Video of Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting at Iburi Photography at 35 Jackson Street in Batavia on Saturday

Link to website: Iburi Photography

The sister and brother team of Akari Lewis-Iburi and Shin Iburi is a continuation of a family business legacy that started with their grandfather in 1970, who created Hy Hope Farms in Stafford with his cousins and uncles.

“I think it’s just in our blood to just be in business with family,” says Akari.

The pair fell into the wedding world in 2009. They have a feeling for people, an interest in photojournalism, and families. 

“Getting into weddings we are like real big sobbs and helpless romantics. I think it’s so appropriate for us to be in that scene, we just love and adore families so much,” Akari says.

Iburi Photography had been in search of a place to call their own since 2019. The siblings always had eyes on 35 Jackson Street, but it wasn’t available. From 2009-2012 Akari worked for Carlson’s Studios which was right next door to the building. “Walking by here I was always feeling so inspired.”

In March of 2020, they were looking at a small office space in Jackson Square.

After meeting up with Gavin Townsend of Hunt Real Estate, the Iburis were connected with Derek Geib, who purchased 35 Jackson Street last year. They quickly took action and signed a lease.

“It’s such an inspiring space to not only create beautiful portraits and photography with the studio, but also to be able to offer a gallery and a community space for everyone to come out and enjoy each other.”

The building is about 2,000 Sq. Ft. and is split into two sections. The back space is more of a workshop and the front area is more of a gallery meeting space.

“Eventually we want to have a small rotating gallery of local artist. My husband is a musician, and we are looking to have a weekly open mic night and have some original music here. It is just really a creative space for everyone because there is such a creative community in Batavia and we would love to just contribute to and be a part of it,” says Akari.

Shin says since being handed the keys in July 2022, the have redone the floors, walls and ceilings to create the atmosphere they were looking for.

“A big part of this is having the space to be able to print images for clients. We have our own commercial printer. We have museum quality archival prints and we can do really unique sizing,” says Akari.

The duo says they did not plan for this type of thing.

“Over time as we shot more and more weddings and started getting recommendations, it just evolved. Every part of the success of our business is because someone took a chance on us when we first started. People like Danielle at Terry Hills that recommended us and trusted us. Tonight is more about celebrating the people who have helped us along the way,” says Shin.

Buying a camera is one of the most exciting and important decisions a photographer can make, and as such, it deserves some careful thought. Before you pull out your credit card, check out this fantastic video tutorial that offers 10 bits of helpful advice to help ensure you pick the right camera for your needs, wants, and budget. 

Coming to you from Roman Fox, this helpful video tutorial discusses 10 tips for buying the right camera for you. In my opinion, the most important thing photographers should think about when purchasing a new camera is not the camera, but the lenses. The truth is that pretty much all modern cameras are highly capable, and while there are certainly differences between them, for the most part, pretty much any option will cover that majority of needs. On the other hand, lenses can differ significantly between manufacturers, both in quality and range of options. This extends to third-party lenses as well, as some mounts offer a wide range of different options outside the manufacturer’s own lenses, but others are more locked down, which can have significant ramifications on both your needs and budget. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Fox.  

Bengaluru’s pink blossoms went viral this year. Indeed, what better way to celebrate Earth Day than to revel in the miracle that is each flower! Against this backdrop, Bengaluru-based filmmaker, writer, photographer and storyteller Anil Annaiah’s photography exhibition makes perfect sense. The exhibition, ‘Reimagining Nature: Poetics of Viewing’ features fine art photographs and short films. 

Anil’s passion for the environment has taken various forms through the years — artistic explorations through the lens, citizen initiatives, workshops, and programmes built around every Earth Day for the past 10 years. In fact, since 2014, every Earth Day, Anil has presented his collection of nature photographs and films in a public exhibition. This year’s three-day exhibition at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath is a compilation of some of his best works from over the years, with a focus on encouraging the viewer to appreciate and rediscover nature, through either their own initiatives or through participatory initiatives.

While Anil happened to discover his love for nature through the lens, this has motivated him to deploy it as a tool for advocating change and to devise ways to involve the community as well. His first exhibition of fine art photographs was in 2000, where he displayed a collection of conceptual images from 1988 to 2000, along with a video installation. The short film that was part of the video installation showed a colourless and transparent liquid transforming into an opaque red one, almost the colour of blood, as it filled up the glass vessel, a powerful metaphor for life. Garnering appreciation for his works, he pursued fine art photography and filmmaking that reimagines ways of viewing the natural world, appreciating its complexities, and rediscovering mathematical patterns inherent in nature.

This year’s collection features multiple series drawn from previous years along with a few new ones — early photographic works that are based on macro-photography and show magnified views of flora and foliage, offering deeper insights into the aesthetics and science of natural elements. Another series of works depicts blurred or defocused images which can easily be mistaken for abstract paintings. Interestingly, all photographs are untouched by imaging tools, and any sense of motion that is incorporated is done at the photographing stage itself. The third series captures nature as if it is in motion — gentle movements that explore its lyrical flow. The titles of each of these photographs are equally poetic, and even whimsical at times; for instance, The Pink River and I Can Sparkle!

The short films capture moving images with textual overlay as ‘thought quotes’ broadly referring to ‘Invest in our Planet’, the official theme for this Earth Day, and work as a call for action as well. The video installation offers a zone to consciously step away from the urban chaos and pause — to reflect in solitude. 

Disclosure: ‘Reimagining Nature: Poetics Of Viewing’ has been curated by this author.

The author is a Bengaluru-based art consultant, curator and writer. She blogs at Art Scene India and can be reached at artsceneinfo@gmail.com

Dab Hand is your fortnightly art world low-down.

Do we miss experiencing a moment fully while capturing a photograph?

During a recent trek to the Himalayas, I was lucky enough to capture a time-lapse of the setting sun. It took efforts to find the right spot and ensure the crowd around me did not appear in the frame. However, as I reached home and replayed the time-lapse, I could not shake off a nagging feeling. The smooth sequence of images did not evoke any emotions in me. It did not take my mind to the beautiful moment and location that had encapsulated that capture.

That is when I realised I was so focused on capturing the perfect shot that I missed experiencing the beautiful sunset fully. I remembered the spectacular setting — the soothing amber glow, the sweet chirping of the birds, the cool breeze, the exclamations of the fellow trekkers, but I felt like an outsider and not a participant. I felt robbed of the experience!

When we look at a photograph of a moment of note, it is as if we are revisiting the moment in our minds and living it again. However, with increasingly easy access to better cameras and social media fuelling comparisons, people are now seldom satisfied with their captures.

The early cameras with rolls compelled a photographer to be judicious in their use. The number of shots were limited. With digital cameras, there are no constraints. So shutterbugs take hundreds of photographs of the same subject. They get so immersed in the process that they miss out on the main objective — that of living the moment. They might get that perfect shot of a tiger but do they remember the regal manner in which it walked, the way it contorted its facial expressions or the mist that accompanied its every exhalation in the cold morning?

This is why mindful photography is the need of the hour. One should be technically ready to capture the best image possible and still be proactive in trying to experience the moment. One way is to set aside “non-camera time”, where one places away the camera and enjoys the moment. Another way is to be more conscious about the number of captures one takes.

This concept is portrayed beautifully in the movie Secret Life of Walter Mitty. In one of the scenes, they show a renowned photographer trying to capture a Snow leopard on camera. However, when the Snow leopard appears, he just stares at it without photographing it. On being quizzed by his confused companion as to when he would take the image, he replies, “If I like a moment, I mean me personally, I don’t like to have the distraction of the camera. I just want to stay in it. Right there…right here.”

abhishekpant008@gmail.com

It is not out of the ordinary to see ‘rikishi’ walking in the vicinity of their ‘beya’ sporting ‘mawashi’ post workout.
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The story of sumo goes back centuries. But despite it being considered Japan’s national sport and even being recognized by the International Olympic Committee, little is known about the world of the wrestlers. London-born photographer Lord K2 was granted unprecedented access to capture the more secretive side of rikishi—that is, professional sumo wrestlers–and compiled his evocative pictures in a new photography book simply titled Sumo.

“Within the Japanese establishment exists a great sense of pride that during the last millennium very little about the sport has changed”, explains Lord K2 in the book’s introduction. “As Japan has surged forward into modernity, this corner of culture has remained anchored to ancient tradition. Sumo is an entity in which history, culture, pride and athleticism combine.”

While matches attract large crowds these days, what goes on behind the scenes is more guarded. “Sumo stables are not tourist attractions; only a few stables can be visited, and only as long as the list of behavioural restrictions is strictly adhered to,” explains the photographer.

As he shows us their training stables, known as beya, as well as Kokugikan Stadium, regarded as sumo’s top venue, Sumo shares the nuances and obstacles of the sport. It fell out of popularity at the beginning of the century and came roaring back, but it’s increasingly difficult to attract Japanese youngsters into the sport given the gruesome routines the rikishi take on. Additionally, the life expectancy of a sumo wrestler is 10 years less than the average Japanese man because they are more prone to high blood pressure and other ailments.

“Those who dedicate themselves to the sport give not only their body but their lives. They give themselves as a relic, an offering to the past masters and gods. Rikishi are not just wrestlers, they are the antiquated, traditional Japanese gentlemen. A century after the last samurai, their cousins live on,” declares Lord K2. “Wrestlers are highly revered by their fans, not just for their sporting prowess, but also for the nobility and dedication with which they live their lives.”

Sumo is published by Ammonite Press. The book is already available in the UK, and it’s being released globally in March 2023. You can pre-order it on Bookshop.

Photographer Lord K2 was granted unprecedented access to capture the more secretive side of sumo.

Even though ‘rikishi’ have a fierce demeanour when performing, they are seen by the public as gentle giants and may display an affectionate side.

His compelling images now are part of Sumo, a new photography book published by Ammonite Press.

Fans fill the Kokugikan Stadium to capacity in order to honour Kyokutenhō during his ‘danpatsushiki.’ The next generation looks up in awe at one of the all time favourites.

“As Japan has surged forward into modernity, this corner of culture has remained anchored to ancient tradition. Sumo is an entity in which history, culture, pride and athleticism combine,” explains Lord K2.

Lower ranked ‘rikishi’ return to their ‘beya’ by train after competing in a tournament.

A ‘rikishi’ struggles to his feet during a ‘butsukari-geiko’ session. Wrestlers regularly push each other to their limits of physical endurance in training sessions in order to become formidable warriors.

‘Rikishi’ at the Kise ‘beya’ go through a final drill to wrap up training.

Okinoumi Ayumi entertains his fellow wrestlers outside Hakkaku ‘beya’ in Ryogoku. Even though sumo wrestlers take their careers very seriously, outside of work they are often playful and relatively approachable.

Wrestlers perform ‘shikiri-naoshi’ before the bout commences.

A rikishi collapses with exhaustion during a ‘butsukarigeiko’ session with Georgian wrestler Gagamaru Masaru at the Kise ‘beya.’

‘Rikishi’ sit patiently outside their ‘beya’ on a hot summer’s day as they await breakfast after training.

‘Sumo’ by Lord K2, Ammonite Press, RRP £20/ $29.95, available now in the UK and globally from March 2023.

Watch the book trailer below.

Lord K2: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Ammonite Press

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Stunning Photography Book Highlights the Haunting Beauty of Forgotten Places

Man Spends 40 Years Photographing Japanese Parents and Children to See How They Evolve

Congratulations to Amiee Chavez and Lily Gelb, winners of the 3rd Annual Earth Day Photography Contest! As part of Earth Day 2023, the City held a “Park Exploration” Photo Contest encouraging people to submit photos of their favorite view, spot, plants, or creatures in or from a Sonoma Valley park, preserve, or open space. The public was invited to vote online for their favorite entries.

Amiee Chavez, “View Of Sugarloaf Mountains” (21 years or older category)

Lily Gelb, “Under The Sky, Jack London State Park” (13-20-year-old category)

Thank you to all who participated – we look forward to seeing more beautiful photos next year. All the photos entered will continue to be featured on our website.

• Mel McVeigh is a photographer who created a portrait series with men she met on Tinder.
• She says she learned more about connection and intimacy via this project.
• This is her story, as told to the writer Ash Jurberg.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mel McVeigh. It has been edited for length and clarity.

For me, Tinder was an unsuccessful dating app until I changed my profile and created a conversation.

The app always aimed to match me with people it assumed I would like, and no matter what I tried, I was always given similar types of men that didn’t suit me.

When I changed my profile to ask for something more creative, unique, and challenging, I saw positive results.

I went on Tinder to create art

In 2020, I attended a photographic residence in Cosprons, a small town in France near the Spanish border. My goal while I was there was to create a portrait series based on connection, intimacy, and what it is to love. But being in a remote town, I didn’t have someone to explore this with.

The workshop was led by a distinguished French photographer, Claudine Doury, who suggested going on Tinder to find a subject to photograph.

Initially skeptical, I had little confidence I would find a suitable match, but I decided to move forward with the project anyway.

I updated my Tinder bio with the simple line, “Can I take your portrait?” Then, I swiped for two days with no result until I matched with a Belgian man staying at his father’s holiday home in Bacares, Spain, 60 miles away.

After several messages, we discussed my photography project on the phone. And so began a poetic journey into portraiture, dating, connection, and friendship.

I was extremely nervous before taking the first portrait

Driving so far away to meet a man I had never met was a little nerve-racking, but as soon as we connected, we both felt at ease, and within 10 minutes, I started taking his portrait.

After our portrait session, we spent the day driving around the oyster farms of Bacares. It was a truly remarkable experience and a fun first date.

We never felt the spark, but we both had an amazing time. We have since become very good friends.

My teacher suggested turning it into a bigger project

When my teacher suggested I expand this work, I was hesitant again. I was still determining whether I wanted to turn my dating experiences into a true photographic project outside the class. Unfortunately, it was also during the pandemic, so opportunities were few and far between.

But six months later, I again took the plunge, and with that simple request in my Tinder bio, this project was born.

I was in Madrid and shot this project over two years after the pandemic started. During this time, nine men agreed to have their photos taken, and I traveled to France, Spain, the UK, and Australia.

As the project evolved, all but one of the men agreed to stay in the project and contributed by adding words and poetry to the series or helping me edit the pictures.

These meetings were so different from usual Tinder dates

I met artists, producers, cinematographers, travelers, and creatives. By asking an inherently creative question in my profile, it attracted men who were creative, who wanted to be vulnerable, and who wanted to be part of something unique.

In all my previous experiences on Tinder, I had never connected to people more closely aligned with my values, needs, and desires.

As a photographer and artist, I found taking portraits in this way was a new process. It required me to be more patient, softer, and calmer. All the men were very nervous about having their portraits taken. Some nearly asked to stop before we started.

None had ever been photographed for a portrait, which I found fascinating.

In a world of selfies and social media, the idea of collaborating on an image was foreign to them all. But that’s what attracted them to the concept in the first place.

The connections forged have led to friendships

Did I date some of them? One or two, yes; the rest, I did not. Did I fall in love? No.

I wonder whether the photographic project changed the dynamic, but in the end, I speak with them all as friends I met over time and continents during a wild period of history.

I thank all of them for choosing to be vulnerable and allowing me to take their portrait by simply saying yes. They have given me a space to become an artist again.

I also found through our conversations that men were often just as sensitive, soft, and scared when it came to dating as women. When you peel back the surface and engage in a different way from what you’re used to, you can see another side to people.

I learned how to make the algorithm work for me

I work in technology and firmly believe that dating-app algorithms are inherently biased. Data is based on collective averages of “other people like you,” so to break the algorithm and attract a different type of person, you had to feed it different inputs.

Based on age, I was matched only with older men to whom I didn’t feel physically attracted, and I did not share many of the same interests.

The app also reads conversations and bios, so it looks for people who mention certain words over and over and then it pairs those people on the basis that they’ll likely get along. It is an algorithm, and it is looking for a pattern.

So I wrote something very different in my profile from what I’d written before and changed my preferences in terms of age. Making these modifications changed the people who were given to me as prospective matches, and my conversations with the people I matched with felt fresher.

Though I learned a lot about making dating apps work for me, I no longer use them. I prefer to meet people in real life and have a reasonably easy time doing that.

The project is now an exhibition and photo book

In May, I’m holding an exhibition in London featuring the photo series, which I’ve titled “A Chance of Love.” I have also created a photo book on the project that features contributions from the men involved.

The project was a true collaboration. One of the men wrote a poem in three languages, and it’s now part of the book; two others advised me during the book’s editing process. Upon reflection, some decided to have me remove parts of our conversation from the text I wrote along with their portrait, which I was happy to do. I supported whatever level of involvement they wanted in the project.

A few of the men want to meet each other and share the experience, so they’ll be together on the exhibition’s opening night. It’s sure to be yet another experience that I’ll never forget, and one that I’m glad I’ll get to share with these people I’d never have met had I not taken that leap — and changed my bio and preferences on Tinder, all in the name of art.

Good lights can make all the difference in the quality of work you can produce as a photographer. If you’ve never heard of a self-inflating light, then today might be the day you add one to your camera bag.

Light is obviously a crucial part of photography, but not all light is created equal. Many factors come into play when trying to decide if a light is any good or not. Two key areas for many prospective buyers are the power of the light and how portable it is. These two factors seem to score highly in the SIRUI A100B Bi-Color, which is a versatile light that was recently reviewed by photographer and educator Nigel Barros in his latest video.

The review starts with Barros talking about the light and showing some of its potential uses. This is where we learn the product is a little different in construction, as it is self-inflating. This might sound like a bit of a gimmick, but the build quality looks just as sturdy as similar softboxes on the market, with the added benefit that you don’t need to construct anything, and everything can fold down when not in use.

We next see one of the more useful features of the light, which is that the color temperature has a range from 2800k right up to 8500k. This means you’ll be able to get everything from super cool right up to a warm sunny glow if you need to balance multiple light sources. The video goes on to show some of the pros and cons of the light, which you’ll be happy to hear are mostly positive. A few downsides of this particular light are the noise from the fan in the power brick and the way the panel attaches to the stand itself. Two minor details that I think most photographers could live with.

What I really like about Barros’ videos is that they are always informative and educational in equal measure. The video shows us all we need to know about the light in question, as well as showing us a few setups we could try ourselves. As an added bonus, Barros shoots the whole of the video using a 10-year-old Panasonic GH3 camera to illustrate the importance of good light over gear. A lesson I think many of us need reminding of from time to time. Is the SIRUI A100B Bi-Color light worth adding to your camera bag? I think it’s well worth considering, especially if you do a mix of still and video work. These lights are not cheap at roughly $400, so I’d suggest you try and rent one to see if it ticks all your boxes first.

What do you think of this inflatable light? Do you think you’ll be adding one to your camera bag? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.