Articles

LaToya Ruby Frazier’s first book, The Notion of Family, presents a powerful photo journal and narrative documenting her family’s struggles with disease and poverty in Braddock, a declining steel town. Through stark photographs and descriptive texts, she reveals the harsh realities shaped by environmental and social decay, chronicling multiple generations of women in her family. The work is both a deeply personal account and a socio-historical documentary that connects intimate family life with broader issues of gender, class, race, and industrial decline. The book also includes context essays that situate her story within Braddock’s history and the tradition of photography. Read Article

LaToya Frazier’s first monograph, The Notion of Family, captures the decline of Braddock, Pennsylvania, a once-thriving steel town with a rich African American labor history. The book intertwines personal family hardships with broader themes of class and race, featuring mostly black-and-white photographs arranged like a family album. Over twelve years, Frazier created intimate portraits with her mother alongside images of urban decay. The work reflects on three generations of her family, raising questions about community, belonging, and responsibility while challenging traditional documentary photography narratives. Read Article

LaToya Ruby Frazier is an American photographer known for highlighting underrepresented people, places, and issues through her work. Her notable series include The Notion of Family (2001–14), which portrays her own family to explore themes such as inequality and healthcare. Flint is Family (2016–17) addresses the water contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan, documenting the impact on three generations of women. Through black and white silver prints, she creates a documentary essay connecting personal experience with larger social, political, and environmental challenges. Read Article

This article explores the powerful self-portraits of photographer LaToya Ruby Frazier, highlighting the critical responses from artists and writers. Their reflections emphasize the emotional depth and social commentary conveyed through Frazier’s work. The piece situates her photographs within contemporary discussions about identity, community, and resilience, underscoring the impact of her visual narrative. Read Article

In this interview, photographer Tristan Martinez engages with iconic photographer Jason Fulford, exploring Fulford's approach to photography, sequencing, and the power of the book format. Fulford discusses his use of film, the open-ended narratives in his work, and the challenges and rewards of editorial projects outside personal practice. The conversation also delves into the importance of travel for creativity, the role of exhibitions versus photobooks, and the concept behind Fulford's recent project 'Photo No-Nos,' which compiles photographers' self-censorship stories. Read Article

Photo No-Nos: Meditations on What Not to Photograph (Aperture, 2021), edited by Jason Fulford, compiles insights from over two hundred photographers and professionals on subjects they avoid or consider inappropriate for photography. The book explores diverse topics from landscapes and roses to colonialism and social responsibility. Highlights include reflections on avoiding clichéd images like sunsets, roses, and stereotypical subjects, as well as personal restrictions photographers impose to challenge themselves creatively. Thirteen artists share their perspectives on ‘photo no-nos,’ revealing how self-imposed rules can provoke deeper understanding without stifling creativity. Read Article

Jason Fulford’s book, Photo No-Nos: Meditations on What Not to Photograph, published by Aperture, compiles contributions from over 200 photographers who share stories about what not to capture in images. The book offers an encyclopedia of photographic errors and a comprehensive list of taboo subjects. Notable photographers like Cristina de Middel, William Wegman, Alec Soth, Alex Webb, and others discuss clichés and common pitfalls such as photographing roses, sunsets, cemeteries, and anthropomorphized pets. This collection serves as guidance for photographers to avoid weakened or cliché images and refine their visual storytelling. Read Article

In 2006, Igor Posner returned to his birthplace, St. Petersburg, after 14 years. His photographic series captures the city through impressions shaped by memory and time, portraying a fragmented overlap of past and present. These images convey a haunting sense of dislocation and reflect not only the city's current state but also its lost and imagined incarnations. The photobook Past Perfect Continuous explores the complexities of engaging with the past through photography, emphasizing how the artist’s personal history influences the narrative. The book is available in hardback, including contributions from writer Mary Di Lucia. Read Article

Igor Posner's photobook Past Perfect Continuous captures a timeless atmosphere blending past and present through a poetic narrative and evocative imagery. The book explores fleeting moments and blurred boundaries between memory and reality, using analog photographic processes that evoke alchemy and history. The text reflects on family stories, the contrast of generations, and the impact of place and time on perception. It transcends specific eras or locations to present a universal meditation on memory, dreams, and the nature of art. Read Article

Igor Posner’s photobook Past Perfect Continuous captures his return to St. Petersburg after 14 years. Taken between 2006 and 2009, the black-and-white images are deliberately blurred and grainy, evoking memory and time rather than contemporary reality. The photographs exclude modern elements, presenting a timeless, spectral version of the city that reflects both nostalgia and alienation. Through nocturnal street scenes and interiors, Posner explores an urban landscape shaped by history and personal remembrance, creating a haunting dialogue between past and present. Read Article

The Photographer’s Playbook by Jason Fulford and Gregory Halpern is a collection of 307 photographic assignments and ideas sourced from photographers, curators, and educators, aimed primarily at young or developing fine art photographers. The book offers conceptual project inspirations often aligned with academic BFA and MFA photography programs, helping photographers find new directions beyond technical skills. It encourages forming peer groups for critique and deeper exploration. The author highlights the book’s usefulness in driving experiment-play concepts that have influenced their own long-term projects. Read Article

The Photographer’s Playbook is a collection of over 300 photography assignments, ideas, and insights contributed by notable photographers and professionals. Unlike common photography books that offer repetitive, simplistic challenges, this book takes a more philosophical and mature approach to stimulating creativity. It includes practical advice, reflective prompts, and even playful activities that inspire photographers at any experience level to rethink their relationship with the medium. Currently available only in physical form, it is regarded as a valuable resource for both beginners and seasoned photographers looking to deepen their photographic practice. Read Article