Photographer News
February 9th, 2012
Recently, photographer David Hagerman sent me an email with several links. I’ll admit, I went straight to clicking before reading much of the text, so I wasn’t sure what to expect as a new window popped up. After the first screen of images loaded, I immediately started to click through the rest of the links. Each one lead me to eye catching photo essays of Turkey—some in vivid colors, other in demure black and white—photos that David had been taking and collecting for many years now. I was curious to know more about the photos and the story behind them, so I got in touch with David for a little chat….
What drew you to Turkey?
I came to Turkey for the first time in the winter of 1998 when I was living in Shanghai. I needed a “China break,” spun the globe and my finger landed on Turkey. After a week in Istanbul, I rented a car and drove south and east, getting as far as Antalya on the Mediterranean. During that trip, the Turkey bug bit and I returned each of the next three years, always renting a car and driving—Aegean to eastern Anatolia, the Med to the Black Sea. The Turkish countryside is astoundingly beautiful and varied. I’m drawn by what waits around the next corner.
You’ve visited so many countries, what makes Turkey special? What keeps bringing you back?
After I moved to southeast Asia in 2002, I got sidetracked by the region’s riches and didn’t actually return to Turkey until mid-2010, when I attended the Foundry Photojournalism workshop in Istanbul. Before the workshop, during which I worked on the Istanbul ferry boat piece, my wife and I spent a few weeks driving out east, from Gaziantep to Van and up to Kars, on the Armenian border. It was like a dormant love affair had been rekindled. We wondered why we’d stayed away so long and decided to “give in” to this pull we felt to Turkey. We’ve been back three times since and will spend much more time here in the coming months and years.
Do you have any plans for the many photos you’ve taken in Turkey? Book, galley, etc?
We (my wife, writer Robyn Eckhardt, and I) are in the proposal research phase for a very low-to-the-ground cookbook with stories and photo essays focusing on parts of Turkey away from Istanbul and the well-trod Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. Beyond that, I’m shooting whatever and whomever interests me. I foresee this as a long-term project; I plan to revisit particular people and places again and again over the next 2-3 years.
Have you learned anything from Turkey?
To slow down and ‘roll’ with it. Turks are incredibly hospitable. In earlier trips I might have been shy to accept offers of tea or a home-cooked meal but I’m more relaxed now. These gestures have lead to some amazing experiences.
Do you have a favorite image?
Many (but I’m biased). One in particular is from a tea house in Mardin. The man pictured seemed a little gruff on the surface but I couldn’t resist, so I asked him if I could take a few photos. When he agreed I pulled up a chair across from him and snapped away.
What are some challenges to photographing in Turkey?
Men, in particular, like to have their photos taken but tend to get in these stiff, formal positions. I find that I have to work a little with them to get them back to ‘normal’. Women, on the other hand, often do not like to be photographed so I have to work a little harder so that more of the population is represented in my photos.
Have these photographs resulted in any commercial or editorial work?
I photographed a NYT Travel piece on the emergence of the ancient southeastern town of Mardin as an arts and culture center, and one on Galata, in Istanbul for Food & Wine Magazine. I’m also a contributor to the American online food/wine magazine Zester Daily and have had slideshows on the Black Sea region there.
What have the responses been to the photos so far?
Very good. It’s especially nice to hear from Turks who say that I’ve shown them a side or aspect of their country that they’d not seen.
Any stories that stand out from your time in Turkey?
Many, but one in particular from a trip this past fall on the Black Sea. I was photographing a beautiful old ambar (grain barn) when the barn’s owner came out to ask me what the heck I was doing on her property. Long story short, my admiration of this elderly woman’s storage barn lead to an invitation to lunch in her equally beautiful, 70-year-old timber farmhouse, and a parting gift of walnuts and hazelnuts from her trees. I intend to revisit her and her husband later this year.
View more of David’s work on his website, davidhagermanphotography.com.
- Maria Luci
February 7th, 2012
Last November, Garden & Gun hired Jody Horton to photograph a “portrait” of Houston. The assignment ended up being quite more interesting than just a run-of-the-mill city shoot. Since Jody tells the story so well himself, I thought I’d let him tell it in his own words. Take it away Jody:
I was shooting Houston for Garden & Gun and took my assistant, Sean Johnson, with me to help navigate the hellish traffic and get to where we needed in a totally packed schedule. We had four full days planned ahead of us.
Garden & Gun is based in Charleston, SC, so they had no real sense of the logistical challenges (traffic, large distances) involved with getting to several locations (like 8-9) in Houston in one day. We drove and shot fast and even added to the list when we came across something interesting (like a school bus serving gourmet hamburgers). In the end, we hit so many spots that they ran less than a third of the locations we shot.
In the middle of day three—a Friday—I received a call from Maggie Kennedy, the PE at G&G. She told me that they’d dropped a line to George and Barbara Bush earlier in the week and had just heard back. If I was available, I would need to drive back to Houston the following Monday at 1:15 to take their portrait. They were to be the highlight of “The Locals” section of the article.
I was committed on Monday to photograph a wild pig being field dressed for the book I’m doing with local chef Jesse Griffiths. We were coming up against a deadline for the book and I wasn’t sure we would be able to reschedule. I told Maggie I would call her back, hung up and called my friend—and fellow Wonderful Machiner—Adam Voorhes to get his advice. The conversation went like this:
“I’m supposed to be taking pictures of a hog being gutted, but I can’t pass George and Barabra up can I?”
“No, no you can’t. You’re doing the portrait.”
I called Jesse to reschedule then called Maggie back and told her I was in, gave her our social security numbers so the Secret Service could start a background check on us—and crossed my fingers.
The following Monday we arrived at the Bush’s home in an exclusive gated Houston neighborhood. We were shown to the living room. Lighting was dim and the couches had busy floral patterns and cluttered backdrops with windows. Nothing looked workable. Luckily, I’d seen a loveseat in the hallway. We were allowed to move it into a position by a window. Not a moment later the president arrived with his aid, and Barbara quickly followed.
We had been told we had 10 minutes. So we quickly tied back the drapes with the strap from my camera bag, opened up the pocket doors that led to the dining room and asked the aid to open the door behind us to the garden to allow more light in. Sean held a large reflector to get some fill on the left side of the frame. I set up on a tripod shooting at 1600 ASA at and around 2.8 w a 40mm lens on my 5D MKII. I tried two camera positions (horizontal and vertical) and fired around 500 frames in less than 5 minutes.
After we were done, the president headed back to work with his aid, but Barbara stayed to chat a few minutes and to give Sean a hard time about his tattoos:
Barbara: “Are you married?”
Sean: “No, Ma’am”
Barbara: “We’ll, you aren’t ever going to be with those…. Let’s see,” she said, reaching out her hand to hold his and get a better look. “What does your mom think about these?”
Sean: “She doesn’t care for them, but my grandmother loves them; thinks they’re beautiful.”
Barbara raises an eyebrow and stares at Sean a few moments, “Well, do you think she’s maybe a little…? (twirls her finger by her head in the gesture for “crazy”)
View more of Jody’s work on his website, jodyhorton.com.
- Maria Luci
February 6th, 2012
Want to dig in and learn the delicious art of food photography and styling? Well, you’re in luck! Our super talented food photographer, Meeta K Wolff has not one, but two workshops coming up!
Meeta K Wolff
But first, a little about Meeta! Originally from India, Meeta has been living and shooting in Germany for the past 17 years. She’s not only an accomplished food photographer and stylist, but a popular writer as well. Her food blog, What’s For Lunch, Honey? has been nominated for several awards and is listed on the Times Online’s Top 50 Food Blogs. Meeta’s also had her writings published in Foodies of the World As a writer her work has been published in the book Foodies of the World.
Meeta K Wolff
Now back to the workshops. Your first opportunity to learn from Meeta in at the beautiful Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai at her Food Photography and Styling Workshop. This April 3-4, 2012 workshop is limited to only 10 participants and is ideally suited for food bloggers looking to take their photos to the next level.
The course will cover basic and advanced styling, presentation and photography through hands-on exercises including a market visit and restaurant meal. View the full program outline and register here.
Meeta K Wolff
Next, Meeta is jet setting to Somerset, UK and meeting up with fellow Wonderful Machiner Ilva Berreta for the From Plate to Page Food Photography and Writing Workshop. From Plate to Page is an exclusive, 2.5 day program that covers food styling, photography and writing skills. The workshop aims to help participants find their style and voice.
Meeta and Ilva will be teaching alongside several other talented photographers/writers including Huffington Post food contributor, Jamie Schler, and award winning food blogger, Jeanne Horak-Druiff. The program is aimed at food photographers, writers and bloggers.
Ilva Beretta
Interested? There are still a few slots left. You can register here. The dates of From Plate to Page are May 18-21, 2012.
You can view more of Meeta’s work on her website, meetakwolff.com.
- Maria Luci
