Editors' notes, a Phallic Stage, and the Approaching Guillotine
Or: Dispatches #13 ...and we're back
In a move that neither I nor anyone who knows me saw coming, I started wearing baseball caps. It began in the summer. As my hairline continued its inexorable march up across my forehead, I bought a cap to keep the sun off the great expanse of northern face. With the exception of a couple of cheap, black trial runs, the first hat was a black-on-black Yankees cap with the classic NY logo. I took my first tentative steps into the world as a habitual cap wearer, and no one looked at me like I'd stapled a turnip to my shoulder, so I decided I might just get away with it.
Not long after, my brother gave me one of his. A trucker hat he decided wasn't for him. This one bore the name of the tremendous hip hop duo, Run the Jewels. Ok, 2 is a collection. I might have to make this a thing, now.
Rather than explicit logos or slogans, I found that I preferred caps that bore subtle nods to a thing that I loved, so I set out on a search for some others. From Shirt Killers, I found a Slint dad cap that had on it only the spider from the back of the Spiderland album cover. Next, a Biffy Clyro cap bearing three white dots on the front. The three white dots of their 7th album, Ellipsis. Then came the master stroke. I wondered if, in their endless merchandising creativity, the fine folks over at Kojima Productions might have a Death Stranding cap. Do they ever! They have a replica of the cap worn by Sam Porter Bridges throughout the game. I wonder if Hideo-San heard me shouting from Warsaw, shut up and take my money!
This seems a frivolous introduction as hurricanes destroy American cities, fascism rises in the West, genocide continues in the Middle East, and across the world, the climate crisis and a creeping third world war seem like they may put an end to us all. I'll write more about all of this as these pivotal next few months transpire. For now, I'm only just getting back to writing to you. I thought I may lure you in with some playful hat-chat and a false sense of whimsy before future Dispatches tell more about photographing Warsaw's inspiring pro-Palestine student demonstrations and the provocative direct action of Warsaw's climate activists, among other things while becoming increasingly cynical and pessimistic as we go along.
It’s all a bit grim, eh? I think I just need an Irn Bru, a Tunnock's Tea Cake, and a sleep.
Let's get to the news.
What's been happening this month
The British Journal of Photography has featured Palestinian photographer Samar Hazboun's Stuck on Hold, pictures of Gazans now living in the West Bank and wondering what's next? (British Journal of Photography)
A fascinating display of iconic newspaper photography, complete with original editors’ notes, is now on exhibition in New York. (PetaPixel)
Paris Photo and Aperture have announced the shortlist for the PhotoBook Awards 2024, the competition's 12th year. (Aperture)
Since I've been away, Leica launched the M11-D, The M11, sans screen, and it has caused a great deal of debate online. (Leica)
Photographs taken by the GOES-16 weather satellite show the sheer, devastating scale of Hurricane Milton (no relation). The GOES-19 satellite also caught terrifying footage of the hurricane's powerful small eye. Stay safe, everyone! (PetaPixel)
Dispatches from Substack
With help from Garry Winogrand, David Douglas Duncan, and a selection of others, the undisputed king of photography writing on Substack, Patrick Witty, laments the loss of access, and the struggle in determining what is real, in political photography.
Excellent stuff from Dina Litovsky on photography's "Phallic Stage" and her thoughts on why photographers should stop calling themselves artists.
Anthony Morganti announces he will be participating with a session at the Photoshop Virtual Summit 2024. I attended last year and learned a fair few techniques, tips, and tricks, I wasn't aware of. It's free to watch live, and will be held on 11th through 15th November, and Anthony explains more in his newsletter.
Ta-Nehisi Coates joins Mehdi Hassan on his Zeteo platform to discuss his new book's focus on Israel's violence toward the Palestinians, and Apartheid.
And as I've only started writing again after 6 months off, there won't be a digest in the next issue of Photos, mostly, so I'll leave you with this interview I did for the Photo Cultivator newsletter.
Something Funny
Readers of Dispatches and Photos, mostly will know I’m a big podcast listener, and every six months to a year, I try to find some new shows to listen to. Back in February, Scottish comedian and left-wing political firebrand Frankie Boyle started Here Comes The Guillotine, a podcast with his pals, comedians Susie McCabe and Christopher MacArthur-Boyd. 3 Glaswegians chatting about comedy, living in Glasgow, and throwing in the odd Scottish serial killer here or there. Not just for Scots, and some of the darker comedy is not for the faint-hearted, but it is laugh-out-loud funny.
And Finally…
I’ll be back later in the month, a day before Halloween, with Photos, mostly - as I slowly get myself back on track with regularly scheduled posts for you.
I’d be very grateful if you would subscribe to or share Photos, mostly. Sharing with 1 or 2 friends who enjoy street photography really will help more than you may think. Especially as I get this project back on its feet ready for 2025.
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Photos, mostly and Dispatches are free to read, however, paid subscriptions and donations help me keep making photographs and writing. All labour required to publish Photos, mostly is undertaken by me alone. As I strive to better live by my anti-capitalist beliefs, I will donate 10% of all income to anti-capitalist, leftist or progressive causes or organisations.
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phallic & guillotine in your title ... a daring combo. But more to the point: I hate wearing a cap when taking pictures, the bill (front part above the eyes) is always in the way. Suggestions for alternative headwear that's rainproof, good looking and camera compatible are always welcome.