from it. Worth it?

When the blog editor of the Daily Texan (who just happens to be my lil’ wifey) approached me to write this blog - I knew exactly whose blog I wanted to model my style around. Graeme Mitchell.

He’s a New York fashion/portrait photographer who shoots mainly black and white film. In addition to his professional work, he also keeps a blog upon which he discusses other photographers, trends in his business, tips for young photogs, and his amazing NYC street series. I saw this photo the other day and it blew me away; just the way he harmonized the street elements into a dynamic shape and captured this man perfectly in his morning routine.

Coming Out of Subway, Graeme Mitchell. 2008

What I really like about reading Graeme’s blog is that I feel it relates to me. While I am by no means on “his level,” he is a young photographer breaking into the business. Someone to learn from. Not to mention someone that still loves film.

Graeme Mitchell.

Graeme Mitchell.