© Patrick Alonso
While walking the shores of the St-Lawrence river where it meets the gulf in Rimouski … it’s on the tail end of that little august getaway that I picked up the quote « No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. » from Samuel Beckett. A reminder, that failure isn’t wholly without rewards.
Fortune cookiesque wisdom no doubt, but in this case simplicity doesn’t invalidate the thought, I think Mr. Beckett would agree.
(en français suivant les photos)
My Aldea book project is finally completed, printed and ready for viewing. As you might of guessed from the title, this book, actually a forty page booklet, is a collection of photographs from my Aldea series.
Like the village at the origin of this project, this booklet is rough. Printed on an average print paper (slightly heavier than copy paper) from a local print shop and saddle stitched, the basic premise for this project was that it shouldn’t last or at least stay in pristine condition for very long if handled in a cavalier manner. The only thing that will make these a limited edition is time itself.
The methods used have added their own ingredients to the overall look of the photographs and the completed product is exactly what I wanted these images to “feel” like when I started editing this series way back in January.
I printed a small number for now which I will be selling for 7.50$ + 3.00$ shipping a piece (that’s Canadian dollars). Mail me if you would be interested in getting a copy.
© Patrick Alonso
© Patrick Alonso
© Patrick Alonso
© Patrick Alonso
Mon projet de livre Aldea est enfin terminé, imprimé et prêt pour votre visionnement. Comme vous pouvez le deviner d’après le titre, ce livre, en fait un livret d’une quarantaine de pages, est une collection de photographies de ma série Aldea.
Tout comme le village à l’origine de ce projet, ce livret est rustique. Imprimé sur un papier d’impression moyen (un peu plus lourd que du papier copie) à partir d’un imprimeur local et agrafé à la main, la prémisse de départ pour ce livret était qu’il ne devrait pas durer, ou du moins rester en parfait état pour très longtemps s’il était manipulé de manière cavalière. La seule chose qui va faire de ce livre une édition limitée est le temps lui-même.
Les méthodes utilisées ont ajouté leurs propres ingrédients à l’aspect global de la photographie et le produit fini est exactement ce que je voulais « ressentir » par rapport à ces images quand j’ai commencé à éditer cette série en janvier.
J’ai imprimé un petit nombre pour l’instant que je vais vendre pour 7,50 $ + 3,00 $ d’expédition. Écrivez-moi si vous souhaitez obtenir une copie.
As promised, my portfolios are back up for viewing. Showing work in the form of portfolios as had me torn for the past months, I guess I still am. There seems to be such a finality to work once it’s presented in this format … as if I would never again in my life walk the streets of so and so city or revisit one particular edit.
Nevertheless, here they are in the form of individual galleries in the right hand column of my blog (Portfolios section), totally bypassing the usual website. Some old stuff with new one edited in (both streets series) and one brand new series titled “Aldea” which I produced last December in Aldeanueva de Ebro (Spain) and had mentioned in part here.
Aldeanueva de Ebro © Patrick Alonso
Including beautiful introductory words by Eve, the brief text at the beginning of the “Aldea” series describes my feelings towards these photographs. I am very attached to this particular work. While walking the streets of my grandfather’s village I felt very lucid, very focused and admits the decay, badly planned industrialization and dirt I came to the realization that the only beautiful thing about that place is my grandfather himself. Once he’s gone, any love I have for that particular place will be as well. That pushed me to document parts of it before everything changed too much … nothing was forced, everything was photographed on instinct without over thinking, never more than one frame per subject.
© Patrick Alonso
I took this photograph earlier this week while on a little trip outside the city. I wouldn’t live in the woods (or even the suburbs for that matter) but every once in a while, a little trip to the outdoors is good for the soul … especially with a quiet little vista like the one in the photograph. Alas, my little moment of private relaxation was interrupted after a few short seconds by some huge-audi-suv wielding snob who’s first question to me upon rolling down her window was « Who are you? Why are you taking pictures? This is a private road! » … to me that’s pretty much the verbal equivalent of saying hello with a double barrel shotgun, you shouldn’t do that.
I received a call last week requesting pictures of the regions I had visited in Europe over the last few years and as I was sifting through I came across this shot I made while ago on a two day walk on El Camino. This one was taken on the second day, approaching Saint-Jean Pied de Port and the Pyrenees valley.
© Patrick Alonso
I love those mountains, especially the Basque countries on the Spanish side. This is probably one of the most peaceful places I’ve visited … if I had to live outside the city, these mountains would be it.
I which I had shot this with a newer camera or better yet with film, maybe I could of retained a few more details in the sky … but then again, I didn’t have a better piece of gear with me at the time, so be it, this is the best I could do short of doing something shameful … like HDR. It’s not perfect, but I still like it.
She’s got balls
If you missed it or just plain don’t follow my other blog RapporteursPhoto, we posted about Amy Stein on Monday and if you don’t know her, it’s a must see. She put together what I think is a great project. For « Stranded« , Amy went on road trips all across the US to photograph motorists who’s cars had broken down on the side of the road.
© Amy Stein
Her words to describe the series …
« Beginning with the government’s failed response to the flooding of New Orleans in 2005, the American people suffered through a series of devastating corruptions of their traditional structures of support. Stranded is a meditation on the despondence of the American psyche as this collapse of certainty left the country stuck in an unfamiliar space between distress and relief. In this series the car serves as both figurate symbol of American destiny and a literal representation of the personal breakdowns on the road to that promise. »
Approaching strangers is hard enough, approaching strangers whose cars just broke down on the side of the road is taking it to an all other level. Kudos!
Lastly
If you think that this post is similar in form to another photographer’s blog, I would tell you that its actually a plain rip-off on my part. I think Tony Fouhse is not only an outstanding photographer but also an interesting blogger (and source of inspiration). I find the whole vibe of his blog Drool very nice and its one of my favourite weekend reads.
I’m not saying all my post will have this form, but when the mood strikes to share more than just a shot, like today, I will more than likely be using this form or a close variant.
