Photographer Interview: Marlene Hawthrone Thomas

Check out Marlene's photography portfolio, also see shots from recent work on her blog and follow her on Twitter @marlenephoto.

Where are you from?I come from a bicultural background; my mother is from San Salvador, El Salvador, and my father is from Atmore, Alabama.

I was born in Maryland, and spent the first half of life in Colorado and the other in the Washington D.C./Metropolitan area.

Currently I'm in Atlanta, GA pursuing my MFA in Photography at Savannah College of Art and Design.

What kind of photography do you shoot and how did you get started - any "formal" training? I shoot weddings and portraits mostly, but in between I shoot anything that inspires me. I'm deeply inspired visually by the vast world we live in, and I hope I never stop feeling that way, even when I'm 80 and (hopefully) well traveled and a little more cultured :)

When I was younger I remember my mother giving me a beat up 110 camera. I don't remember having film for it, but I do recall having a really active imagination and taking 'pretend pictures.' When I got older I took a community college course in black and white photography and discovered how magical it was to see a print appear from the developer tray, in a room tinted a burnt orange by the safelight.

During undergrad at Howard University, I worked as a staff photographer for the student newspaper, The Hilltop, and it was such a rewarding experience because it taught me about getting the front page picture, deadlines, and all the in-between.

For the most part I've been self-taught (and on a continual path where I soak up everything I can!), and I'm grateful for all the people I've met along the way who have taught me what I know.

What cameras or techniques do you use?My first film camera was a Nikon FM10, for my black and white class, and I shot horrible pictures with it!

Currently I shoot with Canon digital SLRs, a couple beat up Yashica TLRs, occasionally large format, and a plastic Holga to bring me back to the basics when I get giddy over L series Canon lenses.

Who are your mentors (in photography)? Gordon Parks has been a great inspiration to me, as well as Irving Penn, Henri Cartier Bresson, Hiroshi Sugimoto, James Van der Zee, Richard Avedon, Josef Sudek, Seydou Keita, Graciela Iturbide, Deborah Willis, Carrie Mae Weems, Lola Alvarez Bravo, and Lorna Simpson, to name a few; the list seems infinite to me!

Have you experienced any setbacks or different treatment along your photography career that you would attribute to being a woman and/or photographer of color? (this question is optional) I know that I'll probably face a bit of adversity along the road of fine art; after all, the name alone defines it as something that is only accessible by an elite group. I'm hoping that through this journey, I'll develop a thicker skin, and never lose sight of what I create art for.

When did you realize you could have a career in photography? Describe your journey towards becoming a working photographer. When I got my first paycheck from raising my camera to my eye, I realized 'hey, this isn't that bad at all!'

There's a saying that goes 'Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life.' I wholeheartedly believe in that!

What do you hope to achieve with your photography? I hope to create work that stays in people's minds.

What's your dream photography project?
Travel the world and photograph, see my work in magazines, or have an infinite budget to play out the millions of ideas I have for photoshoots!

PARIS PHOTO 2009: Spotlight on Arab and Iranian photography

With an average of 40,000 visitors a year viewing work by more than 500 international photographers, Paris Photo has to be one of the biggest events in the world that celebrates the beauty and diversity of photography.

Each year Paris Photo highlights a specific region of the world and this year it turns the spotlight on photographic work from the Arab countries and Iran. The project was curated into three sections:

The Central Exhibition will unveil a selection of rare studio photographs from the archives of the Arab Image Foundation in Beirut.

The Statement section will present a number of emerging talents from the region - from Tehran to Damascus, Beirut to Cairo, Tangiers to Dubai...

The Project Room will offer a series of video works, testimony to the growing interest for the dynamics of this medium among the artists of the region.

Paris Photo 2009 will run from November 19th to the 22nd.

PHOTO: Van Leo - Sherihan actrice égyptienne - Le Caire, Egypte, 1976
Collection Fondation Arabe pour l'Image
© Fondation Arabe pour l'Image

Photographer Interview: Gerald Cyrus

PHOTO: Jaime Permuth

You can view some photos on Gerald Cyrus' En Foco profile page and also see his work in the Connections group show at the Jenkins Johnson gallery ending March 28, 2009.

D&B: Where are you from?
GC: I was born in Los Angeles, CA and raised in the Leimert Park area of the city.

D&B: How did you get started in photography - any "formal" training?
GC: I had a camera in college that I fooled around with until it was stolen. I received another camera in my mid-twenties as a gift and decided I wanted to actually learn something about the medium. I started off with a night course at a local high school, and then moved on to some extension courses at colleges and art schools in L.A. before finally moving to New York to pursue an MFA at the School of Visual Arts.

D&B: What cameras or techniques do you use?
GC: I have a variety of cameras from 35mm on up to 4x5, as well a little digital camera I carry around a lot. At the moment, I'd say I'm using a medium-format Plaubel 6x7cm camera most of the time and praying it doesn't break down on me. I still use black-and-white film for most of my personal work, and I process and print all my work in my darkroom.

D&B: Who are your mentors (in photography)?
GC: Well, there have been photographers whose work has been influential on me, such as Roy DeCarava, Robert Frank, Danny Lyon, Josef Koudelka, Gilles Peress, Lee Friedlander and many others.

And there are those whom I've been fortunate enough to have a personal connection with and whom I consider mentors, including my fellow photographers in the Kamoinge collective such as Beuford Smith, Tony Barboza, Frank Stewart, Danny Dawson and Adger Cowans. Also, Donald Bernard, Roland Charles, Sheila Pinkel, Willie Middlebrook, Jules Allen, and Deborah Willis have provided inspiration and guidance.

[Dodge & Burn Editor's Note: The Kamoinge Collective is an African-American photographers' organization that formed in 1963 to address the under-representation of black photographers in the art world. Kamoinge is a Kikuyu word in East Africa that means "a group of people working together".]

D&B: Have you experienced any setbacks or different treatment along your photography career that you would attribute to being a photographer of color? (this question is optional)
GC: This would be hard for me to pinpoint on a personal basis, however, I do think that the overall receptiveness toward work that falls out of the accepted norms of the museum world is lukewarm at best. There are other cultural ways of approaching art that should be represented more. It's as if you turned on the radio and all you heard was country and western music. There needs to be a lot more blues, more jazz, more salsa out there.

D&B: When did you realize you could make money as a photographer? Describe your journey towards becoming a working photographer.
GC: Well, there's making money and there's making a living. Though I make some money from my photography, I certainly wouldn't say I'm making a living from it. Fortunately, I've been able to do some teaching and receive some grants to make up the difference (as well as be married to a gainfully employed spouse).

D&B: What do you hope to achieve with your photography?
GC: Hopefully I can leave behind some work (perhaps in book form) that will move people and inform them about some aspect of being an American at this point in time.

D&B: What's your dream photography project?
GC: Being paid a living wage to photograph whatever interests me at the moment. Yes, it is a dream.

D&B: What are you shooting now?
GC: Primarily some form of street photography (sometimes candid, sometimes portraits, sometimes social landscapes). I have some ideas as to how to tie them all together, but they're still in the formative stage right now.

Photographer Dawoud Bey Featured In USA Network's Character Project

Usually I find subway billboards to be an eyesore but this morning an ad for the USA Network's "Character Project" held my gaze.

With the support of the Aperture Foundation, the USA Network assembled a team of 11 world-class photographers to capture the character of America during the summer of 2008. Film for many of the 11 projects was kindly provided by Kodak.

The photographers' work will be showcased in a book entitled American Character: A Photographic Journey, published by Chronicle Books and available beginning March 17th.

I thought this was a really unique way to capitalize on USA's iconic "Characters Welcome" brand and was pleasantly surprised to find one of my favorite portrait photographers, Dawoud Bey, as part of the project.

Here's a list of all 11 photographers and their subjects:

* Dawoud Bey: Photographed a diverse cross-section of young Americans near Chicago's Columbia College where he has taught for many years.

* Anna Mia Davidson: Photographed portraits of sustainable farmers in Washington State.

* Jeff Dunas: Shot a color series in and around Los Angeles documenting the American summer experience.

* David Eustace: Shot portraits and landscapes as he traveled along the entirety of Route 50, one of the oldest transcontinental roads, stretching over 3000 miles from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

* Joe Fornabaio: Photographed individuals at barbershops and salons in the New York metro area in order to capture characters engaged in a classic American ritual -- the haircut.

* Mary Ellen Mark: Documented festivals, parades and summer traditions in one of her favorite places to photograph: New York City.

* Eric McNatt: Photographed the "wild and wooly, quiet and intense, quirky and idiosyncratic spirit" of his hometown, Brownwood, Texas.

* Eric Ogden: Shot portraits of captivating and charismatic American musicians who all hail from Michigan, including Iggy Pop, Andrew W.K., Bootsy Collins, Deastro, Andre Williams and Detroit Cobras.

* Sylvia Plachy: Captured the "spirit of the south" through a series of portraits and panoramas in Mississippi.

* Richard Renaldi: Photographed the character of Alaska on its 50th anniversary as a U.S. state.

* Marla Rutherford: Shot portraits of individuals from around Los Angeles who had never before been professionally photographed.

You can see the project's photographs online at the Character Project website.

PHOTO: Mesun, Chicago by Dawoud Bey for USA Network's "Character Project"

Call for Entries: Celebrate Women´s History Month with the Smithsonian Photography Initiative

Participate in the Smithsonian Photography Initiative’s call for entries for click! photography changes everything – an online exhibit that invites the public to consider ways in which photography influences every aspect of our lives.

This month’s focus is on celebrating Women’s History Month in March, so the Smithsonian is seeking entries exploring the role of women both historically and today. From how photographs of women played a part in the Women’s Rights Movement worldwide to how photography celebrates, captures, or challenges what it means to be a woman, click! wants photographs and stories on everything that has and does shape the female experience.

Additionally, starting on March 9th, the Smithsonian Photography Initiative will be featuring portraits of women scientists, artists, and leaders on the Smithsonian Commons. You are encouraged to share your own personal photo and story or write about a photo from the Smithsonian Commons.

Read the click! photography changes everything submission guidelines.

Help spread the word: read the media release and get the call for entries badge to post on your website or blog.

Submit your entries via the click! Flickr group.

Photographer Interview: Felicia Megginson

You can view some photos on Felicia Megginson´s EnFoco profile and also see her work in the Connections group show at the Jenkins Johnson gallery.

Where are you from? I was born in Los Angeles, but was raised on the East Coast, primarily in Virginia.

How did you get started in photography - any "formal" training?
My introduction to photography began informally when my parents gave me an Insta-matic camera when I was six or seven and I was quite the shutterbug. I got more formal training in high school, when I had an awesome one semester class in my senior year that introduced me to the darkroom, pinhole photography and the magic of printing. I completed an M.A. in Studio art at NYU, where my concentration was in photographic studies.

What cameras or techniques do you use? I'm still pretty much an analog kind of girl. My trusty camera for the past 20 years has been a Nikon 8008S, with a 28mm lens. That's my got to for all my 35mm work. I love that camera and would only trade it for a Leica. Most of the work I made over the past eight years has been shot on a vintage Polaroid Land Camera.

Polaroid used to make cameras with real lenses and shutters, and --until they stopped making the film in 2007--I shot solely on 665 positive/negative black and white film. It gave me images with beautiful tonal range, and allowed me to enlarge the 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" negatives. I was pretty bitter when they ended all film production. I've recently started working with my Canon G10, but I'm still an analog girl in a digital world.

Who are your mentors (in photography)? Well one of my mentors from grad school was Peter Campus, he really influenced me in my last year of school, when he gave me some great guidance regarding process and not being so literal with my work. Even though he's primarily known for his video work, he did some beautiful black and white portraits early on in his career.

Other indirect influences were Lorna Simpson and Albert Chong. I love the visual lexicon they have created and how it plays out in their work. I think Chong's book Ancestral Dialogues had real influence on me early on particularly because he worked with the Type 55 Polaroid film.

I'd also say the work of the Magnum photographers like Sebastiao Selgado, and Cartier Bresson, or photo documentarians like Lee Friedlander and Roy De Carava influenced me. Through them, I think I learned about the difference between seeing and looking, if that makes any sense. I may not have had direct contact with them, but I was definitely influenced by their work.

Have you experienced any setbacks or different treatment along your photography career that you would attribute to being a woman and/or photographer of color? (this question is optional) With respect to setbacks and being an artist of color, I cannot necessarily say that I've missed out on opportunities, but sometimes I feel like the perceived space that I have to work in as a creative person is somewhat limited. There is this unspoken expectation that every piece I work on has to overtly be about my race. Maybe that is just my perception, but I feel that it's not always necessary to have race or gender be at the center of my work. Because I am a woman who is black, it should be understood that these things influence how I see the world, but I don't feel the need to position every piece I make in my blackness or my gender.

Some pieces, like the series called Sojourn, are more about this overall notion of being and belonging, about claiming ones identity, but I do not think the work is just about being black any more than I think it's just about being a woman, but people will project that into the work. The disadvantage is feeling at times like I can't just take a pretty picture, or make some abstraction without someone wanting to make it about the type of experience. It's a tricky balance, one I often feel white artists do not have to grapple with.

When did you realize you could have a career in photography? Describe your journey towards becoming a working photographer.Well it's been an on again off again realization. The fact is, it's probably only been within the last five years or so that it's felt like a possibility because I really didn't enter grad school with that as a goal... at all. Residencies and participating in the Artist in the Market Program at the Bronx Museum really helped tremendously.

Residencies probably have been the biggest help for me. Having unlimited time to just make your work is a gift, especially since I have a "regular" job on top of maintaining the work. I still have to push myself to get out there, to get the work seen. Focusing on projects, networking... It's not been an easy path for me because it's one I stumbled upon more than anything.

What do you hope to achieve with your photography? Not really sure. On many levels I'm a compulsive picture taker. I'm not always sure what I'm hoping to capture or document until I've done it for quite a while. Mostly I suppose I'm trying to get a better understanding of the world, how people interact, and the easiest most accessible way for me is with my camera.

What's your dream photography project? I think I would love to spend a year in Northeastern Brazil where the largest population of Afro-Brazilians live and try to get a sense of the people, the culture by just observing and photographing. Or I'd like to spend time in Iceland taking photos of the landscape. Because it's a volcanic island, the people believe the land is a live, and I'm interested in investigating that notion.

What are you shooting now? I'm working on an ongoing series called SHIFT that examines the changing nature of neighborhoods that are in the throes of gentrification. I'm also working on a series of images about the solitary nature of travel, from daily commuting, to longer trips on trains, planes and buses. It's my first all digital project.