Topic: James Luckett's ' Like a Man' (16 Polaroids)

[snewbery]

If you don't  know this photographer, go shake hands. To see the images, click on the words '16 Polaroids'.... But read the stuff first; it's worth it.

http://www.consumptive.org/2009/09/like-a-man-as-a-man/

[Info Red]

Snewbery,

Thanks so much for the introduction! 

The essay at the beginning is definitely worth the time, and the collection of polaroids are an excellent grouping of fascinating images.  I think what makes them so intriguing (to me) is the facial expression behind the mask. 
Normally those clear masks hide more than they reveal, but in this series the model (is it the photographer exploring self-portraiture, or a separate person?) reveals much and nothing through his eyes, his body language, the implied movement of his mouth behind the clear material.  The backgrounds are sparse, the coloration of the polaroid material also sparse.  A terrific collection of self-exploration. 

You might want to check out some of the other materials he has posted as well. His CV is great, and his photos of the area he lived in in Japan is wonderful as well.

Info Red

[snewbery]

The essay at the beginning is definitely worth the time, and the collection of polaroids are an excellent grouping of fascinating images.  I think what makes them so intriguing (to me) is the facial expression behind the mask. 
Normally those clear masks hide more than they reveal, but in this series the model (is it the photographer exploring self-portraiture, or a separate person?) reveals much and nothing through his eyes, his body language, the implied movement of his mouth behind the clear material. 

Yes, the photos are 'self'-portraits...

You might want to check out some of the other materials he has posted as well. His CV is great, and his photos of the area he lived in in Japan is wonderful as well.

Yeah, I've been following his work for a while now... Got a copy of his book Suginami and found it worth every revisit. One of the few photographers who writes well. You might also be interested in reading Adjustments, his account of working in a photography lab that specialized in print-making for evidentiary purposes, aka forensic photography---film-based, as it was of necessity back then. Don't read it late at night...

http://consumptive.org/adjustments/adjust.contents.html