Graeme Mitchell » friends

Laurel

admin — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:47:59 +0000

photo: Laurel, Antelope OR, 2011, by Graeme Mitchell

Congrats Kelly and Jack

admin — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 18:34:52 +0000

A congrats to two close friends,

photo: Kelly and Jack, Kennebunkport ME, June 2011, by Graeme Mitchell.

New Portfolio Site: www.graememitchell.com

admin — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 03:53:31 +0000

This particular update is overdue, as my last site was long in the tooth.

WWW.GRAEMEMITCHELL.COM

Creative direction and design by Mr. Diggles.

“I have sort of given up on what the best practice would be for presenting photos online. Every photographer looses with the web. It is a terrible way of showing work. Therefore I like this direction because it is at least somewhat fun.” -Mr. Diggles

Emiliano Granado’s TFP

admin — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 13:06:49 +0000

Emiliano Granado and I were hanging out sharing work w/ each other one evening last fall when he pulls this little white box out of his pack explaining to me that it contains what he’s been working on for the last 3 years. From the look in his eyes I could tell it was something that mattered to him. Indeed, rightfully so, as when he opened the box and I began to shuffle through the stack of 4x5s, I knew it was not just a major step for him, but it was an excellent body of work by any standard. It’s inspired and honest and completed - a rare combination. If you’re in NYC he’s having an opening this month; go check it out.

photo: Mark, New Jersey. Emiliano Granado 2010. Instant Color Print, 4″x5″.

Tara St. James wins Ecco Domani

admin — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:32:22 +0000

A big congrats to the designer, Tara St. James for being awarded the 2011 Ecco Domani award for sustainable design. Tara is a testament to adhering to an ethic that’s well beyond business and getting rich and getting famous. This is an unimaginably difficult thing to do. Bravo and kudos.

photo: Tara St. James, NYC, 2009. By Graeme Mitchell.

Alex Steckly, Portland OR, Dec 2010

admin — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 00:02:47 +0000

The painter, Alex Steckly,

photo: Alex Steckly in his studio, Portland OR. 2010. By Graeme Mitchell.

Portrait: Julian

admin — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 18:40:55 +0000

photo: Julian, NYC, 2010. ©Graeme Mitchell.

Portrait: painter, Alex Steckly, again again.

admin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:09:45 +0000

I’ve posted a number portraits of the painter, Alex Steckly over the years, and will continue to do so. Like Julian in the last post, Alex is someone who I try to take a portrait of when the opportunity arises. There’s an old writing saying that goes, “write what you know.” I believe in this for photography too.

photo: Alex Steckly in his studio, Portland OR, 2009. ©Graeme Mitchell

Portrait: Julian

admin — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:01:12 +0000

Julian is someone I have the pleasure to photograph whenever our schedules allow. It is always a great pleasure.

photo: Julian in my basement, NYC, 2009. ©Graeme Mitchell

He is a friend, a musician, and a wonderful mind.

Here is a song:

song: Dolls Aren’t Supposed to Bite by Julian Tulip’s Licorice

And – peelug - he also did the music for the Unreal City Slideshow.

Some movies and solar vision

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:42:44 +0000

I was having a super late post-party supper with a group from Tank while in London and the fash ed started talking about this really far out stuff and, as you’d guess, my interest piqued. It was a film. I won’t belabor the specifics here, but will only repeat what she said, it is amaaaaazing, then said again after a dramatic pause to assure my full attention, amaaaaazing. So I watched it. It’s called The Holy Mountain, by Alejandro Jodorowsky, and, I agree, it is most certainly incredible, but…wow.

video: trailer to The Holy Mountain

Nearly makes Barney’s Creamaster Cycle seem par for, er, normal.

video: Trailer for Matthew Barney’s Cremaster Cycle.

On a completely different note, standing applause for Visionaires #56 solar-powered book. Putting up a good fight for why the printed magazine/book will always have it’s place.

photo: from Visionaire 56, ©Richard Burbridge

photo: from Visionaire 56, ©David Sims

A conversation: Friedlander on Avedon, then bicycles, then Bill Cunningham

admin — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:50:42 +0000

More a regurgitation of a conversation, but after all, it’s a blog: so: while having lunch in Tompkins Sq. yesterday with photo-friend, Aaron Binaco he gave me some, how should I put it, neat shit. My first sun-drunk-enthusiasm was for that by now well known moment when Avedon went to take Freidlander‘s portrait at his home, and how Freidlander, being a really real photographer (see note), also took Avedon’s portrait. I said I could find the Avedon picture, but have yet to be able to find the Friedlander. Well, Aaron found it and sent it to me. I imagine a sort of stand-off of great personalities, great wills face to face, and even if they were cordial and kind on some level it must have been profound-intense. Either as a matter of attrition of neither ever giving in, or maybe rather of two old masters being able to wink and nod, knowingly.

photo: from Aperture #188, Lee Friedlander by Richard Avedon (left) and Richard Avedon by Lee Friedlander (right)

Both Aaron and I grew up racing bicycles, so then he started on about this Scottish trials rider, saying, “he’d ride up that tree over there and just chill out,” while pointing at this giant bloody elm that a cat could maybe climb. I called, hyperbole!, but then he emailed me this link and jesusmurphy…if you’ve ever ridden a bike you should be able to appreciate this video:

And, yes, I am in fact posting on extreme sports youtube video…sigh, probably a slippery slope, so I’ll post this to balance it out:

photo: Corvette I saw in soho which I voted best possible prop of the day and sent it to a fashion editor with a synopsis of a story involving Death Valley, Bottega heels, and a Camio by Dennis Hopper (as eminence grise, naturally). Fashion editor responded, I weep.

Note: “real photograher”: I was shooting on 5th ave by Tiffany’s on Saturday morning, and I saw this old timer shooting people fast with an old Nikon. I guessed maybe he was part of the old-Magnum-guard. I said, hello, asked his name, he said, Bill Cunningham, didn’t ring a bell. I asked him if shot there much, if he’d seen Bruce Gilden out, he’s always shooting on this corner. He said, I have seen him in the afternoon; how is Bruce? I said, I’ve no idea, I just see him, can’t catch him. He said, now that’s a real photographer. I liked that. Since there was truth in it. We chatted a bit more, then he took off after this super chic blonde to photograph. I thought, huh, mildly-licentious, but, yeah! It wasn’t until I mentioned it later in the day in passing that someone explained to me who Bill is. Love it. Before he ran of he waved and said, keep snapping kid. I offer the same good-bye, keep snapping, Bill!

Helen Levitt, a film, back, Kim

admin — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:12:24 +0000

For those of you who didn’t hear, Helen Levitt passed away last week. She was a slightly lesser known but no less wonderful NYC street photographer who did a lot of work circa 1950s. Her person and career gives me a heartfelt grin, since photography, and especially street photography, is so much a boy’s club, that I love that a women came and conquered her own place in it. There’s a NPR interview with Levitt, here.

That last picture made me think of this phenomenal film I saw while away, Killer of Sheep. Really really turned my mind around in a way that I didn’t expect, and it was so remarkably shot that I went back and watched a lot of it again w/o sound. The phrase, far out, describes that quite perfectly. Try it…if you want.

It makes me want to begin to shoot motion.

BTW, I’m back, and while I don’t expect you to be excited, after having been traveling the last 6 of 7 weeks for work I’m glowing to be home and to get back to life here. I’ve been shooting for Adidas, Interview, Dazed. I can’t share anything ’til stuff goes to print. Mostly I’m excited to be back to get personal projects going and some fashion stories.

Oh, and on the topic of fashion, I want to point to the story Sebastian Kim did for Numero in this month’s architecture issue. Excellent. I enjoy his work b/c it’s rare to see heavily conceptual work done so, well, uh, well…or with such taste. (There’s actually an older interview with him, here, which is worth reading if you’re starting as a photographer b/c he had a rather unique start to his career having assisted both Avedon and Meisel for extended periods.)

A poem, a note, and some pics

admin — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 03:31:24 +0000

The author, Haven Kimmel had written this poem during the first chapter of a sprawling and inspiring email conversation I had and remain to have w/ her. Last week for some reason I was possessed by the notion of hearing her read it, for my own pleasure, but also with it in mind to put up here, so I wrote and asked her to record and send. And she obliged!

So, lay back and close your eyes, b/c I doubt you’re going to find this anyplace else.

“The Holy Dove Was Moving Too,” written and read by Haven Kimmel.

Haven has a number of bestsellers riddling the shelf. Go and seek out.

[Change of topic]

Note: my posting here has been pretty thin lately. I’ve been busy. I’ve been busy working on things I’m not in a hurry to go on about here. It’s not my intention to talk work work on this site, at least not in depth. Yes, I’ll drop a post updating the occasional happenings, but only so things don’t wilt here. I suspect these are the thinnest posts. You see, the original purpose of this site was to share the NYC Journal and other work I do that would be otherwise homeless, and also to talk about photography in the most whimsical sense of an art and of what lights the fires in my head and heart. I have no interest in using this site as a marketing tool. Why am I bringing this up? B/c I’ve realized, as I’ve become busier, how the original intent of this blog was very time intensive. The NYC Journal alone is something that I used to spend days on a week, while right now it’s lucky to get a handful of hours in the week. But I’m not complaining, only letting you know I’m learning and making adjustments to keep things going here. Note concluded.

On that note,,,

[Change of topic yet again]

a few random pics:

photo: London, 2009. ©Graeme Mitchell.

Music: DJ Excision’s dubstep + picture farmin’ tunes

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:19:29 +0000

So been in Portland, just now wrapping up this commercial job, and as usual I’m crashing with my good friend, Benjamin. He and I have been geeking on a few things, one being dubstep, which seems to be the electronic hype right now. We went to a Pendelum show and this canuck, DJ Excision opened up w/ a gut shaking dubstep set. Rocked my mind…jams you’d never usually hear outside of the hippest sort of party in London or Paris, deep, dark, dirty, apocalyptic, universe-ending beats, and I mean deep and dirty.

You can check his FB page and tour dates, here, or download one of his mixes, here.

Turn this up:

mix: “Shambhala 2008″ by DJ Excision

What does this have to do w/ photography…well, sort of a lot, b/c music is SO key on the set. Some traditional favs of mine are Sigor Ros and the Stones for portraits; for fashion it depends entirely on the vibe, but when a shoot goes to that hard electronica place, for me that means things are going right. And I almost never shoot street stuff sans headphones unless batteries run out, and there it is usually one of two extremes: something like Chopin/Schubert/Verdi or some crackin Breakbeats.

Schubert:

Breakbeats, (Plump DJs):

What do you listen to to set your work off?

Portrait: Emily VanCamp

admin — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:39:39 +0000

The actress, Emily VanCamp.

photo: Emily VanCamp, St. Barts, Feb 09. © Graeme Mitchell.

Again on Avedon (this morning’s e-mail)

admin — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 02:55:41 +0000

This was the email I received this morning from a remarkable women’s wear designer I’m friends with:

Ahhh, well, since you asked.

It’s funny you ask, b/c the author Haven Kimmel and I recently had a e-mail conversation that touched on, amongst many things, Avedon, specifically his portrait of Ezra Pound.

Avedon was a great photographer who “got it,” who worked day in and out, and who was able to doing something authentic. I suppose one could offer that any sort of originality is genius in a way, which I wouldn’t necessarily debate, but I see that great thing in a body of work as more as a confluence of part man and part fate/histories momentum part…you get the idea; I see it was something much more complex than one’s inspirations and capabilities. Regardless, I’ll leave that up to you, not the point anyway, but the key is Avedon did something original in his career, singular and completely authentic. Yes, he was inspired by Sander and others, and some argue by his own history as a military photographer, but still he came to his own conclusion. In the spirit of Ginsberg speaking to Whitman beyond the grave, you could say Sander fell the tree and Avedon carved it. At his apogee, and I believe Avedon’s crowning moment ,his pique his quintessence, was the American West series, he made one of the great photographic moves, and it stands as such still. Something people will mimic and mimic but something that there will only ever be one of. He did it first and did it best.

Foremost, and he said it more eloquently if you dig in his essays and quotes, Avedon’s pictures are certainly about himself, or about his idea. Idea, I think, is the key term here, since it’s what Avedon reduced things too: a philosophy. He along with the rest of his generation was influenced a great deal by Beckett and the sensibilities and ideas of Existentialism from that generation, that white void that Molloy limps through became Avedon’s white seamless. Yet, don’t let the starkness of this mislead you; I do believe Avedon was an optimistic, a humanist, b/c when I look at the American West series, I see royalty. Just like Arbus made the freaks into kings and queens, Avedon made the common people something that transcended. Avedon would have had Louis Vuitton luggage and been wearing loafers suited for the UWS while shooting that work, and his time with the subject was, I’d gather, fleeting – it was not his world at all and he didn’t pretend it to be - but all the same he was human and they were human and I see in his work a general love for that ubiquitous suffering and struggle that affronts us all despite our best efforts, that “nakedness of man faced with the absurd” to go to Camus.

On top of this, more generally to discuss his commercial and editorial (non-fine-art) work, he was technically outstanding, not tricky or fancy or conceptual, but more like the Rolls Royce of technique, beautiful and classic and smart. Using things as simple as notan, to reference Mr. Cardwell, to draw you in and control composition and rythm. And in the portraits he did editorially he knew the balance between that aesthetic in technique and balancing that with a ruthless display and adjustmentoft the sitters persona (in the Jungian sense). I imagine Avedon was kind, liked and very smart, but I also suspect that when he photographed his great portraits he was at war with his sitters, b/c the moments seem both terrifying and sublime…which is, as Haven had pointed out to me, the same thing according to Kant.

Finally, it’d be a mistake to underestimate the commerce involved with the photography, and Avedon knew it. Luckily for Avedon, the look he explored personally also turned out to be very very effective and easy to translate to the commercial realm. Or maybe it was the other way around. Either way, it’s a rarity as far as I’ve seen.

Anyway…I’m rambling. I admire his work obviously. I don’t deify him or think he didn’t take mediocre photos too. And there’s a lot he didn’t do. But what he did do right, he did tremendously.

Hope that helps.

xo

photo: from Avedon at Work in the American West. ©Laura Wilson.

And I wasn’t joking about the loafers, probably ferragamos, and the vintage Louis Vuitton Luggage (↓) either.

photo: from Avedon at Work in the American West. ©Laura Wilson.

Damn fancy, Dick!

Vuitton could inspire a campaign around that photo.

Covet S09

admin — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 04:12:17 +0000

Sneak peak at Covet Spring 09.

photo: Covet S09, ©Graeme Mitchell 2008.

Shot at East Coast Studio
Models: Ilona w/ Major and Dylan w/ Next
Stylist: Sara Dunn
Hair: Sarah Potempa (w/ Wall Group)
M.U.: Meredith Baraf (w/ Wall Group)
Photo Assistant: Nyra Lang

And while on the topic, I was recently emailed this picture of, Tara St. James, the creative director of Covet and I at an opening. Tara said, “we look scared!” I said, “no, just very sober.”

photo: Tara St. James and I at the Aperture Gallery, Chelsea, NYC, Nov 2008.

Portrait: author, Katie Van Camp

admin — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:55:12 +0000

Children’s book author, Katie Van Camp.

photo: Katie Van Camp, NYC, 2008. ©Graeme Mitchell.

Portrait, Garett

admin — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:44:10 +0000

photo: Garett Stenson, Sept 2008. © Graeme Mitchell.

Portrait, Alex

admin — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:58:28 +0000

Painter, Alex Steckly, who you’ll be able to catch at the Dietch Gallery in Art Basil Miami come December.

photo: Alex Steckly, at his studio, Sept 2008. © Graeme Mitchell.

Benjamin Diggles’ Portfolio

admin — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:01:39 +0000

While away for work over the last few weeks I crashed with my close friend, Benjamin, on his couch to be precise, b/c there’s hotel rooms in life and there’s friends in life – and I choose the later. For work Benjamin is a web director/strategist (i.e. he uses the internet to make people $). While staying with him, he and I worked together on his new resume/portfolio. I’m mentioning this for two reasons: first, simply to help get the word out that he’s on the professional market, so to speak; secondly, and moreover, I bring it up b/c of the strong, dare I say ingenious, use of photography on his site: the utilization of mainstream-culture’s web disseminated imagery (i.e. our generation’s visual idioms) as the backdrop for his portfolio is progressive. Not progressive like walking to work, not progressive in a clever manner, but progressive in a critical and thoughtful manner that at at the same time gets in your face as it sneaks up behind you. Furthermore, it’s not often to see a site that’s not photography related at all yet hinges on the very medium. Benjamin is resituating these images, rewriting them into completely different texts than they were initially intended, and in doing so he speaks much louder and clearer than any amount of copy could.

The people who get it, are really going to get it, and in doing so are going to get the author in a big way.

Smart work, friend.

Check it, here.

Photo: screenshot from www.benjamindiggles.com

Portrait: designer, Lyn Devon

admin — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:23:21 +0000

Lyn Devon, the designer, photographed in her apartment:

photo: Lyn Devon, NYC, July ’08. © Graeme Mitchell

Alex Steckly’s Outer Space

admin — Thu, 22 May 2008 21:07:08 +0000

Alex just busted his leg in two and needed some metal put into it b/c he drove his 1980-storm-trooper-scooter into a car or some such David vs Goliath tale. What I imagine is that all the while his mind was in outer space dreaming another one of his new paintings, this really radical new work.

I’m once again impressed by this young artist. This kind of technical discipline isn’t something an artist usually develops until they’re approaching they’re 30s. Sized around 40×90″ and corner to corner layered with subtlety, it’s needless to say the web doesn’t do these paintings justice.

This work following his last circle/moon series has taken on a kind of neo-formalism, and I think once Alex takes this and pushes underlying ideas+intent as far as the form the moon and outer space will be the limit for him.

Heal up.

On Editing

admin — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:17:19 +0000

A first edit is a difficult thing to do, approached chock-full of biases and nerves and without any distance from original intentions…so, well, possibilities are often missed. I’d like to say I casually return to contact sheets again after a few months, after a few years, to find what I’d missed, but honestly by then I’m tired of it and done with it and on to more pressing matters, namely, the next piece of film to be exposed.

I recalled this image from the portrait of Benjamin, but didn’t remember noting it, or even scanning it, but last night while backing up files, I saw it and its implicit complications suddenly became interesting. And the only reason I even had a scan of it was b/c Benjamin had seen the contacts and specifically requested it…I’d never have bothered.

Doing an edit is a series of conflicts, practical and personal and everything between. Despite frowning upon showing my contacts to anyone, I believe the strongest edits are those I’ve done alongside other people, be it a photo ed, my team or just people I trust.

Portrait, Julian

admin — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 00:12:14 +0000

Julian Tulip is a singer+song writer. He’s also brilliant, crazy, and a firm believer in conspiracies.

Portrait, Benjamin

admin — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 07:15:51 +0000

While lighting this portrait Benjamin watched me slump focused over a freshly pulled Polaroid.

You don’t like it, he asked.

It’s not enough, I responded staring at the Polaroid…I mean it’s not human enough.

Well, he said, I’d just like this picture to show how tired I am, how exhausted the last few years have left me.

Exactly, I said.

Two more Polaroids and then we shot these,

New and improved: graememitchell.com

admin — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 05:44:49 +0000

My new portfolio site has just been turned on, launched, gone hot, whatever the kids are saying today.

Take a gander at www.graememitchell.com.

A few things I wish to note:

First, once again, the one-man-web-think-tank, Benjamin Diggles takes all the credit for putting this together, design and code. See his portfolio here, his music here, his blog here, and the company he works for here – (I’m always in awe at how many projects Benjamin is working on at any given moment). Benjamin and I have known each other since we were 9, and as far as I’m concerned we’re brothers, so I’m proud that he’s the one working on this, means a lot to me.

Second, I want to thank all the photo editors, art buyers, agents, and so on and so forth that took the time to give constructive criticism regarding my previous site. I’m not a web head, nor even know that much about it, so the opinions from those people who look at pics online all day was and is invaluable. I think it’s great when people in those positions take the time to offer unprompted ideas to improve something like presentation.

Last, as I’ve told Benjamin 85 times, I’m really excited about this site. For what it’s worth coming from someone who isn’t web oriented, I think it’s perfect for my work.

Enjoy!

Las Vegas, NV.

admin — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 17:09:15 +0000

You try so hard to displace the place in order to understand it or to make it more an obtuse phenomenon than the ugly actuality it is, that it is so perfectly; you do this in an attempt to justify or excuse it philosophically. But it takes heavy amounts of drink, drugs, regression just to make it bearable let alone excusable, seeing through eyes that won’t focus b/c in this place they don’t need to focus – focus is actually discouraged. It’s the premise of a child’s ball pit in the back of drab and tired fast food restaurant in the middle of the desert; it’s this premise expanded infinitely: padded surfaces, rounded corners, a cattle pen. Just when you attempt approach at clarity, some sort of recognition or disconnection, it dissipates, the clarity that is. It’s like running in a dream: the harder you try the heavier you become in a foggy futility. And there’s not even any redeeming giddiness or hopeful moments of expression, at all.

It is void.

Portrait of, Alex.

admin — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 16:05:54 +0000

This will be part of an ongoing series of portraits to be shared here.

These first are a series of artist, Alex Steckly at his apartment and work space in NE Portland on a Friday morning.

And with his girlfriend, Laurel, who I realized quickly functions with him in the beautiful and classical sense as a muse.

Mano-Destra tune.

admin — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 02:27:05 +0000

This is a treat. I was clicking around on my server and found Mano-Destra’s “Anomaly Girl” mp3. Now, I’ve no idea from where it came, but that’s not the concern: what’s important is that you get it on your ipod and listen to it on the subway.

Unfortunately, he’s currently revamping his site, but I hear his new site will be up soon and it’s full of big ideas.