Roy DeCarava passed away on October 27, 2009. I will never forget the first time I saw this photograph, it changed the way I looked at printing forever.

© Roy DeCarava, The Dancers, 1956

Come and hang out with me at Umbrage, buy an inexpensive print by the Dreamboats, and then go see Unseen down the hall.

Unseen

Curated by Ruben Natal San -Miguel

Randall Scott Gallery

111 Front Street

Suite #204

Brooklyn (DUMBO), New York

October 22-November 21, 2009

Opening Reception: October 22, 6:30 -9:30 PM

© Cara Philips

Mermaids were my first true love.

I can't really find words that explain how I feel about this work, so I am posting Chris Jordan's words below. Absolutely haunting.

"These photographs of albatross chicks were made just a few weeks ago on Midway Atoll, a tiny stretch of sand and coral near the middle of the North Pacific. The nesting babies are fed bellies-full of plastic by their parents, who soar out over the vast polluted ocean collecting what looks to them like food to bring back to their young. On this diet of human trash, every year tens of thousands of albatross chicks die on Midway from starvation, toxicity, and choking.

To document this phenomenon as faithfully as possible, not a single piece of plastic in any of these photographs was moved, placed, manipulated, arranged, or altered in any way. These images depict the actual stomach contents of baby birds in one of the world's most remote marine sanctuaries, more than 2000 miles from the nearest continent."

~cj, October 2009

© Chris Jordan

Limited Edition Affordable Print Sale

Umbrage is happy to announce the Limited Edition Affordable Print Sale! Adam Golfer, Joe Leavenworth, TJ Proechel, and Daniel Shea have each selected two limited edition prints that are available at Umbrage Gallery. Prices range from $35 - $200. Contact info@umbragebooks.com if you are interested.

© TJ Proechel

© Joe Leavenworth

© Daniel Shea

© Adam Golfer

Slightly moody with my posts this week.

© Clang, from the series, My Twilight Window

© Clang, from the series, My Twilight Window

On May 1, 1947, Evelyn McHale leapt to her death from the Empire State Building. A photo student (Robert Wiles) happened to be across the street from where she landed on top of a limo.

Original posting here.

© Weegee, Lovers, 1943

Nobody is as beautiful as Nina

© Paul McDonough, Street Musicians, NYC, 1981

Been loving these for a long time.

© Kohei Yoshiyuki, from the series, The Park

Irving Penn, the man who invented the acute corner shot, died yesterday at 92. Cheers to artists who take chances.

© Irving Penn

© Irving Penn

© Irving Penn

Looking forward to the new exhibition at Umbrage. I have had the absolute pleasure of working with these four amazing photographers, Adam Golfer, Joe Leavenworth, TJ Proechel, and Daniel Shea. Details coming soon.

Dreamboats

Opening Reception November 5, 6-8pm

I pulled this video from the interactive project called in Bb2.0 curated by Darren Solomon.

Falling madly in love with Bill Sullivan's paintings. Hopefully soon I will be able to see these in person, but until then, I have been scoping them on his website where there are close ups and instillations shots.

© Bill Sullivan, Paparazzi, from the series, People I Know

© Bill Sullivan, Morgan, from the series, People I Know

© Bill Sullivan, Robert, from the series, People I Know

Have you heard of POC ( Piece of Cake ) yet? I don't know very much about this initiative, but it was started by Charles Freger, who I first heard about the other night when I went to see his and Bill Sullivan's Exhibition at Caption Gallery. If someone could explain POC better to me, I would appreciate it, but its collective members are made up of some of my favorite contemporary photographers, new friends, old friends, and past teachers. The list includes Ben Gest, Kelli Connell, Bill Sullivan, Amy Stein, Brian Ulrich, and more.

Funny story about the above picture... I know the man sitting on the chair. I met him in Namibia a few years ago at a town meeting in Windhoek. The Ova-Hereros are some of the warmest people I have ever met, and they invited my fellow travelers and I in for discussion and dinner.

A war and resulting mass genocide of the Hereros in 1904 by the Germans, left these people with very little, and no recognition from the German government for their actions. It wasn't until the 100 year anniversary when Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul , apologized for the genocide on behalf of the German people.

Despite a history of oppression, the individuals I met during my time in Namibia are still making strong moves to be heard. This story is an important one in history, and I am incredibly impressed with the way Freger approached these subjects

© Charles FrégerHereros 16, Hereros , 2007