Yellow
March 9, 2010
Apologies for the virtual absence … been out shooting in the field and working on my creative recovery with a variety of tools, tricks and exercizes most of which include letting go and having a lot more fun!
Dyptic
February 16, 2010
Envisioning Normality
February 1, 2010
Envisioning Normality: The Photo Essay
Featured in Lynda.com’s InDesign CS3 LongDocs Tutorial with Nigel French
This weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the ASMP Nor Cal’s Thomas Werner and a Day of Fine Art Photography event. Thomas Werner’s talks and portfolio review were candid, funny, informative and inspiring. I also had the pleasure of meeting many other talented Bay Area photographers. Collaboratively, we are hoping to get an ASMP Nor Cal Fine Art Photography group off the ground. (There are many professional photography associations out there – ASMP, APA, NPAA – all aimed at media, press, and advertising photographers but to my knowledge the USA is lacking a national association that provides resources for Fine Art photographers).
Breaking out my portfolio and airing the dust off the, “Envisioning Normality Series,” at this event made me realize it was time to revisit my approach as a visual anthropologist and a photographer and to work harder to marry the two together – to push my images towards a deeper visual intelligence. It also helped me to remember how the processes of visual anthropology/ethnography add to the richness of my conceptual photography projects.
What does this mean for the future of Jana Carrey Photography?
It means a lot of work … as well as creative COLLABORATION, COLLABORATION, COLLABORATION! ( I believe, this is the wave of the future in terms of photographic, visual, and new media projects). In addition to continuing and deepening my work on my Childhood series as well as developing the Sustainable Titties project, in time I will revisit Envisioning Normality and take this work to another level…to explore and promote greater understanding among children with serious illnesses and disabilities and how we all strive for normality in our lives. This work is far from over… this is life’s work. Attached you will find my ethnographic photo essay that exhibited alongside my Envisioning Normality Series during a number of exhibitions in the UK, Fall 2007, including Photomonth 07.
Childhood continues…
January 3, 2010
These are my favorites from my latest shoot working on my ongoing street documentary, Childhood series, at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Click on the thumbnails to see the photos enlarged. Enjoy!
Back in Bizness…
December 29, 2009
Things got a bit hectic during the holiday season but I’m back on the blogging. I realized the photo a day was a bit ambitious but I will still be posting my updates and photo adventures a couple of times a week.
The latest news is that my photographs have been posted on ANSIRH’s website. The website layout is done by Betsy Rubinstein owner of Inform Design.
Aside from the homepage, the research and news pages are also some of my favorites. I’m looking forward to continued work with ANSIRH in the future. It definitely was inspiring to photograph these passionate women.
If you or an organization you know is looking for a portrait or events photographer, please be in touch:
Learning from our Elders
December 22, 2009
I recently submitted this photo and text to Pictory, an online magazine that publishes personalized mini- photo essays.
This picture was taken of my Nana, on our shared birthday, June 20th, 2009. She was turning 95- years-young and I was turning 28. We were celebrating it together over peach mojitos in a funky restaurant called Dada (named after the art movement) in West Palm Beach, Florida.
My Nana has always encouraged me to follow my heart and to be an individual, no matter how crazy my actions may seem to others. Her strength astounds me and her wisdom inspires me. She came over to the USA from East Prussia during WWI amongst a family of nearly 20 children (many who died) and has fought to make her way in the world. When my grandfather died, she decided to take a break from motherhood and at 50 opened a successful boutique all on her own, which had her traveling to fashion shows in Paris and Milan.
She has followed her dreams, traveled the world, been an interior decorator and a sculptor, had two husbands and one long-term life partner, and has raised 4 talented children, who have given her 11 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. At 95, she still drives, swims, wallpapers her own apartment, goes to the theater, cooks, laughs, gardens, writes, does yoga and is writing a “memoir” on beauty and aging.
She feels age is simply a mindset and has decided not to let anyone tell her what she can and can’t do. She is my mentor and my source of strength about how to be a strong, beautiful, passionate woman who is true to herself above all else.
Cacti
December 20, 2009
This one was also shot at the Huntington Gardens. Click on the photo itself to see it larger.
Festival of Lights
December 17, 2009
In honor of Hannukah and to celebrate the beauty of lights amidst these dark wintry days, I’ve added my Fire series. I shot this series in Oct 2006, while viewing a brilliant fire art installation in Platt Fields park, Manchester, UK.
Additionally, if you want to buy any of the images you find on my site, please contact me to learn about pricing and shipping options for archival prints.
Holiday Cheer
December 15, 2009
12/15: Tonight I’m going to the ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) Northern California Chapter’s holiday party. I became an Emerging Associate member back in August of this year. While trying to decide what photos to share tonight (I’m thinking my Childhood series since it’s a work in progress and I love feedback) I stumbled upon this old gem from my Envisioning Normality series.
This “untitled” image spoke to me less about being technically perfect but more about what the holidays are all about: giving to others. It was taken during a “mock fashion show” that I shot for a group of young girls who were seriously ill and disabled – so they could have a chance to feel glamorous for the day – during my time as a photographer at Double “H” Ranch.
A Bit of Work…
December 15, 2009
12/14: Today’s photo of the day is actually a video which was posted on Vimeo, courtesy of my lovely friend (and independent filmmaker) Katie Gillum. This was the first film that I made on my Ethnographic Documentary course whilst doing my Masters in Visual Anthropology at the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology, University of Manchester in Fall 2006.
A Bit of Work on Vimeo.
A morning with the gentlemen at the fruit and veg stand at Longsight Market in Manchester.
Part of an observational documentary project using simple cuts and all sync sound.
Camera, Sound, and Editing by
Jana Carrey, Katie Gillum, and Jenny Peachey
