Norwalk artist Tina Campbell first came to photography when she and her best friend began scrapbooking years ago.
Tina Campbell explores the artists’ eye on photography
Michel Haddi beyond the fashion shots
Over the past year, the internet seems to be obsessed with food culture, fueling a trend that is now evident even in the world of visual culture. From the Tomato Girl Summer, which many mock retrospectively, to the foodie fashion girlies, Balenciaga’s collaboration with Erewhon, and the massive success of The Bear. Food appears to be experiencing a rebirth, but in the worlds of art, photography, and design, it has always been present. Is this just a passing trend, or is it the glorification of an element that has always been part of our lives?
From Tomato Girl Summer to the pomegranate
It was only in 2020, with lockdown recipes—does anyone remember Dalgona Coffe?—that so much talk about food emerged. On TikTok, @wishbonekitchen made us dream by showing us her life as a private chef in the Hamptons this summer. Unforgettable were her Heirloom Tomato Gallette and the garden where she harvested fruits, vegetables, and herbs. In 2023, it seems to have been the summer of food not only with the release of the second season of The Bear but also with Tomato Girl Summer. On the other hand, according to Danielle Cohen on The Cut, it now seems to be the time of the pomegranate.
Thanks to its shape and the vivid red that characterizes it, this fruit is widely recognized as a symbol of fertility in many parts of the world. But not only that, we find the pomegranate in mythology, art history, and, according to Cohen, even in the Torah. In short, fruits and vegetables seem to be largely protagonists of this rebirth, so we have collected some works and photographs by artists and photographers we have talked about in the past and more.
Browsing through our archives, we remembered Michael Crichton‘s photos and his photographic series, Conceptual Food, as well as Dan Bannino, who many years ago narrated the eating habits of the powerful. But there is also Stephanie Sarley, an artist who, with fruit fingering, challenged the way the art world has represented the female reproductive organ throughout its history.
Why it seems not to be just a passing trend
The success of food in visual culture can be attributed to its tangible communicative power. We see and experience the colors and textures of food daily, all evocative elements of memories that we have been collecting forever. In conclusion, we can only wonder which will be the next fruit to receive all this attention, already dedicated to tomatoes and pomegranates, even before avocados and bananas.
Samsung Frames Wireless Surround Sound as Home Decor
As usual, Samsung’s footprint across this year’s CES show left a wide and deep impression. In addition to announcing partnerships with residential power provider Tesla ahead of the show, unveiling a new ecosystem of AI-powered kitchen appliances, and rolling out a newly updated smart home companion robot, the consumer electronics giant launched the industry’s first ‘OLED Glare Free’ technology along with a transparent Micro LED television that attracted CES crowds to ooh and ahh. But hidden in plain sight at Samsung’s booth was a new audio solution aimed at the decor-minded seeking an aesthetic solution for home theater surround sound.
Some may want to disguise the fact Samsung Music Frame is an audio device, others will want to bring attention to its aural capabilities.
The customizable Music Frame is an extension of Samsung’s long lasting and popular, The Frame, televisions built around a form factor emulating framed art rather than a wall hung display. Taking a similar approach (and one comparable to the Sonos + Ikea SYMFONISK), the Music Frame introduces a surround sound speaker disguised as a modern picture frame that can display art or photography.
The Music Frame is not a digital screen, but requires an actual sized physical photo, piece of artwork, or a diasec matte acrylic plate ‘Art Print’ to complete its presentation.
Connected via Samsung’s Q-Symphony, a feature that allows sound to emanate from your soundbar and your TV’s speakers at the same time, the Music Frame can add another source of surround sound when synced, filling in bass with dual built-in woofers in lieu of a traditional floor standing subwoofer. There’s also a pair of tweeters and two midrange drivers operating in conjunction with waveguides to direct a wider soundstage and also offer Dolby Atmos sound, whether connected via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
You might notice the Music Frame is often shown standing upon its own small integrated stand rather than displayed mounted on the wall. A speaker with dual rear mounted woofers operates optimally with a bit of space to prevent vibrations against the wall, so while wall mounting is an option, it’s probably best to keep these speakers on its stand. Even so, the 13″ x 13″ form factor is small enough to easily reside on a shelf, console, or side table without bringing too much attention to itself (unless desired).
Like much of the most intriguing technology on display at CES 2024, Samsung has yet to share pricing, specs, or a release date associated with the Samsung Music Frame, but we hope to test the speaker as it becomes available to see how it performs against similar consumer solutions such as a Sonos.
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Flash Photography Showdown: Pye Jirsa vs. Marlies Hartmann
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Phillip Levine ‘s Leap sculpture missing a leg
A leg has gone missing from “Leap” by artist Phillip Levine outside the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.
Halblang’s Convertible Shelving System Adapts to Your Needs
Whether you plan to live in your home longterm or anticipate a move one day, chances are your storage needs will change over time. Perhaps you need more of it, or want to pare down your belongings for something more efficient. With Blendend, a new shelving system by German company halblang, you can adapt your furniture to whatever circumstances you find yourself in.
Blendend’s modular system allows you to add or remove shelf space as you see fit. The unique interchangeable panels, available in different patterns and materials, hides away any unsightly items, like cords and electronics, while still providing space to showcase your beautiful objects. To change up the placement of the panels, simply slide it over for a new look.
Because Blendend is shipped flat-packed and doesn’t require any tools for assembly, moving locations or reconfiguring the shelving system couldn’t be easier. The pieces are also made of European solid ash wood, which makes it durable and easily repairable for small dents and scratches. Since the system is constructed from individual parts, you can replace individual broken elements rather than buy a whole new unit.
Blendend is available as a single shelf model, as well as a four shelf unit (not including the top surface). The panels come in wood (with two different patterns) or acrylic (also with two patterns and a transparent style).
To shop the Blendend collection, visit halblang.com.
What Does A Franchise’s Opening Day Look Like? We Sent A Photographer to Capture It
To view our entire 2024 Franchise 500 list, including category rankings, click HERE
What is a grand opening? To customers, it’s the first day to check out a new business. But for a new franchisee, a grand opening is the first day of their new lives — the moment when all their planning pays off, and a new phase of hard work begins.
We wanted to know what that looks and feels like — so we decided to spend a day documenting it.
This past October, new StretchLab franchisees Michael and Rebecca Son were opening their first StretchLab franchise in Bothell, Washington, and were happy to welcome us in. Their franchisee journey began in 2022, when Rebecca wanted to reenter the workforce after several years of focusing on her kids, and Michael craved a new challenge after two decades in the corporate world. After six months of searching, they found their perfect opportunity — to open a StretchLab. The brand has over 400 studios across the nation, where members can get stretched out by trained “flexologists.” By starting an assisted stretching studio, the Sons felt that they could dip their toes into the entrepreneurial world while also helping people to relieve pain and stress and improve their performance and mobility.
Related: 7 Essential Questions to Ask Yourself Before Starting a Franchise
Below, you’ll see photos from the Sons’ official first day open, and their recollections of the day’s excitement.
7:30 a.m. Preparing for the Big Day
For three months before Opening Day, the Sons ran a pop-up studio to give free 15-minute demos outside their store. Today was the first time people could come inside for the full experience…
Michael says: “Even a couple of weeks prior, I thought, Is this really going to happen?”
Rebecca says: “On the morning of Opening Day, I remember feeling that everything had finally come together. The artwork was in place. The benches were no longer in plastic wrap. The staff got there early. We came together and said, ‘Let’s just enjoy. We’ll figure this out. The goal is to keep doing what we’re doing.'”
Michael: “I could finally breathe.”
8 a.m. First Members Arrive
Michael: “We tried to give folks who had signed up earliest those first sessions.”
Rebecca: “I saw flexologists greeting members, saying, ‘Hey, Brad! How are the kids? How’s your golf game going?’ That brought me a lot of joy because it told me that our flexologists and our members were already building rapport. We have an open-concept studio, so visitors were seeing members comfortably getting stretched.”
Related: The 19 Covenants of a Standard Franchise Agreement
Michael: “No one was groaning in pain.”
Rebecca: “You could hear conversation, music, laughter. It was vibrant.”
8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Teaching, Learning, Connecting
Michael: “Assisted stretching is still a new modality. Almost every one of our members goes through that process of being unsure and asking, ‘Is this really something?’ It’s our job to help them through it.”
Rebecca: “I talked to a lot of members that day. They were telling me about people they knew in need of something like this.”
Michael: “For instance, I talked with a mother and her son, who’s an athlete. I got to understand that dynamic of a mother who cares about giving her son every possible benefit. He was super into it. It was almost like he felt this was something that no one else knew about.”
12 p.m. Party Time!
Opening Day is about serving new customers — but it’s also about celebrating the franchise’s new community. The party starts early.
Rebecca: “I just remember feeling super proud and wanting to get the team together to thank them for getting us to this point.”
Michael: “We had so many of the people who had been with us from the start, along with a mix of partners, friends, other people’s family, and other local store owners. It felt like a moment to hand it off a little and just enjoy. To some extent, you need to let things go to really see your business thrive. We’re still working through that process of empowering our team. But if you find the right people, success will come.”
Image Credit: All Photos by Peyton Fulford
Related: These Are the 10 Hottest Franchise Categories For 2024
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Joshua Tree, Borrego Springs night photography workshop under the stars
Interested in a friendly, informative night photography workshop at otherworldly Joshua Tree National Park? Or the dinosaur sculptures of Borrego Springs? Join us under the stars.
The workshop will cover the basics of night photography, composition, creativity, tips, techniques, Milky Way, star trails and more.
This is a great workshop for anyone who wants limitless photography opportunities in the safety of a group environment. And you’ll learn a lot and have fun along the way!
What are the locations like?
Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree is a paradise for creatives, especially when paired with the night sky. Creativity abounds. The never-ending backdrop of alien landscapes guarantee an incredible creative experience.
I regard Joshua Tree as my spiritual home for night photography. With its Joshua Trees, alien rock formations, abandoned ranches and more, it’s easy to see why.
Borrego Springs
You want to photograph enormous dinosaur sculptures under the starry night sky, don’t you? I thought as much.
Borrego Springs, nestled in the heart of the Anza-Borrego Desert in California, offers a unique canvas for night photography enthusiasts. Renowned for its status as an International Dark Sky Community, the town provides an exceptional opportunity to capture the celestial wonders above. With minimal light pollution, photographers can explore the art of photographing the Milky Way and constellations.
One of Borrego Springs’ iconic features is the Galleta Meadows Estate. This features a striking collection of metal sculptures created by artist Ricardo Breceda. These colossal sculptures, ranging from prehistoric dinosaurs to mythical creatures, dot the desert landscape. They create a surreal and captivating setting for photography. As night falls, the interplay of these creatures and starry skies adds an extra dimension to these metallic giants. They are fascinating subjects for long-exposure shots, bringing an otherworldly quality to the desert nightscapes.
What will you learn?
Quite a bit, if you wish. You may learn various light painting techniques, night photography, composition, creative and practical techniques, Milky Way photography, star trails, light painting techniques and more. All of this is presented in a very friendly, helpful, and accessible manner.
You’ll also be among numerous creative photographers. This offers you the opportunity to make friends, work together on photos, and share in the experience in a safe environment.
Furthermore, this isn’t one of those workshops where the instructors are inaccessible in the field. Both of us will be available throughout the evening to help, should you want that. Also, we will issue small 2-way radios to everyone, so you may ask for help or coordinate with others. This is for your convenience as well as for reasons of safety.
With personalized attention, you’ll learn to navigate your equipment with confidence and capture the celestial dance above the distinctive landscape of Joshua Tree and Borrego Springs. Immerse yourself in the tranquility of the desert night as you hone your photography skills. You’ll leave with a portfolio of mesmerizing astro-landscape photography and a smile on your face.
Timothy Little
Timothy Little is a gifted nighttime landscape artist based on Cape Cod. Since 2006, he has used his moonlit and starlit photographic art to connect the natural beauty of “the Cape” with the inherent solitude of night. His portfolio is exclusive to night photography, making him the only area artist specializing in this genre. He also specializes in photographing abandoned scenes in the southwest United States.
His work has been featured on Space.com, the Cape Cod Times, Cape Cod Life, Visit Massachusetts, and several other New England based publications.
In addition to creating art, he shares his knowledge through group workshops and guided night tours.
Ken Lee
I am devoted to teaching night photography, light painting, star trails and Milky Way photography. Whether that has been through the Night Photo Summit, my own workshops, or writing here at Photofocus, I hope to help you on your journey through night photography.
My photos have been featured in National Geographic Books, Omni Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Westways Magazine, and numerous other publications.
When is the night photography workshop?
The workshop will run from June 6-10, 2024. For more information about the Joshua Tree and Borrego Springs night photography workshop, please click here.
Photographer Sues Detroit Lions For Using His Photo For NFL Star’s Statue
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A photographer has sued the Detroit Lions for allegedly using his photo of former football star Barry Sanders to design a statue of him.
According to a report by Michigan Live, the Detroit Lions unveiled an 8-foot statue of Sanders outside Ford Field stadium in Downtown Detroit in September 2023.
In a lawsuit filed last week, photographer Allen Kee claims that the sculpture of the former football star is based on an image that he took of Sanders in action during the Detroit Lions game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
According to the photographer’s lawsuit, the Detroit Lions published a YouTube video about the making of the sculpture called “Sculpting Barry: The Making of Lions Legend Barry Sanders’ Statue” one week after the statue’s unveiling last year.
In the YouTube video, which remains online, a blown-up copy of Kee’s photograph of Sanders can be seen hanging directly behind the clay mold of the statue as the sculptors work on it in a studio.
At another point in the YouTube video, one of the statue’s sculptors also acknowledges that they intended to “recreate” Kee’s photograph in the statue.
“We have a photo that’s considered the most iconic running photo ever taken of Barry Sanders,” the sculptor is heard saying in the footage.
“That’s what’s being re-created in this sculpture.”
A Statue Based on a Photograph
Kee, who has been a sports photographer for more than three decades, claims the Detroit Lions used his photo of Sanders for the statue without his consent.
Michigan Live reports that Kee, who was working as a freelance photographer when the photo was taken, says he was not an employee of any entity or organization at the time he created the photograph and did not create the image under any “work for hire” arrangement or contract.
Kee is now suing the Detroit Lions, as well as Getty Images, NFL Properties, NFL Enterprises, Fanatics, Dick’s Sporting Goods, McFarlane Toys, and others in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, for direct, contributory, and/or vicarious copyright infringement.
The photographer alleges that he never granted an exclusive license regarding the photograph to any person or entity, nor photograph sub-licensing to customers, along with other photographs he created during the same game.
However, Kee admits that he did submit the image of Sanders to “NFL Photos” — a licensing agency created, owned, and operated by the NFL that was dedicated to licensing and distributing photos by freelance photographers at NFL games.
However, NFL Photos ceased operation in 2004. Furthermore, Kee claims he did not relinquish his copyrights to the agency, created, nor did he grant the NFL or any of its subsidiary entities any license or rights to use the photo without purchasing an additional usage license.
The photographer is suing Getty Images for never giving them consent to resubmit his photo for relicensing and McFarlane Toys for profiting off three figures of Sanders figures allegedly based on Kee’s image.
Kee is asking for an undetermined amount of relief in the lawsuit, as well as a permanent injunction prohibiting the defendants from copying, displaying, distributing, advertising, promoting, and/or exploiting in any manner his copyrighted work.
Image credits: Feature photo via YouTube/Detroit Lions.
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Photography exhibition exploring “modern rave culture” to land in Manchester
A photography exhibition exploring modern-day rave culture and music subcultures is set to land in Manchester next month.
Tough Luck presents: KNEES UP heads to Smolensky Gallery in Deansgate, Manchester, on Saturday, February 10, from 6:PM until 11:PM.
The exhibition features photography from rave photographers including Laks, Cinshot, George Verinder, Marzuq Rehman, and Conor Fitzpatrick, with a look into “the world of electronic music and underground parties”.
Read this next: “Freedom and thrill”: The lockdown project paying homage to the rave
Hosted by Tough Luck, a photography archive documenting dance music cultures around the world, KNEES UP also promises insight into “the characters that make up this vibrant subculture through the lens of our extremely talented photographers”.
“Our photography exhibition transcends conventional art experiences; it’s a spirited celebration of music, freedom, diversity, and boundless creativity,” reads a description of the exhibition.
Tough Luck’s Jordan Taylore tells Mixmag: “Buzzing to be hosting another photography exhibition, this time in Manchester.”
The exhibition follows an earlier edition in London last April. Tough Luck will be donating a portion of ticket sale profits to The Photography Foundation, a charity organisation raising money for “less advantaged young adults in London”.
Read this next: How the original rave spirit is still driving youth culture today
“I want to create a space for people to not only to view an array of artwork from some extremely talented photographers, but a gathering in which people can have a few drinks, chat, and meet new like-minded people,” he says.
Tough Luck began as a lockdown project in 2020 from Newcastle’s Jordan Taylor, a film photography fan and a lover of “youth and rave culture from around the world”.
“I was missing that sense of freedom and thrill you get at raves and nights out, so it was a great thing to look back on and reminisce,” he told Mixmag in 2022.
Grab your tickets to Tough Luck presents: KNEES UP here.
Gemma Ross is Mixmag’s Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter
