nex·us | \ ˈnek-səs \ :  CONNECTION, LINK a connected group

"The only rule in art is there are no rules." ~ Steve Anchell

©2022 Rosemarie Heinegg

Rosemarie Heinegg, a portrait photographer who has been on numerous street photography workshops with me in Cuba and elsewhere, has begun a personal project photographing wildcat miners in Mexico.

It takes great courage to get this close and personal with people whom you don't know and create powerful images such as this one. We look forward to seeing more of Rosemarie's work, both of the miners and life in small villages, also in Mexico.

© 2022 Herb Bardavid

November 4 - 5, 2022

FIABCN, an organization promoting art through Barcelona exhibition fairs, has invited Herb Bardavid to exhibit 24 images at the Museo Maritim Barcelona Lonja San Cris.

Herb studied with me in NYC while teaching street photography for the International Center of Photography in the early '00s.

“I saw that the camera could be a weapon against poverty, against racism, against all sorts of social wrongs. I knew at that point I had to have a camera.” ~Gordon Parks

Born into poverty and segregation in Fort Scott, Kansas, in 1912, Gordon Parks became one of the great photographers of the twentieth century. Parks was a humanitarian with a deep commitment to social justice. He left behind an exceptional body of work that documents American life and culture from the early 1940s into the 2000s, with a focus on race relations, poverty, civil rights, and urban life. Parks was also a distinguished composer, author, and filmmaker who interacted with many of the leading people of his era—from politicians and artists to athletes and other celebrities.

I met Mr. Parks at a lecture he gave in Los Angeles and had the honor of briefly knowing him during the last year of his life.

Many of my longtime students have reached a point in their photography where they deserve to be recognized. Unfortunately, recognition doesn't come from doing great photographs. It comes from promoting yourself or paying someone to do it for you, whether it is a publicist like Zoë, or an agent like Paul Rosenberg was for Picasso.

Last month, I included a blog by Zoë on 9 blogging tips. This month Ms. Hiljemark has posted her own blog on Content Planning Tips to make blogging not so much of a chore.

Whether you want to make money from your photography or gain recognition for the work you do, Zoë is running a quarterly Content Planning Workshops for Photographers. The next class is Thursday, December 1. 

Content Planning Workshop

© 2022 Lisa DuBois, from Indigenous Peoples day vs Columbus day

SDN Provides a platform for photographers to display their documentary projects. Not only do you and your photography receive recognition and visibility, but the issues you care about and upload to SDN also receive attention.

Work that appears in SDN online exhibits is frequently featured in special projects such as SDN Spotlights and other on- and offline presentations and exhibitions. You will also find yourself to be part of a global community of documentary photographers who are passionate about telling important stories through photography and words.

Your online exhibit is free for the first year. Should you decide to continue, there is a nominal fee to help support SDNs ongoing efforts.

If you're reading this, Rosemarie, John, Alan, and the rest of you who know who I'm talking about – submit your work "before you dot another 'i,' Mr. Crachet."

Submit Your Work

In past issues of Nexus, I have introduced various online and in-print publications that are worthwhile for photographers.

Whimsical is a new addition to the list. It is a life-affirming magazine dedicated to the art of portraiture. Along with the excellent, high-quality images, it includes in-depth interviews with the photographers. Whimsical is cutting edge and will challenge the way you view portraiture, both your own and that of others.

I'll let Editor-in-Chief Sonia Segura speak for the magazine:

"Whimsical Magazine is a brand new independent print and digital publication, aiming to highlight portrait photography in all its forms, envisioned as a work of art.

"Passion, creativity, and emotion are our three watchwords.

"Additionally to awesome and unique editorial portraits, every issue will consist of interviews and articles spotlighting talents from every part of the world, who will inspire every photography and image enthusiast and stimulate you to excel in your art in order to make you live your passion completely."

I recommend you check it out.

Whimsical

Posting images on social media sites can be a full-time job. One of the best methods to do this and maintain your sanity is to use the program Later.

Later is a social media publishing tool for every social network. Plan, analyze, and publish content in advance to almost any platform, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. It allows you to schedule images for publication in advance. Schedule your posts, add your own content, or source relevant, on-brand UGC to publish into your own feed. And it does a lot more to help you organize and keep track of your posts.

Spend a little time once a month queuing images, and for the next month, you don't need to even think about it.

Later

Last month I reported on Shiftcam, a company devoted to making cell cameras easier to hold and operate. I then bit the bullet and purchased their ProGrip Starter Kit. So far, I am very pleased with the function, design, and quality.

The ProGrip effectively converts your cellphone into a functional camera, adding stability to your handheld images while sporting a built-in tripod mount.

If you are happy palming your cell phone, save your money. But, if like me, you find it awkward to hold the camera in one hand while fumbling to press the button on the screen with your other hand, give this 30-day returnable puppy a try.

I will be using my new iPhone 14 Pro and Shiftcam ProGrip during both Cuba workshops. I'll report back with images and a review in January.

Shiftcam

Pickpocketing, purse snatching, camera bag theft, happen all over the world. The highest incident of pickpocketing occurs in Europe. But it also occurs in New York City and Havana. Of course, you can also be pickpocketed in your hometown.

Some do's and don'ts: Don't carry more than one credit card; don't carry more money than you can afford to lose;. leave everything else in your hotel safe, including your passport (carry a copy).

I just came across a line of clothing that claims to be pickpocket-proof. I purchased one pair and was so impressed I bought three more. For those traveling with me to Cuba in December, this is what you'll see me wearing.

Clothing Arts

© 2022 Wendy Carrig

Deadline: November 18, 2022

The Julia Margaret Cameron Award is for women photographers only. Pro and non-pro photographers worldwide may enter the competition.

Sponsored by the prestigious FotoNostrum Gallery in Barcelona, the award will be juried by Guggenheim Fellow, three-time Pulitzer Prize, and Emmy award-winning photographer Barbara Davidson. Winners of the award will have their work featured in the gallery's premiere online and print magazine, FotoNostrum, along with a gallery exhibition in April 2023.

Julia Margaret Cameron Award

© 2022 Aimee McCrory

Deadline: November 15, 2022

The nude form has been portrayed in art throughout history, from the classical era to the enlightenment and the modern era. The nude figure in western art - specifically in photography - has expressed ideals of female and male beauty along with other human qualities, including life, energy, and an array of complicated human emotions.

Praxis Gallery seeks the submission of photographic works that explore the nude in any of its varied styles including: figure studies, environmental nudes, implied nudes and erotica - just to name a few of the many iterations of this genre. All genres, capture types, black & white and color, traditional and non-traditional photographic and digital post-production processes are welcome for submission.​​​

Nude Geographies

Atlixco de las Flores

Mexico City is surrounded by more than a dozen small towns designated Magical Cities by UNESCO for their architecture and history. In this workshop, we will visit four of those special towns, Coyoacan, Puebla, Cholula, and Atlixco de las Flores.

During the workshop, we will photograph each city's unique symbolic attributes, folklore, traditions, and art, and experience the warm hospitality for which the magical cities are famous.

I am currently working on a 9-day tour with our guide, Irma Gonzalez. I will try to have it on my website before leaving for Cuba later this month.

If you let me know you are interested before I depart for Cuba, I will offer you a discount on the workshop should you later decide to join. There will be no commitment on your part until you actually register for the workshop.

Magical Cities Mailing List

The Alhambra in Granada

Join me for a fantastic tour of Andalusia in Southern Spain.

Andalusia was governed sequentially by the Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Visigoths, Byzantine Empire, Umayyad Muslims, and finally retaken by King Ferdinand and Isabelle, the same two that sent Colombus across the Atlantic. The region is a melding of each culture, with Roman architecture standing side-by-side with Muslim mosques.

Andalusia is also the home of Flamenco dancing. We will visit a Flamenco school and take in at least one Flamenco show. The workshop will begin with a seafood feast on the beach in Benalmádena, located on the Costa del Sol.

I have spent a lot of time between the fabled city of Granada, the historic city of Cordoba, and the capital, Seville. I am excited about renewing my acquaintance with the culture and the rich and varied tradition of Southern Spain. As with the Magical Cities of Mexico, I am working out the details and will try to post the workshop before leaving for Cuba.

If you let me know you are interested before I depart for Cuba, I will offer you a discount on the workshop should you later decide to join. You will have no commitment until you register for the workshop.

Andalusian Triangle Mailing List

Night time in Santa Clara, Cuba. © 2022 Steve Anchell
Leica M7, 35mm f/1.4 Summicron, F4 @ 1/60, ISO 1600, Ilford HP5+

Heart of Cuba
DATES: December 2 to 11
Limited to 12 (4 spaces remaining)

Havana Nude
DATES: December 13 to 18
Limited to 6 (2 space remaining)

Havana Street
DATES: April 7 to 15, 2023
Limited to 12 (5 spaces remaining)

To avoid disappointment, don't wait to register.

© 2022 Steve Anchell
Sony a7R II, Sigma 100-400mm, f/5.6 @ 1/1600, ISO 400

DATES: May 26 to 29, 2023
Limited to 8 (4 spaces remaining)

If horses are your passion, I will teach you how to get close-up and personal, as I do in street photography.

Due to logistics, the workshop is limited to 8 participants. In the past, it has always filled. If you think you may want to participate send me an email to reserve your place.

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