One of my favorite series of "summer" photographs (although I hate to limit it to that) is Yasuhiro Ishimoto's series of bathers taken from behind as they queued up at a refreshment stand, circa 1950. Yas (as he's known to friends) is one of many great living photographers who are not as well known as they should be.
An interesting case of bi-culturalism, Yas was born in San Francisco in 1921 but raised in Kochi City, Japan. Concerned that he would be drafted in to the Japanese army, he moved back to the States in 1939 to study agriculture. Nine years later, after becoming infatuated with the medium of photography, he enrolled in Chicago's famous Institute of Design where he studied with Harry Callahan. His American work from this period to his permanent return to Tokyo in 1961 is one of the highlights of what is known as the Chicago School. (Hmmm... note to self - interesting idea for a show!)
Next picture up (or down as the case may be) is Paolo Pellegrin's photograph of David Boudia and Thomas Finchum -U.S. Olympic synchronized platform divers. The lead picture from a larger portfolio in last Sunday's Play magazine, the sports supplement of the New York Times, it managed an impressive feat - creating an original and consistent new vision of sports. In this case, photographing a series of athletes from different sports in silhouette at a peak moment. But this image was something extra-special.
One of the great pleasures of blogging is being part of the larger community of bloggers. And inherent in the blogging set-up is that any comment from a fellow blogger is tagged with a link back to their blog. In this way both through my own and other people's blogs, I have been exposed to an ever growing ripple of blogs I normally would never have seen. Most of these are visually oriented and in this way I get to see pictures that are totally fresh to me.
From Mond Melodie - this image of a rollerskater c. 1978. I love the period feel, the color, the clothes, the graceful form, and the way skater is so caught in the moment.
And lastly, these two pictures from Meagan of Love Maegan who had the amazing ability not to have lost her white Ray-Bans from when she was a kid and the generosity to share the pictures of herself 20 years later wearing the very same pair - now very much back in fashion. FYI - Maegan can be a bit racy - so either rush to her blog or be forewarned!
Anyway, with about a month to go, I hope you're all getting the best out of this summer. And feel free to send your favorite pictures of summer to me at: jd@danzigerprojects.com.
Maegan c. 1988
Maegan c. 2008