Shadow & Light Monthly #59

Shadow & Light is a list of curated photography stories, features, techniques, news and inspiration that I’ve come across this month.

In this edition we go behind the scenes of the early Hip Hop scene of New York and see unpublished photos from Magnum great Robert Capa. We explore the emotion and rhythm of street photography and look at Pentax’s brand new half frame film camera.

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 – Photographer Sue Kwon Captured the New York Hip Hop Scene in Its Infancy

Photographer Sue Kwon has photographed some of the biggest names in hip-hop and was around when the nascent genre was beginning to mature into the juggernaut it is today.

Kwon began her career in the late 1980s and early 1990s, initially working as a photojournalist for the Village Voice in New York City and then for other notable publications such as The Source and Vibe. She has taken portraits of Biggie Smalls, the Wu-Tang Clan, Jay Z, Eminem, and many other rap artists.

Visit PetaPixel to read the article in full, and see more of Kwon’s incredible work.

Additional reads

Robert Capa: Icons, Unpublished Images, and Confidences

One of the all-time Magnum greats, American photographer Robert Capa is being honoured with an exhibition at Les Franciscaines, in Deauville (France), and a magnificent accompanying book, published by Atelier EXB. The latter contains his most famous photos, a selection of lesser-known images and a host of stories and anecdotes that add to the myth.

Visit Blind Magazine to learn more, and see more images from the book.

Jack Picone on the Emotion and Rhythm of Street Photography

Many photographers tend to have one or two photos that they believe to be their favorite at certain points in their careers. But not Bangkok-based documentary photographer Jack Picone. Despite a decades-long career covering wars and major social issues in Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe, he says that “my absolute favourite photo is still to be taken.” But this, he also notes, isn’t a bad thing, as it motivates him to keep adding more to the “multitude of photographs that satisfy me and that I have an attachment to.”

You can read the full feature on Picone and see more of his work over on Street Photography.

And Finally – Pentax Gets Back into Film Photography with an All-New Half Frame Camera

Regular readers might remember I posted a blog a while back where I managed to break an old Fujica half frame camera by mistake (*sobs) before I managed to give it a go.

I commented at the time that it was a quirky little camera. Imagine my surprise then when this month I read that Pentax had not only released a brand new film camera, but a half frame film camera no less!

Is there a place in this modern world for the Pentax 17? I really have no idea. I wouldn’t have bet any money on anyone releasing this camera but here it is. What a time to be alive…

Bonus Read – New Short Film

Before I go, I wanted to share a new piece of work with you I’m really proud of this month. I’m absolutely delighted to be working with The Art House, Wakefield on a number of short films focussed on their creative spaces and, specifically, the creative forces that drive them.

A couple of issues ago I shared the first video in this series with Ceramics Studio Technician Hannah Way. In this second film of the series I met Hannah’s sister Ellie Way, the Print Studio Technician at The Art House. She talks about her series of Travel Posters, her love of colour and how she helps the print studio members achieve their creative goals.

You can watch the film below, or read more about it over in the Projects section. There are other films coming soon so watch this space and subscribe to my new YouTube channel to stay up to date.

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.