FLOW PHOTOGRAPHICA PODCAST

EP32 – Wolf Suschitzky Show Notes In this episode, I sit down with Wolf Suschitzky, legendary photographer and cinematographer. We met at his home in Little Venice, London, where we talked about his incredible career, spanning over 70 years in both photography and film. Born in Vienna in 1912, Wolf fled Austria in 1934 as the political climate worsened for Jews. Settling in London, he quickly established himself as a cinematographer and photographer. Over his career, he worked on over 200 films, including Get Carter, Ulysses, Ring of Bright Water, Entertaining Mr. Sloane, and the film adaptation of Rising Damp. Wolf's early career was shaped by the British documentary movement, working with John Grierson and pioneering filmmakers such as Harry Watt and Paul Rotha. He was cameraman for Night Mail (1936), the iconic documentary with narration by W.H. Auden and music by Benjamin Britten. His cinematography in World of Plenty (1943) helped define the humanistic style of British documentary filmmaking. Beyond film, Suschitzky was a renowned social documentarian, photographing London's street markets, working-class life, children, and laborers. His work in Charing Cross Road, Soho, and post-war Britain captured the texture of everyday life with rare intimacy. This conversation offers a glimpse into Wolf's thoughts on photography, cinematography, and the art of capturing reality. Though frail, his mind remained sharp, and his love for his craft was undiminished.     Links & References Wolf Suschitzky Biography & Legacy – National Galleries of Scotland Books & Photography Charing Cross Road in the Thirties – Amazon Street Markets of London – Photobook Details Exhibitions – Wolf Suschitzky at the Photographers' Gallery Notable Films (Cinematography by Suschitzky) Get Carter (1971) – IMDb Ulysses (1967) – IMDb Ring of Bright Water (1969) – IMDb Entertaining Mr. Sloane (1970) – IMDb Rising Damp (1980) – IMDb Key Figures & Collaborators John Grierson (Father of British Documentary Film) – Biography Harry Watt (Filmmaker, Night Mail) – Biography Paul Rotha (Director, World of Plenty) – Biography W.H. Auden (Poet, Night Mail) – Biography Benjamin Britten (Composer, Night Mail) – Biography Films Mentioned Night Mail (1936) – BFI Player World of Plenty (1943) – BFI Screen Online       Notable Publications: "Photographing Children" (1940): A guide offering insights into capturing the essence of childhood through photography. "Photographing Animals" (1941): This book provides techniques and tips for photographing animals, with a foreword by Julian Huxley. "Seven Decades of Photography" (2006): A retrospective collection showcasing Suschitzky's black and white prints spanning over seventy years, selected by the artist himself. amazon.com "Work" (2020): A compilation focusing on Suschitzky's portrayal of labor and working environments, reflecting his deep engagement with social themes. Notable Exhibitions: "A Grand Tour: Amsterdam, London, Paris etc. in the 1930s, 40s & 50s" (2006): Held at The Photographers' Gallery in London, this exhibition featured Suschitzky's works capturing urban life across major European cities during the mid-20th century. photography-now.com "Wolf Suschitzky – No Resting Place" (2020): Hosted by Fotohof in Salzburg, this exhibition showcased a comprehensive collection of Suschitzky's works, emphasizing his contributions to photography and cinematography. "Crawley New Town Seen Through the Lens of Wolf Suschitzky" (February 6 – March 29, 2025): Displayed at Crawley Museum, this exhibition featured photographs capturing the early development of Crawley New Town, returning to the public eye after six decades. blogs.brighton.ac.uk "Wolf Suschitzky Photography Prize 2023" Exhibition: Organized by the Austrian Cultural Forum London, this exhibition showcased works by winners and shortlisted photographers, celebrating Suschitzky's legacy and influence on contemporary photography. acflondon.org  

  Podcast Show Notes: EP31 A Conversation with Don McCullin On the 19th of April 2019 I met the legendary Sir Don McCullin—a man whose photographs have shaped the way we see war, suffering, and the stark divides in British society. McCullin, now in his eighties, has turned his lens to the landscapes of Somerset, but his past work in Vietnam, Biafra, Northern Ireland, and beyond remains some of the most powerful photojournalism ever created. This conversation, recorded in April 2019, was never intended for broadcast, but I'm grateful to be able to share it with you now. It's raw, intimate, and filled with the kind of wisdom only a life lived at the sharp edge of history can provide. What's Inside This Episode? McCullin's Beginnings: A Working-Class Photographer in a Divided Britain I start by tracing McCullin's early life—born in 1935 in Finsbury Park, a rough corner of North London, where class and poverty shaped his world. We talk about his first significant photograph, The Guvnors, a portrait of his local gang taken in the shell of a bombed-out building. That single image, sold to The Observer, set him on the path to becoming one of the most respected war photographers of the 20th century. War, Suffering, and the Ethics of Photojournalism McCullin speaks candidly about the moral weight of war photography—what it means to witness human suffering and the impossibility of remaining untouched by it. He recalls the Vietnam War, the famine in Biafra, the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and the brutal realities he encountered. His black-and-white images are defined by their unflinching honesty and a darkness that isn't just about exposure—it's about truth. The Darkroom as a Battleground One of the most fascinating parts of our conversation is McCullin's discussion of his time in the darkroom. His prints are legendary for their deep blacks, their richness, and their meticulous craftsmanship. He describes the long hours spent perfecting a single print, the unpredictability of chemistry, and the frustrations and triumphs that come with analogue photography. Landscape Photography and a Different Kind of War In his later years, McCullin has turned away from conflict zones to focus on the landscapes of England, particularly Somerset, where he has lived for decades. He talks about the tranquility he finds in these images but also acknowledges that even in the stillness, there's something unresolved. "England," he says, "is still a battlefield—just a different kind." Legacy and the Future of Documentary Photography We reflect on the state of photography today—the dominance of digital, the fleeting nature of images in the age of Instagram, and the disappearing art of the darkroom. McCullin is, in his own words, "an old donkey in the meadow," but his insights remain razor-sharp. Relevant Links & Further Reading Don McCullin's Official Website: donmccullin.com Tate Britain Exhibition (2019): tate.org.uk Hauser & Wirth's 'The Stillness of Life' (2020): hauserwirth.com Palazzo Esposizioni Roma Exhibition (2024): palazzoesposizioniroma.it Final Thoughts Speaking with Don McCullin was a rare privilege. His images have shaped history, and his voice—both as a photographer and as a man—remains one of the most important in the field. If you're moved by this conversation, take some time to explore his work, visit an exhibition, or pick up one of his books. As always, let me know what you think. If you're listening on YouTube, drop a comment. If you're listening on a podcast app, leave a review. Your thoughts mean the world to me.

Flow Photographica - Episode 30: INTRO TO FLOW PHOTOGRAPHIC Episode Overview In this episode of Flow Photographica, host Alex Schneideman reintroduces the podcast with a fresh vision, tracing his journey through photography—from childhood awe in a darkroom to founding Flow Photographic Gallery, becoming Artistic Director of Photo Oxford and the development of the Pictures from the Garden project. Alex reflects on: The early days of Photographica and its rebirth as Flow Photographica A transformative moment in a darkroom that sparked a lifelong passion for photography His journey through photography, from assisting in London studios to founding Flow Photographic The creation of Pictures from the Garden, a project honouring the late photographer Paddy Summerfield The role of publishing in a photographer's career and the importance of books in photographic storytelling This episode is a personal exploration of what it means to live a photographic life and an invitation to continue the quest for understanding the medium. Links & Resources Mentioned Flow Photographic & Gallery 🌍 Flow Photographic Studio & Gallery – flowphotographic.com Photographers & Projects Mentioned 📖 James Ravilious – An English Eye – Beaford Archive 📷 Paddy Summerfield – Mother and Father – Dewi Lewis Publishing 📚 Pictures from the Garden – A collaboration with photographers Jem Southam, Alys Tomlinson, Sian Davey, Vanessa Winship, Matthew Finn & Nik Roche Featured Photographers: Jem Southam – jemsoutham.co.uk Alex Schneideman - alexschneideman.net Alys Tomlinson – alystomlinson.co.uk Sian Davey – siandavey.com Vanessa Winship – vanessawinship.com Matthew Finn – mattfinn.com Nik Roche – nikroche.com Photography Institutions & Festivals 🏛️ The Bodleian Library (Holds Paddy Summerfield's archive) – bodleian.ox.ac.uk 🎨 The Photographers' Gallery (London) – thephotographersgallery.org.uk 📷 Photo Oxford Festival – photooxford.org Book Publishing & Design 📖 Want More – Published by Art/Books (Andrew Brown) – artbookspublishing.co.uk 📘 Dewi Lewis Publishing (Paddy Summerfield's publisher) – dewilewis.com 🎨 Herman Lelie & Stefania Bonelli (Book design) Connect with Alex Schneideman 📸 Instagram: @flowphotographic 🌍 Website: flowphotographic.com 🎧 Subscribe & Listen: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. 🔔 Support the Show: If you love Flow Photographica, consider sharing, rating, and reviewing the podcast! TRANSCRIPT Ep 30 - INTRO TO FLOW PHOTOGRAPHICA Hello, Alex Schneideman here welcoming you back to 'Flow Photographica', a new look podcast that used to be called just 'Photographica'.    I started Photographica as I start almost everything; to satisfy an urge - or obsession would be a better way of putting it.    Back in 2016 when I recorded the first interviews podcasting was a relatively new medium and I wanted to see how it worked. I made almost thirty episodes and then I got busy with work and life and, what had started with a clear plan became fuzzy. And with the fuzziness, indecision and with that the dissipation of the creative energy required for this sort of endeavour.    But much has changed since then, both in the photography world and for me. We had a big old lockdown which for some was a disaster and for others, many artists, was a boon - a time to take stock and to decide what was important. I started a Masters and, having never taken part in further education fulfilled a dream to go to university. Just before lockdown I moved the Flow studio from Portobello to Kensal Green, less than a mile but a world apart. And with that I opened a gallery dedicated to showing documentary work, Flow Photographic Gallery.    When you put these two things together as well as a spell as Artistic Director for Photo Oxford (which would never have come about if it weren't for a Masters and a new gallery) then you will find me trying to forge something out of this amalgam while, at the same time, carrying on with my 'day job' at Flow making prints, scans and repro etc.   The upshot of this desire to bring together these threads is this podcast and its renaissance. I love photography. I have loved photography since I was about eight when, in the late Seventies, my father took me to a photographic studio somewhere in London - this company made the catalogues for my father's kitchen supply firm. A kind man in a lab coat took me into a room lit red and smelling overwhelmingly exotic. He showed me to a bench where a strangely tall machine shone a light on to a white board. In this rectangular shape of light I could make out the dim form of a woman, ¾ length but in the wrong distribution of tones that made no sense at all. The shape of her was all that told me this was a person. He switched this image off and placed a piece of paper where the image had been. That strange image of a woman appeared again for a few seconds. The light went off and he removed the paper and placed it in a tray containing a pale liquid. He rocked the tray. In the red gloom a sheet of white paper with nothing on it floated in the liquid. And then a faint image appeared out of nowhere. I began to recognise that the forming image, no denser than a murmur, actually contained infinite and recognisable detail. In this instant I felt the profound magic of photography. As the image continued to form the man removed the sheet and ripped it in two. I was shocked - whoever was in that picture would be terribly upset. He placed one half of the image back in the same tray and the other he put in to a second and then third tray where he left it.    After perhaps a minute he removed the second shred of paper and followed the process he had with its other half. Suddenly the room was illuminated and he showed me how one piece of paper contained a denser image than the other which had spent less time in the first tray - the developer.    This was magic. He washed and dried those bits of paper and gave them to me in a glassine slip. Those shreds of paper are long gone but something had indelibly changed in me, in my soul, and from that moment on I wanted to know photography, to be become photographic.     Later at boarding school, where I had a reasonably unhappy time, there was a darkroom and then photography became a sanctuary. I was a fish out of water - arriving as a plump'ish, Jew'ish boy from London into a sealed community of sons of the landed gentry who knew not only each other but where their own DNA had developed for perhaps a thousand years and more. Like a fish doesn't feel wet I had no idea I was that different to anyone, until I arrived at that remote school, deep in the middle of a beautiful English nowhere.    My apparent 'difference' and a certain belligerence got me noticed, and not in a good way. I was reminded that being a Jew was a bad thing (it wasn't something I had ever thought about so I didn't know why it meant so much to them) and was physically attacked in ways that would be criminally investigated now, but this was the Eighties and you didn't talk.   The school had a darkroom that was shambolic and unloved. But happily it was neglected on the whole and I discovered that here was heaven. Again that smell of dev, stop and fixer became inextricably linked to a sense of wonder and the potential for deep satisfaction. I spent every minute I could here.    Nobody taught photography at the school so it was a case of finding your way through trial and error. The number of thin, pink rolls of film I disappointedly pulled from the Paterson reel still sting to this day - the great pictures lost to ignorance. But the joy of developing a roll of film that you could then make an image from; burning and dodging until you got just the right balance, hours eaten by joy and ignorance of the world around you - that darkroom was the making of me. A footnote - I took both O and A levels in photography without one bit of input from the school. I failed both. I left school with one D in English - a technical pass if not a recognised one. Luckily I had never even thought of going to university.   After a few years as a commie chef and generally working in various London restaurants I found my way into photography by assisting in studios in London. I worked with a photographer called Peter Rauter, then a leading advertising photographer who became a great friend and mentor. Peter was hugely talented and frustrated. Despite our friendship and the allure of a successful career in commercial photography I knew this wasn't for me  - However it gave me a classical training in the medium and I got to know the network of labs, now almost disappeared, around London that sprang from the newspaper world around Fleet Street.    After completing my apprenticeship in studio photography I left - disillusioned and confused. And feeling myself to be a failure - to have had this opportunity to work with amazing equipment, travel the world etc, etc and all for nothing. A dead end. I had fucked up and a life in photography was apparently not for me. I left and did other jobs, never loving my work but falling in love and getting married to Sophie, a bookseller. I hated my work, mainly with computers now, and I was awful to be around. But, in about 2000, Sophie went to a bookfair one weekend and somebody, who knew Sophie well enough to know that her husband had at one time been a photographer, gave her a book to give to me thinking I might like it. It was a casually kind gesture and it changed my life.    The book was 'An English Eye' by James Ravilious. Not only are the pictures breathtaking and humane, like HCB but with more heart, but he gave his recipe for processing and his photographic technique. Ravilious lived in a small rural community in Devon. From the 1970's to the 1990's his photographic life was spent recording this community with a commission from the Beaford Archive, a local arts centre, and he did this over three decades with the sensitivity of a poet. His photograph

This episode and Photomuse is on the importance of the work of Magnum's longest serving photographer, Ian Berry and, in particular, his 1978 book, The English. I also outline my hope for a review of English documentary photography about the English. Ian Berry's work has inspired me to attempt to start a conversation about the need for a new look at the value and unique properties of the work of English documentary photography. Recording note - I taped this monologue on my phone. I think the quality is ok. I'd be very pleased to hear what you think about this as it certainly speeds up the process! As ever I welcome your thoughts and comments. Please contact me at alex@flowphotographic.com. I hope you enjoy this episode. Alex

Luke Archer is the editor of Loupe Magazine, a printed photography zine which "showcases outstanding images and engaging projects" and is distributed free through various stockists of which Flow Photographic is proudly one. I was fascinated to understand how such a high quality and free magazine could come into being in a world dominated by commercialism and the cult of celebrity. Here is a magazine that offers a quiet discourse on photography in a way that is missing from many of the mainstream offerings in print and online. Luke goes into his background and generously offers up factors that have driven him and the other people dedicated to the Loupe project to produce a magazine that punches way above its class in the plethora of photographic publications available.  Loupe also engages with Instagram in an innovative way, using it to bring submitted work to a wider audience. Issue 6 is just out - at the time of posting - and you can find copies at any of the stockists listed on their site or check out their Instagram. Loupemage.com Insta @loupemage Please let others know about the Photographica Podcast by rating us in iTunes  – and your are welcome to leave a comment too. It really is the best way to get the message out. If you'd like to discuss any aspect of Photographica podcasts or printing your work you can get in touch with me at alex@flowphotographic.com or visit the Flow Photographic website. Thanks for listening, Alex  PS Thanks to Chad Lelong for the music!

This conversation between me, Alex Schneideman, and Professor Greg Currie is a discussion about the edges of reality and how that concerns photography and image making. Greg Currie is Professor of Philosophy and Head of Research at York University. The conversation was inspired by another podcast (Philosophy Bites) in which Greg talked about the nature of film, addressing questions about perception and time in relation to the movies. I was thrilled that Greg agreed to the recording. I write about ideas and the philosophy of photography every month in B+W Photography Magazine so it was a chance to present some ideas to a man who is ideally suited to engage with them. Greg's patience with me is awesome and his authority is underlined by the way he engaged calmly with me in what must have been a trying hour for him! Please listen and let me know if anything occurs to you as a result. Please let others know about the Photographica Podcast by rating us in iTunes  – and your are welcome to leave a comment too. It really is the best way to get the message out. If you'd like to discuss any aspect of Photographica podcasts or printing your work you can get in touch with me at alex@flowphotographic.com or visit the Flow Photographic website. Thanks for listening, Alex  PS Thanks to Chad Lelong for the music!

This episode is a conversation between me, Alex Schneideman, and Jonathan Teplitzky, the director of many movies including, Better than Sex, Gettin' Square, Burning Man, The Railway Man and 2017 released Churchill. His TV work includes Broadchurch, Marcello and the upcoming Shakspeare series, Will. Jonathan has directed actors including Timothy Spall, Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman, Brian Cox, Olivia Coleman and David Tennant. We discuss how a love of photography led Teplitzky to make movies. Our discussions are wide ranging and involve quite a lot of swearing. Jonathan is Australian but has lived on and off in the UK for over thirty years. You can follow Jonathan on Instagram @jteplitzky Please let others know about the Photographica Podcast by rating us in iTunes  - and your are welcome to leave a comment too. It really is the best way to get the message out. If you'd like to discuss printing your work you can get in touch with me at alex@flowphotographic.com or visit the Flow Photographic website. Thanks for listening, Alex  PS Thanks to Chad Lelong for the music!

This episode takes offers a new view of the relevance of the so-called 'decisive moment' to contemporary photography.  Ever since Henri Cartier Bresson coined the term to mean that there is moment when all things come together to capture the essence of a particular situation photographers have been drawn, like moths to a naked bulb, to the beauty of the images that HCB printed as proof of his assertion.  Documentary (or street) photography has come a long way since then and in this episode I seek to update the 'master' famous epithet, drawing us away from that light and on to others that shed more light on the time in which we live. Please let others know about the Photographica Podcast by rating us in iTunes  - and your are welcome to leave a comment too. It really is the best way to get the message out. If you'd like to discuss printing your work you can get in touch with me at alex@flowphotographic.com or visit the Flow Photographic website. Thanks for listening, Alex  PS Thanks to Chad Lelong for the music!  

In this new Photomuse I walk down Portobello ruminating on the issues of the day; I talk about The unsettling effect of Trump The risk to the area world in Britain's exit from Europe The Cambrian explosion of photographic practise Against pigeonholing The importance of joy to the creation of art A new way to exhibit photography designed to affect the viewer viscerally Please get in touch with alex at alex@flowphotographic.com or @schneideman331 on twitter. Please forgive occasionally poor delivery - I've got a lot on my mind... Thanks for listening...

This episode is a recording of my piece for Black+White Photography Magazine issue 194 This piece is all about the over emphasis on the benefits of perfection in photography.  Photography is a medium that lends itself to perfectionism - ever better options and technology mean that aberrations and imperfections will be 'optional' in the not so distant future. But what effect does this have on the medium's ability to convey the kernel of our humanity? Do ever sharper pictures with perfectly rendered tones lead us to a sense of truth or away from that and into a world where 'values' have moral supremacy? If you want to take issue with me on something arising from the podcast - don't hesitate! Head over to the Photographic Podcast website and let me know what you think. Please let others know about the Photographica Podcast by rating us in iTunes  - and your are welcome to leave a comment too. It really is the best way to get the message out. If you'd like to discuss printing your work you can get in touch with me at alex@flowphotographic.com or visit the Flow Photographic website. Thanks for listening, Alex  PS Thanks to Chad Lelong for the music!

This episode is a recording of my piece for Black+White Photography Magazine issue 193. This article is all about the importance of a sense of purpose to photographic projects. I argue that it is not enough just put out a few pictures and hope that people 'connect'. Rather that the photographer must nail his or her reputation to each project and dig deep to provide an urgent reason why anyone else should spend time in the company of their photographs. If you want to take issue with me on something arising from the podcast - don't hesitate! Head over to the Photographic Podcast website and let me know what you think. Please let others know about the Photographica Podcast by rating us in iTunes  - and your are welcome to leave a comment too. It really is the best way to get the message out. If you'd like to discuss printing your work you can get in touch with me at alex@flowphotographic.com or visit the Flow Photographic website. Thanks for listening, Alex  PS Thanks to Chad Lelong for the music!

Another stroll down Portobello Road on a Friday afternoon with Alex Schneideman. On his mind this week are: The role of photographers and artists in the new hard-right mainstream political landscape. The problems of engaging with the Turner Prize. A minor road rage incident. Buddhism and self sticks. Please get in touch with alex at alex@flowphotographic.com or @schneideman331 on twitter. Please forgive occasionally poor delivery - I've got a lot on my mind... Thanks for listening...  

This episode is a recording of my piece for Black+White Photography Magazine issue 192. It questions the value of sharpness as a goal in photography and offers new ways to view photography in a world that values 'high definition' above many other qualities. If you want to take issue with me on something arising from the podcast - don't hesitate! Head over to the Photographic Podcast website and let me know what you think. Please let others know about the Photographica Podcast by rating us in iTunes  - and your are welcome to leave a comment too. It really is the best way to get the message out. If you'd like to discuss printing your work you can get in touch with me at alex@flowphotographic.com or visit the Flow Photographic website. Thanks for listening, Alex  PS Thanks to Chad Lelong for the music!

In which your host muses and rambles (simultaneously) down Portobello Road with a hangover draped around his shoulders. Still, between waves of nausea some interesting raw material is mined from the sodden peat of Alex's exhausted brain.  Have a listen... Oh and don't forget to rate us at iTunes... Thanks, Alex alex@flowphotographic.com flowphotographic.com

This episode is a recording of my piece for Black+White Photography Magazine issue 191.  It concerns the relationship between photographers and their cameras.  You can see a fully illustrated transcript of this article on my blog. Click here. If you want to take issue with me on something arising from the podcast - don't hesitate! Head over to the Photographic Podcast website and let me know what you think. Please let others know about the Photographica Podcast by rating us in iTunes  - and your are welcome to leave a comment too. It really is the best way to get the message out. If you'd like to discuss printing your work you can get in touch with me at alex@flowphotographic.com or visit the Flow Photographic website. Thanks for listening, Alex  PS Thanks to Chad Lelong for the music!

THIS IS AN EDITED VERSION OF THE ORIGINAL PODCAST - MUCH REDUCED IN LENGTH BY CUTTING OUT ALL THE EXTRANEOUS CONTENT. NOW ITS JUST THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATION... On July 8th 2016 I travelled to Oxford to meet Paddy Summerfield in the house he has lived in since he was 18 months old and, more particularly, the house that served as backdrop to his 2014 masterpiece 'Mother and Father' (published by Dewi Lewis).  Paddy and his partner Patricia Baker-Cassidy live in an Edwardian villa in Oxford's Summertown where they work together to bring a lifetime of photography to the surface. This year Dewi Lewis has published another collection of Paddy's work, 'The Oxford Pictures 1968-1978' which are a languorous and sexually charged examination of loneliness and self discovery. Paddy has always shot on 35mm and the images in this book are exquisitely reproduced from scans and printed at the legendary EBS printers in Italy which were also the printers of my book, 'Want More' in 2015. This conversation is easily the longest I have published but it is necessarily so because Paddy is engaging on the subject of photography and candid when he talks about life in general. He is a true photographer in that his life is defined by the images he makes. His energy and ambition to keep publishing his extensive work comes from a desire to represent his world and not, as is often the case, from the ego.  Please take time to listen to the piece; listen to it win tranches if necessary, as it really is worth the effort. Alex Schneideman July 2016 All images © Alex Schneideman, 2016   Links New York Times T Magazine Photomonitor CPM Conscientious Photography Magazine  

Listen in stereo as I take a second walk down a very sunny Portobello Road. This time I was thinking about: Chimping and the new screenless Leica MD, affectation and self imposed perfectionism. Harry Gruyaert. Jolyon Fenwick and his pictures of WW1 battlefields, 'ZERO HOUR' and an amazing busker... Don't forget to get in touch with me at alex@flowphotographic.com or checkout flowphotographic.com to learn about our work printing photography at FLOW. Thanks,  Alex

This piece appears in the June edition of Black and White Photography magazine. The magazine have very kindly allowed me to record my monthly column, Thinking Photography, for the PHOTOGRAPHICA podcast. Please checkout more info at the podcast page on my new website, flowphotographic.com.   TRANSCRIPT B+W190 THINKING PHOTOGRAPHY   ON CONTEXT ˈkɒntɛkst/ noun the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood.  -----------------------------------------  To give your work context is to give it meaning to the wider world. Without context our work may seem irrelevant. With context our images connect to the intricate dynamic of human experience enabling people to form a bond with it. The purpose of this piece is to focus on a consideration that we all know to be true, is not often discussed and can have a great impact on our photographic legacy.   In my last article I spoke of the creation of art as being the act of bringing attention to the abstract. This is a good way to start looking at the concept of context; in observing something and making an exposure you have effectively placed your subject in its own context – one that has meaning for you. This initial personal contextualisation gives the impetus required for the photographer to capture the image and give him or her the reason to commit to it. Let's say this is called 'primary context'. At this stage all sorts of nuances, details and fluctuations of meaning are either consciously or subconsciously known by its originator.   Now a selection of images is made perhaps for an exhibition, a book or entering into a competition. At this stage 'secondary contextualisation' is required. As your images transfer from the private world of their inception and selection to the public world of arbitrary engagement those qualities and ideas in your work will be lost unless you can elicit some control over how they are viewed.   The viewing public do not have the visual acuity, time or inclination to engage with your images as you would wish so you must help them by controlling the environment in which your work is seen. The key here is to concentrate the viewer's gaze on your work without distraction. This needs to be done both practically and conceptually. A frame is a 'practical' conxtextualising tool Here the border allows the elements of the image to live in their own world – a world defined and delineated as something different but the wooden surround. A secondary or 'conceptual' context can be described by imagining the power of a solo show at the Tate versus the display of some work in a village hall. The same pictures may be exhibited but to different effect by leveraging gravity by association. These suggestions are all vital aspects of placing your work in the right 'light', perspective or context. This is a report from the front line of working with photographers over many years but it is not exhaustive. The craft of placing your work in the right context might come to you instinctively or not. It doesn't matter – context is essential when it comes to generating the most effect from showing your work. Context is relevance. It can't be put simpler than that. Ignore it at your peril.   Here are some observations made during my time printing for photographers all over the world. I've had a chance to examine success and failure at close hand and these notes reflect some of the lessons I've learned.    ONLINE It is too easy to show your images to many people. Flickr, Facebook, Instagram and the like all make the exposition of your work almost automatic. But, unless your pictures are connected to an event or cause, these media are disastrous for preserving the gap between the metaphysic truth of your images and the prosaic mess of the world around them. Your work needs space – space to make its own case. It is much better to use these media to bring people to your own website.   WEBSITES Picture editors and curators have told my so many times that websites need to fulfill only two functions; clear visibility of images and ease of navigation. That's it. A website does not need to be pretty – simply functional allowing the work to 'speak'.   GROUP VERSUS SOLO SHOWS When showing prints avoid group shows – they do nobody's work any favours. Instead commit to your images and find a space where they can be shown on their own. Group exhibitions have the benefit of bringing more people in to view your work and they can be effective for people starting out but they are messy, prone to compromise and have the effect of degrading the power of your work especially when your work is adjacent to a weaker display. The aforementioned 'village hall' is a better environment to display your work than risking contamination by acquaintance with poor images.   PRESENTATION Framing is over considered. You cannot reinvent photography with a stunning frame. Keep it simple and make all your pictures the same size so that the viewer can 'tune out' the ancillary details and concentrate on the actual images.   iPads are great for casually showing your work but we automatically devalue the work on show because screen images are so pervasive in our visual lives.   Hanging pictures is crucial to their impact. Poor hanging will reduce the power of your exhibition by a huge amount. Make sure that frames are neat and clean and hung so that they are dead straight. Failure to do this makes you look like an amateur (I mean this in the pejorative sense!). Neat hanging is more important than correct exposure for the purposes of connecting with viewers.   PORTFOLIOS A set of prints in a clamshell portfolio box is endures as a good way to show your work. Allow wide borders (go up a paper size to incorporate this) and you get the double benefit of being able to handle prints (matte paper cleans up very well – direct message me and I'll tell you how) and the separation from the environment that every good shot deserves.   CURATING A SELECTION Loose a third. Some of my clients refer to the process of selection as 'drowning your babies' – a horrific term but one that sums up the process well. Your final selection should hurt. There will be loved pictures left behind because they weaken the 'whole'.   Agree or disagree? Let me know at @schneideman331 or email me at alex@flowphotographic.com    

WHY PHOTOGRAPHY AT ALL? 1st column from BLACK + WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE This is the first of of a regular series which are audio versions of my new monthly column, 'Thinking Photography' which appears in BLACK + WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY. Every month I take apart, unpack and dissect various ideas about the nature of photography. My column is fairly short and straight to the point.  Each article is illustrated by some of my photographs. This article is from May's edition of B+WP and it is looks at the drive to create and therefore to photograph.  As ever, please let me know what you think. Alex alex@asprinting.net

Aileen O'Sullivan represents a double first for Photographica. She is the first woman to feature and she is NOT a stills photographer. Rather Aileen is a veteran director and producer from New Zealand who has worked both sides of the truth line, i.e. she has directed drama as well as hard factual documentaries as well as other work that lands somewhere in between. I really wanted to make a recording with Aileen because, although, she isn't strictly speaking, a photographer her desire to tell a story using a camera is relevant to the work of stills photographers and I thought I might learn something from this alternative perspective. I was right - Aileen talks intelligently and with great experience about what to takes to develop and follow a story. She is an artist first foremost and our conversation touched on every aspect of what it takes to go to the heart of a story.   Aileen directed the highly acclaimed 'Black Grace' which follows a contemporary indigenous New Zealand dance company on its way to glory in America. Please take a look also at seannachie.com which is Aileen's own website. And please remember to rate Photographica and visit the website at ASPrinting.net Thanks for listening, Alex