WAH Zine

One of my favourite photographers, Shawn Mortensen died in April this year. He was only 43 years old. It makes me sad to think that I will not have the privilege of seeing another of his striking photographs for the first time. Though you may not necessarily be familiar with his name, any fan of Hip Hop and its imagery will have come across Mortensen’s work. His iconic pictures of Tupac, the Notorious B.I.G, Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Wu-Tang and Boo Ya Tribe have dominated many magazines. His Tupac pictures were extremely provocative and became probably the most recognisable photographs of the rapper. At the tender age of twelve I had a poster of Tupac looking down from my bedroom wall - middle finger up, blunt in hand, and Glock down trousers. Though it meant little to me at that age, this was my first introduction to Mortensen’s work. Many of his photos appeared in The Source Magazine, of which I was an avid reader so throughout my teenage years I discovered more pictures, still unaware of the man behind them. Another iconic 2Pac image shot by Mortensen is the one that appeared on the cover of Vibe in 1994 asking ‘Is Tupac crazy?’ The rapper was shown in a straightjacket looking back at the camera with a calm but dismayed expression. When the picture was taken, over a year before, 2Pac was not quite the star he was to become, known more for his appearance on Same Song by Digital Underground than his solo work. Mortensen spotted him in an alley in LA and ran up to him clutching a straightjacket he had found in a flea market a week before. The two had met before when Mortensen was shooting for The Source and he easily persuaded Tupac to pose in the jacket. Mortensen offered the image to The Source as a cover shot, but they found it too controversial. The picture was then offered to Vibe who placed it on the cover and sold a record number of issues. As well as music photography, Mortensen has had a lengthy career in fashion photography. His book, Out Of Mind features many beautiful catwalk shots of Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell. Meanwhile his editorial work has been featured in iD and Vogue. To balance the superficialities of fashion, Mortensen would often disappear to some corner of the world and record social events. One of his largest projects involved the Zapatista revolution in Mexico, which will apparently become a book. The documentary photos he has taken are just as memorable as his portraiture. But most admirable was his free spirit, which caused him to flee the catwalks of Paris and instead photograph violent gangs in the slums of Kingston, JA; a man after my own heart. As sad a loss as this is, it’s good to know that Mortensen lived life to the fullest. In an interview with Dazed & Confused a few years before he died he said, “whenever I try to make art, I make it as if it’s my last, because you just never know in this life, you could be hit by a bus or something”. Following, his sudden death, I’m sure he appreciates the fact he lived his life to the fullest, something we should all learn from. Out Of Mind by Shawn Mortensen is available from all good bookshops. All images from Out Of Mind. SHAWN MORTENSEN - 1965 - 2009 http://www.shawnmortensen.org/ WORDS BY LILY MERCER.

Feb 20

SHAWN MORTENSEN R.I.P

Feb 28

ELLEN VON UNWERTH

Ellen Von Unwerth, one of fashions most celebrated photographers is responsible for some of the most striking celebrity portraits around. With a tendency to photograph women rather than men, she has stated in the past that women are “not just there to be admired, they are there to be enjoyed”. Her new book, Fräulein definitely supports this statement with over 1000 images celebrating the sexiest female icons of our era. Included in the book are Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss, Vanessa Paradis, Britney Spears, Eva Mendes, Lindsay Lohan, Dita von Teese, Adriana Lima, Carla Bruni, Eva Green, Christina Aguilera and Monica Bellucci among others. As the tag line suggests, definitely not your Girls-Next-Door.

The literal translation of Fräulein is ‘little woman’ and though these women are clearly not little, the images feature them playing a role; there’s Claudia Schiffer cuddling up to her teddy bear provocatively and the group of girls eating peaches with their knickers on show. The book has been described as ‘Fashion and fetish in a female fantasyland’, a very true statement. Though Von Unwerth’s photographs appear to sexualise women, they are in no way demeaning to women. The sexual desires they portray are more feminine than masculine, and men very rarely appear in her pictures. In fact, the only position for men to take in these images is that of the voyeur. The majority of Von Unwerth’s pictures display extremely private moments in which the photographer has caught the subject by surprise. In many of the pictures, none of the models are looking at the camera and if they are it is as if they only realised they were being watched as the shutter clicked.

What makes Von Unwerth stand out from other photographers is the cinematic quality of her images. No matter which photograph you see, it is always possible to imagine a movie playing around this one still image. The pictures tell such a story that the narrative appears to continue, but that one scene is burned into your mind. This is a skill that very few photographers could claim to have, as it involves an amazing imagination and perfect execution. Part of Von Unwerth’s skill as a photographer may be due to her former career as a supermodel. It’s possible that she relaxes her models and helps them enter the fantasy world she has placed them. Whatever it is, Von Unwerth has the ability to create beautiful images of powerful women.

The book, Fräulein is limited to 1,500 copies signed by Von Unwerth.

LILY MERCER

Mar 5

DEANNA TEMPLETON

Mar 7

THE MADONNA NUDES

You’d be pretty pissed if you posed nude for a picture in 1979 for $30 and said photo sold 30 years later for thousands wouldntcha?! Well maybe not if you’re Madonna and a gazillionaire already! When she was still a dancer and unknown to anyone except club kids, Madonna sat for a series of nudes which appeared in Playboy a few years later. To honour the 30th anniversary of these photos, they’ve been republished for your viewing pleasure…

Mar 7

MARC JACOBS ADVERTISING 1998-2009

For more than 10 years Marc Jacobs has collaborated with German photographer Juergen Teller in his advertising campaigns creating an aesthetic that has become unforgettable and inextricably linked with the brand. The ads began when Jacobs suggested to Teller to photograph his friend Sofia Coppola in Central Park in the snow and from there it has become a veritable who’s who in the world of fashion, art, film and design.

Now, from the publishers Steidl, we can view the entire back catalogue of the campaigns in this heavyweight book, with each ad printed in the exact size of the magazine it was originally published, reminiscent of Helmut Newton’s book, Pages From Glossies. The iconic advertising campaigns combine Teller’s unique style of photography capturing the friends and family from Jacobs’ world and places them in intimate settings using absurdity and humour to playfully sell the Marc Jacobs’ brand. This book is definitely one for the collection, to come back to again and again.

Mar 7

SUPER SNAPPERS

With some sun officially here, there are gonna be a lot of lazy days that you’re going to want to capture with a camera. These days everyone’s a photographer with our disposables and Polaroids, its so much fun and so easy to take great pictures. Here are our top picks of some other quick snappers that make top pics…

THE YASHICA T4 (OR T5)

This camera has quite a rep, its pretty much become the darling of trendy photography with an accompanying nickname as ‘the Terry Richardson camera’ obviously for the reason that it is the main camera that he shoots with. It has been used for years as a staple in the fashion and skate photography. It is a great point and shoot because it has a strong flash, an excellent Carl Zeiss lens that can focus well(though you do have to get to know it) and it is extremely easy to use. It is light and great for whipping out to catch off the cuff moments. If you have a good eye and a little patience it can make the most vibrant and exciting pictures that are possible without really knowing much about how to use a camera. It isn;t the cheapest camera but it is a real investment, one with a huge cult following.

POLAROID 1200, SPECTRA OR IMAGE

When you buy a Polaroid camera from the high street (if you can actually still find them there) you are most likely buying a Poloroid that takes 600 film such as a One step. Now days, seeing as its sadly all over for the Polaroid and its all officially out of production, getting hold of 1200 film isn’t that much harder than standard 600 and can have quite a different look. The camera that takes it is different and fits other film which is wider- not square, rectangular and therefore more panoramic. If you buy out of date film on the internet, its colour spectrum is interesting and though sometimes it doesn’t work at all, sometimes the film is full of rich autumnal tones that create a cool seventies look to them. Fresher 1200 film is bright and sharp and definitely worth a go. As well as ebay, a great place to pic up Polaroid paraphenalia is Polapremium who at the moment are selling so very special, ‘Wild Sides’ film, pictured below.

THE HOLGA

The Holga is a basically a toy camera, made of plastic, taped together, this a pinhole camera for the mass market. It is a beautiful toy though and one that has the ability to produce some amazing photography. Originally designed in Hong Kong in the early 80s, the idea behind it was to provide people who could not usually afford medium format cameras access to the format. It is not the easiest camera to use but it is a camera which one can really experiment with and challenge oneself. It is an unpredictable and exciting camera to use. It produces bright and interesting square pictures. Another great benefit it is readily available on the high street for an affordable price. Get your hands on one and surprise yourself with what you come up with!

FUJI INSTAX MINI

The Fuji Instax Mini is a party camera. It is an instant camera that makes mini pictures that are so much fun. Unlike Polaroid, Fujifilm is still producing the film and it is very easy to get hold of on ebay and a lot cheaper than the aforementioned other brand. As are the cameras. This is a great camera to have around to take little snaps and you can buy film with funny colourful borders. There is a wide format version, just known as the Instax, that takes larger pictures that are also pretty cool. If you are looking for a cheap instant camera, this is the only one you’re going to find.

Look out for all the cameras on ebay!

Mar 22

SARA SHAMSAVARI

Street photography is anyone’s game. The masses of ‘street fashion’ style blogs saturating the internet have stereotyped the genre in itself, creating a world map of similarity on the street. Homogeny brings nothing new to the table, but photographer Sara Shamsavari takes a different approach entirely.

Dedicated to celebrating every-day life and every-day people, Sara has built up a portfolio of images that represent a microcosm of London life. Including everyone from street protesters to teenage girls, fathers and daughters and everyone in between, she presents a London free from Photoshop - raw, but not without beauty. She manages to capture this beauty of inner-city living by slowing the daily grind to a series of shared moments with passers by. Like an unexpected smile on a bad day, Sara’s work is instinctive and completely connected to her surroundings.

After being discovered by i-D magazine straight after her graduate show at Camberwell College of the Arts, earning her instant recognition, she has been featured in publications everywhere from Graphotism to Let them Eat Cake and the Big Issue. But not everything has come easy. Sara moved to the UK from Iran with her family at the age of two, escaping a war but enduring a battle with childhood cancer at Great Ormond St Hospital. This challenging start is far from evident when first meeting Sara - exuding positivity through every pore, it has done nothing to affect her outlook on life.

The element of hope in her images is one of the most defining points of Sara’s work and this sense of positivity extends to her future plans. With the focus shifting from money to creativity, we are in an exciting time for the arts. Sara sees artists as leaders for social change. So what are the issues on her agenda? Sticking to her ethos that everyone is an individual and deserves to be celebrated, she wants to represent the unrepresented and change the face of fashion imagery. Girls who don’t see similar reflections in the pages of magazines have a place in Sara’s work, and she isn’t afraid to promote this vision.

You started off by studying graphic design at Camberwell. What inspired your focus on photography?
The degree at Camberwell gave me the freedom to experiment with many different mediums, painting, drawing, photography-it was non-restrictive. Photography gave me the opportunity to connect with other people and create art, fast. I also didn’t feel I could communicate as effectively verbally.

You specialise in portraiture. What inspires you about the street?
When I started I felt that there were images, scenes and people who I’d see in my everyday life but who I never saw in magazines or on billboards, an unconventional and uncelebrated beauty that I wished to share with the world. I also was aware that there was a need for people who had somehow been marginalized, to be elevated, to see their own beauty- taking photographs allowed me to do this. Outdoor photography is amazing and challenging, as you never know what you are going to get, weather-wise or subject wise, you are forced to adapt under pressure that is a skill I think we should all learn to develop.

There is a raw element to your work that is refreshing in amongst the masses of over-edited, airbrushed images seen in women’s magazines. Why do you think they strive for homogeneity, when it certainly isn’t fully representative of our culture?
We are living in a society where most people think if they fit in to a certain ”box” their life would be better or easier. While fantasy has it’s place and aspiration is a great thing, we all must love ourselves first. Each one of us posesses qualities like no other and diversity ultimately leads to greater understanding and cohesion. This world was made for all of us and not enough people in positions of power embrace this concept , even if it it something they understand , few are brave enough to break the rules.

Your work focuses around capturing the untold – people who are misrepresented, such as the men in your “Fathers, Brothers and Sons” exhibition last October, to the individuals in your “Beauty Untold” exhibition in Topshop in December. Has your history has any influence on this focus?
As an immigrant child growing up in the UK I definitely experienced exclusion and xenophobia. In contrast to this I was raised within a family who introduced me to humanitarian ideals, which I explored and adopted. My experience and consciousness of pain and suffering through ignorance coupled with humanistic ideals is a great driver for the subjects of my shows.

How did you get your break into the industry?
I was blessed with having my work picked up by I-D magazine, straight out of Camberwell, many opportunities came my way after this, although I wasn’t that prepared for most of them, it took a lot of hard work and learning from mistakes. Getting a break is all good but you’ve got to be ready.

Being a young female photographer, has it been challenging to establish yourself?
It has indeed been challenging, there are people who try to belittle your achievements and capabilities. Even within the more female dominated sectors of the cultural industries there are more men in positions of prestige than women, let alone women of minority backgrounds. However it is important not to focus on this or allow it to have a detrimental effect on ones self-image, look at all the great women who have achieved success in almost every field.

Do you think it is necessary to have expensive photographic equipment to succeed?
No way, its not about the equipment its about the person behind the equipment. In the case of fashion photographers, a lot of them carry medium or large format cameras but they may also carry disposables. Creativity is often amplified by a lack of expensive equipment.

You became in contact with your favorite photographer, Jamel Shabbazz, through email. Does meeting your idols live up to the hype?
It was truly amazing meeting Jamel and I am so grateful for his friendship. He has opened doors for me, introduced me to new friends and new ways of seeing and doing things. Gaining recognition and encouragement from one of my heroes has given me great motivation.

What other photographers do you admire?
I love documentarians such as Susan Meiseilas, Nan Goldin, Henry Cartier Bresson and Steve McCurry but am also inspired by the varied creative visions of fashion photographers such as Cecil Beaton, Irving Penn and Ellen Von Unwerth. Great photographers are all around us.

Your photography focuses around positivity. Does this reflect your life’s outlook?
Most definitely, looking at the life I have lived, without this I don’t think I’d be here.

What messages do you want to promote with your work?
I hope to encourage people towards the message of Love, acceptance of difference, inclusivity and positive change in the world.

You traveled to New York last year to photograph during the time of Obama’s election. How did it feel to capture this monumental moment in time?
It was awesome and I was blessed to have been afforded the opportunity to be in one of the world’s most diverse cities at such a monumental time in history. It was euphoric and the day after I managed to capture peoples joy and anticipation of change.

Do you think the uncertainty in society today, given the economic climate, will inspire creativity?
I think it is an exciting time right now where people will focus on what’s truly important, creativity will flourish and some of the worlds most important messages will be heard.

What are you working on at the moment?
From November 23rd I have work mounted on some hoardings that surround the mosque on the corner of fournier street and brick lane. The work was commissioned by CIDA and will feature as the only photography installation alongside 17 other participating artists until February 2010. Aside from this I have some exciting collaborations planned for 2010 including one with Art Below. I cant say too much more but watch this space!

And what are your plans for the future?
There are so many projects in the pipeline and I cant give away too much but I will be bringing my gifts as a musical artist to the forefront in the months to come.

Any words of advice for young female photographers?
Women have the sensitivity and intuition to open the eyes of the world to what is really important today. Become masterful at your skill and consider the message that you are putting out in to the world. Find a mentor who encourages your growth and independence.

RACHEL MILES

Jun 8

Lise Sarfati is one our fave photographers in the realm of contemporary art photography, managing to capture the theme of teens and youth perfectly.

I remember first coming across her at the Photographers gallery in 2005, where her exhibition ‘The American Series,’ was showing, she only had a few small prints, but they were all amazing, girls dressing up in wigs, with over the top make-up, all disguising themselves. I immediately went home and looked her up, she was relatively unknown back then and there wasn’t too much info about her, apart from some photographs she had done in 2000, documenting post-soviet decay, ( in her book Acta East.) Nowadays she a very successful photographer, treading the line of art and fashion. She says of the appeal of her photograhs : “Perhaps adolescence is the only true time of life.”

Two more Wah faves, Rineke Dijkstra and Hellen van Meene are also worth checking out for their portraits of teens worldwide…

Jun 9

‘THE ONLY LINK BETWEEN ANDY WARHOL AND J-LO,’

The brash, glamorous and highly saturated aesthetic of the photos above has become synonymous with David La Chapelle’s photographic style. His new book ‘LaChapelle Heaven to Hell,’ is the third instalment in a trilogy of books documenting the photographers infamous works. (The others ‘La Chapelle Land’ and ’Hotel LaChapelle,’ are well worth a look too.) With muses ranging from Britney Spears to famous transexual Amanda Lepore, LaChapelle’s tongue-in-cheek style reflects and subverts our celebrity obsessed culture, nothing is ever taken too seriously. His focus is never soley on the icon of the moment, (it’s hard to imagine him being interested in photographing Cheryl Cole ) and instead he makes his own icons using biblical iconography with a pornographic spotlight.

While his themes range from the sublime to the ridiculous, juxtaposing apocalyptic themes with backdrops of over the top baroque glamour, the pictures of extremes call into question pop culture’s current preoccupation with glamour and excess, shedding light on the less savourable aspects of the high fashion and celebrity world.

His photography has graced the pages of some of the best magazines creating surreal editorial that evokes a kind of hyper reality. Though he’s moved on from fashion editorial, claiming he had ‘nothing left to say in the arena of fashion,’ he’s still working, making films (like 2006’s ‘Rize,’ which document South Central LA’s infamous Krumping dancers,) and keeping a foot in the world of contemporary art photography.

Taschen, the publishers of this book call it a ‘must have for anyone interested in contemporary photography.’

CHARLOTTE ROBERTS

Jun 10

Since the birth of celebrity during the 20th century there has been debate about the relationship between the public and private sphere these celebrities encompass. Celebrities feed off adoration from the public, need to be in the public eye and build a reputation for themselves through iconic imagery. The public too, have always seemed to have a large appetite for celebrity photography, devouring paparazzi pictures and candid shots of their favourite stars. The questions still remain the same though, how much are we allowed to know? Where have the boundaries been set with regard to personal space and a private life? And in the UK, the most surveyed country in the world, what do we think about this constant invasion of privacy and surveillance? When even polticians are becoming celebrities, and vise versa, how much are we allowed to have access too?

The new exhibition at the Tate Modern explores this fascination with voyeurism: ‘Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera’ runs till the 3rd October, so there’s plenty of time to catch it. The exhibition focuses on the ‘unseen photographer,’ (nice word for a paparazzo eh?) and has images from Paris Hilton on her way to prison to the assassination of JFK. The exhibit seems all the more poignant given the current climate of concerns about CCTV, privacy laws, and the possibility of ID cards. A summer exhibition must.

Aug 11

UP: CARL BOWER

Bower’s Chica Barbie project is one of the best I have seen in a long time. His documentation of beauty pageants in Colombia show the contrast of the ‘glamour,’ of the pageant world against a backdrop of crime and deprivation. Annually, there are over 400 pageants a year and the contests have become a national obsession, coverage of the contestants reaches an all time high come peak season, with the best girls competing for the most media exposure.

Though I’m not the biggest fan of beauty pageants,( promoting a feminine ideal to a large audience,)but Bower manages to capture the nuances and behind the scene tensions perfectly and this truly is documentary photography at it’s best.

The way the girls seem to have an ease and a pride about their bodies, and as cheesy as it sounds, a kind of camaraderie , (Bower himself said of the Colombians ‘they are astonishingly optimistic … the contests provide a unifying thread.’ In a world where coverage of Colombia consists almost solely of drug related crimes and deaths, this view of Colombian community is a welcome change.

Aug 11

DOWN: TERRY RICHARDSON.

This feeling has been with the Wah Girls for some time, as Richardson and his hipster porn aesthetic sees no sign of waning, (despite American Apparell’s looming bankcrupcy, also a mainstream advocate of the same aesthetic). As much as I’m a sucker for some image blogging porn, (hipsterporn, fffound etc), I’m getting soooooo tired of the standard arty girl boob shot - nonchalant stance, boobs exposed, dressed in one of the following: american apparell socks and trainers/menswear/studded leather jacket, shot in Richardson’s hi-flash/white background style.

BORED ALREADY….. But despite Richardson’s brush with controversy last year when he was accused of taking advantage of his models, he continues to work with some of the best fashion mags in the business, a former model turned filmmaker Rei Rassuman, who started the claim, says of the photographer: “He takes girls who are young, manipulates them to take their clothes off and takes pictures of them they will be ashamed of. His ‘look’ is girls who appear underage, abused, look like heroin addicts… I don’t understand how anyone works with him.” Nuff said. Whaaddyouthink of Richardson??