Wednesday, October 14, 2009

THE GROUP SHOW - THERE IS HOTNESS IN WILLIAMSBURG

The Group Show: The Best Emerging Photographers

October 16, 2009 - October 25, 2009

Exhibit Opening is 7pm - 10pm (can be viewed anytime). Please visit www.3rdward.com for studios hours of operation.

Location: Third Ward Studios, 195 Morgan Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11237, (718) 715-4961.

The show is sponsored by Rear Flag, Resource Magazine and Third Ward.

There was a photo competition sponsored by Third Ward Studios. Please check out their website for more information. The judges were: Peter van Agtmael (Magnum Photographer), Sean Fader (Fashion Institute of Technology) Amani Olu (Humble Arts Foundation) and Alexandra Niki (Resource Magazine).

Thousands of entries were submitted and this talented selection of judges picked 1 grand prize winner and 25 top photographers from entries submitted from not just the United States, but from around the world. The winners selected were:

Joshua Zucker Pluda (the grand prize winner).

Adam Abel
Jenny Anderson
Jesse Avina
Clint Baclawski
Craig Blankenhorn
Blane Bussey
Delphine Diallo
Amy Fichter
Ben Goddard
Erik Hagen
Ingrid Juliana Hernandez
Andrew Hirodo Grob
Frank Ishman
Jonathan Kambouris
Jito Lee
Dallas J. Logan (yours truly)
Chris Mackenzie
Evan Madin
Catharine Frances Maloney
Aaron McElroy
Elizabeth Raab
Jessica Rowe
Bernadette Torres
Cedric Yhuel
Joe Zorilla

I would love to post the images, but I want all of you who wish to attend to be pleasantly surprised, shocked, amazed and awe inspired (of course, next week, I will post the entries of each artist, but that will be after the exhibit opens). I wish I could say there was some central theme as to how the images were chosen. There was a wide range of selections from ethereal landscapes to road kill. The only thing we all had in common? We all produced some kind of hotness! Come through and join us. I know I will be there. I hope you will, too.

I will be updating this blog next week with everyones images.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

ORIGINALITY?

I know as I type this blog it is going to cause a lot of controversy. But it was a long time coming. I also know that I will receive a lot of backlash because of it, but you know what? I don't care. It is something that needed to be discussed.

Photography has been around for almost 200 years in that time, everything and anything that can possibly be photographed has, from spectactular sunsets to awe inspiring landscapes. A baby's face to a flowing Valentino creation. Guess what, people? Nothing in photography is truly, truly original, which is the reason for writing this blog.

Photographers go through life viewing the world with their eyes. We see things that triggers emotions inside of us that forces our creative juices to bubble and froth and produce images that we as artist think are original, beautiful and one of a kind. Then you come to find out, that no, it isn't original, it isn't one of kind, however, it is yours.

Back in July, a wonderful California model (Milan Christopher) flew into town for a few short days and I got the inevitable call of "Dallas, I'm here, let's do this!!!!!" I rose to the occassion and I thought to myself; "just what am I going to do with this young man." I thought about it and lamented and in my quest to find something to do with him, I came across an beautiful Herb Ritts photograph where Naomi Campell is wrapped in black fabric that is blowing in an invisible wind. I loved it. I thought to myself; "that's a hot idea. Let me get some fabric."

Photobucket

Photographer: Herb Ritts

I thought about Milan's beautiful dark complexion and I thought about which color would go against him. I chose red. I set up the shoot, I shot it, I was was proud of it, and I posted it. Then, the fun began.

The first comment came from a model named Mike Mizzle. He says "damn, I know that imitation is a form of flattery, but couldn't you be original?" I asked myself "where did that come from?" Then I saw his image (he was photographed similarly by Tarrice Love just two week's prior - however, it wasn't until I posted this image that I realized this). The similarities? Black male models, entombed in flowing fabric.

Photobucket
Photographer: Tarrice Love
Model: Mike Mizzel

That was where the similarities stopped. Eventually it became a barrage of nasty slinging comments from Tarrice Love supporters as well as Dallas J. Logan supporters and all I wanted to do was produce a beautiful image. Does it look like Mr. Love's image, that is for you to decide. Did I look to Mr. Love for inspiration, no. But the ruckus this image caused almost made me want to shut this whole production down (and I am glad I didn't). I wasn't going to allow myself to be bullied into altering my artistry, because someone else thought something different about it. A piece of fabric and a fan and a model is not original. I wasn't the first to do it, and neither was Mr. Love (I can guarantee you that even Ritts wasn't the first to do it, either) and neither will we be the last. But it is amazing how such a simple concept caused such nonsensical uproar.

I know one thing it did prompt me to do. A series. And because of that series, it has now been commissioned into an exhibit. Adversity is the building blocks of strength.

Go figure.

Model: Milan Christopher

I See Red, People

Model:  Milan Christopher

Model: Milan Christopher - I See Red People

Model: Milan Christopher - I See Red People


Model: Paulo Pascoal

Model:  Paulo Pascoal

Model:  Paulo Pascoal - The Blue Series

Model:  Paulo Pascoal - The Blue Series

Model:  Paulo Pascoal - The Blue Series


Model: Rumando Kelley

Model:  Rumando Kelley - The Orange Phoenix

Model:  Rumando Kelley - The Orange Phoenix

Model:  Rumando Kelley - The Orange Phoenix

Model:  Rumando Kelley - The Orange Phoenix



There will be more to come.

UPDATE TIME - IN THE LIFE OF DALLAS J. LOGAN

Oh God...

Oh God, oh God, oh God. I don't want to even look at the date of my last posting. If I do, I think I will throw up. I've been getting tons of Facebook messages, twitters, emails, textes (is that a word?) asking me when will I be doing another entry into my Blog. There are so many things going on in my life that I had to take a step back and regroup. This particular blog will just be a synopsis of to bring you up to date with the good, the bad and the ugly going ons in the life of Dallas J. Logan.

Let's see. I shot a jewelry campaign for a wonderful designer called Adha Zelma (look for the upcoming blog entry)

I had an entry selected in a photo competition for up and coming U.S. photographers and it will be on exhibit shortly (thank you, Bintou - look for the upcoming blog entry)

I've been commissioned by a museum in Amsterdam to shoot a series of artistic male work (and I will discuss the drama that unfolded behind that one).

I've been accused of stealing an photo concept, which incidentally turned into the exhibition that will be done for Amsterdam.

I photographed a wonderful fitness organization "Get Focused" (be on the look out for that entry).

I've shot some amazing magazine editorials with the team of Nick Smith and Adrian Adams also known as ArtandExile (be on the look out for that entry).

Created some amazing hotness with designer/stylist Robert Durant (he will be getting entry shortly).

And, lastly, my beloved camera (my Canon 5DMarkII) was unceremoniously stolen from my locker at Third Ward Studios in Brooklyn and I am not allowed to talk about it, because of legal proceedings that are forthcoming. I have a new one and I am back in business, but it was a devastating situation.

And of course, a bunch of new faces along the way... I will make sure you get to see them as well.
So you see people, between the death of Michael Jackson (RIP), and New York's Fashion Week, a lot has been going on and I stayed under the radar, however, I've still been shooting and producing hotness.

As you can see, I have my work cut out for me. So let me get started.

Dallas