Limited drone photography OK’d at west Japan ‘castle in the sky’

By in Photography

Limited drone photography OK’d at west Japan ‘castle in the sky’


The Takeda Castle Ruins are seen shrouded in clouds in this file photo taken in Asago, Hyogo Prefecture. (Mainichi)

TAMBA, Hyogo — For a limited time, drone photography will be allowed at a west Japan site known as the “castle in the sky.”

The lofty Takeda Castle Ruins are located on top of a mountain in Asago, Hyogo Prefecture. For the safety of visitors and to protect the cultural property, photography by drone is banned except with special permission.

However, with growing requests from drone enthusiasts and others, a trial was held over 12 days while the mountain site was closed in February. The Asago City Tourism Association received positive feedback from the limited number of invited participants, such as “I’d like to visit again in another season,” and, “We could capture panoramic views of the magnificent mountain castle.”

Drones will be permitted on a reservation basis between 6 and 8 a.m., before the site opens to general visitors, on Thursdays between March 28 and May 30. Photographers will likely aim for scenes of the ruins amid cherry blossoms and fresh spring foliage.

Daily reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis, and priced at 60,000 yen (around $400) per slot of two hours per day. Up to two drone operators are permitted per slot, with non-operators also allowed to accompany them. Payment can be made using Japan’s “hometown tax” gift system with contributions of 200,000 yen (approx. $1,320). A viewing fee of 500 yen (about $3.30) per person is also charged. Applications are open via a special tourism association website at: https://va.apollon.nta.co.jp/takedacastle_drone3/ and inquiries (in Japanese) can be made through 079-668-9177.

(Japanese original by Yoshiko Yukinaga, Tamba Local Bureau)

For Daniel Arsham, Photography Is More Instinctual Than Art

By in Photography

For Daniel Arsham, Photography Is More Instinctual Than Art

On Daniel Arsham’s 11th birthday, his grandfather gave him a Pentax K1000 and explained its function in simple terms. “Focus, shutter speed, aperture, and ISO,” he wrote in the introduction of his new monograph, Daniel Arsham: Photographer, which accompanies a solo exhibition that recently opened at Fotografiska New York. “By using those four elements together and combining them in unique ways, the possibilities for producing images become infinite.” It immediately piqued his interest—he started by photographing the front doors in the South Florida suburb where he grew up, fascinated by how different colors and door knockers gave them personality in an otherwise cookie-cutter suburban neighborhood. “I understood almost immediately,” he says, “that the camera required its operator to see and understand their surroundings in a deeper and more critical way.”

Arsham began documenting his life—and his budding sculptural practice—through photography. Though he’s most well-known for eroded casts of cultural objects and high-profile collaborations with the likes of Porsche, Tiffany, and Dior, the prolific artist and Snarkitecture co-founder has snapped more than 200,000 pictures as somewhat of a personal archive. Where his sculptures are tinged with surrealism and the unsettling notion of today’s relics excavated in the future, his photography is pure diaristic realism. “Photography for me is much more instinctual,” Arsham tells Surface. “[It’s] more about the exercise of doing it than something conscious.” Yet it echoes themes often explored in his sculptures, which are dotted throughout the Fotografiska show. Exposures of a twinkling night sky explore his signature black-and-white palette; a silhouetted family in the American Museum of Natural History plays with negative space.

Many of the photographs were only intended for Arsham’s eyes—and he scoured a trove of negatives and hard drives to select the ones that would make the exhibition and book. “Because I never took photographs with the intention of showing them, they were about documenting and understanding,” he says. “The input to another medium’s output.” Despite the clear delineation, photography is just as vital—and personal—of a creative outlet for him. Arsham dedicated the monograph to his late grandfather, without whom many of these photographs may not exist. He suffered another loss when Hurricane Andrew struck Florida, damaging his home and ruining his images of the doors. One remained: a grainy photograph that his mother took of a teenaged Arsham posing with his beloved Pentax, the Grand Canyon’s vast expanse behind him. It’s the book’s final photograph. “As much as I liked the images that came out of that,” he says, “I loved the object even more, the camera.”

All photography by Daniel Arsham.

“Daniel Arsham: Phases” will be on view at Fotografiska (281 Park Ave South, New York) until June 14.

In His Ongoing ‘Descendants’ Series, Drew Gardner Recreates Striking Portraits of Black Civil War Soldiers

By in Art World News

In His Ongoing ‘Descendants’ Series, Drew Gardner Recreates Striking Portraits of Black Civil War Soldiers

Left: Richard Oliver. Right: Jay Miller, descendant of Oliver. All images courtesy of Drew Gardner, shared with permission

The idea for Drew Gardner’s series Descendants emerged from a simple observation by his mother: she noticed that Gardner resembled his grandfather. Intrigued by how traits are passed down—not just as physical likeness but the elemental foundations of DNA—he began researching and documenting the lineages of historical figures. In the nearly two decades since the project started, Gardner has met and photographed relatives of notable people like Charles Dickens, Berthe Morisot, Napoleon, Geronimo, and Frederick Douglass.

A few years into the series, something increasingly bothered him: most of his subjects were white. Reflective of the historical erasure of people of color from Western history books, archives, and art collections, the subjects whose descendants Gardner tracked down were largely European and famous. But he knew there was more to the story.

In 2020, the U.K.-based photographer collaborated with Smithsonian Magazine to produce a U.S. installment of portraits, which added a layer of nuance to his work: “Ordinary people have paid an incredible price for where we are today with our democracy, with the nations we live in,” he tells Colossal. At a time when significant Black historical sites face an increased risk of loss as they’re abandoned or forgotten, capturing history on film is a powerful and effective way to preserve it.

When Gardner visited the U.S. in February of this year, he was puzzled that he noticed few indications that it was Black History Month. “I honestly wouldn’t have known, and I am quite a bit of a media beast,” Gardner says. “I don’t think I saw a single mention of Black History Month.” Observations like these only reinforce the importance of highlighting the contributions of Black people and people of color throughout history, and Gardner felt compelled to focus on both influential and little-known people whose actions have significantly shaped culture and politics. 

 

A side-by-side image of two black-and-white photographic portraits. On the left, Harriet Tubman sits on a chair. On the right, her descendant, Deanne Stanford Walz, sits in a recreated portrait.

Left: Harriet Tubman. Right: Deanne Stanford Walz, descendant of Tubman

Gardner dove into The Black Civil War Soldier by acclaimed photographer Deborah Willis, containing more than 70 images, many of which are rarely reproduced and several of which feature unnamed soldiers. Through additional research, Gardner was able to compile a list of 120 portraits in which the subjects were named. He’s found more in the meantime, now exceeding 200, yet that number is still remarkably small within the broader context of Civil War portraiture.

Genealogical researcher Ottawa Goodman collaborated with Gardner to narrow down about 25 of those portraits to begin tracing relatives, relying on the WikiTree U.S. Black Heritage Project for help. Of those 25, the pair only managed to connect with descendants of about six original sitters. Working with designers who assisted with set design, costumes, props, and styling, Gardner recreated and captured the spirit of the original photographs, from the iconic seated portrait of Harriet Tubman to the poignant image of a young drummer named David Miles Moore.

He’s sensitive to the fact that the photographs are not only treasured family heirlooms but integral and emotional elements of family heritage. Sometimes, living descendants are enthusiastic to learn more about the project and participate; other times, he doesn’t receive a response.

The American Civil War, which in many ways marked the dawn of photography, provides a deep well for Gardner’s research, revealing countless untold stories. “This is mainstream photography for, not quite the masses, but getting there. It’s one of the first wars that photography played a major part,” he says. 

Find much more of the Descendants series on Gardner’s website and Instagram.

 

A side-by-side image of two black-and-white photographic portraits. On the left, Civil War solder Andrew Jackson Smith stands in uniform. On the right, his descendant Kewsi Bowman poses in a recreation of the original portrait.

Left: Andrew Jackson Smith. Right: Kewsi Bowman, a descendant of Smith

A side-by-side image of two black-and-white photographic portraits. On the left, Civil War solder Lewis Douglass sits in uniform. On the right, his descendant Austin Morris is seated in a recreation of the original portrait.

Left: Lewis Douglass, son of Frederick Douglass. Right: Austin Morris, a descendant of Frederick Douglass

A side-by-side image of two black-and-white photographic portraits. On the left, young Civil War drummer David Miles Moore stands in uniform. On the right, his descendant Neikoye Flowers stands in a recreation of the original portrait.

Left: David Miles Moore. Right: Neikoye Flowers, a direct descendant of Moore

A side-by-side image of two black-and-white photographic portraits. On the left, Civil War solder Louis Troutman stands in uniform. On the right, his descendant Chris Wilson stands in a recreation of the original portrait.

Left: Louis Troutman. Right: Chris Wilson, a descendant of Troutman

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article In His Ongoing ‘Descendants’ Series, Drew Gardner Recreates Striking Portraits of Black Civil War Soldiers appeared first on Colossal.

Workshop on photography, ‘art of drawing with light’, at Solan varsity

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Workshop on photography, ‘art of drawing with light’, at Solan varsity

Tribune News Service

Solan, March 26

The School of Media and Communications, Shoolini University, recently hosted a workshop on ‘Digital Photography Techniques’.

The guest speaker was Nitin Kumar Mengi, who has over 15 years of experience in academia and professional photography, and has a Punjab Lalit Kala Academy State Award (2011) to his credit.

Mengi emphasised the pivotal role of light in photography, which is key to every captivating image. “Photography is essentially drawing with light,” he said, explaining the relationship between light and photography, and the origin of the word (photo means light, graphy denotes drawing). Distinguishing between digital and mirror DSLR cameras, Mengi explained technical nuances, shedding light on factors influencing file size variations. He also talked about the importance of a camera’s processor.

Mengi urged participants to cultivate observation skills and advocated for beginning photography journeys with beginner-friendly devices.

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Snappy Seniors Photography exhibit at Plainville library, senior center

By in Photography

Snappy Seniors Photography exhibit at Plainville library, senior center
image

PLAINVILLE — Snappy Seniors Photography will have a photo exhibit at Plainville Public Library and the Plainville Senior Center.

The exhibit will be on display at the library at 56 E. Main St. from April 1 through April 19. A public opening reception for the exhibit will be held on Wednesday, April 3 at 4 p.m. at the library.

Dramatic Greta Van Fleet concert photo wins photography award

By in Photography

Dramatic Greta Van Fleet concert photo wins photography award

A photograph of Greta Van Fleet star Josh Kiszka mid-performance has been awarded a top gong at the So.Co Image of Music Awards.

The picture by Fearghal McGlinchey, which is aligned carefully to give the appearance that the onstage fire pyrotechnics are emitting from the musician’s raised hand during his concert at Wembley in London, won the image of music “people choice” awards.

London-based McGlinchey was also named music photographer of the year at the ceremony held in central London on Tuesday.

Reflecting on his process to capture the winning photo, McGlinchey said: “I decided to watch some of their recent live performances on YouTube, to get a gist for the stage design.

“As soon as I saw their pyros go off, I thought to myself ‘I have to be in the perfect position for these later on’.

“Josh’s harmonica even looks like it could be a lighter.”

New York-based photographer Grace Prachthauser won the award show’s first young music photographer of the year prize, a new category which shines a light on emerging talent under the age of 23.

The judges were impressed by her creative entries that included live shots of US rapper Ashnikko and Eurovision stars Maneskin.

It was previously announced that Jill Furmanovsky had been awarded the legend of the year award for her long-standing career in the music industry.

Across her more than 50 years in the business, she has shot defining moments in musical history such as Oasis at Knebworth, Pink Floyd at Live 8 in 2005 as well as a host of intimate portraits of major artists including Bjork, Amy Winehouse, Sinead O’Connor and Charlie Watts.

The venue of the year award went to Paper Dress Vintage based in Hackney in London, which transforms from a clothing shop into a music venue that has hosted the likes of Arlo Parks and Sam Fender.

Mercury Prize nominated rock duo Nova Twins were selected as the must see artist of the year through a public vote while innovation of the year was awarded to the Canon EOS R50, selected by the judges for “its ability to squeeze high-end tech into an entry level camera”.

The awards were created by music storytelling platform So.Co.

Vince Bannon, So.Co chief executive and co-founder, said: “We are thrilled again to highlight and honour the great work done by music photographers throughout the year.

“As you can see from the quality of the entries, the standard just keeps getting better.”

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