Continuing on with this month’s theme and in respect for our “elders” I am featuring photographers with images of seniors. This may not always be the primary focus of their photography, but it is a joy to see such beautiful portraits, regardless of the subject’s age. Each one tells a beautiful story. I emailed a number of photographers asking them specifically for images of older people, and I had some wonderful responses. Unfortunately, we couldn’t fit them all in this time around, but thank you all for sending them. And another interesting note is that none of the photographers we are featuring this month have been in the bulletin before, so that’s cool.
Shannon Fagan
Shannon shot this beautiful portrait series in 2006 as a personal project alongside a weeklong lifestyle stock photo shoot at a nursing home in Dallas, TX. It also brought him 1st Place in The Photo Review Competition in 2008. He said, “I was able to make friends with many of the residents (as they grew accustomed to my presence in the environment) which led to the personal body of work… beauty portraits of the residents in contrast to what is otherwise considered a negative topic of aging by traditional standards and/or situations of healthcare.”
© Shannon Fagan
Amanda Stevenson Lupke
I met Amanda a few years ago now and I love both her and her work. As her website states, she is “a diligent spirit coupled with an infectious and positive outlook,” and that she is! This fun seniors group portrait is from her personal archive. Amanda is also currently the ASMP Chapter President in Philadelphia and doing an awesome job!
http://www.amandastevensonphoto.com/
Aaron Lee Fineman
This delightful portrait of John Bulger, “Freelance Suggestion Man” from Greenpoint in Brooklyn, was the subject of an assignment that Aaron shot for the New York Times a few years ago. Mr. Bulger was suing the Board of Education for allegedly stealing his ideas, of which he had submitted many, but all of which had previously either been rejected or never even acknowledged.
© Aaron Lee Fineman
http://www.aaronleefineman.com/
Philip Mauro
Philip takes environmental portraits and is also a professor of photography at Wagner College. This charming character is a man by the name of Anthony Bonair. He is an Artist who shoots multiple exposure images – all on film (!) and the image on the wall over his right shoulder is one of his own.
© Philip Mauro
Frank Siteman
I have known Frank since I worked with Watson & Spierman some years ago and we have stayed in touch since that time. This poignant portrait he sent us is of a man called Alex Waitkevich, a Lithuanian immigrant and pacifist who walked 500 miles to flee Russia and inscription into the Russian army. They say, a picture is worth a thousand words, and I think this one certainly qualifies!
Sari Goodfriend
Sari is another Fine Art photographer and a simply delightful person. Equally charming is her family friend Marguerite, of whom she says, “Although we are decades apart, it feels like we are the same age. She has an insatiable curiosity about human psychology and current events and reads the New York Times cover to cover every day. Her sense of mischief and fun, love of life and people, helps her to maintain a wonderfully positive outlook.” Marguerite will be 98 this month. She attributes her health and vibrancy to the yoga she does every morning and the fresh homemade food she eats three times a day. May she be a source of inspiration to us all!
© Sari Goodfriend
http://www.sarigoodfriend.com/
http://www.nycshutterbug.tumblr.com/
Justine Reyes
Justine is a Fine Art photographer who was recommended to me by my good friend Jill Waterman. She has spent the past 7 years photographing her immediate family (her mother & 2 uncles) at home. Then, after one of her uncles died, they started traveling to help take their minds off the grief, and her series “Home, Away from Home” was born. These images are now taken in hotel rooms, where one attempts, albeit briefly, to create a sense of “home away from home.” A very interesting, poignant and personal study which can be seen in full on her website.
© Justine Reyes
Marianne Rafter
Some of the photographers I emailed sent me some more personal images of their own family. Marianne is a lifestyle photographer based here in New York, but she is originally from Norway. She sent me these lovely images of her parents, Trond and Sigrund Rafter, and I thought they were so charming, we decided to include them as well. I also love the contrast between Sigrund’s snowy portrait as compared to the sun-drenched Trond!
© Marianne Rafter