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Diana Markosian’s “Father”, presented by Aperture, has settled within me like a quiet ache, a profound meditation on the fractured landscape of family, the enduring weight of loss, and the fragile, often stumbling journey towards reconnection. I spent a good portion of yesterday afternoon with it, the spring sunshine warming my back as my wife…
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Photography, since its emergence, has served myriad purposes, capturing likenesses, chronicling conflicts, and aiding scientific inquiry. Yet, from the late 19th century onwards, a distinct and vital role began to solidify that of the social document. As the world underwent profound shifts driven by rapid industrialisation and burgeoning urban centres, a new breed of photographer…
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Fred Ritchin’s “The Synthetic Eye: Photography Transformed in the Age of AI” is, without a doubt, a fascinating and deeply unsettling read. As a photographer and artist (no laughing), I find myself grappling with the very questions Ritchin poses, particularly as someone who holds a deep-seated suspicion of AI’s ability to create lifelike images. My…
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East St Clement’s Church: A Reckless First Glance and the Promise of Deeper Understanding (Part One)
East St Clement’s Church. The name itself has a familiar ring, another steadfast landmark woven into the rich tapestry of Aberdeen’s history. Like St Fittick’s, it’s a place I’ve driven past countless times taking the family to codnas or cinema, a fleeting presence on the periphery of my daily routes. Nestled within the unique community…
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Lukas Felzmann’s Across Ground, a two-volume stunner from Lars Müller Publishers, isn’t the kind of photobook you just flip through in a fifteen minute sit down like some. It asks you to slow down, breathe, and properly look. It’s an antidote to the noise of modern life, a reminder to appreciate the quiet poetry tucked…
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There’s a particular thrill, a unique intimacy, in holding a well-crafted photobook. It’s more than just a collection of images bound together; it’s a carefully orchestrated journey, a visual symphony where each photograph plays a crucial note, contributing to an overall emotional and intellectual experience. As someone utterly captivated by this art form, I find…
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There’s a fundamental human curiosity that tugs at us, a desire to dissect the fleeting moments that make up our reality. We watch a bird take flight, a horse gallop across a field, a dancer leap through the air, and our minds struggle to fully grasp the intricate sequence of movements that unfold before our…
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Every once in a while, a book comes along that isn’t just a collection of images but an experience in itself. Sticks by Patrick Dougherty and James Florio is one of those books. A massive, heavy tome with a presence as striking as the sculptures it documents. The hardcover alone feels monumental, solid, weighty, the…
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Picking up Outdoor Photography issue 316, I wasn’t just looking for beautiful images, I was searching for stories, for deeper emotional connections, for the kind of photography that lingers in your mind long after you close the magazine. What I found was a collection of photographers who, in their own ways, are all striving to…
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St Fittick’s Church is the kind of place that lingers in the background of your mind, a half-forgotten relic standing quiet in a field in Torry near the golf course and new harbour, caught between the past and the slow creep of Aberdeen’s industrial sprawl. It’s been there for centuries, weathered by time, its stone…