I have big plans for 2012 and hope you all can share in them in some way:

Teaching
I’m thrilled to be teaching two upcoming workshops, “Turning Toward Books” on bookmaking and self-publishing. Lúz Gallery in Victoria, BC will be hosting a two-day version of this workshop on April 21st and 22nd and I will be teaching a full week workshop starting on July 8th at the Maine Media Workshops.

Topics will include:
Why self publish?
Benefits and challenges of self publishing
How to publish
How to market & distribute
Case studies
Resources and Tools

We’ll be looking at lots of sample books and case studies, evaluating your own work, and I will be providing in-depth presentations of the steps required to complete a book. My hope is that you will leave with the inspiration, tools, and resources to finish your book project. All of the following material will be presented within the context of my own experiences in publishing.

I will also be teaching a workshop at Newspace Center for Photography on ‘Building a Portfolio.’ I have wanted to teach this kind of intensive workshop for a long time, so I’m really happy that it’s finally happening. I believe, right now, there is only 1 slot left, so if you’re interested, please don’t wait. For more information, click here.

Books
I am now working on my next handmade book of my series, Still Standing, Standing Still. This portfolio contains 14 images of a single tree in Oregon. I’ll be working with binder Rory Sparks on what is going to be a very unique book. I’m working on a second handmade book as well, which I hope to release this Fall.

I am partnering again with Kirsten Rian on a new project, details to follow. We have met a few times to talk about this new project and I feel that this will be something completely new and challenging for us as well as viewers. Stay tuned for more details on that project which is unnamed at this point.

I’m also looking to expand Vela Noche’s published works with a handmade book of another artist’s work, as I did with Dale Schreiner. I will not be taking submissions, but will be hunting around for work that inspires me. I already have a few ideas in mind, but haven’t committed yet.

All of my completed projects are now available online at the just completed website for my imprint, Vela Noche.

Shows
I will be having my first show of books at 23 Sandy Gallery here in Portland during Portland Photo Month. Really looking forward to exploring how an exhibition of books differs from one of prints. I’ll be writing more about this as I get a little closer to the show, which I believe will be in April. Still Standing, Standing Still will be presented for the first time at that show as well as all of the other titles I’ve published including Dale Schreiner’s Thereafter.

I’ve also been busy redesigning my website which will enable me to present my work in a much more flexible and interesting format online. I hope to get the new site completed in the next month.

Travel
I will be traveling down to Los Angeles in January to attend photo LA and continue photographing for Growth. Fotofest 2012 will also be a destination for me this year. I’ve never been to Fotofest so I’m interested to see how it differs from photolucida and other portfolio review events. My aim, in going, was to meet with reviewers outside the US as my work has always been well received in international competitions. I will be writing more about my experiences and reviews when I’m there in March.

For the first time, I will be spending the whole summer in Maine. I will be staying close to the workshops in Rockport and spending a good deal of time photographing for a new series.

Writing
I’ve been really excited about expanding The Photographer’s Alternative Reading List. I’m reading another book right now that is perfect for this list and as I consider titles, I am realizing how valuable this can be for photographers. Look for the next post in that series in the coming month and please let me know if you have any suggestions!

I’m also writing my first article for PDN on handmade books which should come out in March. The article talks about the benefits and challenges of handmade books, financing issues, and marketing and distribution. While it’s difficult to squeeze all of that into only a few words, my hope is that it will get you started, or even prompt you to take one of the longer workshops to gain even more of an insight into this wonderful area of self-publishing.

I think that about covers it! As I’ve learned, there are always new surprises and challenges that I don’t anticipate. Glad to know you all will be there with me, through the good and bad, for another exciting year to come.

May the coming year be filled with open spaces…

© Lauren Henkin, Fieldnotes

I’ve noticed a change in how I approach the presentation of my work. Unfortunately, it is a rare opportunity we’re afforded, to gather and share our imagery, so I thought I would present some of my inner dialogue to you about how I’m approaching it.

Lately, I’ve become fascinated with installations, and in how other artists present their work. For some time, I’ve grown tired and bored of the straightforward display of photographs, the same size, the same frames, the same height off the ground. While I understand the intent, most likely to encourage the belief that the body of work is cohesive, I believe, without realizing it, we are actually luring our viewers into laziness and boredom. We’re not challenging them enough to make connections that are less obvious, and we’re not challenging ourselves to pair images that at first glance aren’t fit for each other, or formats and/or sizes that don’t match. I’m trying to force myself to think more critically about this next show and break out of my own comfort zone.

It’s not easy.

A couple things have made it bearable. First, I’ve been inspired by the installation methods of three artists whose work which I’ll outline below. Second, I’ve really taken the time to lay out the entire space in the gallery which includes three separate viewing areas where I could show different bodies of work. Carefully calculating what pieces will go where, what sizes they should be printed at, whether to frame or leave unframed are all questions I’m answering in advance for this show, and I admit that in the past, I haven’t taken the time or effort to really think beyond just the size of the print.

For example, one of the spaces is a long narrow hallway that leads from one large gallery space to a smaller one. The first question that I am asking myself when thinking about this space relates back to my days as an architect. What is the appropriate scale of imagery to space? Even this question may seem daunting. So, I’m holding off on that one and answering these instead: How far back can one go to view the images? What is the ceiling height? Would you describe the space as intimate or monumental? In reacting to these first, it can lead to some conclusion about the scale or size of the photographs that should be presented. Once you know that, you can narrow down your bodies of work to what might be appropriate. So, for that long, thin space I’ve narrowed my options to Still Standing, Standing Still, or Fieldnotes, both of which contain smaller, more intimate prints that tell linear stories, ones that would make sense moving down a long stretch of wall. I drew in InDesign a layout for that long wall (see below) which gives me a sense of how many images I can fit and exactly what size and spacing I’ll need to fit everything I want to show (the gray area is a break in the walls that leads to another room). I can plan how I might incorporate text and easily move images around on the walls so that the day of hanging isn’t left to deciding sequencing. This kind of drawing was made from dimensions given to me by Newspace and could easily be made in Photoshop as well.

Still Standing, Standing Still Installation

Below are some example installations of three artists whose presentations are unique, impeccable and completely enhance the mood and stories of the images being told. The first is Masao Yamamoto, a Japanese photographer who is one of my favorite photographers. Mr. Yamamoto tends to show his small, intimate prints of varying subjects unframed and in clusters. The images have an incredibly delicate quality to them and the presentation, almost like groupings of clustered birds, not only enhances the visual appeal of the work, but enables the viewer to more easily connect with what he is trying to communicate. The images, when bunched, up close are quite stimulating to the eye, a maze or puzzle emerges that one can navigate at their own leisure. Far away, they become large collages of tone, color and subtle variations in hue creating rich weavings of imagery and color. There is also the sense that each installation is different, that each space must be carefully orchestrated, and that therefore, whenever you see one of his shows, there is a unique quality to it, something that couldn’t be replicated anywhere. Whether that is the case or not, it’s a compelling message to communicate to an audience.

Masao Yamamoto Installation. © Masao Yamamoto.

Masao Yamamoto Installation. © Masao Yamamoto.

Masao Yamamoto Installation. © Masao Yamamoto.

The second artist is Wolfgang Tillmans, who has a completely different style of image-making than Mr. Yamamoto. His is loud, brash, and in-your-face. But what is interesting to me, is that there are similarities that can be made between how the two exhibit. They both are varying the scale of images, there is no vertical center line that can be used to ground the work, both are willing to put images near the floor or in other difficult viewing locations, and both aren’t afraid to put varying images together, often pairing ones that at first glance, have no relation to each other. Tillmans pairs pieces that are framed next to ones that aren’t, he freely mixes black and white and color, and intersperses display cases within, or in addition to what is on the walls. He seems fearless and radiates a command of his audience, leaving one in little doubt, this is how he wants me to experience this. I wish I were that brave.

Wolfgang Tillmans Installation. © Wolfgang Tillmans.

Wolfgang Tillmans Installation. © Wolfgang Tillmans.

Wolfgang Tillmans Installation. © Wolfgang Tillmans.

Wolfgang Tillmans Installation. © Wolfgang Tillmans.

Third, we have Alec Soth. Mr. Soth is probably somewhere in between Yamamoto and Tillmans. His work has Yamamoto’s quietness and Mr. Tillman’s scale. It was fascinating to see how he handled the display at his recent retrospective at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. Again, what he does, like the others, is treat each work, each image, as it’s own entity with it’s own needs for display. There is a respect given to each photograph and scale is carefully considered. In one area of the exhibition images are laid out in a grid with a video playing next to them, in another area, images are hung as they might in someone’s house like a family album, in another, he presents sculptural stacks of books, while in yet another, display cases showing other images and objects. You feel, as I would imagine a viewer did (unfortunately, I didn’t see this show), that each object had been carefully considered, carefully placed, and carefully sequenced.

Alec Soth Installation. © Alec Soth.

Alec Soth Installation. © Alec Soth.

Alec Soth Installation. © Alec Soth.

Alec Soth Installation. © Alec Soth.

Alec Soth Installation. © Alec Soth.

In seeing these, and studying them, it makes me wonder how we got into the habit of showing images the way we normally do—why we wouldn’t have looked to our painter and sculptor friends for inspiration and respect for the individual piece of art.

It is for sure, another layer of complexity, another hurdle to jump in reaching the pinnacle of storytelling. I have become so fascinated and interested in it, that for me, I now have an equal amount of interest in the installation as I do in the actual work.

More later…

I talked with Thom Sempere, the Executive Director of the San Francisco Photo Alliance about the differences between the two events and the thing that stood out to me the most was the intimacy of the event. At certain points throughout the weekend, I had wished that I had come to this event as my first portfolio event rather than PhotoLucida and it had nothing to do with the quality of the reviews or feedback. It had more to do with the intimacy of the event, and with half the number of reviews, I didn’t feel the need to collapse after the entire thing was over. After the 23 reviews I had at PhotoLucida (more if you add roving reviewers), I needed to lock myself in a quiet room for about a week to recover. I didn’t know what to expect before PhotoLucida and I think I would have been better prepared for the whole experience if I had gone to a smaller one like the one held this weekend in San Francisco.

Below is a list of who I met with and what if anything I can take away immediately. I did learn from PhotoLucida that you should wait at least a year to track all of the results from these events and what may appear to seem unlikely to provide any lasting results could drastically change in a short period. So, as things progress from this event, I will update you.

Day 1

Anne Kelly, Associate Gallery Director, photo-eye Gallery
I knew early on that really wanted to meet Anne Kelly. photo-eye‘s web site gets between 7,000 and 8,000 hits a day. I had met Melanie McWhorter, the Book Division Manager for photo-eye in April at PhotoLucida. She responded well to my work and to the book dummy I had created for Displaced. When it was time to start marketing the book, I contacted Melanie and she responded by adding it to photo-eye’s collection of books for sale, as well as posting it as the “Curated Selection of the Day” about a month ago. So, I thought that by meeting Anne, I could gain another connection at photo-eye, and see what we could do to help the sale of the book, possibly through their gallery. She looked through everything I brought and seemed to respond the most to Displaced. We had a nice conversation and at the end of our 20 minutes (which feels like 20 seconds) she suggested that I submit the Displaced series for photo-eye’s Photographer’s Showcase. This is something, that if accepted, will have made the whole trip worthwhile. The amount of exposure and validation given to the artist’s jury-accepted into the Showcase is extremely high. I will be submitting my work this week…

David Maisel, Photographer
When I went to PhotoLucida, I went hard after the gallery owners and book representatives. I didn’t give myself the luxury of meeting with any other photographers who were reviewing and I regret that. So, I decided in San Francisco, that I would actually give myself the chance to see what these successful photographers thought. The questions I was most interested in having them answer were: Am I on the right path? What flaws do you see in this work? What could I be doing differently? I have to say that David Maisel gave me the most encouragement. He said I am definitely on the right path, that whatever I want out of photography will come, and that I need to be patient enough to let it happen organically. I am a big fan of his work so, hearing this really gave me a lot of confidence. There is a different dynamic talking to other photographers. There seems to be at the least, an appreciation for the effort and perseverance. They understand how hard it is, how competitive it is. In the future, if I went to FotoFest or another big portfolio review event, I would definitely mix in a few photographers whose work I respect. If nothing else, it is a wonderful break from the worry and stress of going from one gallerist to another all day…

Anne Veh, Art Consultant & Independent Curator
Again, at PhotoLucida, I hadn’t met with any independent curators or consultants, so I really didn’t know what to expect. Anne is a very warm, outgoing person, and we fell easily into conversation about my work. She was also heavily interested in the book as she has been involved in curating for books as well. She was very enthusiastic about the possibilities. Sometimes during these reviews, you’ll see a reviewer look off, like they’re trying to think about opportunities or other artists to look at. She did that during our meeting, and I felt optimistic that something would come from this meeting. I’m not sure yet what that will be, but she told me she wanted to keep in touch and to keep her informed of any new or updated work.

Christopher McCall, Director, Pilara Foundation
When I researched the Pilara Foundation in preparation for the reviews, I came across this:

“Pacific Waterfront Partners (PWP) was engaged to identify and secure a location for the storage, management and curation of the Pilara Foundation’s photography collection. PWP negotiated and secured approval for a 10 year lease from the San Francisco Port Commission and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, secured all necessary permits and entitlements for the project, performed pre-development consulting services, oversaw the design process, bid and selected the general contractor for the project, oversaw and managed the construction.

At 27,000 square feet, the Pilara Family Foundation at Pier 24 is one of the largest buildings dedicated to the collection and preservation of photography in the U.S.(By comparison, New York’s MOMA dedicates about 7,000 square feet of gallery space to displaying its photography collection.) The building is used for the curation and active storage of fine art photography.

The Pilara-PWP renovation of Pier 24 achieves the Department of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Rehabilitation, and represents a major turnaround for one of San Francisco’s long-forgotten waterfront gems.”

This new space will be close to 4 TIMES the size of what MoMA dedicates to photography. When I read this, I knew this was a huge opportunity. I have to say that in terms of critical feedback, Christopher McCall was probably the best I got all weekend. When presenting your work, do you ever look at maybe one image here, an image there that you feel insecure about, or maybe a little flaw that you hope no one will see, but then cast those little fears aside as paranoia? Well Christopher picked up on the ones that I had perfectly and we talked about them, productively. I was grateful for the feedback. He also said that by far I had the most exquisite presentation that he’d seen and was genuinely grateful that I had taken the time, expense and effort to show my respect for the work and for the people seeing it by presenting it all so beautifully. He seemed to really like my work and wanted me to keep in touch. I definitely will.

Linda Connor, Photographer & Educator
I selected Linda as a reviewer mostly because I admired her work, but once I got to San Francisco, I realized that of all the reviewers there, she seemed like someone who could end up being a good mentor or just a trusty pair of eyes for future projects. We didn’t have much time to delve into how she got where she was, but we were able to scratch the surface. She looked at all of my work and had many positive comments. One criticism she gave me was she thought I was being too ambitious with the Displaced book. It may be that she didn’t think the Holga work should have been paired with the images from Nova Scotia. I know that may be a doubt in some people’s mind about whether it is was an appropriate decision to make, but I believe the longer you can spend looking at it all, the more it makes sense. She has a show coming up in Portland during August at Newspace Center for Photography and asked me I’d like to have lunch when she’s here. I said yes, and hope to build a friendship with her. I already get the sense that many look up to her as an excellent educator and photographer.

Paul Schiek, Artist, Publisher TBW Books
I met Paul as the last review appointment on Saturday. As packed as my schedule had been that day, I believe the reviewers were even more booked. He seemed tired. I was tired. Mostly we ended up talking about St. Louis and our backgrounds. He was from the midwest, I studied there and we were just sharing information about the region and how we got into photography. Honestly, I was so tired, I didn’t feel like even talking about my prints anymore, I just wanted to relax and have a normal conversation. I didn’t think Paul’s work would necessarily be a good fit for me, but what I was really interested in was how he went about getting representation from the Stephen Wirtz Gallery. I was so tired, I forgot to ask. I hope we’ll be able to stay in touch and maybe I’ll get my answer…

Day 2

Whitney Johnson, Associate Picture Editor, The New Yorker
I have to admit, I wanted to meet Whitney purely for the excitement of being able to get some time with a Picture Editor of a huge publication, who sees thousands of images and who I could never imagine being able to get 20 minutes with under normal circumstances. Whitney explained the process by which she ends up searching for images and the database that The New Yorker maintains. She is able to search by artist name as well as with keywords. She felt that of all my work, the series of the abandoned yard sale called Remnants could be the best fit. She said it varies greatly what the time requirement is for her to identify imagery for a particular feature, usually from 1 day to 1 week. I really think this would be a long shot, but you never know…

Dennis Kiel, Chief Curator, The Light Factory Contemporary Museum of Photography
The biggest part of making a portfolio review event a successful one is trying, as best you can, to figure out who are going to be the people that will respond to your work, and that is nearly impossible to do. Reading bios, seeing what a Museum is currently showing, and just knowing someone’s personal taste can make all of the difference in making these meetings productive. I really didn’t know much about Dennis Kiel. I researched, but still felt going into our appointment that it was going to be a wild card. He actually ended up liking Still Standing, Standing Still the best. He said he liked “simple” projects, ones that focused on a single idea or concept and were well executed and easy to view. That work was last in the box to get shown, so not much conversation had been generated up to that point about the work. After hearing what other reviewees were saying about how he responded to their work, I got a very clear understanding of what to send Dennis in the future. This is part of the task also, to get to know these people, what they like not just for what you’re showing now, but for future work…

Stefan Kirkeby, Co-owner, Smith Anderson North Gallery
Next, I met with Stefan Kirkeby, co-owner of the Smith Anderson North Gallery in San Rafael, CA. Stefan has a great personality, very outgoing, friendly and upbeat. He actually liked everything I showed him and saw the connections I hoped for throughout all of the work. Luis Delgado happened to be free during that time slot, so he joined in. Bonus! Stefan seemed to be the most interested in getting moving on a show. He asked me to send him images (which I included on my leave behind). It’s always a good thing to be asked for files… We’ll see what happens, but I really enjoyed the time with Stefan, it was relaxed and fun.

Joanna Lehan, Associate Editor, Books, Aperture Foundation
Joanna, like Whitney Johnson, was another review I signed up for simply to have the opportunity for her attention to my prints for twenty minutes. I knew the chances of that happening on my own were next to none, so I was definitely interested to see what she had to say. She liked the work I showed, but particularly responded to Still Standing, Standing Still. It was strange because the first day of reviews was all about Displaced and Remnants, but day two was all about Still Standing, Standing Still. She talked about seeing it on a wall in a grid. We also discussed the importance of knowing how much, or how little to reveal to your viewers about the work. I told her it seemed like a fine line between letting people know how invested you are in the work, but not drowning the experience of viewing for them either, and allowing something to be taken away. The other interesting suggestion Joanna had was for me to try and get on a symposium or teach a workshop in how to finance your self published book. She was very interested in how I won the grant, got Moab Paper involved, and pre-sold a number of books to end up with a minimal financial investment in the Displaced book. I hadn’t thought about it, but she said that almost every person she talks to at the reviews asks her about self publishing and how to finance the project, find buyers, etc. I think this is a great idea and maybe, the Regional Arts & Culture Council will let me propose a program…

Some other thoughts…

I had lunch on Friday before the reviews started with Ed Carey, Director of Gallery 291. It was my second time meeting him (see earlier posts). The last time we met I presented work and this time he suggested we head out and get a bite to eat which we did at a nearby Japanese restaurant. We had a really nice, relaxed lunch talking about why he decided to open the gallery, whether he missed doing more photography himself, and the state of the fine art photography market in general. It was wonderful to be able to relax and talk about each of our interests and work. I proposed that when the book is done, that I come down, give an artist talk and have a book launch. He seemed open to that idea and we planned to meet and/or talk some more when I head back down to San Francisco in a few weeks to drop off my finished pages to John DeMerritt to bind. Ed has a lot of insight into the gallery world and he’s genuine and kind and I look forward to getting to know him and his wife better who I was able to meet that evening at the Photo Alliance lecture. Thanks Ed!

And a special thank you to Thom Sempere.

It is one of the reasons I wanted to become an architect. I thought that in imagining these built forms, I was creating something that would remain, something I could construct that would stand long after I was gone. It is also the reason why I’m so drawn to photographing the natural world, especially near urban areas. Repeatedly, the subjects that I find engaging are the ones that survive in an environment meant to exterminate as a way to answer the questions I continually grapple with: What is permanent? Will anything last?

I became obsessed with this tree’s form and I photographed it more intensely than any subject I have ever focused on. It was alone, with its scars unclothed, threatened by vines, but still standing. I was moved by its quiet beauty and strength, within it a humble model of perseverance and survival.

© Lauren Henkin. Still Standing, Standing Still 1

© Lauren Henkin. Still Standing, Standing Still 2

© Lauren Henkin. Still Standing, Standing Still 3

© Lauren Henkin. Still Standing, Standing Still 4

© Lauren Henkin. Still Standing, Standing Still 5

© Lauren Henkin. Still Standing, Standing Still 6

© Lauren Henkin. Still Standing, Standing Still 7

© Lauren Henkin. Still Standing, Standing Still 8

© Lauren Henkin. Still Standing, Standing Still 9

© Lauren Henkin. Still Standing, Standing Still 10

© Lauren Henkin. Still Standing, Standing Still 11

© Lauren Henkin. Still Standing, Standing Still 12

© Lauren Henkin. Still Standing, Standing Still 13

© Lauren Henkin. Still Standing, Standing Still 14

© Lauren Henkin. Still Standing, Standing Still 15

Robert Adams said this in an interview with Constance Sullivan in response to a question about why he photographed the same cottonwood tree in the ’70s.

As one of the most photographed subjects, trees are to me the more responsible, more beautiful, more giving versions of ourselves — and I look to them more and more for inspiration. I find myself being drawn more and more to them lately, particularly the ones with unusual or damaged forms, ones that aren’t traditionally beautiful.

When I was little, I had a difficult time letting go of possessions. I kept old, ratty pillows, unwearable clothing, stuffed animals whose fur had been so matted there was no fluff left on them. I thought that non-living things had souls too and that by discarding them, I would be disrespecting their right to exist. I have always been prone to seeing the life in inanimate objects – that in understanding them I would better understand myself.

I have been photographing a single tree lately. I studied it from all perspectives in varying light and conditions. It’s never the same. It has a branch that has broken off either by lightning or other violent act. It doesn’t seem to mind. It adds to its power, a continual reminder that it has survived the violation and is unashamed of the now permanent flaw.

Of course I realize that this form has had no control over its ability to avoid the damage. But I am learning from the way that it copes and this enables me in turn to dream of finally accepting my own flaws.

More images to come…

This new portfolio, titled Still Standing, Standing Still, was a project that developed out of a love at first sight experience with a single tree located about 30 minutes outside of Portland. If you have seen my earlier work, you may recognize what I now see as my purpose in photographing — to address the questions What, if anything, is permanent? Are the things we own what define us or is it the relationships we have? What enables us to survive the disappointments and heartaches?

I spent this month in particular pondering those questions and coping with an ongoing mistrust of people. The experience of photographing this lone tree has helped on all fronts. And maybe by surrounding myself with others (human or not) that face similar struggles is all I need to manage the anxiety. I was inspired at this place, by this thing, that can’t converse or provide affection, but can still give.

Thank you Newspace for allowing me the opportunity to use your facilities and the excuse to push my eyes into looking closer and extracting the beauty around us that is ever-present.

I am only showing 1 image from this work right now, but will post more shortly.

Here is what I have written for this portfolio:

Still Standing, Standing Still
One of the issues I struggle with in my life is being open. I think it stems from a fear of being judged, that in knowing the real me, I will be found lacking in some capacity and abandoned. It’s something I’ve tried to work through, a lack of faith in anything that would endure.

It is one of the reasons I wanted to become an architect. I thought that in imagining these built forms, I was creating something that would remain, something I could construct that would stand long after I was gone. It is also the reason why I’m so drawn to photographing the natural world, especially near urban areas. Repeatedly, the subjects that I find engaging are the ones that survive in an environment meant to exterminate as a way to answer the questions I continually grapple with: What is permanent? Will anything last?

I became obsessed with this tree’s form and I photographed it more intensely that any single subject I have ever focused on. It was alone, with its scars unclothed, threatened by vines, but still standing. I was moved by its quiet beauty and strength, within it a humble model of perseverance and survival.

Still Standing, Standing Still #15, © Lauren Henkin.