Since 2009 he works as curator for KUNST HAUS WIEN, responsible for several exhibitions of photography including Tina Modotti, René Burri, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Elliott Erwitt. His writings include books on Pablo Picasso, Tina Modotti and Friedensreich Hundertwasser. His personal photographic work circles around aspects of life and intensity, humans and their expressions and traces in the world. He served on numerous juries including Prix Ars Electronica from 2004 to 2007. www.kunsthauswien.com / http://ajhirsch.tumblr.com/curatorial

After graduating in 2003, Gaia started working for the italian photo agency Grazia Neri, in charge of the photographers’ editorial production, assignments and selection of new photographers. In 2007, she became photoeditor for the italian magazine Amica and moved to Paris to work for the International Herald Tribune in 2011. She is also a book editor, curator and reviews portfolios during photofestivals. Gaia will be part of the evaluation committee of Eyes in Progress for the following workshops: Sacha, Richard Dumas and Patrick Zachmann. www.ihtinfo.com

Daphné Anglès is a Paris-based assignments editor for the The New York Times. A Franco-American graduate of the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris, she has worked with The New York Times for over 20 years. She has served as Secretary of the World Press Photo jury since 2009 and sat on juries for awards such as the Canon Female Photojournalist, Bayeux War Correspondent, Prix Webdocumentaire France 24, Carmignac, Scanpix Swedish Photography. She also curates photo exhibitions at the Central Dupon gallery in Paris. Daphné will be part of the evaluation committee of Eyes in Progress for the following workshops: David Burnett, Ed Kashi and Michael Ackerman. www.nytimes.com

The selected photographs show an undeniable ability for framing. This is a skill which creates different levels of meaning within the image and a meticulousness which is particularly necessary when viewing an architectural space such as the one you have chosen.

The difficulty looming at this stage, is perhaps the similarity with other projects of the same style by authors from your own generation, or even slightly older, that could render your voice invisible or put it on mute. In other words, the images could be interpreted too formally or literally because currently there are many photographers working in this same field. This inevitably generates a lot of interference. On the other hand, this problem could also be a challenge which forces you to work on it even more intensely and with even more dedication to organize these discursive lines which make the project flow, without allowing this to cause you to forget your favourite stylistic references.

Similarly, it may be beneficial, before taking more photographs, or in any case, as you carry on developing the project, that you go deeper into the hypothesis proposed by your project. Your initial approach is interesting but I think it is still too general, it would require greater precision in the basic parameters. I’m not only referring to whether you decide right now if you would like to work in one city, or many, rather to what aspects of the architectural structures you would really be interested in analysing through the camera and what they bring into play in everyday life. What really drives your interest for these types of structures? What is it about them that challenges you? What are the issues that you would be interested in reflecting on through your photographs? I’m sure you are doing it, but it is essential that your own questions and their possible answers act as a guide; not only to justify what you like, but also in order to propose an interpretation that provides new insights on this type of urban and architectural structure that you have chosen to photograph.

At the edition of the portfolio, the issue of the gates has a role which is almost redundant. If you consciously opt for repetition as an approach, it is important to thoroughly deal with this issue to highlight the different ways of interpretation. If it is a broader issue about the concept of access and its failure, it would not hurt to explore it more so that the viewer has specific information about this place and this type of structure.

Regarding the image of the workers, it is an interesting twist, and it raises issues throughout the development of your project. It’s important not to take these issues too lightly, too generically or as something which is only attractive from an aesthetic point of view. In your e-mail you talked about the “reverse glove”. I think it is a very evocative image. It would not only be useful to overcome this primary opposition which you pointed out in your e-mail, referring to the dichotomy between the constructed building/the builder, or between noise/silence, but it could also be a “door” which opens up issues that would be particularly interesting to explore.

Overall, I think it is a very promising project if you can be more specific and go deeper into your discursive approaches, which I am sure you will achieve and bring to fruition. May I suggest some reading that could perhaps be challenging for your project, as well as some authors who might be of interest and who you might be able to identify with.

Best wishes,

Marta

Guido Guidi, A New Map of Italy, 2011, www.loosestrifebooks.com

Dieuwertje Komen, especially his project Commonness, www.dieuwertjekomen.nl/work/commonness/exhibition/attachment/04/

Jean François Chevrier, Des Territoires. Paris : l’Arachnéen, 2011. Particularly the interview with Rem Koolhas : « Changement de dimensions ». Págs. 48-

Francesco Careri, Walkscapes. El andar como práctica estética. Barcelona: Gustavo Gili, 2003. (The original is in Italian).

Sorry, this entry is only available in french.

Sorry, this entry is only available in french.

This – the saturated colours – leaves a certain atmosphere that create a higher attention. The aesthetic has a function: it grabs attention in order to have the viewer interested in the story. This is not always successful. A better edit is needed as some pictures do not really add up to what we have already seen before (both by others in the past and from previous images in the series itself). The first three images, for example, do not immediately articulate the subject matter; it is related to street photography, more than a documentary about a certain subculture related to that street.

The portrait that follows is strong; it says a lot of the subject and is esthetically engaging. But to make the close-up more natural –we normally do not get at such a close range with a stranger- I think the picture that follows of that same women needs to be second. So: picture #1, #5, #4 (in that order) would be my suggestion for an introduction. Further stronger pictures are the blond women at the car (#7) the redheaded women in the bar (#9), the Asian woman (#10), and the ‘Dirty Dick’(#13) . The other images have less impact and do not have that esthetic needed to release the images from their original place (Place Pigal) in order to symbolize that same place.

This is the artistic translation that any documentary photographer has to make. If, indeed, Sarah has the advantage of really knowing the neighbourhood and its people she can take that further step, that will give extra impact to the story. We, the viewers, need to feel that privilege to be at such a close range to that what already carries our curiosity. These images need that extra context. The aesthetics of using the environmental/surrounding lighting can be a lead for future projects; it can be implemented to make the personal style of photographing more recognizable and referring to this particular photographer. In other words, it can help to claim authorship.

But I also think that the images function best when imbedded in a more abstract way, for the icons of prostitution and street life are too stromnh in itself, leaving a danger of cliché and hence, not engaging the viewer in the story. Suggestion: a multimedia presentation. including sound/interviews – an early example of what I mean is ‘Carnaval Strippers’ by Susan Meiselas

Sorry, this entry is not available.

Sorry, this entry is only available in french.

Sorry, this entry is only available in French or Italian.

However, I must admit that I find many of the photographs presented within this portfolio to be quite drab. I appreciate the “behind the scenes” approach to your fashion photography and, when effectively utilized, the narrative that drives your examination begins to evoke a story that, as a viewer, I want to be drawn into. However, in the majority of your images, the narrative or story, is not unique or enticing. The narrative that does excite me, lure me in, keep me wanting more, is the narrative of these models when they are not models – the mundane, ordinary existence of the models. There are a few images wherein you begin to capture my imagination and draw me into a narrative that demands my attention.

From my perspective, the most powerful and engaging photograph in your portfolio is image 17: To me, this photograph represents a way of seeing that is fresh, yet still rooted in an edgy aesthetic approach to fashion photography. Furthermore, its success hinges on the use of flash, the “in between” moment (a fashion model during a break, perhaps, on a personal phone call). The narrative is about this model, as a person to whom we can relate, not the dolled-­‐up “eye candy” that we typically associate with fashion models. I would suggest using the above photograph as a seed from which to grow and entire tree of photographs. Additionally, I must note that the environment within which this model is photographed appears to be gritty, raw, urban, etc. – it is a setting that is somewhat oppositional to the beauty, sensuality and fragility of the woman in the image. This tension is extremely effective and provides the viewer with a complicated and question-­‐filled experience of this woman.

Who is she? She appears to be a strong, empowered, beautiful woman who is not afraid to exhibit her body; why, then, is she sitting on the ground against the concrete wall in such a rough-­‐looking landscape? Why does she confront the lens with such confidence and ease and what does her gaze say about the relationship between this woman and the photographer? I encounter this photograph and immediately my mind begins working. The technical aspects of the image are not at all in my consciousness as the story is so powerful, and the photograph so technically seamless, that I immediately begin engaging with the subject matter of the image. I believe this is the most effective and meaningful process that can unfold within the viewer of a photograph and so I applaud you!

The story-­‐driven methodology, coupled with your incredible use of the black and white photographic medium (further emphasized by the use of flash), results in a truly unique and powerful image that I would love to see develop across and entire body of work. Technically, you appear to be a very proficient photographer, for this reason I focus my comments on the narrative, or approach to examining the subjects of your pictures. Keep up the good work and I look forward to seeing where this leads you! a story without saying anything. Good, everything here is fine.