Shadow & Light is a list of curated photography stories, features, techniques, news and inspiration that I’ve come across this month.
In this month’s edition we take a look at a stunning portrait series featuring artisans of southern France and look back on one photographer’s assignment capturing American life from 1977. We take a technical look at what makes modern 50mm lenses so complex and look at a beautiful series of portraits celebrating the work of nurses.
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 – Beautiful portrait series documenting artisans of southern France
This feature over on the Hasselblad site really caught my eye this month. Not least because I’ve been toying with a similar idea for a while. In this series, photographer Roman Jehanno travels through his native France, capturing stunning environmental portraits of artisans in their creative environments.
The series was originally intended to be more global but the lockdown situation forced Jehanno to look closer to home and the results are beautiful. The project is shot exclusively on a Hasselblad H6D-100c and the quality and detail is stunning. The way that Jehanno lights his subjects and their environment is masterful.
You can see more images from this project on Jehanno’s website or find him on Instagram at @romanjehanno.
Additional reads
Revisiting a magazine assignment from 1977 – a series that unpicks a seismic shift in American culture
Back in 1977, photographer Stephen Shore went on assignment across America to photograph the towns and people affected by the massive layoffs taking place in steel manufacturing centres, as foreign competition and a drop in demand put a strain on the American industry.
In this interview with i-D Shore talks about why he’s revisited this project for his latest book Steel Town. That summer, Stephen captured a moment in history that is still unfolding — as he says, “those jobs didn’t come back”. The political, economic and social ramifications are still shaping reality today.
What is it that makes modern 50mm lenses so complicated?
Long term readers will know that I LOVE 50mm lenses. I’ve written about why I think every photographer should own a 50mm lens. In that post I wrote a little about some of the differences between the cheap ‘nifty fifty’ and the expensive pro grade glass and how they stack up against each other.
Over the years the technology behind camera lenses has increased hugely. If you’re in the mood for some technical geek chat about lenses then this article over on DPReview should scratch your itch. It’s a great insight into just how complicated modern 50mm lenses have become. And why they can be so expensive!
A Privilege Unlike Anything Else – Celebrating the nurses that make our world a better place
For those of you familiar with my book 47 / A Life With Cystic Fibrosis it’ll be pretty obvious why this feature on PetaPixel caught my attention. It’s a similar project in terms of concept but this series entitled ‘A Privilege Unlike Anything Else’ focuses on the incredible work done by nurses to make our world a better place.
It really is a beautiful series and rightly celebrates these unsung heroes. You can see more images from this series on Merendino’s website or on Instagram at @angelomerendino.
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.
