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Adrien Williams Takes Us to a Peaceful Cabin in Montreal

By in Photography

Adrien Williams Takes Us to a Peaceful Cabin in Montreal

Today’s featured project takes us to a gorgeous forest in Montreal, where we’ll be taking a look at Adrien Williams’s photographs of the chalet Rustic Grade by Maurice Martel architecte.

Adrien shares “The shoot was smooth and easy-going. Maurice Martel is actually a friend and the project happened to be near my own cabin.”

Adrien creates lovely contrast through color, with the warm glow of the cabin’s interior popping out against the blue tones throughout the rest of the image.

The cabin’s glow appears as a warm beacon that draws us in. Well placed in the frame, the surrounding trees relay the surroundings while not distracting from the home.

I love the pup in this next shot. He adds some life and a coziness to the scene. Adrien showcases the open floor plan and how the loft space connects to the living area below.

I appreciate how Adrien decided to turn on the practical lights in this series. There’s a nice warmth (echoed by the wood stove), without too much color contamination or distraction. Things feel just right!

This tidy shot is one of my favorites. There are so many great shapes and lines at play. I love the mix of black and white vertical and horizontal lines, it feels both fun and graphic.

Again, more tidy lines and rectilinear shapes here with a great combination of light and dark elements. There is also a lovely mix of organic shapes and materials (the plants, soft couch, textured wood, etc.) and the smooth, hard, and cool feeling walls and floor.

This project sports a peaceful air that Adrien places us in. We feel like visitors at the cabin.

An interesting perspective translates the loft space and how it looks down onto the main living area. As always, more great lines, textures, and tidy styling that keeps our attention on the design of the space itself.

Many thanks to Adrien for sharing this project with us! What a beauty!

See more of Adrien Williams’s brilliant work at adrienwilliams.com and on Instagram @adrienwilliamsphoto.

If you have a project you’d like to be considered for Project of the Week, you can submit it here.

These are five big life lessons to learn from photography

By in Photography

These are five big life lessons to learn from photography
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Photography is more about an art form, a hobby, or a career. Taking photos can teach you many life lessons, only if you allow it and know how to recognize and embrace those moments of profound knowledge. In her TEDx talk, photographer Felisa Tan shares the deeper meaning behind her art and explores the five ways photography has enriched her life and, by extension, how it can enrich ours.

1. Curiosity: the beginner’s mind

Felisa emphasizes the importance of curiosity, a core tenet in Zen Buddhism called “shoshin” or “the beginner’s mind.” This childlike wonder allows us to see the world with fresh eyes, fostering a sense of openness that is crucial for learning and understanding. Photography, by encouraging us to slow down and truly look, helps us rediscover the magic in the everyday.

2. Honesty: unveiling the truth

Great photographs are more than just pretty pictures; they are reflections of the photographer’s mind. Felisa believes in capturing the essence of a subject, including its beauty and darkness. By embracing honesty, both with ourselves and our subjects, we allow them to reveal their true nature, leading to a more profound connection.

3. Love: the heart of creation

Love is the driving force behind creation, according to Felisa. It compels us to find beauty in the world and share it with others. Through photographs that capture tenderness, respect, and a sense of wonder, Felisa encourages us to see the interconnectedness of all things and appreciate the sacredness of life.

4. Generosity: the gift of seeing

Felisa suggests reframing photography as “making” rather than “taking.” When we make a photograph, we offer our attention, intelligence, and presence, transforming a moment into a work of art. This shift in perspective fosters gratitude and allows us to receive the gift of an image rather than demand it.

5. Impermanence: embracing the fleeting

Photography serves as a powerful reminder of impermanence. By capturing fleeting moments, we are forced to confront the ever-changing nature of life. This awareness, however, doesn’t lead to despair. Instead, it encourages us to cherish beauty more fully and live each moment to the fullest.

Felisa concludes by reminding us that photography is not just about capturing images; it’s about cultivating a way of seeing the world. Through the lens of a camera, or simply with a more mindful eye, we can develop curiosity, honesty, love, generosity, and an appreciation for impermanence – all qualities that enrich our lives and deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

What I’d like to add is that you also learn and gain from failed photo attempts. I shared my experience about the lessons I learned from failed shooting of the comet Neowise. Even if you don’t come back home with portfolio-worthy photos, it’s always worth enjoying the journey even if you never reach the destination, no matter how corny it may sound.

As Felisa suggests, the real gift of photography lies not in the pictures themselves but in the transformation it brings. It cultivates calmness, clarity, and wonder, refining our observations and making us more sensitive to our surroundings. With or without a camera, these skills enhance our ability to experience and understand the world in a more holistic way.

So, the next time you pick up a camera, remember, it’s not just about capturing a scene. It’s about opening yourself to a world of possibilities and enriching your life with many lessons photography has to offer.

[5 things photography helps you appreciate in life via FStoppers]

The truth about landscape photography that you need to hear

By in Photography

The truth about landscape photography that you need to hear
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Landscape photography brings together spending time in nature and taking some amazing shots. It’s a win-win, right? Well… Not quite, at least not always. In this video, William Patino takes you on a hike with him and shares the truth about landscape photography that’s a bit bitter – but it’s necessary to know.

I’ll try to break it down into lessons you can learn from William, but also from my own experience I’ll share here and there throughout this article.

The harsh truth

From William’s adventure, we can learn that not every outing will result in a portfolio-worthy image. William went on a hike 70 km away from civilization, and he was on a slippery, wet terrain about 4km from his car. He went out specifically to shoot landscapes, and the scenes around him were truly beautiful. inspiration everywhere: a waterfall, a turquoise stream, incredible trees, and rock textures… However, he ended up discarding the photos he took during the hike.

This sounds discouraging, doesn’t it? You take a trip to a place far from home, and you get wet, tired, and dirty; you definitely visit and photograph incredible places – yet no photos are good enough. None of them do justice to the amazing sights you saw. No matter how disappointed this makes you, it is a normal part of photography. And there are still things you are getting from the experience, so let’s go through them as well.

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What are you getting?

Photography experience

If you feel that your photos aren’t working, learn to dissect why. In the video, William discusses the reasons why he discarded each photo. This self-critique is an important part of developing as a photographer. He also mentions the four pillars of photography: subject, composition, light, and post-processing. Analyze your photos based on these elements, and considering including them in the future.

When editing, take breaks and return to your photos with fresh eyes. William mentions how he decided against including a photo he initially liked after processing it. Taking a break from your photos can help you see them more objectively. Don’t be afraid to scrap a photo. If you don’t love it, it probably won’t resonate with viewers either. There’s no shame in discarding a photo, even if you spent a lot of time taking it.

New knowledge

Remember that you’ve still gained experience and learned something. Even though he didn’t get the photos he wanted, William points out that he still had a fun and educational experience. He learned from his mistakes and can apply that knowledge to future shoots.

Time in nature

What I’d like to add is that you spent time in nature, and it means so much for your body and soul. I started hiking a lot, and I don’t always come home with photos I love. Heck, most times I don’t even bring my camera, only my phone.

Still, I always discover some new bugs, plants, fungi and animals. I use Seek app I wrote about before to identify new species and learn about them. I explore new locations and challenge my body to get me through it safely. I’ve been through some crazy adventures that taught me so much about myself and what I’m capable of. Even if you don’t take a single shot while you’re out there in nature – all this is still worth the trip and the effort.

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Some phone snaps from my recent outings 🙂

After all, sometimes the best photos are found totally unexpectedly. William got his best photo close to his car on the way home after a hike where he didn’t find any keepers. Be open to finding photo opportunities everywhere you go and cherish the entire experience, not just the images you bring home from a hike.

Architectural photography

By in Photography

Architectural photography

Architectural photographer Randhir Singh’s three books—part of a nine-volume series—celebrating modern architecture in South Asia are odes to three landmark architectural projects (and their celebrated architects) that are exemplary specimens of modernist expression in India and also proud assertions of the country’s robust nation-building process.

Carmen Winant’s New Photo Book Frames Abortion as a Vital Human Right

By in Photography

Carmen Winant’s New Photo Book Frames Abortion as a Vital Human Right

The publication focuses on imagery from the near-50-year period in which abortion was legal in the United States. Here, she talks about abortions as an essential form of healthcare

May 24, 2024

Women answer phones; identical chairs are arranged around neutral rooms; hands press down gently onto someone’s back, or their foot. In Carmen Winant’s new photo book, The Last Safe Abortion, the images are humble, even banal – mostly made up of waiting rooms and women at work. Yet, interspersed between these scenes are images that have a greater charge: a balloon reading “abortion hotline”, a banner daubed with “abort the patriarchy,” a quilt wall-hanging, hand-stitched with “you are safe here”, or a woman gently spreading another woman’s legs.

The Last Safe Abortion is a spectacular work, precisely because of the unspectacular photographs it contains. Comprised of archival images taken between the 1960s and 90s, and Winant’s own photography, the book presents abortion as a vital form of care, and clinic staffers as vital, feminist care workers. More than that though, it shows abortion as routine – as profoundly normal – while also revealing beauty in this banality.

9The Last Safe Abortion by Carmen Winant

Winant has trod similar ground before, previously focusing on domestic violence workers, or, in her acclaimed 2018 work My Birth, presenting over 2,000 photographs of women in labour, including her own mother. At the same time, however, this project feels radically unique. On June 24, 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, reversing Roe v Wade. Winant had already begun work on this project, but the 2022 ruling brought it into devastatingly sharp relief. Now, The Last Safe Abortion feels like an invaluable record of an ongoing struggle – the daily work of resistance.

Below, in her own words, Carmen Winant tells the story behind The Last Safe Abortion.

“I started the project over four years ago. That was before the context in which I’m now situated – rapidly eroding abortion rights, reproductive justice and healthcare. I live in Ohio where none of this is abstract. It was one of the first states to enact a so-called ‘heartbeat bill’. I’ve never worked on a project that existed so ruthlessly in the present. Clinics were shuttering around me in real time – between emails as I worked. It made the project feel very real, and terrifying.

“There were two entry points into it. One is my own feminist politics. Reproductive healthcare, and justice work have always been the bedrock of how I relate to my own feminism. And then the other entry point is the strategy of anti-abortion activists, who have weaponised photography. I remember encountering those big, gory photographs of so-called ‘fetuses’. I teach photography. I think in photographs, and it felt to me like there was a chasm between how they were relating to and utilising photographs and how we were using slogans. Where was photographic representation in our movement? How could I think about it strategically as a tool? I just started to think, what is the visuality of abortion care?”

“Abortion clinics are feminist healthcare spaces, and I think that’s important to name and make distinct from a conventional healthcare context. They’re generally non-hierarchical, non-punitive and they treat the whole person, not just the body. My hope is that that feeling is conveyed in the photographs.

“If you Google ‘abortion’ or ‘abortion clinic’, it’s so often protests, counter-protests, a clinic that’s been firebombed, protesters screaming at incoming patients. It’s so loaded and so aggressive, and violent and hostile – it’s an agitated space. That’s not what it looks or feels like on the inside – all the mundane tasks, all the instrumental care embedded inside of that.

“One thing I was interested in was how the clinic gets the word out about themselves. How do they share information about their services? So there’s a lot of tabling at local community events. Bulletin boards, that kind of thing. There’s pictures of women sterilising medical equipment, but there’s also pictures from so and so’s birthday party and so and so finishing off the roll, shooting pictures of themselves in the mirror. One thing that I encountered in various archives over and over – there’s so many staff birthday parties. I could have made a whole book of cakes! And so much tenderness. Touching, and support between each other or that they offer to patients. That to me is really reflective of their status in this community that is informed by feminist principles.

“99 per cent of the photographs are of staffers who are enacting the role of patient, because they’re not photographing their patients. unless, in a few cases, they have express permission. But there’s something that’s very tender about that. The staffers are standing in, they’re taking the time and they’re posing. They’re really deeply doing this work on all levels, and approaching photography as a tool, all these years before. So, when I asked myself, what is the visuality of abortion care, and where has it been as a tool in the movement? There it is. They’ve been doing it.”

The Last Safe Abortion by Carmen Winant is published by Mack, and is out now.

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