Elisa Haber presents "Twins"

Twins. The closest bond between any two, three or four or....human beings. An article written in The New York Times in 2010, 10 years after the Twin Towers fell, sadly sparked my interest in twins. The article talked about how of the 2,976 people who died, 43 became twin less. Twins talked about losing their mates and how their recovery was what theybelieved more painful than others who had lost a loved one. In a few situations, the widowed husband or wife ended up marrying the twin, which helped them both heal in the grieving process.

I discovered through another set of twins I had previously photographed, that they attended a twin’s event in Twinsburg, Ohio. I set out in the summer of 2016 to photograph twins from all over the world, from every background, social and economic walk of life. Having spent time with the twins you cannot help but witness the undeniable closeness, in this instance identical twins.

 

 They literally followed each other sentences, laughed the same, but it was much more than this, you felt the love and bond in immense proportions, more so then just your average sibling relationship. Many of these twins didn’t live in great distance of each other, and if they did they were connected every day via phone or writing.  Having a connection with people who I photograph is the core to my photography. I hope to convey this with my series onTwins, which I will continue to photograph in the coming year.

To see more of Elisa's photography,  http://haberphoto.com/

Steve Englemann presents "Man Akin"

The inhumanity of humanity. For thousands of years, humans have altered the natural landscape to make the planet more comfortable for civilization. The scale of these changes has increased exponentially. Rivers have been engineered, mountains tops have been removed, the atmosphere has been altered. The world population exceeding 7 billion is a testament to the success of our efforts.

Ironically, the long-term impact on ecosystem services such as water purification, soil development and food production have rendered the planet less hospitable for the continued growth of future generations. The chemistry of the oceans and atmosphere has changed, sea levels are rising, and forests continue to fall to agriculture and urban sprawl. How will we fair in an increasingly unpredictable climate?

Having taught environmental science for almost three decades, it is difficult not to feel overwhelmed by the growing number of stressors on our environment. While trying to stay hopeful, a more serious conversation is necessary. Man Akin is a visual exploration of the hand of humankind. The series is being offered as a point of contemplation. The survival of the planet is not at question. The question is humanity.

To see more of Steve's work http://steveengelmannphotography.com/

Beth Dubber presents "Persona"

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I am fascinated by people who spend their time, money, energy and lives in pursuit of being a someone else-someone heightened by costume, make-up and gesture, someone willing to make a fool of themselves and become a clown. 

Many images of clowns have been of sad, scary, or evil clowns. This was in direct opposition to all of the clowns I had met. These people were vibrant, excitable, happy, loved taking a skit to the fullest extent. With my project, Persona, I intend to show a range of contemporary clowns combined with audio interviews, to give the viewer insight into this surreal world. 

On the subject of clowns, Marcel Marceau once said, “The most important thing is your face, you have to have a good face. It does not have to be a beautiful face, but it has to be an expressive face. And you have to let your face do the thinking”. Upon reading this, I knew I wanted to photograph only the face of a persona. I hope to capture the essence in the face and eyes, as Marceau describes.

For more of Beth's work, please go to  http://bethdubber.com/

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Sally Ann Field presents "Punch Bug"

As a child, the Volkswagen Beetle represented more that an unusually shaped car. It was the genesis of a backseat car game where my siblings and I would punch each other on the arm upon first sight of a Volkswagen Beetle while shouting out “Punch Bug!” in reference to the Beetle’s nickname, the Bug. My love affair continued throughout my teens and in 1984, a gently loved white ‘74 Bug became my first set of wheels.

It’s been many decades since I’ve owned a Beetle, but every single time I see a classic Bug on the road my heart skips a beat. 

With my series, Punch Bug, I decided to pay tribute to these round relics with environmental portraits captured on road trips across the U.S. Just like when I was a child, this photographic project has become a fun game and is all about the thrill of the hunt. These days when I shout out “Punch Bug!” I have no time to punch because I’m too busy reaching for my camera.

To see more of Sally's work click http://www.sallyannfield.com/

Charley Star presents "The Liminal Summer

Off the coast of North Carolina is a small island my family has been going to for four generations. It is where I feel most rooted and has become an iconic symbol of my childhood, and synonymous with summertime for our family.

The Liminal Summer imagines a world unhinged from the realities of space and time—it plays in the borders of a metaphysical dreamscape. I wanted to explore the idea of childhood being a liminal state where the veil between the spirit and natural worlds are lifted, in communion with one another.

In some ways, it’s about the possibility that there is more to this physical world than meets the eye, and that perhaps on the other side of some invisible threshold, there is a liminal space where all is possible. But mostly? Mostly, it has become my love letter to my children.

This is the world I wish they – and I – could live in. This is The Liminal Summer.

To see more work by Charley Star, please go to http://www.charleystar.com/

Victor Ramos presents "In the Future"

This instant, that you are reading these words, has been In the Future since the beginning of time. Now the moment has past, and will be in history for the rest of eternity. Our consciousness passes through much too quickly.

This series is nominally humorous speculations about what may happen In the Future, but is really about how humanities ideas, beliefs and philosophies affect individual and collective behavior. I find it so interesting that ideas, something that has no physical existence, indeed barely exists at all, drives all of humanities endeavors, for good or ill. Will humanity construct a utopia? A dystopia? How could it tell?

As Yogi Berra said: “It’s hard to make predictions, especially about the future”

More from Victor Ramos https://www.facebook.com/VIctorMRamosPhotography/

Shari Yantra Marcacci presents

"The Journey"

Infertility is not something people talk about. It is mostly kept secret to protect oneself from getting hurt. I certainly didn't talk about it, until now.

After a period of trying and failure, I felt the need to express my sorrow and pain through photographs. I needed to give voice to our struggle in order to survive the emotions of loss and wanting. I needed this experience to be seen, to be heard and to be understood.

In the process of interpreting our journey, I came to the powerful realization: our child was giving us the time to find ourselves. This path made us realize who we really are and what we want for the future. It made us conquer our fears and old traumas. It made us grow beyond the idea that a child would complete us.

Some say that children choose their parents and if that is true, we have been given the gift of time and self-knowledge. After over three years of silence I have decided to reveal the secret with my very personal series The Journey. My hope is to bring infertility out of the shadows and begin a conversation.

To see more of Shari Yantra's photography, http://www.shariyantra.com/

Tom Szabadi presents "A Different View"

As an 8 year old in New York City, I would travel on the subways to visit my parents' small store. I would rarely talk to anyone, just kept my eyes open and saw all that came before me. I never realized it then, but I was taking photographs without a camera. I found beauty in abandoned items.

As an adult and a street photographer, I am drawn to fleeting moments in time. Sometimes those moments involve interest in beauty where you least expect it; of stories told in abandoned and discarded items where the symmetry of geometry and reality ring true.

The series, "A Different View", attempts to celebrate those mundane cityscapes we pass by every day. What do they say about us, about our city, about the people who were there before they became elusive?

For more photography from Tom, please go to https://www.facebook.com/TomSzabadiImages/

Deidre Fennie presents “Snowbird”

My project, Snowbird, was created at my husband's favorite nudist colony. The fact that he was a nudist wasn't exactly a secret; he just didn't tell anyone. It was a reprieve from the daily stresses of life, and was a favorite place of his to visit for over 30 years. I would often accompany him and began a series of photographs capturing the community who had all come to their natural states for a wide variety of reasons.

My husband passed away a year ago after a long struggle with Parkinson's disease. In his absence, I went back and revisited our trailer, and the life we once had. Overcome by a range of emotion, I struggled to feel part of the community my husband so identified with. In continuing this series, I feel a new connection to a way of life that brought him so much happiness. 

Dedicated to Jack "Pete" Fennie With all my love

More of Deidre Fennie’s work can be found at http://www.deidrephotos.com/

Paula Riff presents,

“What’s love got to do with it?”

I believe in love but it comes and goes. Like the falling of leaves, love often falls gently to the ground; at least that’s my experience. Marbling paper is also like love; you never really know what the pattern will look like, nor what the outcome will be.

There is a serendipitous moment as inks float on water to make a design that changes with the touch of a strand of hair or a gentle blowing. There is also something visceral about coating paper and making photograms in the sun. It is a Zen-like experience where breathing and timing is everything.

There is no going back and no changing the outcome. This project explores the range of emotions and ups and downs of relationships. Both processes of marbling and making photograms have elements of surprise and chance, very much like falling in and out of love. So love has everything to do with it.

For more work from Paula please go to http://paulariffphotography.virb.com/

Amy Kanka Valadarsky Presents “Between Here and Now”

Between Here and Then poses questions about our identity as human beings and the interplay of genetics, circumstances and free will in making us what we are. When I started Between Here and Then I wanted to preserve and honor the memory of the people and the way of life I was born into. Beyond the emotional impact of the old photographs, I discovered a desire to use the historical framework to question what makes me the person I am today.

Appropriating old family photographs, the choice of the Holga lens and the black and white palette of the landscapes and self-portraits, are a respectful nod to the past. The puzzle metaphor provided a visual way of making absences present, hinting at internal cracks and conveying the message that any single picture, as complete as it may seem, tells only a fraction of the story.

Like memory, each one of these images is a place where different times coexist. A collage of old and new, exploring the notion of “self”. A puzzle of nature, nurture, and free will, where we are both the pieces and the puzzle solver.

To see more of Amy's work please go here http://www.amykankaphotography.com/