Aéroport

As I am about to embark on a big trip to South America check out my project Aéroport - a photographic series from years and years of air travel. Additionally, take a look at a recent blog post on the project at Forbes.com

Early Color

Have a look at this slideshow on Time's Lightbox of early color photographs by Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii of Czarist Russia at the beginning of the twentieth century. Magnificent!

Two Prisoners in Shackles, between 1905 and 1915

Dwight Henry and "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

This evening I saw the film  “Beasts of the Southern Wild”, which was a big hit at Sundance this year. It's quite a magical and special film: dreamlike, poetic, and a little bit sad.

I've been wanting to see it since I was in New Orleans last month to photograph the lead actor Dwight Henry for New York Times T Magazine. I spent the day with Dwight and met his lovely family and very sweet publicist Anjulee. This was Dwight's first film, as he is actually a baker and a very good one at that (I was fortunate enough to try his famous Buttermilk drops at the Buttermilk Bakery and Café in New Orleans). Good things are happening for Dwight Henry - he is appearing in a Steve McQueen film due next year and planing to open an outpost of his bakery in Harlem. I'm glad that our paths crossed and that I got to experience meeting Dwight who has an aura of kindness and warmth around him.  Speaking of auras, New Orleans has about one of the best of all the cities in the USA. 

More Photos About Buildings and Food

I have work in a group show opening in Philly tomorrow. It's up through December 22. If you are in Philadelphia this fall - check it out!

Hotel Room Portraits in The Advocate

The Large Format Portrait, ICP - Summer 2012

I just finished my 4th annual large format portrait class at ICP this week and I couldn't be prouder of the work and energy of this years class. Here is a little peek at what these view camera virgins were able to accomplish.

The Large Format Portrait, August 2012

Cary Tijerina - Astoria Skate Park

Cary Tijerina - Astoria Skate Park

Daria Galli - Untitled

Daria Galli - Untitled

Eliot Nolen - Henry

Eliot Nolen - Smoker

Lee Chantler - Jacob

Lee Chantler - Zod

Matthew Freedman - Dan

Matthew Freedman - Ed

Meghan Hickey - Lucy & Triada

Meghan Hickey - Tito

Mikkel  Jorgensen - Albert & Joan

Mikkel  Jorgensen - Forbidden Ones Brooklyn

Ottavia Musini - Untitled

Ottavia Musini - Untitled 

Alp Klanten - Eugene

Alp Klanten - Ruslan

Tommy Mendes - West 4th Street Hood

Tommy Mendes - Grandma

Varvara Abramova - Untitled

Varvara Abramova - Untitled

The Big Top

Carson & Barnes Circus; Geneva, Ohio
 July, 2012

Hotel Room Portraits

Mannschaft Magazine recently featured my Hotel Room Portraits as a cover story in their July 2012 issue.  Hotel Room Portraits (1999 - present)  is an ongoing series by my partner Seth Boyd and me.  On the surface, this body of work is a series of self-portraits, but if you take a deeper look it's also a journal. In our hotel room "journal" what is being recorded is intimacy, aging and physical change, the architecture of hospitality, and a comprehensive travelogue.  Have a look at the Mannschaft article here and the complete series here.

The Contractor

Bogdon, June 2012

Pier 45 additions

If you haven't seen my multimedia presentation Pier 45 -(nearly twenty years of work at the Christopher Street Pier in New York City) check it out here.

Play Smart

I was recently commissioned by Visual AIDS to contribute to an HIV prevention and AIDS awareness campaign. PLAY SMART is a project to help promote harm reduction, testing, and post-exposure prophylaxis among gay men. This is the third edition of the PLAY SMART series, featuring works from Amos Mac, Iván Monforte, Christopher Schulz, and myself. The trading cards come in both English and Spanish, and feature materials and information to help you play smart.

Visual AIDS is the only contemporary arts organization fully committed to HIV prevention and AIDS awareness through producing and presenting visual art projects, while assisting artists living with HIV/AIDS. They are committed to preserving and honoring the work of artists with HIV/AIDS and the artistic contributions of the AIDS movement.

Chip Kidd: Designing books is no laughing matter.

This Ted Talk with Chip Kidd is certainly worth checking out. He is definitely quirky and has a sense of humor (not everyone may find him funny and to some perhaps he is even a little off putting - I didn't mind) but regardless his thoughts on design are smart and thoughtful. Essential viewing for anyone interested in publishing and book design.

Limited Edition Print

New Limited Edition Print to benefit the Photo Center Northwest  - Get one soon as I hear they are going fast!

Game of Thrones

I don't think I have ever been as into a television series as I'm into Game of Thrones. If you don't know, Game of Thrones is a series of novels by fantasy writer George R. R. Martin and has been brought to the screen by HBO - one of the few television channels producing consistently quality content. I have been talking it up with all of my friends and family. The characters are extremely rich and complex, the casting, acting, set and costume design, score, and special effects are all award-worthy. Though I have not yet read the books I would argue that the storyline and characters are far more nuanced and morally gray than Tolkien's simplified world of good versus evil. I have read a couple of critical reviews of the show in The New Yorker and New York Times, both written by female critics. In the two reviews the writers were uncomfortable with the sexuality and nudity on display in Game of Thrones and were approaching the show from feminist points of view. I don't see it that way at all. I think many, if not most of the strongest characters on the show are written for and played by females. Additionally, there is an equal amount of male nudity and male/gay male sexuality on display, even featuring full frontal male nudity. These of course are but small pleasures that are the benefit of being a fan of the show. The greatest pleasure in Game of Thrones is derived from our love and concern for the characters. The second season just came to an end and now we must wait until next spring for a new season. Watch it!

Renaldi.com - Newly Corrected, Augmented, and Amended

Make sure to check out my new site. Slideshows look really sweet in fullscreen mode. The site translates nicely and navigates smoothly on an iPad or other mobile devices.

Strangers in Seattle

Student work from my recent workshop on photographing strangers at The Photo Center Northwest.

Sean Newman

Scott Squire

Virginia Wilcox

Janet Simmelink

Dan Driscoll

Jin Miller

Jessica Olson

Scott Squire - Class Portrait