The Candid Frame: Conversations on Photography

Damon Casarez is an emerging documentary and portrait photographer based in Los Angeles county. His recent project, "Boomerang Kids," that was pitched to the New York Times Magazine, has brought up a lot of conversation about the factors recent college graduates face as soon as they leave school. The cinematic environmental portraits put a face to the stories of thousands of recent college grads who are buried in student loan debt and cannot support themselves, something he went through himself after leaving school. His personal projects are often Damon graduated from Art Center College of Design in August of 2012, where he had a very rigorous and technical photography education, which he applied to his conceptual projects about his suburban upbringing. Most of his education in commercial photography would be learned while interning for a photo agency and under a photo editor, where he was taught about the business and marketing side of photography as well as seeing the inner workings of a magazine. While in school and after school, he began assisting under commercial and editorial photographers in L.A. while taking editorial assignments and marketing his work. His assignments appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine, Bloomberg Businessweek, and Pacific Standard Magazine. Resources: http://www.damoncasarez.com/ http://daniellelevitt.com/ http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/22/magazine/its-official-the-boomerang-kids-wont-leave.html

Ola Billmont is a full-time entrepreneur but who has managed to create a strong body of work as a street photographer. He is a photographer who favors film and passes it through 35mm, medium format and large format cameras. His use of flash and close-working distance results in distinctive look to his photographs of people and life on the streets. He considers himself an enthuastic amatuer, but his work demonstrates a professional work-ethic and commitment to his craft.  Resources: http://www.olabillmont.com/#!/index http://www.publigraphy.com/ https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/your-child-s-future-american-president-cover http://ibarionex.net/thecandidframe info@thecandidframe.com

Zun Lee a self-taught photographer who picked up a camera in 2009. He has been an artist and storyteller since he was little but then life got in the way. Making pictures is his way of reclaiming his artistic side. He is the quintessential nomad. He was born and raised in Germany, has lived in various parts of the USA and is currently based in Toronto, Canada. That sense of wanderlust, of being uprooted, has never left him. He doesn't anchor his concept of “home” to a familiar physical space – home is a state of mind I enter wherever he's inspired to create the work he wants, or when he's surrounded by people he cares about. As a clinician, he is trained to work with people at their most vulnerable who grant him permission to invade their privacy. As a result, he has always had an intense interest in the dynamics of trust and control when it comes to that interaction. At best, it can reveal a unique connection, a kind of truth that would otherwise not be foregrounded. When a human being connects with another and - even if for a split second - relinquishes a certain level of control, it is fascinating that complete strangers can share an alternate truth about themselves that was hidden not only to others, but perhaps even to themselves. It is in these moments that individual emotion transcends the personal realm and gains universally understood context. As a photographer, these are the moments he is after. Stories of connection that reveal themselves in a single glance or over a period of years. Resources:  http://www.zunlee.com/ http://www.eugenerichards.com/ http://ibarionex.net/thecandidframe info@thecandidframe.com

Arthur Grace began his professional career in 1973 as a staff photographer for United Press International. During his award-winning career in photojournalism spanning three decades, he covered stories around the globe as a contract photographer for Time magazine and a staff photographer for Newsweek magazine. His photographs have appeared in leading publications worldwide, including on the covers of Life, Time, Newsweek, The New York Times Magazine, Paris Match and Stern. Over the past twenty-five years, Mr. Grace has published four critically-acclaimed photographic books: Choose Me: Portraits of a Presidential Race, Comedians,State Fair, and his latest book, America 101. His work has been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the United States and internationally with a recent solo exhibition at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. Mr. Grace’s photographs are in the permanent collections of numerous museums, including the J. Paul Getty Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the High Museum of Art, and the International Center of Photography. His photojournalism archives are housed at the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas in Austin. Resources: http://arthurgrace.com/ http://www.billpiercepictures.com/index2.php http://ibarionex.net/thecandidframe info@thecandidframe.com

SARA JANE BOYERS is a California fine art photographer who, after successful careers in both the music and publishing industries, has returned to a serious focus on her photography.  In her work Boyers searches for that iconic element of ordinary experience that defines the whole, choosing to render it subtly and with a sense of beauty that is provocative and demanding.  FINDING CHINATOWN: An American Story, showcasing her decade+ exploration of the Chinatowns of the United States & Canada had a solo exhibition at the Craig Krull Gallery in Los Angeles and was critically acclaimed.  GRIDLOCK, a series of photographs shot from Boyers' car window while stuck in traffic, was recently exhibited at the Leica Gallery Los Angeles. Other work has been included in museums, galleries and photo festivals including a GETTY PST exhibition at the Vincent Price Art Museum; Western Australia's FOTOFREO Biennial; DESIGN/REACTION at the Pasadena Museum of California Museum of Art.  WATER TO PAPER: PAINT TO SKY just closed at SF's Walt Disney Family Museum, to open Spring 2015 at NYC's Museum of Chinese in America.  SUMMER MIX, a group exhibition of a community of photographers was co-curated by Boyers for LACMA's Wallis Annenberg Photography Department. Other continuing projects include DETROIT: DEFINITION, a study of her birth city as it again arises; SACRED, SILENT & WAITING, a contemplation of light, empty space and presence; and REVISIT_RENEW_NEW, an architectural exploration that also includes the 747 HOUSE, an architecturally significant experiment in repurposing.  Her photographs reside in public and private collections and are published in magazines, books and respected online media.  Her books and poetry are published by well-recognized publishers and award-winning. http://www.sarajaneboyersphoto.com/ http://www.danicakus.com/ http://www.edmundclark.com/ http://ibarionex.net/thecandidframe info@thecandidframe.com

Eric Tenin is a photographer and the creator of the influential Paris Daily Photo blog. He was one of the first photographers that dedicated a daily blog of photographs of his home-city, eventually creating a network of photo blogs from all over the world. Entering it's 10th year, Paris Daily Photo has inspired many photographers to pursue their own passion for photography.  Resources: http://www.parisdailyphoto.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Malt%C3%AAte http://ibarionex.net/thecandidframe/ info@thecandidframe.com

David George Brommer is a New York City based photographer specialized in alternative culture. In the mid-90′s David was the creative mind behind Suspect Photography, a studio-gallery acclaimed for exhibiting maverick and emerging photographers. David’s fascination with dark subject matter and the use of religious and mythological elements in his compositions resulted in an aesthetically unique body of work. He is well versed in techniques ranging from pixels to platinum and enjoys using a wide range of camera gear to obtain the final image. During the past two decades, his extensive oeuvre has been widely shown across the country in several solo and collective exhibitions. In recent years, David has become a sought-after speaker on matters of contemporary photography as well as technical teaching. Among others, David has taught seminars at the International Center of Photography, The Maine Media Workshops, and nationwide industry conventions. Currently David is the director of the B&H Photo Event Space overseeing and developing the educational content for customers of B&H Photo. Resources: http://suspectphotography.com/ http://jobabcock.com/index.html http://ibarionex.net/thecandidframe info@thecandidframe.com

Michael E. Stern is a commercial photographer who specializes in time-lapse photography. He uses the technique to serve numerous commercial clients who are in need of both short-term and long-term projects. His career has also included work as a corporate portrait photographer.   Resources: http://www.buildabetterphotograph.com/ http://www.buildabetterphotograph.com/category/education/ http://www.jeff-frost.com/ http://ibarionex.net/thecandidframe/ info@thecandidframe.com

After successful careers as a jazz musician/educator, and professional magician, Tony Sweet settled on photography as his chosen means for personal expression. Beginning as a film photographer, Tony has become facile in image editing software and plugins and is an in-demand speaker throughout the United States and Canada on creativity in the digital age.  Tony and Susan Milestone conduct Visual Artistry photography location workshops in the US, Canada and Iceland. Tony maintains an active speaking schedule to photography organizations, industry trade shows and PPA schools across the continental US and Canada.  Resources: http://tonysweet.com/ http://www.deborahsandidge.com/ http://ibarionex.net/thecandidframe info@thecandidframe.com

James Maher, a street, architecture, and portrait photographer from New York, discusses the impact of gentrification on culturally rich neighborhoods. He shares insights from his extensive project documenting the East Village's longtime residents and the dynamic changes in their community. The conversation dives into the art of street photography, emphasizing authentic interactions and the importance of patience. Maher also touches on the essentials of gear for street photography, sharing personal experiences and the influence of diverse photographic styles on his work.