By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson

JERUSALEM — The exhibition now being shown at the Israel Museum brings together works by the photographers mentioned in Walter Benjamin’s seminal essay about photography which was published in three parts in a German literary journal in 1931. The exhibition echoes the title given by Benjamin to his study of photography, which was still in its early stages, constituting a synthesis between art and technology that inspired a new approach to the world of ideas.

The curator of the exhibition, Gilad Reich, notes that the Israel Museum has in its collections images produced by all the photographers mentioned in Benjamin’s study, this being a rare and singular feature not shared by many museums in the world. Benjamin was one of the first art and culture critics to view photography as a way of relating to the world through images captured by means of a technology that was relatively new, imparting to the image a meaning that was new and possibly even revolutionary. Benjamin coined the concept of ‘aura’ as defining the image and its effect on the viewer.

As we move through the exhibition and view the images on display we find ourselves moving through the history of the photographic medium. It developed initially when Louis Daguerre invented a complex process for reproducing images in 1839, while later technological advances enabled images to be more easily reproduced. Thus, in Victorian England the concept of the ‘photographic visiting card’ bearing a picture of the individual was adopted by Queen Victoria and became widely popular. Photographic studios became the focus of the desire to commemorate the individual or family as an image that was more readily available to a wide segment of the population.

Benjamin, however, was critical of such commercial photographic studios, noting with derision their paraphernalia and ‘props’ intended to enhance the impact of the image or portrait. In the exhibition an enlarged photo of young Franz Kafka illustrates this concept, with the serious young boy holding a stick and a large black hat, surrounded by heavy, dark furniture emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

The technology of photography was still clumsy and demanding when Benjamin was writing about it, with the need for metal plates, chemical processes for developing the image in a dark room, and cumbersome camera equipment. With the passage of time, the emergence of the box camera, special photographic paper, and – more recently – the mobile phone have helped to make the process of photography easy and accessible to all.

Thus, while Benjamin’s concept of ‘aura’ may have lost something of its significance, in its place has come immediacy and the ability to capture the fleeting, ephemeral image which might have interested and intrigued him just as much, had he not died tragically in 1940 while seeking to escape the Nazis on the border between France and Spain.

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson is an author and freelance writer based in the Jerusalem suburb of Mevasseret Zion.  She may be contacted via dorothea.shefer@sdjewishworld.com

Look at the world through a different lens at Larson Gallery’s Juried Photography Exhibition, featuring photographers from around the United States. Out of 231 entries, 79 images from 57 artists were accepted into the exhibit that starts March 9 and runs through April 20. This year’s juror is Yakima artist Thomas Harris.

Harris formerly lived in Seattle, where taught photography for 30 years at the Art Institute of Seattle. He received an master’s in photography from the Rhode Island School of Design, working with Harry Callahan, Ray Metsker and Aaron Siskind.

Harris’ work has been honored and purchased by institutions and individuals nationwide. He has received the Seattle Arts Commission Artist Award twice, an Artist Trust/Washington State Arts Commission Grant and a Guggenheim Fellowship.

“Photographs are an intimate medium: we easily share this intimacy, because the image, given its tacit representative nature, is a reflection of our experience, whether we recognize it or not, are challenged or not,” Harris said. 

“In visual media, especially photography, themes are limited: still life; landscape and variations; visual journalism, nature, portrait and variations and abstraction. All are represented in my selection for the exhibition.

“I looked for thoughtfulness, awareness of light and quality technique, whether work from the categories above or an experiment. I don’t second guess an image or talk it into meaning this or that. If it’s not on the wall or in your hand, it’s not really there…”

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the artistry and technical wizardry of exceptional photographers from all over the United States.

Learn more at www.larsongallery.org.

Exploring new locations for landscape photography, especially in challenging weather conditions, offers a unique opportunity for growth and learning. Venturing into North Wales, this fun adventure provides insights into preparing for the spring season and adapting to the unpredictable elements, highlighting the value of resilience and creativity in outdoor photography.

Coming to you from Ian Worth, this immersive video documents a photography journey through the heart of North Wales amidst wet and windy weather. Worth and Henry Turner’s exploration into uncharted territories underscores the importance of spontaneity and flexibility in capturing compelling landscape images. Worth shares his anticipation for the spring season, discussing the nuances of different woodlands and the timing of leaf emergence across various tree species. This strategic approach to seasonal changes emphasizes the significance of understanding nature’s rhythms and patterns, offering photographers a blueprint for maximizing the vibrancy and dynamism of spring in their work.

Moreover, the video touches on practical aspects of landscape photography, such as the use of technology to scout locations and the art of composing shots in adverse conditions. Worth’s adaptation to the rain and fog, coupled with his strategic use of natural elements for protection and composition, showcases the ingenuity required to thrive as a landscape photographer. His interaction with Turner also brings to light the communal aspect of photography, where sharing knowledge and experiences enriches the creative process. This exchange of ideas and techniques is invaluable, reinforcing the notion that collaboration and open dialogue are key to artistic development. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Worth.

And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out our latest tutorial, “Photographing the World: Japan With Elia Locardi!” 

A photographer in Yellowstone Park who got nose-to-nose with a bison was reported to park authorities after a video was recorded of his encounter.

The Instagram account @touronsofyellowstone shared the video calling the photographer a “touron” (a combination of tourist and moron).

“This bison is still pretty young, if that was an older bull he would have most likely been knocked into Timbuktu‼️” Writes the account. “Even a female bison could kick his a***.”

“Please keep at least 25 yards from these bison, there is absolutely no reason to be this close, do you really need a pic up into bison nostrils⁉️ The touron’s license plate was sent over to the park along with this video.”

“I’m always disappointed when they don’t charge,” writes one commenter. “How did he get to be his age walking with such dimness?” Ask another. “Fine them and ban them from National Park,” writes Cydnee White.

Photographers and Tourists Regularly Break the Rules at Yellowstone

This is far from the first such incident between photographers and bison at Yellowstone Park with park rangers’ pleas to stay at least 25 yards from wild animals falling on deaf ears.

Bison can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and are capable of throwing fully grown adults into the air “like rag dolls,” that’s according to the National Park Service (NPS).

Bison are familiar with people and cars in Yellowstone but can become easily agitated when they feel threatened. A 2018 study showed that on average, bison injured one or two people in Yellowstone every year.

In PetaPixel’s guide to photographing bison, Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven writes, “Let’s start with the obvious: bison are wild animals and although they appear docile most of the time, can and will harm you when provoked. At a top speed of 35 miles per hour, they can easily outrun the fastest human being on earth. Bison have poor eyesight but have excellent smell and hearing.

“Do not approach a bison closer than the National Park required distance of 25 yards…multiple tourists annually attempt close-up cell phone shots, posing next to a bison or even petting one, and, as a result, are thrown in the air and injured by a charging bison. Fact: per the National Park Service, bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal!”

Image credits: M.A.K Photography

ROCHESTER — On Tuesday evening, dozens of people gathered at St. Mary’s University Rochester for the opening of a new, collaborative photography collection. Each photograph, displayed on a white mounting board on the wall, included a narrative description of the image in English, Spanish and Somali. Many of the photographers were there, talking about their work.

What makes this photo gallery different is that it is a health research project, too.

The exhibition is a project of the Rochester Healthy Community Partnership, an effort from Mayo Clinic, Olmsted County Public Health Services, Hennepin Healthcare and other organizations to promote health and participation in health research within Minnesota’s immigrant communities, particularly the Somali and Hispanic/Latino communities, said Abby Lohr, a health equity researcher in Mayo Clinic’s Division of Epidemiology.

Photovoice is a

method

used in community-based research and in advocacy to share a group’s lived experience with others in order to promote change or awareness. Here, that lived experience centered around health.

“The exhibit ultimately seeks to promote inclusivity for all residents, inspiring viewers to contribute to a community that upholds the dignity of every individual,” Lohr said.

This project built off of RHCP’s Healthy Immigrant Community intervention, Lohr said, in which leaders in Southeast Minnesota’s immigrant communities recruited others from their families, churches, mosques and friend groups to become health promoters.

“Folks like Luz (Molina) taught the immigrant leaders cardiovascular disease education, so physical activity and healthy eating lessons, and then they disseminated that to their social network,” Lohr said. “We chose to do a photovoice exhibit to look at, or to better understand, their priorities.”

One of the people Molina, a Mayo Clinic clinical research coordinator, recruited was Rosario “Chayo” Guerrero Tobar, who has lived in Dodge County for nearly three decades. Her photovoice images feature some of her nine grandchildren.

“I want to motivate children for them to grow up being healthy,” Guerrero Tobar said, “and to have more nutrition or healthy programs here in Dodge County.”

Guerrero Tobar said her purpose behind her images is to call local authorities’ attention to immigrants’ health needs.

“We have some needs that need to be corrected,” she said, “in education, health, physical activity and focusing on children.”

Mohamud Nur also featured children in one of his photographs — a boy’s basketball game as viewed from the stands. A referee is about to pass the ball to a player at the free-throw line.

“One of my (children) was playing a basketball game, and the youth in our community need to be part of that,” Nur said. “I take those pictures so that I can express the need for youth to be part of these sports.”

Some photographers reflected different health priorities in their work. A self-portrait of a man walking in his neighborhood. Red and green peppers from a home garden. A veiled Muslim woman exercising on a treadmill. An altar de muerto adorned with flowers and vegetables. In a workplace break room, a snack area where most of the food available for purchase is candy.

In one of Imelda Soto Escobar’s photographs, she captured a large, empty parking lot north of the Olmsted Medical Center Southeast Clinic. She framed the image through a chain link fence.

“In this one, what I wanted to capture was the health system,” Soto Escobar said. “People that come here, recently arrived here, it’s very difficult to get access to health (care).”

Soto Escobar also took a photo of a residential neighborhood, which she said represents getting into housing after immigrating to the U.S.

“I wanted to be able to express myself, showing other people what we can change or what we can improve,” Soto Escobar said.

The research aspect of this project, Lohr said, will come through the post-project interviews that each photographer did with RHCP.

“I did a series of five questions around like, ‘Why did you take this photo? What were you hoping to show? What does it mean to you? How does it make you feel?'” Lohr said. “We audio recorded that, and that’s the data. I’m working on analyzing that and pulling out themes.”

For Nur, he said the goal of the project is to be able to share what his community needs.

“If you get a chance to have a discussion to express the area that we’re looking to get more help, to collaborate, (for) the needs of our youth … when it comes to the area of activity, well-being and gaining knowledge in the community.”

The process also made Guerrero Tobar more comfortable with using her cell phone.

“I have (gotten) motivated to take more pictures and do all of the activities like video calls,” she said.

The photovoice exhibition is up at St. Mary’s University Rochester through March 12, Lohr said, and the photos will be back on display in Rochester’s downtown skyways in late April.

For over a decade, Michael Joseph has documented the young Americans riding the rails as part of this largely overlooked subculture

The timing of your work captured a pivotal moment in the UK rave scene, as your work continues to feature in exhibitions such as move/003. How do you feel now when you look back at your work from that time?

I feel like I was a part of something special, something that people now look back at as history, a time that cannot be brought back of course, but the music lives on and hints at what it was like for young people. It brings back memories for those who were there. I’m happy that I was there and can help people remember the time and let younger people get an idea of what it was like.

move/003 is about capturing the experience of the rave, which is the very essence of your photography, how would you describe the atmosphere in the rave in the 90s/00s?

It was often hot and sweaty, full of lights, with lasers flashing everywhere and smoke from the smoke machines. Everyone would be dancing, no one caring, just having fun, guided by the music, moved by the huge bass, watching the dancers on stage, listening to the MCs and the DJs as if they were controlling the crowd, everyone possessed by the music with their friends, and having the time of their lives after a long week at work.

Tristan’s work is currently being displayed at the move/003 exhibition, curated by SHERELLE and fyn studio, at London’s 180 Strand. To check it out, sign up for a free time slot here.