Article by Debe Arlook and Douglas Stockdale with photographs by Debe Arlook, Douglas Stockdale, Katie Rodriguez and Barry Schwartz •
We were honored with the opportunity to participate in the University of California Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism’s Third Biennial Reva & David Logan Photo Book Symposium on Saturday April 15th. The event was developed and chaired by Ken Light in conjunction with Sarah Meister, Christine-Hult Lewis, Jim Goldberg, Todd Hido, Baldwin Lee, Sally Stein, Ken Brody, Mimi Plumb, Pablo Ortiz Monasterio, Lucas Foglia, Michelle Dunn Marsh, Kris Graves and myself, Douglas Stockdale. The photographic projects published by this group are very diverse, extending well beyond the traditional definition of Journalism, with a wonderful through line related to photographic book publishing.
This sold-out symposium was structured to have consecutive panels discussing various aspects of the photographic book, with a presentation by a moderator and two speakers, followed by an audience question and answer period. The resulting Q&A was pretty interactive.
The symposium took us on a book journey beginning with Christine Hult-Lewis, Curator of the Reva and David Logan Collection of Photographic Books at Berkeley’s Bancroft Library. She gave an overview of the Logan collection, beginning with one of its highlights: Alfred Stieglitz’s early twentieth-century photographic journal Camera Work. She mentioned Gertrude Käsebier as being the first photographer–and a woman–to grace its pages, a theme that Sarah Meister would expand upon in her talk.
Sarah Meister, Executive Director of Aperture, affirmed a return of Aperture magazine’s original intent quoting, “The work and ideas of young photographers are as welcome as the contributions of those who have gained recognition. Aperture draws no editorial boundaries between amateur and professional, pictorials and documentarian, journalist and scholar.” On point with Lewis, she addressed the perceived distinction between artist versus photographer with Imogen Cunningham calling herself the former and Dorothea Lange the latter. Segueing to pictures and words, Meister quoted Lange saying, “All photographs – not only those that are “so called documentary” – can be fortified by words.” (Words & Pictures, MoMA, 2020).
Ben Brody, photographer and co-publisher of MASS Books, was one of the many presenters to say his intent is to make “photos that ask more questions than answer them.” Pablo Ortis Monasterio made a point that “some books age well, others do not.” Monasterio went on to discuss how books have movement, structure and rhythm. In the bookmaking process, he focuses on “the architecture of books, the design and strategy” and he personally prefers a book that is easy to hold and experience.
Todd Hido in discussing his process of editing referenced Robert Adams who spoke of photographic ‘orphans’, which are images that have not found a home. Yet these “favorite photos that don’t fit sometimes find a family or can be a path to the next project.”
Baldwin Lee spoke about Jim Goldberg’s passion for photography, his dedication, and his courage. “He knew what he had to photograph, not what he wanted to photograph.” Lee, when discussing the photographs from his book of the South, at one point discussed how a Bernini sculpture was a source of inspiration with its posture and gesture for a photograph of one of his subjects, as well as film director Ingmar Bergman and the concepts of cinematography.
Following the formal presentations, there was a short opportunity to purchase photographic books from the presenters and publishers who participated.
The participants, both the presenters as well as the audience, were very candid about their book publishing aesthetics, social concerns, and ideas. We found the entire experience interesting, intriguing, and enlightening. It was a wonderful opportunity to participate in this very special event.
Ken Light (photograph by Barry Schwartz)
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Christine Hult-Lewis (photograph by Douglas Stockdale)
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Pablo Ortiz Monasterio (photograph by Barry Schwartz)
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Ben Brody (photograph by Katie Rodriguez)
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Ben Brody, Sally Stein, Pablo Ortiz Monasterio panel (photograph by Katie Rodriguez)
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Audience (photograph by Katie Rodriguez)
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Kris Graves with Michelle Dunn Marsh looking on (photograph by Barry Schwartz)
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Douglas Stockdale with Kris Graves and Michelle Dunn Marsh (photograph by Barry Schwartz)
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Lucas Foglia (photograph by Barry Schwartz)
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Mimi Plumb (photograph by Barry Schwartz)
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Todd Hido (photograph by Barry Schwartz)
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Mimi Plumb, Todd Hido, Lucas Foglia panel (Photograph by Douglas Stockdale)
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Baldwin Lee (photograph by Barry Schwartz)
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Baldwin Lee photograph being discussed (photograph by Debe Arlook)
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Jim Goldberg (photograph by Barry Schwartz)
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Jim Goldberg, Sarah Meister, Baldwin Lee panel (photograph by Douglas Stockdale)
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Book event (photograph by Katie Rodriguez)
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Articles and photographs published in the PhotoBook Journal may not be reproduced without the permission of the PhotoBook Journal staff and the photographer(s). All images, texts, and designs are copyright of the authors and publishers.
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