Comparison of two photographs: Brian Dyson (top) and John Goldsmith (bottom)

Several days ago I was browsing through the books at Pulpfiction on Main Street. My friend said that I could find Garry Winogrand’s “Public Relations” there but no luck. I must’ve paused for too long to catch The Master event photographer. I did, however, come across a small paperback from a Canadian documentary photographer named Brian Dyson.

As I paged through, I found a scene that immediately struck me. It all looked, suddenly, familiar: Lost Lagoon. The tree. The bench — now hidden. Even the vantage point is strikingly similar. I know the place. I know the photograph. I remember how I went about composing the picture. My memory connected the dots of these two photos before I even made it to the caption, which reads: “Stanley Park, Vancouver, Canada, 1969.”

The major differences between the two frames, aside from swapping a man for a woman, is a span of 39 years and a Weeping Willow that shows its maturity. It has grown alongside Vancouver, yet this  peaceful promenade, at the edge of a vibrant and cosmopolitan metropolis, has remained essentially untouched over that time. This balancing act of green acres and green glass is exactly the reason that many people make this city a destination and their home. I wonder how many other people’s imaginations were captured by this majestic tree that overlooks the jewel of the city. I wonder how many other people’s photographs have captured this same view.

The book is called “One Eye Open, One Eye Closed” and was published in 2005.

It turns out that Pulpfiction did carry Winogrand’s book. The store owner recognized me when I returned to snap a copy of Dyson’s picture and said it was at their Broadway store. So a big thanks to Pulpfiction Books and my friend for the referral — I’ll be picking up Public Relations tomorrow!

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Books are the Foundation to Gear

I recently moved into my new office and along with an upgrade in computing came a new (and growing) library. My latest acquisition? “10″– 10 Years of In-Public. It arrived yesterday from Nick Turpin Publishing in London who puts out some seriously superior work, including their first release — the Publication #1 Manuscript and prints — which is nothing short of excellence.

The In-Public website and its members have served as a great inspiration to me since I began shooting Street in 2006. It is for this reason that I’m making this thank you post. It’s also the reason that I made a quick buy of ‘10.’ Of course, the book did not disappoint.

‘10′ is fantastic for anyone interested in Street Photography. Along with pictures from many of the best contemporary Street Photographers, Ten is made extremely well, from the binding to everything in between. I highly recommend that you buy it for your own shelf.

If you’re in Vancouver, a group of local Street Photographers are planning an outing to the Henri Cartier-Bresson “Master of the Instant” exhibit at the West Vancouver Museum this Saturday. I’ll have Ten in hand and I’m more than happy to let you preview my copy (if you bring white cotton gloves). ;)

Let me know if you interested in coming out to the photowalk and the show and thanks again Nick and all of In-Public photogs for the inspiration. I can’t wait to see ‘20′ when it hits the shelves in a decade. With that, my apologies to HCB — you’re now fourth deep in the book stack — right behind Fred Herzog, Roy Arden and now the entire cast at In-Public.

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Vancouver Canuck's mascot, Fin, at BCCHF's 2009 Childrun

During the holidays I was pleased to attend BC Children’s Hospital Foundation’s Holiday Tea Party with my family. I would like to thank BCCHF and their staff for the invitation. As a 2009 Circle of Courage donor ($1000+), this is the third straight year that I have supported this great cause on behalf of my company, Waxy Photography.

I began working working with BCCHF in the same year that my twin daughters (see photo below) were born in the adjacent BC Women’s Hospital. While my twin girls were born healthy, I know that many parents are not so lucky which is why I am looking forward to 2010 and partnering again with BCCHF who helps improve the lives of seriously ill and injured children.

Please visit the BCCHF website and make a donation to this vital local charity.

"Take a Bow" 2009

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"Placenta" from the 90th Annual Polar Bear Swim in Vancouver.

Today the sea washed onto the heavens, and back again. Water was everywhere. Those who came out were as wet as those who went in. There was no respite. Her water broke. Today we were all Polar Bears.

The City of Vancouver might not host the snow and ice as well as other Polar Bear swims, but the wind and rain swirling off the Pacific can be mighty fierce. Yesterday, on New Year’s Day, the Vancouver Park Board put on another successful edition of the historic Polar Bear swim. The official tally of participants has yet to be released but last year they numbered 1588. Like then, the brave souls, and raindrops nearly the size of Hawaiian pineapples, came out in large numbers. I’d like to thank each and every one of the participants for the challenging opportunity to take their photograph. I had a blast and hope you did, too. Happy New Year!

Please view The Water Broke.

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"Iceman" from the 2009 Vancouver Polar Bear Swim

Please head over to the wonderful La Pura Vida where some of my photographs were featured as part of the strange.rs launch on 01.2010. One of my photos was also recently selected for LPV Gallery’s November 2009 monthly show: Four Walls and Adobe Slabs.

Thanks to Bryan Formhals, the creator of La Pura Vida.

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Be on the lookout for Strange.rs, a new international photography collective, who several days ago released this teaser trailer. The site will officially launch on 01.01.10. Until then, please follow the collective on Twitter for updates of the strange, the stranger and, of course, the Strange.rs.

The trailer was edited by the always fabulous Kramer O’Neill.

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On Twitter: @jmcolberg, @magnumphotos, @eyecurious and @waxypoetic.

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Regency - Waxy Contest

I’m giving away one free print. Yup. FREE! But in exchange, I need your help, both desperately and quickly.

Memelabs and Parklane Homes  are sponsoring a contest to be the next Fred Herzog, an icon of Vancouver Street Photography. Please visit the three links below and vote for my photographs. Unfortunately you will need to register but hopefully with the opportunity to win a print you can overlook that small detail!

http://memelabs.com/theblock/index/index/mediaId/12403

http://memelabs.com/theblock/index/index/mediaId/12386

http://memelabs.com/theblock/index/index/mediaId/12385

Once you’ve voted, make sure to leave a comment here saying so, or email me at contests (at) waxyphotography.com, to tell me you’ve voted. Remember, to win you must say “I Voted.” This is by the honor system, so please, be kind to your neighbors and vote. On Monday June 1, 2009,  I will choose one name by random drawing [Memelabs has extended to voting period. To be fair, I have done the same. The winner of the free print will be notified at the close of voting, around June 8, 2009. Thanks!]. That person will receive an 8 x 10″ C-print from my portfolio.

Thanks for your help!
Waxy

P.S. The reason I entered the contest at the midnight hour is that I have been wrestling with the organizers to make fairer rules for photographers (see here). They have done that. Thus, by voting you are supporting an organization that supports photographers rights. Furthermore, they have asked to meet with me following the close of the contest.  If you would like to share your constructive ideas on how they can better support photographers rights, I would be pleased to forward them to the organization. Thanks!

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La Pura Vida Gallery is sponsoring its first (of hopefully many) offline exhibitions.  The “Can’t Pay the Rent” show opens tonight in Los Angeles at the L’KEG Gallery starting at 8pm.  One of my photographs from Tehran, Iran (’Reminiscing’) is showing along with many other fabulous images. You can view the catalogue for the exhibit here.

If you’re in LA,  check out the show and let me know how it is.

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"Coffeet" from the 2008 Elite Men's BG Triathlon in Vancouver.

…while optical confusion makes photographs more interesting as art, it also reflects something fundamental in human experience. Because we become expert at making sense of visual situations early in life, we may assume that encounters with things we can’t readily assimilate are fairly rare.

But if you think about it, there is almost always a gap in time — however infinitesimal it may seem — between seeing and comprehending. That moment just before we file a perception away into a conventional category, when our senses and minds are fully alert to what lies before us — that is the sweet spot of art.

via New York Times, “In Photography, What Puzzles the Eye May Please the Mind

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