Aaron Gustafson recently completed a series of large-format landscape photographs that he shot while freefalling through the skies of New York and Washington State. He is supposedly the first person to take large-format photographs while skydiving. It was done using a custom designed helmet-camera, which holds a sheet of 4×5 film:

L: 4×5 Helmet Camera (front view) R: 4×5 Helmet Camera (side view)
© Aaron Gustafson

The result:

10,000 ft., Cascade Range, Washington, 2009 [from "Freefall 4x5"]
© Aaron Gustafson

See more from Freefall 4×5 here.

[from "East Tennessee"]
© Mike Smith

About a year ago I had the pleasure of meeting Mike Smith and viewing a stack of prints from his East Tennessee series. I came across his website recently and realized I never mentioned his work here. The selection on his site is fairly limited in terms of the scope of the project, but still worth a look.

Continuing where the first installment left off:

Estate, a set of two books encompassing works (including one of my own) curated by Triangle Triangle’s Jake Dow-Smith. This edition was hand printed/sewn by Jake himself to help fund a larger run of these books.
Edition of 10, SOLD OUT.

Life Geos On (yes, that misspelling is on purpose) by Per Englund. Thanks Per!
Edition of 1,000, available for 198 kronor ($26).

Also from Per, two books titled But What Are You Running From? by Erik Wåhlström. Published by Museum Studio, both with original 4×6 prints on the covers.
Edition of 200 each, soon to be available here.

Lester B. Morrison’s Lost Boy Mountain from Little Brown Mushroom. I’m still not sure what’s up with all of the “LBM”s (anyone?) but this is a great little book.
Edition of 1,000, available for $8.75.

Underscore Quarterly’s fourth issue, SEA, was guest edited by Grant Willing. The issue is printed on newsprint and folds out to a poster of sorts. Features the work of Ruth van Beek, Noel Boyt, Daniel Gustav Cramer, Mårten Lange, and David Schoerner. The other side also has the entirety of Moby Dick; Or The Whale by Herman Melville written out really tiny. Thanks, Jesse.
Edition of 1,000, available for $8.

My good friend Greg Halpern published a nice limited-edition book of color laser prints with letterpressed cover through J&L. Thanks Jason!
Edition of 30, available for $50.

Also from J&L, David LaSpina’s Mamaroneck. A hand-made Xerox copy of the original book, with tipped-in color photographs. Thanks David!
1st Edition of 15, SOLD OUT
2nd Edition of 15, available for $50.

From Sébastien Girard, his new self-published book titled Nothing But Home. Look out for a short review of this soon. Thank you, Sébastien.
Edition of 500, available for €39 ($53).
Special edition of 100, available for €120 ($164).

In her new body of work, Black is the Day, Black is the Night, Amy Elkins broadens her artistic practice in a very exciting way. The series utilizes portraits, text pieces, layered/manipulated photographs, aerial land images as well as found objects.

13/32 (Not the Man I Once Was), 2009 [from "Black is the Day, Black is the Night"]
© Amy Elkins

The Real May Never Equal the Imagined, 2009 [from "Black is the Day, Black is the Night"]
© Amy Elkins

36 Months out of a Life Sentence, 2009 [from "Black is the Day, Black is the Night"]
© Amy Elkins

Elsewhere #7, 2009 [from "Black is the Day, Black is the Night"]
© Amy Elkins

Food Tray, 2009 (Found Object) [from "Black is the Day, Black is the Night"]
© Amy Elkins

In Amy’s words,

“Black is the Day, Black is the Night” is a work in progress, surrounding the correspondence between several men serving Life and Death Row sentences throughout the United States and myself. All of these men have served over 13 years in confinement, going in as young as 13, 15 and 18.

The text pieces, digital composites, appropriated images and portraits are constructed or digitally manipulated through formulas specific to each inmates shared story. Age, years spent in prison and location become part of the basic equation; while personal longings, memories and reflections create additional layers.

In one regard, this project is about a connection between strangers, both able to share a reality unbeknownst to the other. The works are inspired by an evolving relationship; as pen pals, confessionals, strangers and comrades. In another regard, the works are meant to bring light to our nations prison systems and use of capitol punishment.

A selection of works from the project are on view through Feb. 21st in “Homesick,” a group exhibition at The Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard, CA.

See more from Black is the Day, Black is the Night on Amy’s website.

Stephen DiRado sent me a beautiful handmade book, which I felt compelled to share here. The book, titled With Dad, came to me in a cloth-covered slip case with a photograph glued to the cover. The images inside are a documentation of Stephen’s relationship with his father Gene, who was affected by Alzheimer’s before he passed away in December 2009. Going back to 1985, the black and white photographs are deeply personal and extremely moving, and to view them in such a lovingly made book (the first, in fact, since his father’s death) was really special.

Thank you, Stephen.

Visit Stephen’s website to see more photographs from With Dad.

Untitled, 2009 [from "Holon"]
© Malwine Rafalski

Malwine Rafalski’s series Holon explores the lives of communities and individuals who have given up modern living to return to nature. Reminds me a few projects by other artists: Lucas Foglia, Taj Forer as well as Alec Soth’s recent body of work Black Line of Woods.

I want to turn off my computer and go build a cabin in the woods.

Untitled, 2009 [from "Monochrome Portraits"]
© Trine Søndergaard

Lay Flat 01: Remain in Light contributor Trine Søndergaard recently updated her site with a new body of work entitled Monochrome Portraits. The series has has also been published as a book by Hatje Cantz.

See more from Monochrome Portraits on her website.

Return to the Alps (3), 2009
© Sam Falls

Nothing is Revealed, a solo exhibition of work by Sam Falls, opens with a reception this Thursday, February 4th from 6-8pm at Higher Pictures. If you miss the opening, the show will be on view from February 4th – March 10th, 2010.

Congrats, Sam!

Untitled, 2009 [from "Hunters and Heirs"]
© Alexi Hobbs

Alexi Hobbs wrote to let me know about his recently completed body of work Hunters and Heirs. “Shot in Northern Quebec last fall, it’s a take on my family’s history and identity,” he writes. His statement explains further.

View the series here.

Untitled, 2007 [from "Northeast"]
© Shane Lavalette

I’m honored to have a selection of my photographs included in America Now, an exhibition opening this week at Montserrat Gallery. From the press release:

America as seen through the eyes of six American photographers: Daniel Cheek, Ben Huff, Shane Lavalette, Laura McPhee, Alec Soth and Zoe Strauss. The work is based in five regions of the US, including Alaska, the West, the Mid-West, the Northeast and the Southeast.

An opening reception for will be held this Thursday, February 4th from 6-8pm and the exhibition will be on view from February 5th – April 10th, 2010.

More information can be found here.