Sylvie Castioni : Truth and Freedom

After studying at the University of Visual Arts in Lyon, Sylvie Castioni took her first steps in fashion by working for the international press, in particular for Vogue. Her portraits were soon published in Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Numéro and Glamour…

In 2010, she crossed paths with actress Léa Seydoux. A meeting that proved decisive. Indeed, their series of photos made with little artifice triggered Sylvie’s desire to specialize in intimate portraits of celebrities. The result: images that question the woman and her representation. In her quest for truth and freedom, she seeks to give a deeper and more spiritual dimension to women’s bodies. Sylvie regularly exhibits her work in Paris and New York.

In May 2022 she was co-author of a documentary series of 14 portraits of women film directors “From Shadow to Light” showed on France televisions during the Cannes filmFestival. An adventure that she is repeating this year.

To be continued.

Website : www.sylviecastioni.com
Instagram : sylviecastioni

Your first photographic trigger?
Sylvie Castioni :I was around 8 – 10 years old, I was an introverted child, I did not like the world around me which I found hostile. I took refuge in my view of this world to feel safe.

The man or woman of image who inspires you ?
Sylvie Castioni : Marylin Monroe, she is the feminine incarnation of a whole patriarchal system that projected its fantasies and expectations on her. She died and today I wonder about the place of the icons and the muses in history. The representations of the female figure are the very heart of my work.

The image that you would have liked to realize ?
Sylvie Castioni : The first photograph in the world “Point of view from the window of the Gras” by Niépce, the inventor of the process.

The one that moved you the most ?
Sylvie Castioni : The one I took of my daughter and her father on the first day of her life. It was 25 years ago.

The one that made you angry?
Sylvie Castioni: The stolen photograph of Princess Diana when the death of her father was announced .

A key image in your personal pantheon?
Sylvie Castioni : I have several : portraits of committed women : Simone de Beauvoir , Jeanne d’arc , Olympe de gouge , George Sand , Lauren Bastide … and I hope one day to have mine !

A photographic memory of your childhood ?
Sylvie Castioni : The cover of Ellen Von Unwerth’s June 1994 photo magazine featuring Eva Erzigova. I was a teenager and I grew up identifying with these women whose beauty I admired. In the 90s the super models invaded the media.

The image that obsesses you?
Sylvie Castioni: An image that we do not look with our eyes but with our heart. The one where we feel a woman’s power, her magic and her accuracy.

Without any budget limit, what would be the work you would dream of acquiring?
Sylvie Castioni : The venus de Milo exposed in the Louvre. It is part of the history of the representation of the female figure. It is on this criteria that many photographic works of women have been inspired in our modern societies.

According to you, what is the necessary quality to be a good photographer?
Sylvie Castioni: The most important quality for me is the receptivity to the invisible, the availability to capture the essence beyond appearances.

The secret of the perfect image, if it exists ?
Sylvie Castioni : An image that touches the unconscious and makes the collective conscience evolve.

The person you would like to photograph ?
Sylvie Castioni: Kim Kardashian. I would like to photograph her without artifice.

An essential photo book?
Sylvie Castioni : “The atlas of Beauty

The camera of your childhood ?
Sylvie Castioni : I used disposable cameras, I come from a modest family. I got my first camera when I was 18 years old and went to university. It was another time when patience was required because to see the processed films we had to wait two weeks.

The one you use today?
Sylvie Castioni : A Canon EOS 5 D mark 4 . I have been a Canon pro for 20 years, it is difficult to change habits.

Your favorite drug ?
Sylvie Castioni : Dancing. Dancing. Dancing.

The best way to disconnect for you ?
Sylvie Castioni : Practicing trans while dancing, it helps me to connect again.

What is your relationship with the image?
Sylvie Castioni : It is paradoxical, photography allows me to reveal the beauty of the world while exploring my shadow zone. It is the disease and the remedy.

Your greatest quality?
Sylvie Castioni: Hope.

Your last folly ?
Sylvie Castioni : I went alone to Japan to discover another culture, I looked for a job there, and for an agent and finally I have been working there regularly for 10 years.

An image to illustrate a new banknote?
Sylvie Castioni : A dinosaur, let’s not forget our condition of simple mortal. We can also disappear.

The job you would not have liked to do ?
Sylvie Castioni : If I think of professional work, the one that makes you earn a living, I would say all those that do not bring joy and pleasure and that are lived in constraint without alignment with its raison d’être. I am very lucky, I chose a job that feeds me on all levels.

Your greatest professional extravagance?
Sylvie Castioni : I am a reasonable person and simplicity and authenticity are at the heart of my approach. My extravagance lies in the fact that I allow myself not to have any.

What are the differences between photography and art photography?
Sylvie Castioni : Photography becomes art when it delivers a profound message, when it is committed to advancing humanity. Art includes human works intended to touch the senses and emotions of the public. Since for me all photographs tell something and touch a place, they are all art.

Which city, country or culture do you dream of discovering?
Sylvie Castioni : I dream of discovering Peru, and of climbing Machu Pitchu. My childhood was marked by the cartoon ” The Cities of Gold “. The  ancient civilisations that disappeared  fascinate me .

The place of which you never get tired ?
Sylvie Castioni : The arms of my lover.

Your biggest regret?
Sylvie Castioni : I regret not having super powers and being immortal in order to enjoy the true meeting between men and women which for me has not yet taken place. We live in a society where gender inequality still exists and when that happens I’ll probably be dead.

In terms of social networks, are you rather Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok or Twitter?
Sylvie Castioni: Snapchat what for? Instagram is the only one I master! And I already spend enough time on it not to add other constraints.

Color or B&W?
Sylvie Castioni : B&W without hesitation.

Daylight or artificial light ?
Sylvie Castioni: It doesn’t matter as long as there is only one light source identical to the sun.

What do you think is the most photogenic city?
Sylvie Castioni : There are several, Pompei the city buried by the volcano eruption or all those disappeared! Heracleion city of Egypt swallowed by water. Finally all those disappeared!

If God existed, would you ask him to pose for you, or would you opt for a selfie with him?
Sylvie Castioni: I would ask him to pose for me. I’ve always been looking for him in my work and I feel like I know him but I’ve never been able to solve his mystery.

If I could organize your ideal dinner, who would be at the table?
Sylvie Castioni: All the inspiring and inspired women around me.

The image that represents for you the current state of the world?
Sylvie Castioni: The new SpaceX rocket

What is missing in today’s world?
Sylvie Castioni: The respect of the living which is not compatible with the current capitalist society.

If you had to start all over again?
Sylvie Castioni: I would do the same life path with the same trials. Each experience, as difficult as it is, allows us to grow and to find our way.

The last word ?
Sylvie Castioni : There is no end or beginning, everything is in perpetual motion. It is the flow of life ….

After days of rain and dark clouds, the final round was sunny and clear with nothing but blue skies and green fairways providing a brilliant backdrop for Jon Rahm’s win.

A Gallery For Fine Photography presents ten pigment prints and one polaroid by Joyce Tenneson.

Internationally lauded as one of the leading photographers of her generation, Joyce Tenneson’s work has been published in books and major magazines, and exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide. Her portraits have appeared on covers for magazines such as: Time, Life, Newsweek, Premiere, Esquire and The New York Times Magazine.

Tenneson is the author of seventeen books including the best seller, “Wise Women”, which was featured in a Today Show series. She is also the recipient of many awards and, in a poll conducted by American Photo Magazine, readers voted Tenneson among the ten most influential women in the history of photography.

The Lucie Awards named Joyce Tenneson as Fine Art Photographer of the Year in 2005, and in 2018 she received the Lucie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Portraiture. In the Fall of 2014, Fotografiska Museum, in Stockholm, Sweden, mounted a large retrospective of Tenneson’s work. In 2021 Tenneson was inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame.

Joyce Tenneson’s exhibition will be on display until August 31, 2023.

A Gallery For Fine Photography
241 Chartres St.
New Orleans, LA 70130
www.agallery.com

https://agallery.com/search/JT10/?mc_cid=4ed73a0c1a&mc_eid=670cc327cb

The first ever winner from the inaugural So.co Music Photographer of the Year Awards was announced. David Hogan is set to be awarded the ‘So.co Legend of the Year Award’ – recognising his incredible, ongoing legacy as one of the music industry’s most distinguished and cherished photographers.

David is responsible for immortalising many of the most defining, iconic and talked about moments in musical history. He has worked closely with the likes of Madonna, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Prince & David Bowie, been the official photographer for the biggest nights in the musical calendar in The Brits and The Grammys, and shot once-in-a-lifetime concerts such as the the original 1985 Live Aid.

David is also the official photographer for The Rolling Stones’ tours and has travelled across all corners of the globe with the band. Mick Jagger comments: “Dave Hogan has been shooting the Stones Live on tour for more than three decades. From our unforgettable gig in Cuba, headlining Glastonbury in 2013, to most recently at our London Hyde Park shows, his images have captured these incredible moments we have shared with our fans. I’d like to congratulate him on winning this award.”

David received the ‘So.co Legend of the Year Award’ at the ceremony on Monday 27th March.

https://so.co/awards

Photo courtesy of MnDOT
In order to obtain accurate aerial mapping, MnDOT crews paint large white “X” targets on paved surfaces, and place plastic or fabric “X” targets on unpaved surfaces.

MARSHALL — “X” will mark the spot for an upcoming mapping project by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

MnDOT spokespeople are urging members of the public not to disturb markers placed in the right of way of a handful of southwest Minnesota highways this spring.

The X-shaped temporary targets will be used for taking aerial photos of roads including U.S. Highway 75 in Pipestone, Minnesota Highway 23 south of Granite Falls, and U.S. Highway 59 in Marshall, MnDOT said Friday. The aerial mapping will help the Department of Transportation record existing infrastructure and landscape along state highways, and plan for future road projects.

The aerial photography work has a narrow window of time in which it can be done, said Sandra Schlagel, public affairs coordinator for MnDOT District 8. The photos will need to be taken after the snow melts, but before trees leaf out. Weather permitting, the work will start in mid-April.

Part of the aerial mapping process includes putting down markers for the aerial photography company, MnDOT said. Crews will paint X-shaped temporary targets on paved surfaces, and use white plastic or fabric X’s on unpaved surfaces. Other markers people may see include drone targets, which are square with a pattern of black and white triangles. In addition to putting out temporary targets, survey crews will also record the coordinate position and elevation of each target.

Aerial mapping will be done in six areas in southwest Minnesota: on Highway 75 from Pipestone County Road 4 to Highway 30 in Pipestone; on Highway 22 at the MnDOT truck station in Glencoe; Highway 7/22 from Shady Ridge Road Northwest to Garden Road Northeast in Hutchinson; Highway 23 from Highway 274 to Highway 67 south of Granite Falls; Highway 23 from Canton Avenue to North 8th Street in Montevideo; and on Highway 59 from Highway 23 to Highway 19 in Marshall.

The public is being asked not to remove or disturb targets. MnDOT said landowners in the areas being mapped will be contacted if they will have targets placed on or near their property.

If a target must be moved, people are asked to contact the District 8 MnDOT office in Willmar, at 320-231-5195.

Noelle McCleaf is an artist who explores themes of memory, relationship, and identity in the landscape of South Florida.

Born and raised in Virginia, Noelle received her BFA from the Ringling College of Art and Design and her MFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, both with a concentration in Photography. Her work has been shown in national and international exhibitions, including at the Camden Image Gallery in London, The Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida, The Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins, Colorado, and at the Slow Exposures photography festival in Zebulon, Georgia. Publications that have featured her work include Blink Magazine, Fraction Magazine, Southern Glossary, Accent Magazine, Feature Shoot, Lenscratch and Plates-to-Pixels.

She currently lives and works in Venice, Florida as an exhibiting artist and Full Time Faculty in Photography and Imaging at the Ringling College of Art and Design. 

What’s keeping you from being the photographer or even the artist that you hope to be? How much of it is under your control, and what can you do to get past the roadblocks?

The journey of being a photographer, developing your skills, reaching and building your audience, and the constant cycle of learning, unlearning, and relearning altogether make a lifelong process. Unless one decides to quit photography altogether and never hold a camera with artistic intent again, the creative journey takes a path parallel to all the endeavors in our lifetime.

Most photographers would agree that learning photography and the pursuit of beautiful subjects and phenomena to photograph is a journey that is filled with excitement, wonder, and fulfillment. However, this potentially wonderful journey is also never devoid of limitations and the frustrations that result from them. These limitations hinder our progress towards our self-defined goals and whatever definition of success we formulate for ourselves. How much of these limitations can we manage and get past? How do we progress amidst circumstances that continually slow us down?

Camera Gear as Limitations

Perhaps the most common and most talked-about limitation is the capabilities of the camera gear that they currently have. These hindrances can be due to the overall image quality that their camera can offer, limitations on focal ranges of lenses, low-light capabilities, focusing, frame rate, etc. Many experienced photographers would certainly say that having less capable camera gear should not be considered a limitation. However, the truth is that in some instances, especially at a stage when a photographer is learning specific genres that require specialized functions, these limitations can be real and the availability of more capable equipment can be crucial.

On the other hand, for most cases, the perceived limitations of camera gear may just be out of the desire for nicer equipment or new features that make shooting convenient. Especially in the context of simply taking photos for practice without any printing or publishing requirements, we can generally say that any camera is good enough as long as the user knows how to properly use it. The technical aspects of a photograph, such as resolution, sharpness, low-light performance, and noise, may hinder the photographer from producing the best prints, especially when larger output is desired, but for the sake of learning and developing both artistic and technical skills, any camera, even that of a smartphone, can be a viable learning tool.

Every camera, no matter how advanced or expensive, will have its limitations. There is no such thing as a camera that would be perfect in every single shooting scenario. There might be cameras that would come close, but these would probably be cameras that even working professionals might not easily be able to afford. In general, no matter what kind of camera you are using, what is important is that you know the limitations of it and seek ways to get past them one way or another. A photography project can always be expected to have challenges, especially if it is anything worth paying for. The role of the photographer is not just to point a camera and shoot but instead to identify and solve these problems one way or another. Being “stuck” with inferior gear just might be the perfect place to start learning because these limitations will push you to figure out ways to improvise and improve amidst all the limitations. There are thousands of ways to improvise using DIY lighting, filters, adapters, and even household tools, and figuring these out is a great way to learn the principle behind such limitations. While having good gear will always be an advantage, being limited by gear can be a great kick-off point for learning.

Accessibility of Learning Resources

It’s safe to say that at least for the fraction of the population who can read this article, this limitation is no longer valid. Before the internet became generally accessible, probably three decades back, one would have to rely on learning resources that have any form of distribution in their area. Learning resources come in the form of books, magazines, workshops, formal training, and perhaps in the latter parts of that period, video tutorials. Two factors would, of course, come into play, and those are the overall availability of the material and the capability of the photographer to purchase them.

Nowadays, with a smartphone, tablet, or computer and any decent internet connection, any aspiring photographer can access an infinite number of learning resources in the form of books, articles, tutorial videos, or even simply by asking for help in a public forum. Needless to say, the internet has made it extremely easy (for most people) to find and learn what they seek to learn.

Social Skills and Self Esteem

One thing that not a lot of people talk about regarding photography is the fact that one does not simply have to know how to take pictures. One way or another, a social aspect comes into play, whether it be about seeking help and guidance from more experienced photographers, being able to connect with and direct models, communicating with an audience to promote your art (or business), or simply being confident enough to showcase your work. This is perhaps the hardest challenge to overcome and would take a lot of determination to do so. However, perhaps one thing to consider is that instead of seeing it as a limitation, one can consider it as a guide.

Knowing such personal limitations is quite similar to knowing your strengths and weaknesses. As a beginning photographer who may be jumping from one genre to another, learning as many styles and approaches as possible, this probably would not matter. However, as one begins to focus on one genre in particular, it is important to understand that any step that leads to the final output reaching its intended viewers would require more than just pressing the shutter button and will most likely need some form of communication. It’s important to be aware of such aspects of one’s personality to find the kind of workflow that would suit you best. If a photographer has trouble working and communicating with other people then perhaps the kind of photography for them is also one that doesn’t require that. On the other hand, it is evident in the industry that some of the most successful portrait photographers are those who communicate very well with their subjects. It’s not about removing the limitation but instead finding one’s strength and going down the path where it becomes an advantage.

Imagination and Artistic Vision

Probably the least talked about yet most important aspect of being a photographer is having and developing your own artistic vision. No matter what kind of photography you do, the aim is to come up with an image that is pleasing to look at, one that sends a message, or both. To be able to effectively do this, creativity plays a crucial role.

Photography is heavily plagued by people imposing limitations on the work that photographers do. Throughout all the generations of photographers who have been in pursuit of beautiful images, there have been people who created boxes that put limitations on what is acceptable. From using film to digital, using filters, post-processing, double exposures, composite images, etc., there have always been debates about whether such methods are valid approaches in photography. Photography has been downplayed so much as an art form compared to more traditional approaches in visual art which is why it is ironic that even among us photographers, there are people who fail to see and accept that if photography is indeed art, then it has to be free and the expression of the artist must be rid (as much as possible) of limitations.

The only valid limitations to what a photographer can do should be the lines that are drawn by context and ethics. For someone who seeks to learn, progress, and develop their own artistry, the abundance of styles, methods, and technology should be at their disposal. If photography is being done for specific people as commissioned work, then their preference has to be considered, which may or may not translate to accepted limitations. On the other hand, if a photograph either has the capability to mislead or cause harm in any way, then ethics would draw the line based on the implications of how the photograph would be used.

The beauty of landscape photography is that there are so many different ways to photograph the same scene. As such, it is nice to have options to cover the full range of scenarios, but that also needs to be balanced by keeping the amount of bulk you are hiking with in check. This excellent video discusses a versatile two-lens kit that will not break the bank or your back.

Coming to you from Mike Smith, this great video discusses a two-lens kit for landscape photography: the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD and Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD. I really think photographers should consider carrying a telephoto lens in addition to a wide zoom. The latter is the standard tool of choice for landscape work, but a telephoto can help you single out isolated interesting elements and create more abstract images, allowing you to get more shots out of a single scene, which can be quite beneficial if you have to hike a long way to get to a location. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Smith.

And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out “Photographing The World 1: Landscape Photography and Post-Processing with Elia Locardi.”