Super Safe

While attending Review Santa Fe I learned of a new photo blog called Flakphoto. While am happy more work from my fellow peers is being featured including 55 participants from the review overall the work on the site seems to be 'Super Safe'. I recently read photographer Cara Phillip's blog, Ground Glass which mentioned she had not been invited to Review Santa Fe this year. If you are a fan of her work you'd ask the same as me, why the hell not. Her work is gorgeous and perverse making it all the more memorable. I feel there are not enough outlets for photographers and artists like myself making work which is not the norm. In her blog, Cara mentions her own work in relation to mine and the similarities in our arduous travels as photographers pushing the envelope and making work not easily digested by the general public.

For this reason I've decided to add a new feature to my blog called 'Super Safe' which will highlight artists whose work is not super safe and strives to share something new and worthwhile with the public. As my new friend Katy Almanas says...."Beautifully Subversive is where its at."

Please send small jpgs or links to work to info@sarahsudhoff.com

Erotica

I recently entered Gallery Lomabrdi's call for Erotic photography with self-portraits from my Repository series including two videos. My intention with the work was never to be erotic although posing nude seems to come more easily for me than other women. I wouldn't say I am 100% comfortable with the way I look...why do you think I'm partially concealed in the sink however I am comfortable with certain aspects of my figure.

I'm not sure how this will affect the read of my self-portraits if any. Most people associate the images with illness and cancer however a few have pointed out the "erotic" undertones suggested in some of the photographs and videos. I won't deny that its there or say that I was wholly unaware of this aspect when I photographed and filmed myself. It is definitely a direction I have thought of going as a continue the project and/or create a new series of self-portraits.

I also proposed doing a live performance at Gallery Lombardi opening night. I have never performed live although have suggested it for several exhibitions. I'm a bit nervous yet I think it will be truly exciting to perform in front of an audience for the first time. Hey I could totally bomb at it. So if you are around the Austin area come check out the opening in August. Once I have more details on the performance I'll post them.

Boonville

It is with great sadness that I learned today of the death of Kody Beasock, age 12 from Boonville, New York. Timothy Briner my friend and fellow photographer traversed the country capturing the spirit of the places and of the people he encountered in each of the Boonvilles he resided in. Tim's third stop on his journey was Boonville, New York where he stayed with the Beasock family.

I have been traveling every week this last month and so have fallen behind in my blog readings. Today I read Tim's blog and found out he was indeed back home and read of Kody's death. The kind words written by Tim as well as the comments posted on the blog by his audience are worth the time to read.

As a photographer I feel I have a certain inherent duty to chose my subjects carefully and when doing so know the responsibility as an image maker not only to myself and the audience but also to the subject–to represent the truth, to share a secret and revel something worthwhile that might have gone unnoticed if I hadn't otherwise taken an interest in it. I feel this is one of the many gifts Tim has given to us, to the Beasock family and to the photographic community. When I was working at Time magazine I thought that the most interesting photo stories came from abroad yet Tim's series shed's light on stories right here in our own backyards–connecting us to people we might have never met and reminding us all of our impact on those around us.

Photographic Center Northwest

I am pleased to announce images from my Sorority Rush series were accepted in to this years Photography Center Northwest's annual juried show. Rod Slemmons from the Museum of Contemporary Photography was this years juror. The show opens July 11, 8:45-10:00pm and runs through August 28, 2008. If you are in the Seattle area please stop by. All works are for sale.

Other artists include:

1. Aragona, Marisa, CA (BCD)
2. Baden, Evan, MN (ABD)
3. Bayles, David, OR (DEJ)
4. Breen, Andrew, IL (ABC)
5. Bross, Suzette, IL (ABC)
6. Browder, Chase, TX (AFG)
7. Burk, Jeff, IL (ABC)
8. Bush, Diane, NV (ACD)
9. Conley, Beverly, AR (BHJ)
10. Cox, Andy, WA (BFG)
11. Dickerson, Nell, TN (ABD)
12. Hagen, Erik, NY (BDE)
13. Heileson, Thom, WA (ABC)
14. Holmes, Joseph, NY (ABG)
15. Ketcham, Sally, WA (EFG)
16. Krieg, Carolyn, WA (BCD)
17. Miranda, Paolo, CA (ABD)
18. Papo, Rachel, NY (ACD)
19. Phillips, Russell, IL (AHJ)
20. Prusinowski, Peter, PA (ABG)
21. Sauvaitre, Marie, NY (CEF)
22. Small, Ellen, NY (FGI)
23. Sudhoff, Sarah, TX (FGJ)
24. Veenstra, Victoria, MI (ACE)
25. Vionnet, Corinne, VD, Switzerland (CEF)

Santa Fe

Well I survived another portfolio review session. I think I came away with the same conclusions about my work as I did after the Fotofest reviews in March: I need to photograph MORE. I was so impressed and somewhat jealous of several of the projects I saw in Santa Fe. The quality of work as a whole surpassed that of the photographs I saw during my session at Fotofest. Even more important than the feedback I got on my work were the relationships I made with photo editors, gallery and museum directors as well as photographers from all across the country. It might sound so silly however it truly is inspiring to meet the photographer behind the photographs. I too seemed to have my own fan base out there. I met several people who recognized my work when I handed them a card featuring Sale–the floral vending machine image.


I find it funny that during these type of events people tend to form little groups. I'm not sure exactly how or why certain photographers group together. Is it a common theme among the works? Is it a shared background or city? I happened to be one of the few participants not from New York. Although I still think of Brooklyn as home I was happy to be representing Texas. I found myself surrounded by several wonderful female photographers who gladly shared their work and critiqued my own. And of course there were a few male photographers who braved to look at my Repository project. One photographer named John mentioned he'd seen my work on Center's site and had grown up in a family of gynecologists. It was quite wonderful talking with a man about the work and him knowing more than me in some cases about the subject matter and terminology.

It was great running in to familiar faces such as Mary Virgina Swanson, Ann Pallesen Darren Ching and Debra Klomp Ching, Michael Mazzeo, Carrie Villines and Rachel Dunville. I also had the pleasure of meeting Sarah Small who'd I'd exhibited with and Jennifer Boomer whose work has been introduced to me by photographer Timothy Briner. This little world of ours seems to get smaller by the minute.


While I didn't have the opportunity to personally meet all 100 photographers and see their work at this years reviews I met several passionate photographers who I seemed to gravitate towards. I would say the person whose work was most closely related to my own was that of Katie Almanas. She too makes work which is extremely personal to her involving a medical theme. Yet her take is quite unexpected, beautifully composed and at times quirky. Katie's work was actually introduced to me at the review by photographer Rebecca Sitller Schrock who like Katie uses food as one of her subjects. Although looking at Rebecca's images on the website is nothing compared to seeing her large scale color photographs which are really exquisite. I do hope she wants to trade one day, hint hint!


I can't leave the boys out......I did see several great projects by male photographers such as Jason DeMarte, Eric Percher, Colin Blakely, and Ben Handzo.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their work with me and who were kind enough to look at and review my work. If nothing else happens which I really do hope something BIG comes from my meetings, I have one or two new projects in mind as well as some idea of how to continue current works. Now all I need is to find funding!

Women in Photography

Please welcome, Women in Photography–a new site dedicated not only to photography but women in photography. The organization was started by two female photographers, Amy Elkins and Cara Phillips. While I haven't had the pleasure of meeting them face to face I know their photographic work and have been included in a few group shows with them put on by Humble Arts Foundation.

Their first artist is Elinor Carucci who I have admired and loved her work after first seeing her book Closer a few years ago. The work is personal and Elinor includes herself in many of the photographs. I was immediteyl drawn to the series for this very reason. I was lucky enough to have my work chosen for an upcoming debut on the WIP site. Check back regularly to see the work, support these artists and share their work with others.

I'm headed to Santa Fe tomorrow to participate in the Santa Fe portfolio reviews. I had applied last year but did not get in. I'm excited to be attending this year and hoping to make great contacts and see old friends in the field. I'll be posting from the floor so check back in later this week.