Lansing natives Cameron Warren Jr. and Dwayne Goodwin don’t have a decades-long history behind the camera lens, but their enthusiasm and passion for photography are developing rapidly. And now they want to share their passion and art.
The entrepreneurs are joining the East Lansing small business community with the opening of their photography studio, Studio 34, at 210 Abbot Road, Unit 34, next to P.T. O’Malley’s in downtown. The studio’s grand opening was held Sunday, April 2.
While both photographers are local, the pair of creatives hadn’t met until a tree farm fundraising event during the holidays. Warren Jr., who was capturing family photos as part of the fundraiser, said he was immediately impressed with Goodwin’s work.
“I started going to the bar he works at, and started doing club photography,” he said. “From there, I approached him about going half on a studio so we both would have room to create.”
Goodwin, 34, started his photography journey last spring, focusing mainly on street photography, and expanding to portraits and event photography like DJ gigs. While DJing in a local bar, he gained traction from taking photos of people there. Goodwin also placed second in the 2022 East Lansing Community Photo Contest last fall.
“My main styles would be creative, event and street [photography]. Those come naturally to me, and are the ones I have the most fun with,” Goodwin said of his artistic style. “I have a huge imagination when it comes to photography. I just want to continue to push limits and overcome any boundaries.”
Warren Jr., 31, first picked up a camera during college. While he became bored with the class and dropped the subject, he kept picking up the camera every now and then. After being asked to take prom photos for a family member, Warren Jr. was inspired to take his craft more seriously.
“I started doing street photography in downtown East Lansing over the summer and kept telling myself ‘keep improving and keep shooting,’” he said.
Warren Jr. also had a special goal: take maternity photos of his wife. After the birth of their child, this stay-at-home dad now has both a growing family and a growing photography career.
“I was proud of my achievements at the moment, but I wasn’t satisfied,” he said. “I wanted to still improve and create more beautiful moments with photography.”
Warren Jr. specializes in creative, beauty, event/street and lifestyle/candid images. He aspires to continually make creative images that elicit joy and happiness for both him and his clients.
“I want to create art with my photography,” he said. “I want people to see my work and say ‘wow.’ I want to impress everyone who books with me and have a fun photo shoot every time.”
Warren Jr. hopes this new business venture can allow the duo of busy fathers to elevate their craft outside of their homes and fully chase their dreams. Whether it’s a birthday photo shoot, family photos, senior pictures or lifestyle/modeling portfolios, Warren Jr. wants to “capture dope moments for people.”
“I always love seeing people’s reactions to good photos of themselves or family,” he said. “I want to be able to give someone a photo that they will show off everywhere and put on their wall or in a frame.”
After the space at Abbot became available, the pair was ready to sign the paperwork right away. The location is a familiar one and a central spot within the community and where the creative visions began to take shape.
“It just felt like a great spot to be in,” Warren Jr. said. “They’ve been building the city up and adding so many new things out there every year. I also started my street photography out there when I first started my photography journey, so it just felt right to be out there.”
Ultimately, Warren Jr. hopes to provide anyone who books with him a positive experience.
“I understand that today’s camera phones are getting really good, so in order to compete with that, I want to make sure booking with me is an experience,” he said. “I live by the phrase ‘treat others the way you want to be treated,’ and I will continue that practice with my business.”
With the advancements in technology and the portability of photography gear, it is impossible not to recognize the work of street photographers. These modern-day nomads traverse the city, capturing images and videos of people, animals, objects, and nature itself. Their approach serves as a powerful reminder that allowing life to unfold naturally, without excessive planning or control, can yield stunning outcomes.
“The Decisive Moments Magazine (TDM)” is an Instagram account that showcases the remarkable work of various skilled street photographers. They share these captivating images with their audience of nearly 85,000 followers on a daily basis.
With that being said, if you’d love to see TDM’s photography contest entries from 2021, make sure to click here!
More info: tdmawards.com | Facebook | Instagram | twitter.com
All images © Robert Strati, shared with permission
When an heirloom plate crashed to the floor, rather than trying to glue the pieces back together, Robert Strati had a more creative idea to preserve the spirit of the object. He arranged the shards on a two-dimensional surface, mimicking the way the pieces scattered when the plate fell, and began to render intricate ink drawings that extended from the original design. The chance occurrence spurred an ongoing series called Fragmented, which explores “the possibilities of things broken and the stories that can evolve from them,” he says.
Utilizing ink that matches the original, monochrome colors of antique plates, Strati continues lines and patterns into dreamlike scenarios. Brimming with figures, ships, and animals, bucolic landscapes expand into vast vistas and surreal scenes sprout from decorative edges.
See more of Strati’s work on his website and Instagram. (via Kottke)
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 ‘Fragmented,’ Expansive Scenes Rendered in Ink by Robert Strati Emanate from Shattered Porcelain Plates appeared first on Colossal.
“Glaucoma was a shock to the nervous system,” photographer Derek Schrock shares with me, the legally blind Editor in Chief of the Phoblographer. “It allowed me to contemplate a loss and to compensate going forward with methods of gain. When you’re young and fortunate, you’re also a dependent. Dependent on something. Dependent on someone.” This was the first time in life that Derek felt cut off, weak, vulnerable, and without control. This happened to Derek when he was young, and most wouldn’t even consider being photographers or would consider ending their careers.
All images in this interview are by Derek Schrock. Used with permission. If you’re interested, pick up his book A Sum of One. Please also visit his website.
However, Derek grew from this after the initial blow to the gut.
The contemplation was good for me. I could grow from the imperfection. Criticism can be constructive, and it made me look intently at myself. My weaknesses. Alter my makeup. Psychologically change from a situation I had no control over. Heighten my surrounding senses and grow in my humanity. I worked on myself. I began to see myself clearer than ever. As it just so happens, simultaneously the images accumulated. Everyone is going through something. Glaucoma limits one nerve but gave me another to reach out. There became a comfortability in being vulnerable, and in doing so I’ve seen more than I ever imagined.
Derek’s love of photography comes from what he calls his “awkward years.” This was during middle school tech class where he’d do things like take a photo of traffic at an intersection then develop it in the darkroom. It later helped bring his travel work so much more meaning as he used the camera on all this trips.
The chemicals mixed and created an image. It worked out. Nothing about the process was difficult. I remember that happening as if it was in slow motion. The swell of the photograph. I can still feel the swell of my eyes as though it was yesterday. I wish I had stuck with it and developed that fascination I felt in that moment.
Derek admired the work of Irving Penn, Sebastião Salgado, W. Eugene Smith and James Nachtwey. However, he never took the time to carefully study their work until he was already very deep into photography himself. “Yet, I never studied them nor any other photographers until I was already too deep into it. “I had already taken thousands of photographs and been to dozens of countries,” he tell us.
A Sum of One, Derek’s latest book, is one that he hopes is received well. He says that he hasn’t gotten rich off of photography, but that he cares more about the fact that the work is genuine. “When I get too deep in the weeds, too overwhelmed in the expectations I tell myself W. Eugene Smith died with $18,” he says. “Perfect.”
2. Give us a list of your essential camera gear and how it helps you achieve your creative vision. This will be a section in and of itself.
For me to work true it’s a camera body and lens dangling from a leather strap and that’s it. No artificial lighting. No set. No assistant. Bare and minimal. Perhaps I belonged in another era?
Derek, like most of the staff here, loves Fujifilm. This stems from the romance it produced in his childhood. So, of course, nostalgia contributed to it. Derek is a man of culture and shoots with an X Pro 1 and X Pro 2 — which he says feel like an extension of his body. “The density of the camera body weighs on me and I feel relays a sense of importance to the image,” he tells us. Mostly he wanted something that would inspire him to go shooting. He paired thee cameras with the Fujinon XF 14mm, 18mm, 23mm and 35mm. Yes, he’s an all primes guy — a man of culture, as we said. And recently, he’s gotten into the Fujifilm GFX 50R.
Prime lens(es) demand getting close. Literally being part of the image. Taking an image not just with your eye, but also your body. They demand you move your body to synchronize with the image. I like that feeling. Being in motion with the subject creates an intimacy of risk. I’ve missed a lot of images because I don’t zoom. I’m at peace with that. Because I’ve gotten close, I’ve made a lot of eye contact and shaken a lot of hands. Had a lot of experiences otherwise I would not have had. I feel proud when I make an image where it demands I tear my jeans because I take a knee or dirty my shoes because I walk through mud or best yet scrape my elbow because I lie parallel. For me, photography is about being in the conditions of others. The conditions can’t be on my terms.
His work is about instinct and immediacy. He sees it as photographing with his whole body. Despite his love of cameras and lenses, it’s still not everything. A huge part of it all is his excellent work with people.
Derek, who admits he hasn’t had formal training, approached situations as if he were a guest with no entitlements. He understands that he’s going to be judged on who he is in his interactions with people. So Derek checks himself to always make sure that he’s kind, respectful, a good listener, vulnerable, etc. He goes for what he calls a common ground in all of humanity. These include calm movements, inviting tones, a soft pitch, eye contact, no sunglasses, gratitude, sincerity, etc. Essentially, he work to make himself someone that others want to be with.
5
All images in this interview are by Derek Schrock. Used with permission. If you’re interested, pick up his book A Sum of One. Please also visit his website.
Abby Bowman, a Morgantown native, is creating a mobile art gallery to share work from different Appalachian artists with communities across the region.
The gallery, called “ARTtrek, Masterpieces on the move,” was developed as part of Bowman’s capstone project for a fine arts degree at Shepherd University.
Functioning as a repurposed box trailer, ARTtrek’s mission is to connect communities to the arts.
Bowman said the gallery also puts the works of emerging artists on public display.
“There are many West Virginian artists and emerging artists who inspired me to create the ARTtrek. There needs to be more options for these talented artists for display and that was a driving factor for the ARTtrek,” Bowman said.
Passionate about both Appalachia and West Virginia, Bowman said she believes the work of local artists is important in telling regional stories of survival, ingenuity, community and heritage.
“I truly believe there is great potential for our beautiful state and our Appalachian communities,” Bowman said. “ARTtrek matters because the goal is to help change any negative narratives towards the region—to tell Appalachian stories of survival, ingenuity, community, and heritage.”
Bowman said she has always been drawn to public art and has worked on murals, painting reliefs, installation art and sculptures. She believes that there is great potential for the state and communities to enact change and progress through art.
“As I was figuring out what kind of art I wanted to pursue– I was also completing my minor in business,” she said. “I have a very creative yet business-oriented mind, so this box trailer idea really was just a perfect fit for combining all of my skills.”
Abby Bowman, a senior fine arts student at Shepherd University, is repurposing a box trailer to showcase art across the Mountain State.
Bowman said her parents were also a source of inspiration for ARTtrek.
Bowman’s mother, Nikki Bowman Mills, owns New South Media that runs publications like WV Living Magazine.
She said her professors at Shepherd University were also sources of inspiration, including art history professor Chris Coltrin and assistant professor of art and 3D fabrication Kay Dartt.
“Since my freshman year, [my professors] have encouraged thinking outside the box,” she said. “The program is very helpful towards student’s passions and interests.”
While working on her capstone, Bowman said she felt impacted as an artist, entrepreneur and student.
She has connected with many other local artists and venues for potential displays in the future. The project has emphasized how many talented artists exist within the state.
She said that the ARTtrek is more than just her capstone art project, but something she’ll be continuing after graduation.
“This project has proven a lot of trust within myself and my capabilities regardless of other people’s approvals,” she says. “Which I think has been the biggest and most important impact.”
Bowman will eventually be moving ARTtrek through the state. She will be holding a capstone show and the first exhibit on April 7-8 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Alma Bea in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. The exhibit will feature Shannon Thomas’ “Shepherds Mill” and Bowmans’ sculptures “Quilts.”
Eventually, Bowman plans to make her way to Morgantown and host the ARTtrek at the downtown Arts Walks.
ARTtrek will also have an exhibit featuring The Shepherd University Visual Arts Collective exhibit “Flesh” the following weekend.
For more information on ARTtrek visit thewvartist.com and to see progress photos and information visit Bowman’s social media’s @arttrekwv. For more information on events, reach out to arttrekwv@gmail.com.
Billionaires’ selective taste in art means they tend to compete for the same works.
Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
The art market is starting to look like a painting that has too much of the action crammed into one corner.
Artworks worth an estimated $67.8 billion were sold globally in 2022, according to a report this week from art-show organizer Art Basel and
UBS.
Although the industry had already made a full recovery from the pandemic by 2021, it seems to be cooling. Last year’s 3% growth was lower than expected.
Sales were split between dealers with about 55% and auction houses with 45%. Dealers did better than auction houses last year, despite the $1.6 billion sale of late
Microsoft
co-founder
Paul Allen’s
art collection at Christie’s in November—the highest-ever haul for a single auction. A shift to dealers could be a sign that confidence in the market is shaky. A painting that doesn’t sell at auction leaves a public record, while a deal that fails behind closed doors won’t.
What is clear is that the last three years have made the art world more dependent on the super rich. In 2022, works that sold for more than $1 million represented 60% of the value of auction sales, up from 55% in 2019 and 45% a decade ago. These more expensive works are only a tiny share of what goes under the hammer—1% of total lots.
The industry’s performance is becoming more closely tied to how a small group of around 2,600 global billionaires are faring. In 2020, this cluster increased their wealth by almost a third, as tech stocks went on a tear in the early days of the Covid-19 crisis. This contributed to a surge in sales at the top of the art market. In 2022, spending on artworks worth more than $10 million was 177% higher than in 2020. Demand for less expensive art hasn’t been as exuberant, maybe because layoffs have hit well-paid professionals in sectors like tech the hardest.
Divergence between the top and bottom of the art world isn’t new and may be another unintended consequence of ultralow interest rates. Last year sales of works valued at more than $10 million were 700% above 2009 levels, compared with a 10% increase for art priced below $50,000.
For now, a Rolodex of billionaire clients is a nice problem to have. Wealthy collectors are insulating the art world from problems that have hit alternative investments like cryptocurrencies. Europe’s luxury brands are also benefiting from this defensive trait. Very wealthy shoppers are still spending lavishly at the most expensive labels, such as Louis Vuitton.
But there are downsides for smaller dealers that cater to affluent but not necessarily rich clients. Their sales fell 3% in 2022 as demand thinned out and buyers became more cautious. And although the market has bobbed around from year to year, art sales have barely grown over the last decade. That suggests the industry hasn’t done a good job of attracting a more diverse set of buyers in the way luxury brands have. New diversified art funds such as one set up by artwork certification expert Artory and Winston are trying to widen art’s appeal as an investment class.
Billionaires’ selective taste in art means they tend to compete for the same works. This can cause prices to skyrocket in narrow corners of the market. In 2022, a group of only 20 artists accounted for 56% of total sales in contemporary art, which is the largest category at auction. This includes so-called blue-chip artists like Francis Bacon, Mark Rothko and Andy Warhol, whose works tend to increase in value over time. Warhol’s Shot Sage Blue Marilyn fetched $195 million last year, making it the second-most expensive work ever sold at auction.
The lumpy art market is merely reflecting growing disparities in how global wealth is shared. It isn’t a pretty picture for dealers at the bottom.
Write to Carol Ryan at carol.ryan@wsj.com
