© Catherine Vaughan
Visit The Wignacourt Museum in Rabat, Malta to view in person these majestic pieces of art. It is only Eur5.00. A plethora of paintings of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saints and Popes to be found. To view more photos in the Wignacourt’s collection visit the Artsy Jolie Girl Facebook Fanpage for a fuller view of paintings on display:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.823806464335027.1073741838.688788224503519&type=3
© Catherine Vaughan
Here are the highlights of Steve McCurry’s talk with Tim Marlow at Hay Festival 2015
1. Don’t ask for permission to take photos of strangers.
Interestingly McCurry is firm in his belief over the precedence of capturing a shot over the hesitation of appropriateness. For example as McCurry’s photography usually is taken in challenging climates for example war zones or during a human struggle like health. Unless there is an express rejection (i.e. a distressed shaking of the head, a hand gesturing the camera away or someone actively asserting no photos to be taken) then Steve McCurry will take a photo of the individual or persons regardless of the state they are in distressed or otherwise. Of course this raises ethical concerns and a fine balance of permission, respect must unite with the Photographer’s prerogative and aim of capturing raw, graphic truth onto physical image. Also it is impossible in a war zone! Notably the Magnum Photographer mentioned how the medium of street photography does not typically request permission to photograph, such requests are tricky given the masses of people potentially present at say a festival being shot and it an awareness of being filmed understandably changes the subject’s behaviour due to the awareness of being seen etc.
2. On the flipside for one-on-one photographs ask permission.
A classic example would be when Sharbat Gula a.k.a ‘The Afghan Girl’ 1984 shot was reunited with the famed photographer in 2002 for a second portrait of her.
3. “Extensively, compulsively and obsessively,” reiterated by Tim Marlow on how determinedly dedicated a photographer must be to retain his body of work. McCurry also asserts that “my camera is my notebook.” Thereby photos taken on a camera are not jut for the portfolio but a means of generating ideas and capturing inspiring moments for future projects.
4. Never take Beautiful photos.
Or rather don’t aim to take conventionally pretty shots. Beauty is never the prime focus of this world famous photographer.
5. Photography is your Life.
McCurry is so dedicated, obsessed and in love with this medium that he is never really not photographing even when on restful holidays he feels compelled to use his camera!
Beyoncé’s photoshoot for GQ magazine shot by Terry Richardson encapsulates everything about the post-noughties era we are in. Let’s start with that hairstyle.
The extremely highly placed bun a.k.a. The Basic Bitch Bun. Still worn with wildfire vigor by “extra regular girls.” The setting of a minimalist interior echoes the growing surge in simple-living. Throwback continues to be the word du jour and that is made manifest by the Warhol-esque image of Beyoncé on the wall behind her asserts all that Andy stood for: fame, making the ordinary extraordinary and embracing the All-American. The entire photograph itself reflects just that with irony thrown in for good measure.
Why is one of the most extraordinary woman on the planet having her her up in the “extra regular girl” style? The newspaper she holds is angled to show the word “sanity” and one can assume the folded prefix part prints the letters “i” and “n”. An All-American baseball sports sweatshirt lies on the couch with her. Her glasses perhaps represent the thriving pseudo-intellectualism rife on the internet or she’s copying Terry’s signature look.
Having always thought Richardson’s aesthetic was always the same, like his photos could be viewed as having been taken on the same roll of film even if the photos are decades apart. Today I notice the subtle shifts in his work. When you look closely his images really do tell you how new or old the shot date was. Terry Richardson has done an excellent job of capturing the post-noughties zeitgeist and as always we will appreciate it more years after seeing the photo.
I love this old shot of Britney from waaaay back in 2002 by Mark Liddell. It’s fast-paced yet calming at the same time. I want to recreate an image like this someday…
It is perfection.
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