Photography Blog resource

I received a message today from Zane at WhoIsHostingThis.com about their visual guide to launching a successful photography blog and asking to share it on my site.  Another potential resource for photographers the link is below and also on my links page now.

http://wiht.link/create-photo-blog

Sean O'Hagan and the arguement about Photography being Art...

Bouncing around the web today and found this from last month , wanted to share it.

The Guardian's Art Critic Jonathan Jones wrote an article blasting the $6.5 Million dollar price tag paid for a Peter Lik photograph recently (Jimmy Kimmel also took a shot at the sale as well, classic video if you can find it).  I agree, this sale seems insane.  For me Lik is photography's version of Thomas Kinkaide.  He has great technical skill and he is a master businessman. The issue here is not about Lik (you can look at Lik's site and draw your own opinion) but about the comments Jones makes about Photography not being Art.  Not all photography is art but some is.  Just as some painting isn't artistic.  Anyways Sean O'Hagan wrote a great response to Jones' comments and I encourage you to read both articles.  Good exchange and always good to mull over these questions every once in a while anyways.  I would also suggest following Sean O'Hagan's features, he has great insight on the medium.

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2014/dec/10/most-expensive-photograph-ever-hackneyed-tasteless?CMP=share_btn_fb

http://www.theguardian.com/profile/seanohagan

 

Santa Anita Book Review on Amazon

While monitoring some on-line activity I came across this Amazon review of my Santa Anita book which I really appreciated.  Even though it was a small press run, I still have some copies of the book available for sale.

Review

Laura Rose of Equine Images Magazine wrote: "In his book Santa Anita, photographer William Karl Valentine captures the pulse of this California racetrack with his camera, The images, chosen from four years' worth of photographs, include everything your eye may pick up during a day at the track - from a classic stretch drive to a refreshing horse bath, from a grandstand littered with people and paper to a lost child in the safe grip of a track security officer." "But the photographs of the people of the track tell just as much of the story, and Valentine has captured them not as snapshot figures, but as friends...it's evident that notonly does Valentine know the track, it knows him."

Mark Ratzky of the Daily Racing Form wrote: ""Santa Anita" is a must-see for any fan of this racetrack. The book contains 80 black and white pictures of just about every aspect of an afternoon at the foot of the beautiful San Gabriels, and really manages to capture a day at the races."

Bill Jay - History of Photography Professor at Arizona State University wrote: "...Muybridge was the pioneer: Valentine the progenitor. It is fanciful (but fun)to speculate on Muybridge's reaction to these images made over 100 years later...Muybridge would probably be jealous" -- Publisher Comments

http://www.amazon.com/Santa-Anita-William-Karl-Valentine/dp/0963140019

Harrison Jacobs

I recently did an interview about my work with Harrison Jacobs of the Business Review which should be posted any day now.  I wanted to take a moment and talk about Harrison who is a 2012 Tufts graduate.  Three years out of college he has already written for PDN, Rangefinder, and now Business Insider.  Before we did the interview I looked up his work to get myself prepared and I was impressed.  I particularly liked his Rangefinder article on Jonathan Auch.  http://www.rangefinderonline.com/features/profiles/Street-Photographys-7611.shtml .  His writing has the quality, insight, and understanding of images (& the medium) far beyond his years.  Looking over his web site he seems to still be discovering his path in life, which I think is awesome.  Hopefully he continues writing on photography.  If you love reading about photography his career is one to keep an eye on. 

Lewis Baltz passes away

Becky Senf , from the Center for Creative Photography, posted news this week  that Lewis Baltz had passed away.  I always enjoyed his images and was lucky to have studied under Bill Jenkins, who curated the New Topographics  exhibition which brought to prominence  Baltz's work.  Bill was one of my professors at Arizona State University.  Below are links to the Washington Post article about Baltz's passing as well as another 2010 feature on New Topographics.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-sight/wp/2014/11/24/icon-of-new-topography-movement-lewis-baltz-dies-at-69/

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2010/feb/08/new-topographics-photographs-american-landscapes