Saturday, June 1, 2013

Gregory Crewdson, Fountain of Youth, Caravaggio and Baby Jesus

He seems to be the hot topic lately.  It must be the newly released  Gregory Crewdson - Brief Encounters.  This is a documentary about his large production series titled Beneath the Roses.  He will be one of the Insight Artist at Look3 along with Richard Misrach, Josef Koudelka, Susan Meiselas and Carrie Mae Weem along with others.  I've seen him mentioned in various places in the past month or so. Just recently I by passed buying his book "Sanctuary" at McKay Used Bookstore.  It was a bit of a let down compared to his Beneath the Roses series.  I haven't delved into it though.  I don't know the intension or studied the images but at first glance it was unimpressive.  Here is a review or something at Daylight.  It doesn't really say much.   This may be an indication of it success.

The moment captured in the image posted below brought up feelings of nostalgia.  The family is showing the magic of quartz rock to the youngest at Cathedral Caverns in Alabama.  I was reminded of one of the few trips we took as a family to St. Augustine Florida in 1965.  On a tour of the Fountain of Youth we were led into a cellar/planetarium. The cool, damp air and echoing whispers and this scene I saw with this family gather around the baby swelled my heart with happy memories but also my heart ached for the loss of our moment, the passage of our time.

There is a sense of something lost in Crewdson's "Beneath the Roses".  Maybe it is time; maybe it is innocence, maybe the loss of family.  Whatever it is, the series is moving,  personal and nostalgic.

Another memory that came to my mind that help move me to shoot this scene was this Caravoggio painting of Mary with Baby Jesus.  Unknowingly at 5 years old obsessively flipping pages in my mother's Artist Encyclopedias, I was getting imprinted by the Old Masters.






Monday, May 6, 2013

Cash for Gold

Ubiquitous and Mundane


I tend to overlook those things we see everywhere.  I become desensitized to my world.  If I slow down and look, really look, get present, get aware, I am struck by the beauty in the mundane.  These images seem only to interest me though.  I have always gone against the tide of popular demand or taken a 180˚ turn away from the fashion of the day.   My need is to stand apart from; my need is to be unique;  I have to feel special.  Unfortunately, it seems to be against my best interest.  Have I been living in spite of myself.




Friday, May 3, 2013

AI-AP 29 Awards and Publication

Wonderful selection of images for this years AI-AP 29.  Here is a link to my winning image where you can also view other Chosen and Selected imagery for the American Photography 29.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Veterans Day Parade


Downtown Nashville

11/11/12






Along around Lower Broad the parade marches toward the Cumberland.  The day was beautiful for a fall day; warm like only the south can be. As the Confederacy brings up the rear, I meander by the residents and workers going on about their lives. 

Monday, October 15, 2012

Tennessee Valley Authority



To a Fabulous Photo crew, Cool AD, Smooth AB, Balanced Producer, Layback Acct. Exec. and a wonderful Client!!!!

Thank you for such a fun shoot everyone and thank you Aaron Catron 
for a great day 3 location.


Jeri Singletary
Heath Beeferman
Joy Rowland

TVA
Jerry Cargile

John Francescan
Mykie Fisher

Photo Crew
Lori Phillips
Mickey Bernal
Meegan Pearson
Jonathan Powell
Holly Mendelhall

and my wonderful, supportive rep.

Holly Thompson Neumann