Photographer: Amy Stein

Ninja May 29th, 2008

photographer-amy-stein

Amy Stein teaches photography at both Parsons and the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Her work has been shown at the the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Nevada Museum of Art.

As I was going through Amy Stein’s photograph series—Domesticated, Women and Guns, and  Stranded, I realized I could play a game of exquisite corpse narrative with them. Instead of the traditional head, torso, and legs; my version is beginning, middle, and end of a tale. If I took one photo from each series, I could form a visually eerie, campfire story.

Example 1: 

amy-stein_domesticated.jpg

amy-stein_womenandguns.jpg

amy-stein_stranded.jpg

Example 2:

stranded_3.jpg

domesticated_20.jpg

womenandguns_5.jpg

It doesn’t work for all her photos, but it is kind of fun.

To see more of Amy’s photographs, visit her portfolio website here.

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    I don't mean any offense, but most of those I find rather dull - in the sense that I already know how to look at the world like that. Not that I'm looking for commercial whizz or bang, it just seems maybe like looking at a still pond that doesn't reflect anything. Am I being unfair?

    (I have to thank you for introducing me to ecotone though.)
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    Hi Chris,

    It's quite alright! Everyone's entitled to their own opinions, and it's always nice to get other perspectives. ^____^

    Well, for my little game, I took the photos out of their collections, so it's probably not a fair viewing. Yes, the subject matter isn't anything new. After all, how many times have we passed stranded motorists? But I guess I was more interested in Amy's choices and her thought process for capturing images of vulnerable moments, power, and failing technology. Her work has an honest, almost snapshot quality to it.

    I get so many mailings from stock houses and commercial photographers, mostly slick and polished work (which has its place and isn't necessarily a bad thing). So it's a nice break for my eyes to see weeks' worth of traveling and photographing people on the highway side. I'm not a rubbernecker, so I would don't get the opportunity to see the faces or get a glimpse into their stories.

    Hee hee, I kind of like looking at a still pond or peeling paint and finding beauty in the ordinary.

    Thanks for your thoughts!

    Cheers,
    Ninja

    PS. Part of me also hopes that she was able to offer some assistance to these motorists.
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    I agree that it is often a context thing. I have just been looking at Donald Judd sculptures and no matter how many times I go back to them I still just can't get enough, they seem so 'right' proportionally and even compositionally.
    I take your point on the peeling paint idea too. I did go back and look again to make sure, and there is something interesting there, but, I don't know; it's just not got enough, dare I say depth? Though I know you could argue that. (That shallowness you sometimes feel during quiet times when there is no one there?)

    Actually, I have an 'Ask Ninja' question. Are you busy?
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    PS - Surely helping the motorists is cheating. I mean, you can't photograph them like there is no one to help them, then roll up your sleeves and fix the car for them.
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    The exquisite corpse....is that like the book you made me with the vellum photos?
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    @Chris,
    Noted. But you got to admit, if that was the case, it would have been pretty jerky of her to just click and run.

    From the looks of her photos though, most of the trouble seems to be with the engine or something under the hood. It's a bit doubtful that she's a trained mechanic or that she drives with a trunk full of auto repair tools/spare parts. I didn't imagine her rolling up her sleeves and getting dirty. Rather, I thought she might give them company while they wait, or at least offer her cell phone so they could make a call.

    I also think she must have been pretty kind when approaching them, otherwise, they wouldn't let her take their photo/their reactions in the photo would reflect their disapproval.

    @Stay-C,
    Yup, that's it! Although there are other variations of the game where a piece of paper is divided into folded segments, and each player draws an image on his segment and extends part of the drawing onto another blank segment. The next player works off this partial drawing without knowledge of what the previous player has drawn. He too extends part of his drawing into the next segment for the next player. The game goes on until the folded segments are all filled and the final drawing is unveiled.

    Yawn, I hope that made sense,
    Ninja
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