Be Afraid, My Friend is a video and book I shot this past winter on NYC streets using a Kodak Zi8 pocket video camera.
Video: Be Afraid, My Friend, 2011, 3:38 min, by Graeme Mitchell with music by Julian Tulip’s Licorice.
The book is 71 pages, 7.4×9.5,” softcover, perfect bound, $24. It doesn’t correspond exactly w/ the video, but it is close.
This particular update is overdue, as my last site was long in the tooth.
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
There were 4 portfolios in the original edition of this. They were prints hand mounted in leather albums. I still think they are beautiful as artifacts, but they were stupidly expensive and time consuming to make. Moreover, only 4 people have them, and I’m pretty sure they’re not being treated as coffee table books. I wanted a simple small copy for myself to have around, and also since doing the Occurrences newsprint edition, I had a number of people ask if I’d ever do an inexpensive version of Unreal City, so I decided to revisit it and do this.
It’s 8.5×8.5,” 71 pages, 49 pictures, soft cover, perfect bound.
The print-on-demand press quality leaves a lot to be desired, but right now utilizing any tangible medium is good I think. Plus, I think that populace mainstream sort of lo-fi medium is cool, makes the work more eye-level and less precious. Needless to say these aren’t to be shilled as rare or valuable – they’re intended to be enjoyed and shared.
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
photo: by Graeme Mitchell
A portrait of Caroline Issa of Tank,
photo: Caroline Issa, NYC, 2011, by Graeme Mitchell
Congressmen, Peter King for NY Mag,
photo: Congressman, Peter King, Washington DC, 2011, by Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
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″.
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
photo: By Graeme Mitchell
The painter, Keegan McHargue at his studio in Brooklyn,
photo: Keegan McHargue, NYC, 2011. By Graeme Mitchell.