Laura Curran wrote from Belfast about her new book Lots of Cake! This fabulous publication is dedicated to the photographer's Mum, and chock full of intimate but documentary photographs. Laura says "This project began as a chronicle of special occasions, emphasising the role that my mother plays in creating important moments, and evolved from a document into a revelation of her character and imagination." 

Not only does cake and its ingredients feature in the images, Laura scanned some of her Mum's original recipes and included them on vellum-style pages. I am really impressed with this self-published little number, right down to the wallpapery cover. Great job. And it's only £15 so why not treat yourself? 

I was reminded of this research: A few years ago, Paul Rozin, a University of Pennsylvania psychologist, and Claude Fischler, a French sociologist, began collaborating on a series of cross-cultural surveys of food attitudes. They found that of the four populations surveyed (the U.S., France, Flemish Belgium and Japan), Americans associated food with health the most and pleasure the least. Asked what comes to mind upon hearing the phrase ''chocolate cake,'' Americans were more apt to say ''guilt,'' while the French said ''celebration''; ''heavy cream'' elicited ''unhealthy'' from Americans, ''whipped'' from the French. The researchers found that Americans worry more about food and derive less pleasure from eating than people in any other nation they surveyed.

Yousuf Karsh photographed several Hollywood film stars in the 40s and 50s and in fact there will be an exhibition of them at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston this fall: "Karsh Goes Hollywood" opens on September 8th, 2014. Here's Lauren Bacall, and Karsh's classic photograph of Humphrey Bogart as a bonus.

Whilst not trying to wish away the coming few weeks of summer, this is something to look forward to in New York in September. Throckmorton Fine Art will open documentary photographer Valdir Cruz' sixth exhibition at their gallery. It is the culmination of a thirty-year-long photographic essay: 'Guarapuava,' about the photographer's hometown in Brazil. 

"I could use my photography to honor the people and the landscape of my youth. I like to think that their part in the history of Brazil is now a little more visible."

Valdir Cruz' bodies of work are so rich, you should check out more on his website.

The blurb:

It has been said that Cruz's interest in photography began when he first viewed some of George Stone's photographs in National Geographic magazines in the 1970s. "Stone was a master teacher and it is thanks to him that I became a photographer." Cruz adds that it was George Tice who helped him become a good printer. At the Germain School he studied photography, but he gained technical skills from George Tice at the New School for Social Research, in New York. He later collaborated with Tice in the authorized production of two important Edward Steichen portfolios, Juxtapositions (1986) and Blue Skies (1987) before focusing largely on his own works. Valdir Cruz developed a deep understanding of how 20th century photographers such as Edward Steichen and Horst P. Horst expressed their creativity in photography. He says, "Mr Horst was not only a great photographer, but a gentleman. I remember the 80's with affection. Those were years of learning and growing tremendously in my vision -  and photography - and in my life!  Those were the years dedicated to New York City...and learning photography."  Valdir Cruz's work has been the subject of more than fifty solo exhibitions.

'Guarapuava' is on view at Throckmorton, 145 East 57th St, NYC, from September 18th to November 1st, 2014.

News from the south: September 12th, 2014, marks the opening of an exhibition of photographs by Mobile, Alabama-based photographer Vincent Lawson, at the Mobile Arts Council. Add Vincent to the list of lovable artists I met in New Orleans last year; I wasn't able to review his portfolio but we connected regardless. Look Vincent in the eyes and you can sense he's going to be invested in producing photographs like this.

"It is my goal that this project will help those who have little or nothing, whose dreams have been shattered, who think that no one cares for them, who think that they don't matter. If this project can change one person's way of thinking it will be a success."

Sorry I can't make it - share with someone who you think can!

"These photographs also ask a question: if you see another human being in need, will you pass them by or help them? The two choices: Empathy / Apathy." - VL.

View the full screen magazine photo feature.

Read more of people's stories over at the Structure Out Of Chaos website.

Ian: 200+ lifestyle variables

London-based photographer Travis Hodges does it again, creating a series of images based around a digital trend. This time he looks at self tracking. Text and images by Travis.

"'The Quantified Self' is the process of self knowledge through self tracking. Once the preserve of researchers and technology junkies, self tracking is rapidly evolving into a mainstream trend as people are able to use smartphones and wearable sensors to record an expanding range of data and make use of its analysis. Many of the commonly tracked metrics relate to health and self improvement, but almost anything can be tracked; sleep, exercise, mood, weight, the list is almost endless as are the individual motivations for tracking. This project looks at the stories of the people who self track, the data they collect and their motivations for doing so."

Following are excerpts from their stories - to read more head over to Travis's website. If you are in London, you can see the work at Photofusion, now through middle of August, with an artists' talk on August 7th.


Ian began tracking his health in 1974, recording exercise and weight. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2007 and given weeks to live. Ian now records over 200 areas of his daily life including liquid and food intake, alternative therapies, supplements, prescription drugs and biochemical measures. His spreadsheet now measures over 400 columns and 2,400 daily records.

Michael: Happiness





Michael designed and built an app called Happiness as a technological alternative to chemical anti-depressants. "By staying generally conscious of my mental state I'm able to spot patterns and make changes before anything gets too overwhelming. Tracking my happiness has also helped validate various life decisions that I might otherwise doubt... It's been a while since the app has shown me a big red warning necessitating a painful life decision."

Adriana: Emotion





Adriana uses 'Emotion Sense,' an app developed at Cambridge University, to monitor her mood and overall happiness. She inputs her mood on a grid; the app can use the phone's data to measure environmental and social influences such as how much you are using your phone and how active you are, through location tracking. Adriana always thought of herself as negative, but "it seems I am actually a lot happier and positive."

Owen: Mental performance




Owen, a qualified pharmacist, tracks aspects of his mental performance and the effect of coffee on his short term memory, reaction time, and processing capabilities. "When I first started, using a program called Quantified Mind, I checked my mental performance when I had coffee against when I didn't have it. The results showed significant improvements in the way my mind functions, and so I've been having it ever since."

Suran: Body shape





Suran steps into a 3D body scanner once a month to map his body shape and record measurements that would be unreliable if done by hand. "I got interested in monitoring my body-shape after my uncle died of a heart attack. One of the best predictors of heart disease is the size of your belly, but getting consistent and accurate measurements by tape measure is hard."

Barbara: Happiness and well being




Barbara and her family use a self-designed app to track and influence their happiness. By creating and sharing tasks based on  'eight areas of life' members of the family can see what each other needs to feel happy and therefore support each other in achieving their goals. One month Barbara set 80 tasks, achieving 76 which completed 9 of the 10 self defined stepping stones for her big picture of happiness and harmony.

All images © Travis Hodges. More from this series over at his website.

Think Barbara ever watches the world news?

This week marks the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I. The inimitable Steve Pyke completed his series of WWI veterans' portraits in 1993, by which time of course many of their fellow vets had died. He photographed British, French, German and American veterans, usually in their homes in their respective countries.

"The war had always gripped me. As a child I met and spoke openly to the old timers who had fought, including my grandfather Arthur Pyke who served as a cabin boy at the naval battle of Jutland in 1916. I realised that by chance of birth had I been born in the late 19th century, then undoubtedly I would have served.

There was one veteran in Leicester where I grew up that I got to know well. Bert Mundy had served in Flanders, he lost an eye and was mustard gassed there. We used to play chess together and he would be continually dabbing his weeping eyes whilst lecturing me on various chess moves.

The series now rests in the permanent collection of The Imperial War Museum in London. It's fitting to view these portraits again 20+ years after I made them, and on the 100th anniversary of the Great War." 

Steve Pyke, MBE.

Lewis Khan made this engrossing video about George, a lively Londoner. Take a few minutes and experience someone else's tough life.

The film is currently on show at The Photographers' Gallery, London, as part of "Fresh Faced + Wild Eyed 2014."

Francisco Salgueiro is a photographer and author based in Europe. This is an ongoing series of images made backstage at regional circuses all around Portugal. So far he's clocked 6 months and 8 circuses and a bunch of cool shots. Do check out his website for some other interesting, behind-the-scenes work.

Here's a complete package masquerading as a thesis project, from SVA Digital Photo grad Evelina Reinhart. Evelina suffers from acid-reflux disease and found most of the recipes already out there were not to her taste. So, she made up her own, had the dishes cooked up, and photographed them all using only natural light. Smart! The book, The Joy of Eating, is available for purchase so why not buy one for someone you know who has the same issues.