Picturing World Cultures: Maxim Dondyuk - Ukraine

Picturing World Cultures: Juan Brenner - Guatemala

Documenting a culture can be a daunting process, especially when it involves a history of conquest and colonialism. Synthesizing such a complex and traumatic past in a contemporary narrative is a formidable task, requiring extensive researchh and dedicated planning. This is the back story to today’s podcast.

Above photograph © Juan Brenner

For the seventh chapter in our monthly series, Picturing World Cultures, we speak with Guatemalan photographer Juan Brenner about his recent projects in the country’s Western Highlands.

Our chat begins with Brenner’s introduction to photography as a youth, and the protective bubble surrounding him during the country’s brutal civil war. He left Guatemala at age 20 to forge a career as a fashion photographer in New York, which filters into our discussions about portraiture and photo gear.

But our primary focus is on Brenner’s recent personal projects, created after his return to Guatemala, and an epiphany he had about the idea of “Indigenous Power.”

Listen in as he describes how this concept was subsequently called into question. You’ll gain insight into the unequal power quotient that comes with being a “Mickey Mouse” photographer and discover how critical aspects of communication extend well beyond the basic structure of language.

As Brenner notes during our chat, “You have to be really careful just being a photographer. It's so colonialist, you know, having a camera. You have this big robot that you stick in people's faces. You have this advantage. And, for me, it's really important to think about that a lot.”

If you haven’t already listened,check out all the episodes of ourPicturing World Culturespodcast series here.

Guest: Juan Brenner

For more information on our guest and the gear he uses, see:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-juan-brenner-guatemala

Stay Connected:

Juan Brenner Website: https://www.juanbrenner.com

Juan Brenner Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juan_brenner

Juan Brenner Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JuanBrenner5/

Artist talk with Juan Brenner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPiwQXWUMJ8&t=40s

Juan Brenner’s book Tonatiuh: https://editorialrm.com/en/producto/tonatiuh/

Larger than Life: Julia Blaukopf’s Custom Photographic Wall Decor

Julia Blaukopf is not afraid to think big, particularly when it comes to her photographs. She’s also not afraid of blurring the lines between fine art and commercial enterprise. Equal parts photographer, designer, visual artist, and entrepreneur, Julia is the founder of Fotografica—an arts-products venture with the goal of re-envisioning options for photography and photo-based products.

Top shot © Julia Blaukopf

In this week’s podcast, Julia leads us along her inspiring path—from her early days working with alternative processes and forging relationships with crafts people to her latest collaborations with architects, designers, and developers in the creation of architectural-scale commissions and custom photo-based installations.

When collaborating with professional partners and clients on huge projects, psychology is key, which we discuss in detail. Blaukopf also describes the critical importance of seeking out the best printers and installers. Besides a command over technical details such as sound absorption, color fading, and bubbling, she sheds light on lesser-known yet equally essential construction issues such as fire codes.

In addition to Blaukopf’s commercial work, she is also a documentarian with a passion for women’s empowerment and social justice. Towards the end of our chat she describes her work in that realm, offering insights about connecting with non-profits, and sharing stories through photography that have the ability to galvanize change.

Guest: Julia Blaukopf

For more information on our guest and the gear she uses, see:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/larger-than-life-julia-blaukopfs-custom-photographic-wall-decor

Stay Connected:

Julia Blaukopf’s Website: https://www.juliablaukopf.com/

Fotografica Website: https://www.thefotografica.com/

Julia Blaukopf’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliablaukopf/

Fotographica’s Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/fotografica_official/

Julia Blaukopf’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliablaukopf

Julia Blaukopf’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julia.blaukopf/

North Bar Wall Covering: https://www.thefotografica.com/north-bar

Julia’s book The Rain Parade: https://www.abingdonsquarepublishing.com/rainparade.html

NYC Artist Lofts & Brooklyn Rooftops, with Joshua Charow & Josh Katz

How much do you know about New York City’s 1982 Loft Law, which established a process for artists to obtain legal occupancy of the raw industrial spaces they inhabited, while also providing rent stabilization and protection from future eviction? Or the pigeon fanciers who were once a fixture across the rooftops of Brooklyn and remain valued as neighborhood sentinels?

If these poetic vestiges from Gotham’s storied past have you dreaming about the good old days, then you won’t want to miss ourpodcast with gen-Z New Yorkers (and good buddies) Joshua Charow and Josh Katz.

Their ambitious, self-assigned photo projects explore rarified mini-worlds featuring magical artist spaces and exuding West Side Story vibes.

While their respective explorations occupy opposite ends of the struggle for prized urban space, the insights they share when discussing both their working methods and their paths to publishing are instructive and inspirational. What’s more, their spirited camaraderie in conversation is infectious!

As Charow aptly notes toward the end of the episode, “I have to say, I don’t know if this book would exist without Josh Katz. Because I started this project towards the end of him finishing his, and as a close friend, he was able to basically show me the roadmap of how you get from idea to a finished book. And like he said, it’s really hard to understand how that works without someone in your life who can show you the steps you have to take.”

And for bonus points, listen up to discover the former guest of the show who also sat down with Charow, and ultimately lined him up with a book agent!

For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/nyc-artist-lofts-brooklyn-rooftops-with-joshua-charow-josh-katz

Guests:Joshua Charow and Josh Katz

Top shot © Joshua Charow

Stay Connected:

Joshua Charow Website: https://www.joshuacharow.com/

Joshua Charow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuacharow/

Joshua Charow TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joshcharow

Joshua Charow Twitter: https://twitter.com/joshuacharow/

Joshua Charow YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joshuacharow

Joshua Charow Loft Law book:

https://www.damianibooks.com/en/collections/charow-joshua

Joshua Charow Westwood Gallery Exhibit: https://www.westwoodgallery.com/exhibitions/loft-law-photographs-by-joshua-charowosh Katz Website: https://www.joshkatz.me/

Josh Katz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshkatz/

Josh Katz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/joshkatz

Josh Katz Kickstarter campaign:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/joshkatz/new-york-in-quarantine-rooftop-culture-through-crisis?ref=5bku66

Josh Katz On the Roof book: https://www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/books/on-the-roof-new-york-in-quarantine-hardcover

Josh Katz Skatefolio Project: https://skatefol.io/

Picturing World Cultures: Maxim Dondyuk - Ukraine

The dictionary defines culture as “the way of life for an entire society.” But sometimes larger forces create rifts within the whole, inevitably leading to a confrontation between factions. A prime example of this cultural struggle is playing out today within the cities and villages of Ukraine, the focus of today’s episode.

Above photograph © Maxim Dondyuk

In this sixth installment of our monthly series, Picturing World Cultures, we speak with Ukrainian photographer and visual artist Maxim Dondyuk, and his wife and artistic manager, Irina.

Our conversation stretches beyond the current conflict, to encompass other aspects of Ukrainian society. From Maxim’s early series on a country doctor’s final visits with patients (which drew inspiration from the work of W. Eugene Smith) to his in-depth coverage of Ukraine’s TB epidemic, we witness the evolution of his working methods and his dedication to long term documentary projects.

Step behind the scenes of a military camp for children run by Cossacks, and gain insight into the cultural split between pro-Russian and pro-European factions, which Maxim photographed for his book Culture of Confrontation.

As he writes in this book, “One culture tried to cling to old times, old ways of living. They were nostalgic for a past that meant a lot to them, to their parents, and grandparents. Yet there was another culture that felt completely differently. They looked ahead to forging something new, a different country.”

Join us for this frank discussion about how such conflicting forces take visual form in Maxim’s powerfully arresting images.

If you haven’t already listened,check out all the episodes of ourPicturing World Culturespodcast series here.

Guests: Maxim & Irina Dondyuk

Stay Connected:

Maxim Dondyuk Website: https://maximdondyuk.com/

Maxim Dondyuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maximdondyuk/

Maxim Dondyuk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maximdondyuk

Maxim Dondyuk Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/maximdondyuk

Maxim Dondyuk Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxim_Dondyuk

Maxim Dondyuk‘s W. Eugene Smith Grant: https://www.smithfund.org/2022-maxim-dondyuk

Lynn Goldsmith’s Prince Portrait and its Legacy in Case Law

For anyone familiar with the photo industry, the mammoth lawsuit between The Andy Warhol Foundation and renowned music photographer Lynn Goldsmith should be no secret. This complex battle over the rights to her 1981 portrait of the artist formerly known as Prince lasted seven years and went all the way to the Supreme Court.

But do you know the circumstances behind her original portrait session with the famously reserved musician, and were you aware of all the misinformation about this case that was disseminated in both legal documents and the press?

Lynn is a longtime friend of the show, and our 2017 episode about her extensive, long-term work with the band Kiss, among other crazy stories, was a fan favorite.We invited her back to discuss this case in 2022, when the Supreme Court first agreed to hear it, but heeding the advice of her legal counsel she wisely declined our offer at that time.

In May 2023, the Supreme Court ultimately ruled in Lynn’s favor in a 7-2 decision, which has already been shown to benefit others seeking remedies for the misuse of their creative works.

Yet, while this landmark decision happened last year, the case itself was not officially resolved until very recently—Friday, March 15, 2024, to be exact—a day some might recognize as the Ides of March.

Now that the final resolution has been signed, sealed, and delivered, we felt it was a perfect opportunity for Lynn to give us a recap of this David vs Goliath battle, with all its complexities and underlying bias.

From details about the Fair Use doctrine, to the matter of copyright registration, to her thoughts about the current photographer community, to the importance of standing up for one’s rights, Lynn provides a clear and insightful assessment of one of the most traumatic and threatening experiences that any independent artist can face, as only she can.

To her very core, Lynnbelieves creativity can make anything possible, an ideology she sums up aptly at the end of our chat.

“I felt like some higher power picked me for this,” she says. “And that I had to make myself feel like a 1940s film with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, where there was going to be a happy ending, that everything would work out just fine, and that I was going to prevail.”

Guest:Lynn Goldsmith

Top shot © Lynn Goldsmith

Episode Timeline:

2:50: The backstory to Lynn Goldsmith’s 1981 photo session with Prince.

7:17:Shooting both color and black-and-white in the days of film, a separate camera for each option.

11:15:Vanity Fair’s 1984 use of Lynn’s black and white portrait for artist reference.

13:47:Lynn’s discovery of the original image use after Prince died in 2016.

19:50:The value of saving detailed records of licensing agreements for future reference.

23:14:The preemptive lawsuit the Andy Warhol Foundation filed against Lynn, and the misinformation contained in the Federal court filing.

32:15:Lynn discusses the Fair Use doctrine and the matter of copyright registration in relation to her case.

36:43: Episode Break

38:04:Meeting with the Andy Warhol Foundation and the deal on offer to resolve the lawsuit.

44:40: Lynn’s thoughts about the current photographer community and the importance of standing up for your rights.

48:09: The multiple rounds of the Prince portrait lawsuit, from the first Federal case to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court.

56:29: Uneven reporting about the lawsuit in the press, with the photo press being fearful to write anything, and the art press releasing misinformation without fact checks.

1:00:27: Behind the scenes at the Supreme Court hearing, the effects of the 7 – 2 decision, as well as Justice Kagan’s written opinion.

1:08:48: Lynn’s thoughts about generative AI.

Guest Bio: Lynn Goldsmith is a multi-awarded portrait photographer whose work has appeared on and in between the covers of top magazines worldwide. Her subjects have varied from entertainment to sports, film directors to authors, and from top celebrities to the ordinary man on the street. Her forty years of photography are both an investigation into the nature of the human spirit, as well as the natural wonders of our planet.

As the author of 12 major photo books, Lynn’s images are also featured in numerous museum collections, yet her professional achievements are in no way limited to the world of photography. She is the youngest member ever accepted into the Director's Guild of America (DGA), where she achieved several firsts—from the first rock show on network television to the first music documentary released as a theatrical short, and more. In the mid-seventies, Lynn stopped directing to concentrate fully on photography.

By the early 80s, she departed from both photography and film, to become the first ‘optic-music’ artist. Using thea.k.a.Will Powers, she produced the album "Dancing for Mental Health" on Island Records. Her debut album won critical acclaim and her single, Kissing with Confidence, reached #3 on the British charts.

The wide range of Lynn's talents, skills and achievements are products of a belief she holds constant: Creativity is based on breaking limiting thought patterns, thus making anything possible.

Stay Connected:

Lynn Goldsmith’s Website: https://lynngoldsmith.com/menu.html

Rock and Roll Photo Gallery Website: https://rockandrollphotogallery.com/

Lynn Goldsmith’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lynngoldsmith/

Lynn Goldsmith’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/goldsmithphoto

Lynn Goldsmith’s Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/lynngoldsmithartist/

Lynn Goldsmith’s YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@lynn-goldsmith/

Lynn Goldsmith’s GoFundMe Campaign

Lynn Goldsmith’sWikipedia:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Goldsmith

Pelican 1510TP Carry-On Case: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1241003-REG/pelican_015100_0050_110_1510tp_carry_on_case_with.html