"Give me hope Joanna"
Hang on to this green rope (yes, it rhymes with "hope")
06 August 2008
F is for Fall-in
fall-in thinking? the weather is not summer one, indeed. looking for a shelter. /warsaw
05 August 2008
About: The F Blog
Photo: Fredrik Skott, author of The F BlogThe Swedish Photo Magazine Kamera & Bild has published an article about The F Blog. It is already on the magazine´s site on the web and the paper edition of the magazin will soon be out. We decided to make a version in English based on our answers from the interview given to the magazine.
About the basic idea of The F Blog
Love of photography is the essential ingredient. The photographic image is powerful - an equally important link for communication between people as the written word or language. We want to present and promote good photography by offering a platform for photographers to show their work.
In Coa Valley, Portugal, archaeologists found stone carvings dated 25,000 BC. They exist in the open - an early exhibition of images. Pictures - the first children's drawings, Starry Night by Van Gogh, giant pictures on advertising boards, graffiti - we are surrounded every day by thousands of images.
The F Blog is about the photographic image, once explored by the ancient Greek philosophers. Aristotle wrote about the pinhole, the enigmatic dark room, and the camera obscura - the light's ability to reflect and rebuild the surrounding world in images. The magic lives on to this day, even if the technology is refined.The F Blog draws its energy from this source, fascination before the photographic image, and dedication to its performers and its ability to communicate.
About why it was started
From the beginning it was supposed to act as glue between us, who were in the Gruppo F. A spot on the web where we could present our photos and tell about good photography on the net, but within a week it had evolved into something so much more… in such a large group, there was a lot of ambition and it just exploded- in a positive way!
About the name “The F Blog”
We were twelve photographers who exhibited at Gallery Korn during late winter of 2006 and the exhibition was called F12. When we started the group, we knew that twelve was an elusive number and Group F, or rather Gruppo F was more appropriate. In connection with our website, we created the blog in which only the “F” remained: The F blog.
Then there are a lot of good words (some bad too) that begin with F. As fotografi, form, färg, facts and fantasi! Not to mention förälskad, fördomsfri, folk, fresco and färdkost. A fanfare!
(fotografi=photography, färg=colour, fantasi=fantasy, förälskad=in love, fördomsfri=unprejudiced, folk=people, färdkost= lunch pack)
About the authors
We are 21 photographers/authors who publish on The F Blog. Two-thirds (14) of us are from Sweden, four are from the United States and three are from Poland. We are between 23 and 57 years old - nine are women. It is good that we are a diverse and large group. It gives the blog pulse, energy and variety. In addition to us who publish there are many photographers who send images or texts.
About changes of the content
The F Blog is changing all the time; developing without any specific direction, or in many different directions. We, who run the blog are far from being of the same taste when it comes to photography. The diversity is our strength.
The changes are also naturally due to that new members have joined and new formations have emerged, both within and outside the blog. Some of the blog-members have taken a timeout and then they come back with new fresh ideas. Even the communication with readers and their contribution has affected us in new directions.
About invited photographers
First and foremost we think of the pictures we have seen of the photographer, what they give us as viewers. Sometimes we want to present a series of photos from his or her work. But in most cases, we ask the photographer to choose from among his or her images. It feels right. We are not "curators" and it will be a direct communication from photographer to photographer/author.
About Graciela Iturbide winner of the Hasselblad award 2008
It was great that Graciela herself chose a few photos and that she gave us an interview. She is an example of a photographer who is not exposed on the Internet in any significant degree. It is great to be able to present such photographers for our readers-but they need not necessarily be famous.
About what we want to give our visitors
If we in any way can contribute to bring an interest in photography as art form,then we have succeeded with the blog. The meetings between unknown and famous photographers is very stimulating and inspiring. It is developing on a personal level.
The word inspiration is a good summary. We also want to develop our reader’s ability to "think with their eyes" borrowing a few words from Kurt Bergengren.
About the reactions
Many people have written, and praised The F Blog, which makes us happy and gives extra energy to continue this project.
About our plans for The F Blog in the future
To make a book would be fun. We talk a lot about it and we are about to establish contacts. We really hope to be able to realize the idea of a book and also strengthen the ties between our virtual blog and the physical, "real" world.
There are many ideas for exhibitions based on The F Blog. In the blog's archives there are more than 6,000 photos… The blog as such, we would like to reflect what is going on in the world, how we think in pictures, and what it means. It does not mean that we only show documentary photography. On the contrary - what we might call the “state of the world” is sometimes a glance in a portrait, a mood, and a photographer’s way to see…
We would also like to tell more about photography as an art form and its history. We do that already to some extent, but it would be great to be able to present original articles by different authors. The language of the blog is English, which opens up great opportunities. More than one billion people can read the F Blog.
About the strategy
We do not have a clue what will appear on the blog tomorrow. None of us has a direct information about what the other authors are up to, so it is just as exciting for us check out the blog every day. You never know what to expect. All are not involved even in the biggest interviews. So, there is no strategy.
We have a motto, which means that the blog should be "unpredictable, unpretentious and unmatched." We strive to be self-confident and humble at the same time. To not know what comes next is a part of the blog's charm.
Quite often a series of blog posts arises in response to images or texts that someone posted. It becomes a spontaneous chain of inspiration / associations - a creative chaos.
About our visitors
Our visitors come from all five continents. Still, about half of our visitors are from Sweden, but we are glad to see that we get more international visitors day by day. Most visitors in addition to Sweden are from the United States, Poland, Italy, Canada and Denmark. But it varies, depending on what happens on the blog. Quite a few are from Mexico, Taiwan, Hungary and France.
quotes of the professor (1)
The great photographer Christer Strömholm has said: "Imagination is more important than reality". The professor agrees and adds: "Reality is more important than fiction".
04 August 2008
03 August 2008
Summer Solstice
Everything that has passed has fittingly passed. 
You travelled
on one side the sun at its grandest
don't drown the poem
everyone sees visions
Summer solstice
your life is what you gave
the warm water reminds me each morningPhotos © Alek Lindus
Words from poem by © George Seferis
02 August 2008
01 August 2008
Yo Imae about:
Photo© Yo ImaeYo Imae about Yo Imae: "I was born in 1980 in a city called Yokohama in Japan. I had my formal education in photography at the International Center of Photography in New York after attending a university in Japan."
About the portraits recently presented on the F Blog: "For the series of portraits which I have sent to you, I photographed those people on the street. I have some spots to find people who I want to photograph, and I go there and wait until I find people who appear attractive to me. When I find someone who I want to photograph, I simply approach him or her. I try to avoid directing my subjects as much as possible when I photograph them. I normally tell them where to stand, but nothing more than that."
About street photographers interfering in a situation: "For the type of portrait that I want to make, it is necessary to have direct interactions. I think it is sort of nonsense to discuss about how much or little street photographers should interfere in a situation because people should have different approaches towards reality in order to show what they want to show. One time I was watching the interview of William Klein and he was explaining how he photographed one of his most famous photographs of NY children (the picture from his book 'New York' on which two kids look like almost ghost because of the blur). He said he encountered the two kids on the street one day, and he told them to dance. He photographed them while they were dancing."
Photo© Yo ImaeAbout current projects: I am interested in cities (I am sorry it is broad) right now, and that's what I have been focusing on recently."
About inspiration: "I cannot say what my inspiration is, but I think it is important to observe your everyday life and try to be conscious about how things are."
Please have a look at Yo Imae's site presenting the series Subtle Perception.
31 July 2008
The Thinking Spot Series
Have you ever become so lost in thought
That the place became the thought,
And the thought the place?
“Have you ever stopped to think…and forgot to start again?” (Milne)
Winnie the Pooh says when you “… Think of Things, you sometimes find that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.”
So show us those spots where you ponder the things
before they become thoughts you share
Where you try to solve life’s mysteries
Or just try to decide what to eat for breakfast…
We are waiting to see your special thinking spots, dear reader.Please send pictures to gruppof-inbox@googlegroups.com
New Nordic Photography 2008 Common Grounds
Are you interested in contemporary Nordic photography? Until August 24 you can visit a very interesting exhibition at Hasselblad Center, located in the Göteborg Museum of Art. The exhibition, New Nordic Photography 2008 Common Grounds, is an annualy reccuring forum in which the Hasselblad Foundation presents works by young, recently graduated photographers.
This year New Nordic Photography consists of selected works from Erik Berglin, Annika Behm, Aida Chehrehgosha, Preben Holst, Mette Johansen, Anna Linderstam, Jim Lundin. Annett Reimer, Ulla Schildt, Tuuli Truhponen. Linda Frisk and Björn Rantil at the Hasselblad Foundation is curators.
Untitled © Jim Lundin 
Father by the water / Pappa vid vatten, 2008 © Aida Chehrehgosha
"Each year, the Hasselblad Foundation awards the prestigious Victor Fellowship to a young, promising Nordic photographer. The winner is awarded a one-year postgraduate program in England. An international jury will announce its choice of this year's winner on June 13, 2008, the opening day of the exhibition.
With its exhibition New Nordic Photography 2008 - Common Grounds, the Hasselblad Foundation gathers this year's candidates in a common exhibition. The exhibition presents the nine candidates for this year's stipend, as well as last year's Victor Fellow, Anna Linderstam.
All of the photographers participating in New Nordic Photography have been individually nominated for their image quality and the strength of the projects they present. The exhibition does not have a predetermined theme and no requirement is made about the photographers' works suiting each other. The common denominator is photography. Each photographer has a personal style of expression and way of utilising this medium. The exhibition hosts a wide spectrum of works, ranging from documentary-style to staged images, as well as photographs that are a little of both. At first glance, the visitor is struck by the disparity among the works in the exhibition, but after a while some common denominators do emerge.
The words Memory and Place play a central part in this exhibition, as the photographers, among other things, examine the passing of time, childhood memories and memories of places and spaces." (www.hasselbladfoundation.org)
Hyun-Jin Kwak, earlier invited as a guest on the F blog, is one of those that earlier (2005) have been awarded the Victor Fellowship. This years winner is Preben Holst, who's work is displayed together with the other 8 nominated candidates in the exhibition New Nordic Photography 2008 - Common Grounds.
Blue mattress with raindrops, 2006 © Preben Holst
About Preben Holst from Norway, this years winner of the Victor Fellowship for his exhibition Still life, the judges Anne Williams, Programme Director for Photography, London College of Communication and Anna Fox, Photographer and Programme Director for Photography, The University for the Creative Arts in Farnham write:
"As usual the work in the New Nordic Photography exhibition is of very high standard, both in terms of its visual flare and the ideas contained within each project. Our congratulations to the curators who have done a wonderful job.
In searching for a winner we are looking for someone whose work shows that they have an original vision capable of innovation.
Preben’s work is a remarkable depiction of childhood that emerges from personal memory yet enters into a territory that touches on our collective memory - or rather fantasy - of childhood. He works, as he says himself, somewhere between anxiety and tranquillity. What is conveyed, so successfully, is a sense of the ambiguity of an almost Edenic world, aware of its own imminent demise. This body of work stands out because it is conceptually engaging as well as highly accomplished aesthetically, both in terms of its photographic quality and its skilful use of installation, bringing to life the fascinating multi layered narrative running through the work." (www.hasselbladfoundation.org)
Still life with Julie, 2005 © Preben Holst
If you don't have the possibility to visit Gothenburg and the Hasselblad Center, please check out the interesting exhibition catalogue, where both the photographers and their work are presented:
New Nordic Photography 2008 Common Grounds
Ed. Linda Frisk
Hasselblad foundation 2008
ISSN 2000-0138
ISBN 978-91-976975-1-4
For more info, please contact The Hasselblad Foundation.
- Fredrik Skott
The Snapshot Museum
Recently I've been more and more fascinated by snapshots. Tonight, when I had a late night walk around the Internet, I stumbled upon the Snapshot Museum. It's a nice little place with some lovely snapshot from the 30's to the 80's. Have a look!
/markus
30 July 2008
the incredible vehicle
In picture: The professor (enlighted) and his assistant Dr EEL are waving to the crowd after having presented their sensational invention - the incredible vehicle.
the incredible vehicle (1)
the incredible vehicle (2)
29 July 2008
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