Stand in Line: Out of the Ordinary

KisaLala — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 23:18:59 +0000

By Kiša Lala

Nineteen year old street photographer Shane Vincent has an eye for capturing those ephemeral moments when the changing light transforms the mundane into the sublime.

The project, Stand in Line, came about when Vincent began photographing utility poles in the streets of North London where he lives: “The series started at a time where the sky looked pretty cool,” he says. “It was autumn so it would change constantly. It caused me to look up a lot.” The outcome of his first photograph, Stay connected of a utility pole “with wires coming out at all directions,” was captivating enough, recollects the young photographer, that it caused him to pay more regard to the perpendicular poles and lampposts which most take for granted and which habitually punctuate the urban horizon. By isolating them against the vivid autumnal sky, and shooting them from an anamorphic perspective, Vincent enhanced their geometric abstractions.

Never having been formally trained in the field, Vincent fell into photography as a hobby. Soon, his spontaneous street images brought him enough attention as a photographer to develop his dabbling to a more serious professional level. Initially, he says, he began by experimenting with 35mm because he liked the grain and quality of the images, but because of the expenses of printing, he later gave way to digital, whose more crisp, modern feel led him towards a contemporary vision.

“Visually, film has had the greatest influence,” the photographer tells me, remarking on his inspirations, “mainly those that show futuristic visions.”

“The interest in the future, dystopian and utopian sides is shown in the series, in the colours and moods particularly,” Vincent elaborates. “I decided to shoot them from a similar angle, straight up through the centre, fading and distorting towards the peak. It struck me as a most intimidating perspective.”

For more information on Shane Vincent’s photography: www.shaneellisvincent.com

The Image Maker

KisaLala — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 22:42:51 +0000

Tom Sachs, Leica M6, © Tom Sachs

Tom Sachs has an extensive series of cameras that he sometimes re-constructs from machine parts of other devices, rebranding them to explore their value in relation to consumer desire – ‘Like a Leica,’ was one such artwork from his inventory of image makers. His first was a clay replica of a Nikon SLR camera he made for his father when he was eight years old.

Tom Sachs, Untitled (CE Wood Leica) © Tom Sachs

Tom Sachs, NASAblad, 2008 Courtesy of the artist and Sperone Westwater, New York

Here are more bits and bobs of artwork and films produced by Tom Sachs and his studio, that illustrate the artist’s knack for knolling:

Tom Sachs’ studio released a video Ten Bullets that codifies studio practices. Shot in an entertaining style, it references guidelines, which according to the handbook, must be followed or else the employee might find himself being booted from the club.

The ten commandments include such prime directives as, “Creativity is the Enemy,” “Sacred Space,” “Be on Time,” and “Be Thorough.”

Excerpt from: A book I made driving from Milan to Marakkesh by Tom Sachs, Susanna Howe

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Stand in Line: Out of the Ordinary

The Image Maker