Shadow & Light is a list of curated photography stories, features, techniques, news and inspiration that I’ve come across this month.
This month we look at a beautiful series of portraits capturing motherhood during the pandemic and shoot with a 145 year old lens. We see how the Kodak Brownie made photography accessible and delve into the stunning cinematic photography of photographer Liam Wong.
So, with no further ado, I give you this month’s Shadow & Light Monthly. Go grab yourself a cuppa and enjoy this month’s selections below. Please let me know in the comments what you think.
Pick of the month – ‘Behind Glass’ portraits capturing the experience of motherhood during the pandemic
Lens Culture have a wonderful interview with photographer Lisa Sorgini. Sorgini started making photographs of mothers almost five years ago, the same year she became a mother for the first time, while losing her own. Behind the Glass emerged as a way to communicate the sensual complexity of mother and child within the confinement of pandemic lockdowns.
“Making images of this time became therapeutic—a way to process my unrecognizable new life, as I so often felt like I was outside of my own body, and the things happening around me felt like they were happening to someone else.”
You can read the full interview, and see more of Sorgini’s beautiful work over on Lens Culture.
Additional reads
Shooting with a 145 year old Dallmeyer 3B Petzval lens
Over on PetaPixel, you can read about how photographer Markus Hofstaetter has been looking for what he calls his “dream lens” for some time, visiting flea markets and using his contacts to try and locate the Dallmeyer 3B Petzval lens, circa 1876. Thanks to one of his friends, he finally found one in shockingly-good condition.
You can read more on PetPixel, or let Markus show you himself in the video below.
How the affordable Kodak Brownie camera made photography accessible
The start of the 20th century marked the advent of popular personal photography. Previously, commercial photography studios were the only ones producing prints, as the barrier to entry was high; the materials needed were large, expensive, and required experience. The glass plate negatives and large format cameras were better suited to studio use than photography on the fly. But this inaccessible nature was about to change due to the business savvy of George Eastman and his Eastman Kodak Company. With years of expertise in crafting cameras and film, the company released the legendary Kodak Brownie camera in 1900.
Read more about how this little camera made photography accessible to the masses over on My Modern Met.
Photographer and game designer Liam Wong talks about his cinematic photography and eye for composition
Over on the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast, they talk to photographer and game designer Liam Wong about his cinematic photography. He talks about the effect video games and film had on him as an artist. These artistic influences helped him develop a sharp eye for composition that allows him to capture such dramatic shots of lively urban streets, often in Tokyo, Japan. He also talks about his photography book TO:KY:OO.
You can listen to the podcast below and you can see more of Wong’s work on his website or Instagram.
Until next time…
I hope you enjoy the articles above. Don’t forget you can follow my Shadow & Light magazine over on Flipboard if you’d like to see more of what I’m reading if you like what you’ve seen here.
Stay safe x
Shadow & Light Magazine
Shadow & Light is a list of curated photography stories, features, techniques, news and inspiration that I maintain on Flipboard. It’s a great way to create myself a ‘read later’ list. Feel free to follow the magazine for updates or keep an eye on my blog where I regularly post Shadow & Light monthly highlights.
