Shadow & Light Monthly #67

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 take an authentic look at life in Brooklyn and overlooked communities in America’s heartland. We visit a Maine fishing village being forced to modernise and meet a prolific photo backdrop artist.

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 – Rulx Thork’s Authentic Portrait of City Life in Brooklyn

Photographer Rulx Thork offers an intimate glimpse into Brooklyn’s urban street life through his series I Give You Power. Initiated in 2005, the project centres on the coming-of-age experiences within the borough, inspired by a chance encounter with a 17-year-old gang member named Jamal. Thork’s work delves into the complexities of urban existence, aiming to provoke thought and inspire change by authentically portraying the lives of Brooklyn’s residents.

Influenced by photographers such as Eugene Richards and Nan Goldin, Thork is committed to highlighting the narratives of urban communities. He believes that art possesses the power to educate and incite transformation, with his photography serving as a conduit for these stories. Thork asserts, “I will always be interested in people in urban environments. I feel that their stories are important. Their stories are the American story. And someone has to tell them. That is my goal.”

To read more about Rulx Thork’s portrayal of Brooklyn’s city life, read the full article on AnOther.

Additional reads

Photographer Documents Overlooked Communities in America’s Heartland

Photographer Richard Sharum dedicated three years to traversing a 100-mile-wide corridor from the Canadian to the Mexican border, capturing the lives of communities often overlooked in America’s heartland. His project, Spina Americana, sheds light on regions spanning the Dakotas, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas—areas frequently dismissed as “flyover” country. Through this journey, Sharum engaged with over 4,000 individuals and amassed more than 14,000 photographs, culminating in a compelling visual narrative of these underrepresented populations.

Motivated by growing national divisions reminiscent of pre-Civil War tensions, Sharum sought to document the experiences of those politically, socially, and culturally marginalised. Reflecting on his upbringing in Corpus Christi, Texas, he observed firsthand the struggles of people working long hours for minimal pay, an experience that profoundly influenced his perspective. Sharum emphasises the shared humanity that transcends superficial differences, stating, “We are all almost exactly the same, regardless of colour, language, or religion.”

To read more about Richard Sharum’s Spina Americana project and see a selection of his evocative photographs, read the full article on PetaPixel.

A Forlorn Portrait of a Maine Fishing Village Forced to Modernise

Photographer Jeff Dworsky’s debut monograph, Sealskin, offers a poignant portrayal of the fishing community in Stonington, Maine, during the 1970s and 1980s. After moving to Deer Isle in the late 1960s, Dworsky immersed himself in the local way of life, working on old wooden fishing boats and capturing the essence of a community on the brink of modernisation. His photographs document the transition from traditional practices to contemporary influences, preserving the heritage of a once-isolated village.

The title Sealskin draws inspiration from Celtic folklore about selkies—mythical creatures that transform from seals into humans. This theme resonates with Dworsky’s personal experiences and the broader narrative of change within the community. Publisher Jesse Lenz was particularly struck by the mysterious quality of Dworsky’s images, noting how they evoke the selkie legend and reflect the artist’s own life journey.

For more on Jeff Dworsky’s Sealskin and its reflection on the evolving life in a Maine fishing village, read the full article on Huck Magazine.

And Finally – Meet the Artist Who Paints the Photo Backdrops Nearly Everyone Has Seen

Sarah Oliphant, a backdrop artist based in New York City, has been crafting hand-painted backdrops for nearly five decades. Her work has graced the covers of renowned publications like Vanity Fair and Vogue, and has been utilised by esteemed photographers such as Annie Leibovitz and Richard Avedon. Despite the widespread use of her art in the photography and fashion industries, Oliphant remains relatively unknown to the public.

In the short film The Promise of Spring, directed by Anna Andersen, viewers gain an intimate look into Oliphant’s creative process and her significant influence on visual media. The documentary also explores the dynamics between Sarah and her daughter, Violet Oliphant-O’Neill, who worked alongside her mother from 2013 to 2021 before pursuing her own artistic career.

To learn more about Sarah Oliphant’s contributions to art and photography, read the full article on PetaPixel, or you can watch the film below.

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.