COUNTDOWN to PHOTOPIA

Learn more about your favourite Toronto-based artists as we countdown to PHOTOPIA, Gallery 44's Spring Fundraising Exhibition, Sale and Party - 2012.

DAY 1

G44 Member - Laurence Siegel

1. One sentence about your PHOTOPIA piece:

Dancers - subtle, light, graceful inside and out

2. If you had $5000 to spend on equipment or film, what would you buy?

More cameras for G44's education/outreach pgm

3. If you could take a photograph anywhere in the world, where?

Rotterdam Contemporary Dance School

4. Favourite photo blog:

Rangefinder

COUNTDOWN to PHOTOPIA, Day 1 - Laurence Siegel, Gallery 44

G44 Friend - Noah Gano

1. One sentence about your PHOTOPIA piece:

"mumbles/famouslastwords" is a collection about the apparent meaning and meaninglessness behind the language of consolation.

2. If you had $5000 to spend on equipment or film, what would you buy?

a year's worth of private studio space... that's equipment, right?

3. If you could take a photograph anywhere in the world, where?

cross-legged on the floor of the gleaming white studio in my fantasies (see question 2).

4. Favourite photo blog:

kind of a blog--it's called Art Stack. It's similar to Pinterest, only art-based.

COUNTDOWN to PHOTOPIA, Day 1 - Noah Gano, Gallery 44

Special bonus for our final countdown day - the creators of COUNTDOWN 2012 (no photos available)

G44 Member - Morris Lum

{Morris has been busy preparing for an exhibition at Art Gallery of Mississaugua, so doesn't have a piece in Photopia this year}

2. If you had $5000 to spend on equipment or film, what would you buy?

I would buy another Toyo AX2 field camera and some lenses, if there was left over cash I would buy a Nikon D800E.

3. If you could take a photograph anywhere in the world, where?

If I could I would like to go back to my birthplace in Trinidad and Tobago and shoot my old home, the beach I went to, and my grandfathers store.

4. Favourite photo blog:

Terry Richardson's Blog. www.terrysdiary.com. Terry is currently one of my favourite photographers.

(Morris is in the black jacket and glasses, right side of picture, Photopia 2011)

G44 Development & Communication Coordinator - Robyn York

1. One sentence about your PHOTOPIA piece:

Every summer I visit Rochester, NY, and Celebrated Summer was made on one of my last rolls of Kodachrome - the nostalgic Airstream seemed appropriate for the film choice.

2. If you had $5000 to spend on equipment or film, what would you buy?

$2000 worth of Ektachrome, $2000 worth of processing, $500 for new slide projectors, and $500 for a new lens for my Nikon.

3. If you could take a photograph anywhere in the world, where?

Hovering 1 mile above NYC, c. 1964

4. Favourite photo blog:

Touchingharmstheart.com by the ineffable Luke Strosnider.

Robyn York, Photopia 2011 (Photograph by C. Badanjak)

DAY 2

G44 Friend - Mark Peckmezian
1. One sentence about your PHOTOPIA piece:
A portrait of a girl I know.

2. If you had $5000 to spend on equipment or film, what would you buy?

Rangefinder with Leica M mount, and some good lenses. A new 4x5 lens. New screen for my Hasselblad. A stockpile of Tri-X and Ektar. This is making me drool a bit.

3. If you could take a photograph anywhere in the world, where?

Tokyo seems up my alley.

4. Favourite photo blog:

Now defunct (I think) but http://www.iheartphotograph.com/

COUNTDOWN to PHOTOPIA, Day 2 - Mark Peckmezian, Gallery 44

G44 Member - Liz Floyd:

1. One sentence about your PHOTOPIA piece:
From Head to Toe examines the pervasive power of consumer persuasion and the mirroring effect of seeing our fragmented reflections in product upon our identity.

2. If you had $5000 to spend on equipment or film, what would you buy?CANON EOS-5D MK III DIGITAL SLR BODY with CANON EF 70-200MM/2.8 L AF USM before taxes but I'd also try and talk down the price....

3. If you could take a photograph anywhere in the world, where?
Iceland - just 'cause...

4. Favourite photo blog:
http://blog.arcademi.com/de/

COUNTDOWN to PHOTOPIA, Day 2 - Liz FLoyd

DAY 3

G44 Friend - Derek Shapton

1. One sentence about your PHOTOPIA piece:

Taken while on assignment in Hong Kong and Macau -- I spent a few days exploring after the job was wrapped and was fascinated by Macau's odd blend of Portuguese and Chinese culture.

2. If you had $5000 to spend on equipment or film, what would you buy?

Dual Eizo ColorEdge retouching monitors.

3. If you could take a photograph anywhere in the world, where?

My mom is from the Phillippines; I'd love to spend some time there.

4. Favourite photo blog:

Two; Conscientious, and Shaptonia, my sister's swimming-themed Tumblr pages.

COUNTDOWN to PHOTOPIA, Day 3 - Derek Shapton, Gallery 44

G44 Member - Dale M. Reid

1. One sentence about your PHOTOPIA piece:

The feel, in Lilly Blast 1, was that it was in a garden. Not the case, I used a dark grey muslin background and lighting to create the outdoor feel.

2. If you had $5000 to spend on equipment or film, what would you buy?

A macro lens for my Mamiya camera and film.

3. If you could take a photograph anywhere in the world, where?

Arctic and Western Canada

4. Favourite photo blog:

I do not have a favourite photo blog. However, I participate in a number of discussions in various LinkedIn groups.

COUNTDOWN to PHOTOPIA, Day 3 - Dale Reid, Gallery 44

DAY 4

G44 Member - Oliver Pauk:

1. One sentence about your PHOTOPIA piece:

Everyone needs to know more about heat recovery.

2. If you had $5000 to spend on equipment or film, what would you buy?

An old Hasselblad.

3. If you could take a photograph anywhere in the world, where?

While flying on a large bird over Russia.

4. Favourite photo blog:

Crónicas Boémias de um Olhar

COUNTDOWN to PHOTOPIA, Day 4 - Oliver Pauk, Gallery 44

G44 Friend - Laurie Kang

1. One sentence about your PHOTOPIA piece:

The product of a Situationist-inspired walk.

2. If you had $5000 to spend on equipment or film, what would you buy?

A large format camera, books, and props for the studio.

3. If you could take a photograph anywhere in the world, where?

Nowhere, I probably wouldn't do it justice. I like traveling without the pressure of 'MUST capture this on camera'.

4. Favourite photo blog:

blindmist.com or jsbj.tumblr.com

COUNTDOWN to PHOTOPIA, Day 4 - Laurie Kang, Gallery 44

DAY 5 DOUBLE FEATURE!

G44 Member - Chris Shepherd

1. One sentence about your PHOTOPIA piece:

This piece recently hung at the Art Gallery of Mississauga and I forgot to tell the owner of the restaurant it was there... and I promised I would!

2. If you had $5000 to spend on equipment or film, what would you buy?

A really fancy carbon fibre tripod a new MacBook Pro, and Metal print drawers.

3. If you could take a photograph anywhere in the world, where?

Inside the Adult Learning Centre at 2 Danforth Ave.

4. Favourite photo blog:

Thedailynice.com

COUNTDOWN to PHOTOPIA, Day 5 - Chris Shepherd at Wall to Wall 2010 (See Chris's Photopia piece here)

G44 Member - Sandy Middleton

1. One sentence about your PHOTOPIA piece:
Shot in Long Beach, Tofino Vancouver Island, one of my favourite places, inspired by a photographer who's work I admire R. Hermant

2. If you had $5000 to spend on equipment or film, what would you buy?
Nikon D800 and a macro lens and maybe a new Epson printer

3. If you could take a photograph anywhere in the world, where?
Iceland is next on my travel wish list

4. Favourite photo blog:
I want to shoot Polaroid again so I like to follow http://blog.the-impossible-project.com/

COUNTDOWN to PHOTOPIA, Day 5 - Sandy Middleton, Gallery 44

DAY 6

G44 Member - Osheen Harruthoonyan
1. One sentence about your PHOTOPIA piece:
Photographed in Kelowna, B.C.

2. If you had $5000 to spend on equipment or film, what would you buy?

Several plane tickets, does that count as equipment?

3. If you could take a photograph anywhere in the world, where?

The Deep Sea or Tanzania

4. Favourite photo blog:

http://www.americansuburbx.com/

COUNTDOWN to PHOTOPIA, Day 6 - Osheen Harruthoonyan, Gallery 44

DAY 7

G44 Member Shelagh Howard
1. One sentence about your PHOTOPIA piece:
I started this body of work using long exposures and movement to explore the many versions of ourselves that we bring to each experience, encounter and relationship.

2. If you had $5000 to spend on equipment or film, what would you buy?
I'd put $3390 for the new Nikon D800 I just ordered! I'd use the rest for a strip softbox, and a new lens. (Ok, there might not be enough left for a new lens.)

3. If you could take a photograph anywhere in the world, where?
I'm pretty partial to street photography in Paris.

4. Favourite photo blog:
http://aphotoeditor.com

COUNTDOWN to PHOTOPIA, Day 7 - Shelagh Howard, Gallery 44