international group of photographers, writers, artists, filmmakers, videographers and designers

broken windows

district 41

ferdinand house

Diane Peterson is the newest member of aamora. Here’s what she tells us:

I am an American photographer living on the northern prairies of Idaho. However, my travels throughout the world have given me a perspective on my surroundings and have allowed me to “dream” when creating images I like to imagine are part of my reality. Off beat,sometimes quirky images emerge from my cameras. I like to explore alternative approaches to photography; much of the work I create is fueled by fragments of an imaginary existence. I use vintage, plastic and toy cameras as well as more modern slr’s and dslr’s. This work was shot with a 50 year old vintage Kodak Brownie Bull’s Eye  camera shooting 120 film resulting in 6×7 images. I develop all my own black and white film.

The town in Tuscany where we spend our summers has a festival every year in September.

Amongst the colourful stalls, fireworks and prize draws, there’s room for cultural and artistic initiatives.  For the past nine years I have been putting up a photo exhibit. The festival lasts for only three days and each year I have to find a space for my photos. One year I was lucky enough to have an empty shop a bank had just moved out of.

People come into town from the area and beyond, a good mixture of locals, holiday home owners and foreign tourists. I’ve found the local people really appreciative of my work and they say they now look forward to my show each year.

This year I got to share a three room space with the local theatre group. They were exhibiting costumes from their production of Molière’s “Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme” (made by the ladies of the town) and I had twelve black and white photos of the town to hang.

They gave me one of the rooms to show in and furnished it with antique furniture, an antique camera and photographic material. Then they brought in 2 huge baskets of pomegranates! I was spoilt!

No big city lights or famous art critics here, but a friendly environment where, for a short time, art is appreciated and the artist satisfied!

Catharine is a founding member of aamora. She grew up in England but has been living in Italy since her marriage in 1969. She spends her winters near Milan and her summers in Tuscany. Check out her previous contribution to aamora – the very first one! -  by clicking here . You can also enjoy more of her wonderful work on jpgmag.com .

Aamora wishes all our American friends a HAPPY THANKSGIVING !

Photograph by Aaron Schwartz

Following Crystal Lamont’s first appearance on aamora, we received a flood of letters (well, ok, e-mails) from photographers around the world hoping to have Crystal say a few words about their work.  Crystal has graciously agreed to provide this service from time to time on aamora, and welcomes submissions for her adjudication.  Here is the first of what we think will be an interesting series of columns titled “Crystal on You”:

Dear Crystal,

I was inspired by your thoughtful and honest critique of Marie Wilson’s work on Aamora. I am working on a new project called “Stuff in My Basement” and would love to get your professional opinion. I’ve included a few of my favorites from that portfolio. With “Stuff in My Basement” I am trying to draw the asymptote between “Why we collect stuff” and the premise that we will actually need this “Stuff” sometime in the future.

I’m on Pins & Needles awaiting your reply,
Michael Van der Tol

First of all, let me heap loads of kudos on your person for having the vision to tackle such a project as “Stuff in My Basement”. Now, while I applaud your basic “everyman” approach to shooting the crap you’ve accumulated, I regret that your stuff is not as interesting as, for example, mine. It isn’t your fault that the things you save are as boring as Nancy Reagan’s shoes, but these photos are your opportunity to learn from the error of your deficient pack rat ways.

Before you continue shooting for your portfolio, get some better stuff. You’ll find plenty of good merchandise at dollar stores and bargain basements. But you may need to develop your materialistic eye before you go purchasing any more fake dwarf Xmas trees.

And why are you trying to draw the asymptote when you can just shoot it? If you’re like me, you can’t draw a straight line let alone a tote of any sort. Next photo from you, I expect to see that asymptote right there in the midst of your stuff. I’m sure it’s a much more interesting object than those doors.

On an up note, I do like that dash of delarobia blue in the sink shot. Perhaps you could find more of that fabric and put up some curtains? Just a thought. Best of luck to you, Mr Tol. Now get off those pins and needles and put them into some fab fabric to make those photogenic curtains!

Inimitably yours,
Crystal
………..
Crystal Lamont, photographiste, actress, filmmaker, commentator and celebrity, is a distinguished member of aamora. She is a reknowned expert on all things aesthetic.  Michael Van der Tol, a founding member of aamora, was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. in 1959 and currently lives in Stittsville, Ontario, Canada. He is primarily self-taught in photography and has been sharing what he sees for the last 10 years. His photographic work focuses on rural and urban landscapes. You can see more of Michael’s work here and enjoy his blog here.
………..

Don’t Tell

No Peeking

Don’t Look

Gary Fudge made these fine contributions to the “Secret” Project in its earliest days. Gary is a founding member and co-administrator of aamora. A freelance photographer, he lives on Orkney, part of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. He loves travel and photography. And photography. Oh, and travel. He specializes in moody imagery, stormy skies, decay and dark humour.

You will enjoy checking out Gary’s previous aamora post by clicking here and more of his work at Flatfoot Photography and at jpgmag.com .

The Roman Catholic Church defines Purgatory as “a state in which the souls of those who have died in grace must expiate their sins”. In other words these souls are spared the fires of hell, but they are excluded from Paradise. What resonates with me about this notion is not the need for expiation, but rather the concept of a place that is neither here nor there – a place that, in effect, is nowhere. Similarly the spaces in these images are ones that we only occupy in transit, no one stays or truly “inhabits” them. As Llorenç Rosanes puts it, these spaces are “lacking in emotion and memory”. When people are not occupying them for the transitory purposes they’re designed for, they feel as though energy has stopped radiating in and from them, as though time there has slowly ground to a halt and congealed altogether. (These images are part of Alexis’ continuing “Purgatory” series. You can see the previous three by clicking here(1) and here(2) and here(3) .)

Alexis Gerard is a member of aamora.com. Alexis has been a passionate photographer since his twenties. He worked at Apple in the pioneering days of the Macintosh launch, then founded imaging think-tank Future Image in 1991. He founded and now chairs the 6Sight® Future of Imaging executive conference. He co-authored the book “Going Visual”, speaks widely on imaging technology, and is a member of the International Advisory Council of the George Eastman House. As a result of his business activities he had the opportunity to begin shooting digital in the early nineties and does so exclusively now. He prefers small cameras he can have with him at all times.

Check out  Alexis’ other posts on aamora and see his other work by clicking here.

The open secret

Notice the smile on her face? Well, you see, in trying to keep the secret secret, all those walls were built. And indeed, in trying to unveil the secret, the walls were created. And so, as long as there was trying to unveil the secret, the walls remained walls and the secret was always hidden. But with the collapse of the trying, with the collapse of trying to reach the secret as a goal to be achieved, the hidden collapsed into the walls, and the walls into the hidden. And so, there was never really anything hidden, and there were never really any walls, in the first place. The obvious present appearance of it is all there is.

Claudia Lüthi is an amateur photographer who lives in Lima, Peru. She is a founding member of aamora and one of the earliest contributors to the “Secret” project.  You can see Claudia’s previous aamora post by clicking here. You can also find her in JPG Magazine and in el lente de la coneja .

10-29-09 (Muni Bus Stop, San Francisco Ca)

This image is another in my ongoing exploration of layering with light.  Please see my previous post on aamora by clicking here.

“We don’t see beings or objects, we see the light energy they reflect.” Alexis Gerard is a member of aamora.com. Alexis has been a passionate photographer since his twenties. He worked at Apple in the pioneering days of the Macintosh launch, then founded imaging think-tank Future Image in 1991. He founded and now chairs the 6Sight® Future of Imaging executive conference. He co-authored the book “Going Visual”, speaks widely on imaging technology, and is a member of the International Advisory Council of the George Eastman House. As a result of his business activities he had the opportunity to begin shooting digital in the early nineties and does so exclusively now. He prefers small cameras he can have with him at all times.

Check out more of Alexis’ work by clicking here.

STAY AWAY!

Ease the pain,

the sorrow,

the memory,

the guilt.

Jim Robertson is a founding member and co-administrator of aamora. He is following the photographic path in Lexington, KY, USA.  You can find his previous post on aamora here and more of his work at http://bodhilensphotography.com.

CONVERSATION BETWEEN TWO POLICE OFFICERS:

1st Policeman:   Do you believe in superheroes?

2nd Policeman:  No, I don’t. I mean, who wants to go around in a mask and bad-fitting clothes and a bunch of gadgets and spy on people from tall buildings? And what kind of social life do you get when you live alone in a spooky old mansion?

1st Policeman:  Well, I guess you’re right. It’s a funny thing, though – sometimes I feel like I’m being watched.

2nd Policeman:  Really?

CONTINUED —>>

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