Untitled (Fruit) by Pavel Romaniko

[Ed note: This is the first post from jb intern and Pratt MFA candidate Sara Distin. (Who will have a web site soon. Really!)]

Hey, Hey Shot! Contender Pavel Romaniko hails from a small town outside of Moscow. Stateside, he has lived in places that are not only known for their frigid climes but also for their links to photography. He received his undergraduate degree at Northwestern University in Saint Paul, Minnesota; no doubt breathing the same air as Minneagraphers over in the other twin city. Now he resides in Rochester, NY, home of Kodak, where he is pursuing an MFA at RIT. Considering that his trips back home to Russia spawned his photographic work, it is strangely fitting that photography has guided his path since. I am pretty sure though that Pavel does not share my overly simplified view of his travels as he has coherent and complex thoughts on his work:

With this work I attempt to reconstruct what I see as my past and what has become the present day. At the same time I wish to comment on a broader social level of a country that is trying to reconcile with its own past.

As regular HHS! blog readers know, we only show contenders’ photos one at a time, for more from Pavel, visit his website. The photo above reminds me of the luscious images by Chicagrapher Laura Letinsky. (A good sign? Could be… Jen’s a fan.) Speaking of Russia, to see this country from a very different perspective, check out the work of Andrew Moore.

It’s still early, but the deadline creeps up fast. Why not enter Hey, Hot Shot! today?

Fire by Aspiring Hot Shot Kora Manheimer

Ms. Wells is busy with her thesis project, so I’m going to pinch hit over here for a few days and post contenders. I’m also posting like, totally deep thoughts daily over on my other blog, Personism.

In case you haven’t heard: we’re now accepting entries for the Spring Edition of Hey, Hot Shot!. I’m always impressed by people who get their entries in early. I’m an incorrigible procrastinator, in spite of repeated attempts otherwise. The thing is, being early produces good results - keeps the blood pressure down, allows you to sleep at night, and in the case of HHS! it greatly increases your chances of appearing in this here Contenders category, and I’m hearing more and more that that alone can be a pretty big deal for a photographer who’s looking to get some attention for their work. I’m just sayin’!

Ms. Kora Manheimer is one of our early birds. She seems to make a habit of this sort of thing. How else would she have been able to grab the plum domain name kora.com? Sweet! (I have a thing about geeky things like domain names…)

Kora’s photo above is a slightly reminiscent of the classic Sternfeld house on fire shot, except for there are no pumpkins. And the fire’s bigger. But you know, I see a house on fire in a photo and I think of that shot from American Prospects. Can’t help it. Kora herself is also all about the American milieu. Says she:

Somehow pictures becomes a description of things we’ve already seen, an America you recognize whether you’ve experienced it firsthand or not, because that is the nature of living in the world. To have an opinion about it is futile; to ask questions about it inevitable. It is a treasure hunt with no prize.

Unlike Kora’s futile treasure hunt, Hey, Hot Shot! has all kinds of prizes: a gallery show, getting published in a book (or maybe two) and cool stuff from Crumpler too. So, don’t delay: be an early bird like Kora and Enter today!

Hey, Hot Shot! Winter Edition installation view shot by Joseph O. Holmes

We are currently accepting entries for the Spring Edition of Hey, Hot Shot!.

The deadline? Tuesday May 8, 2007.

Hey, Hot Shot! offers amazing visibility to emerging photographers - in person, online and, now with our new publishing program, in print.

Our panel keeps getting better and better too. In addition to the usual suspects, we’ll be joined by Dana Faconti of Blindspot for this round.

Being a finalist puts you in fine, fine company: the HHS! Alumni are some of the very best photographers around.

Thanks to the wonders of the internet it’s not just the finalists who benefit - contenders who are featured on our blog bask in the glow too - their web site traffic skyrockets and their work is seen, and remembered, by thousands.

The Spring Edition Showcase opens at jen bekman on Wednesday June 8, 2007. In the meanwhile, bookmark the Hey, Hot Shot! blog and stay up to date on the contenders and Hey, Hot Shot! news. There are some big announcements in the pipeline!

The opening reception for Benjamin Donaldson’s exhibition, Summerland will commence in a mere matter of hours. The weather may be frightful, but oh how the night promises to be delightful.

jen bekman presents

benjamin donaldson | summerland
opening reception: friday march 16, 2007 | 6pm - 8pm
on view: march 17 - april 21, 2007

jen bekman
6 Spring St
(between Elizabeth + Bowery)
NYC 10012

press release

From Mara Bodis Wollner’s The All Girls School

It’s a big F-O-U-R kind of day! That’s right, the jb is officially 4-years old, that’s four fun-filled, action packed years of jen bekman goodness. Why, we’re practically all grown up over here on spring street. Even I, a 2006 addition to the jb pack, know that is has not been an easy road, one only the most strong willed, hard working wonders could traverse. There have been good times, bad times, and everything in between times, but oh what times there have been. And of course, we couldn’t have done it without all the good lovin’ and support from friends. Be sure to visit our fabulous Jen Bekman’s Personism for more celebration fun.

In honor of such a special day, week, our anniversary month, plan a little visit to our dear homebase in the burgeoning bowery district. In fact why not make it out to our Friday night opening of Benjamin Donaldson’s Summerland––as always it will be quite a night to remember.

And the icing on this most special of cake delights, the Spring Edition of Hey, Hot Shot! opens this Tuesday! Brace yourself.

Last but not least Hot Shot Kirby Pilcher offers up his interview––what a round! As for the jb, Benjamin Donaldson is up next. His show Summerland opens Friday. Stay tuned!

When + where were you born?
Sioux Falls, South Dakota on April 12, 1977

Where were you trained, if anywhere?
The University of South Dakota, and Visual Studies Workshop

What do you do to pay the bills?
Designer for Afterimage, Teaching, and Student Loans!

What led you to photography over other mediums?
Photography just seemed to work for me.

What is your guiltiest tech pleasure?
I’m not sure if it counts as a “tech� pleasure but my ’89 volvo 240 wagon = best car ever!

Do you have any other creative talents?
Not really. I make a good veggie roast.

What image is permanently etched into your brain and thank goodness for it?

Andre Kertesz’s book From my window. It is 50 or so Polaroid sx-70 images of the same glass sculpture in the window of the artist’s apartment, which serve as a metaphor for his wife whom had recently passed away. All of the memories Kertesz has of the times they had together are presented to us in these images, it is almost unbearable.

Who are three of your favorite living artists?
Robert Frank, Sophie Calle, Masao Yamamoto

What does the spring and beyond have in its forecast for you?
The future is frightening.

Share 3 of your favorite links with us.
Jamesrajotte.net
lensless.net
preachersbiscuitbooks.com

What led you to enter Hey, Hot Shot!?
My friend and fellow VSW graduate student James Rajotte was a Hot Shot last year.

Anything about you––exciting news, oddball facts, or otherwise––that we should know?
Probably none anyone should know of.

polaroid of a balloon inflating my head shot by hinius

When + where were you born?
Birmingham, United Kingdom in 1979

Where were you trained, if anywhere?
Edinburgh College of Art and The Arts Institute, Bournemouth

What do you do to pay the bills?
Freelance Photographer

What led you to photography over other mediums?
The speed of the process; I approached photography from a drawing and painting background and was getting increasingly infuriated with my own inability and the slow creative process.

What is your guiltiest tech pleasure?
buying cameras and film over food…

Do you have any other creative talents?
I used to sing in a pretty dreadful rock band. so i guess that’s not exactly a talent…

What image is permanently etched into your brain and thank goodness for it?

Two Joels!

New York, 1975 by Joel Meyerowitz

Exhausted Renegade Elephant, Woodland, Washington, June, 1979 by Joel Sternfeld

Who are three of your favorite living artists?
Todd Hido
Larry Sultan
Christoph Büchel (swiss installation artist)

What does the spring and beyond have in its forecast for you?
Lots of retouching! Continuing personal projects on British youth culture. Helping to publish a book with photodebut.org - a young photographers guide to the industry in London.

Share 3 of your favorite links with us.
www.toddhido.com
www.glenerler.com
riverbendblog.blogspot.com

What led you to enter Hey, Hot Shot!?
A recommendation on Alec Soth’s blog.

Anything about you––exciting news, oddball facts, or otherwise––that we should know?
Just signed up to PYMCA.com - the Photographic Youth and Music Culture Archive; Up until a year ago I worked as a bartender for ten years… I love a good whisky sours… anyone who can reccomend the best place in New York for a sours.. please let me know!

When + where were you born?
I was born in 1951 and raised (mostly) in upstate New York (Buffalo & Rochester).

Where were you trained, if anywhere?
I studied sculpture and metalsmithing primarily at the State University of New York at Brockport. I picked up photography here and there, initally, to document my 3-D work.

What do you do to pay the bills?
I am an administrator for a community mental health program in Oregon.

What led you to photography over other mediums?
It was my true love through thick and thin only I did not recognize that until recently. Why do I love it? It is effortless intention and serendipitous discovery.

What is your guiltiest tech pleasure?
I am a Luddite at heart so all tech pleasures are guilt ridden, however, telecommunitng and the batch processing in Photoshop give me great satisfaction.

Do you have any other creative talents?
Maybe.

What image is permanently etched into your brain and thank goodness for it?

A self-portrait by Lee Friedlander taken at Canyon de Chelly, AZ

Friedlander self portrait––It always makes me laugh.

Who are three of your favorite living artists?
Annette Messager, Lee Friedlander, Wim Wenders

What does the spring and beyond have in its forecast for you?
I will be going to a lot of high school baseball games and lugging around my view camera.

Share 3 of your favorite links with us.
Pictures from Mars
Tarot readings
Cosmic Baseball Association

What led you to enter Hey, Hot Shot!?
Ambition.

Anything about you––exciting news, oddball facts, or otherwise––that we should know?
No.

Winter Hot Shot Holly Andres comes to us from Portland, OR. The panel was drawn to the strange, almost off putting moments contrived in her work. Ultra-panelist Joe Holmes equates it with classical painting, panelist Eileen Gittens, the theatre. Her website is chock-full of things you need to see. Read her thoughts below, see more of her work here.

When + where were you born?
1977, Missoula MT

Where were you trained, if anywhere?
Portland State University, MFA
University of Montana, BFA
Art Institute of Seattle
I’ve also learned a lot from my husband, who’s worked as a commercial photographer and continues to collaborate with me on my projects.

What do you do to pay the bills?
I am a college professor, teaching video/film and foundation art classes at Portland State University and the Art Institute of Portland. My husband and I also have a wedding photo business that generates quite a bit of money during the summer and is an excellent opportunity to refine our craft and get a creative workout.

What led you to photography over other mediums?
My undergrad is in painting and drawing. I consider myself a conceptual artist who is now working in photography and video/film. I am specifically drawn to photography because it seems to be the best way to visually represent some of the concepts and themes in my work. I love the idea of capturing/creating a “decisive moment” and building a narrative with in a single image.

What is your guiltiest tech pleasure?
Most of my images have some digital enhancements/alterations such as cloning areas in or out or isolating a color and changing it. I guess it’s the
painter in me.

Do you have any other creative talents?
film/video, drawing, painting

What image is permanently etched into your brain and thank goodness for it?

99 Cent by Andreas Gursky

Seeing Andreas Gursky’s 99 Cent in person really elicited a powerful response in me and changed my perception of photography.

Who are three of your favorite living artists?
Joel Sternfeld, Gregory Crewdson, Anna Gaskell

What does the spring and beyond have in its forecast for you?
I’m in the post-production phase of a collaborative short narrative film––loosely influenced by the eminent shower scene in Hitchcock’s Psycho. Our rendition proves to be more empowering for the female protagonist, however.

Share 3 of your favorite links with us.
www.urbanhonking.com
www.tjnorris.net/blog
www.portlandart.net

What led you to enter Hey, Hot Shot!?
www.portlandart.net––a fabulous resource for Portland based artists.

Anything about you––exciting news, oddball facts, or otherwise––that we should know?
Just a little fun fact… I have really bad travel anxiety and despite the fact that I projectile vomited the last time I was in an airport, I’m still coming to NYC for the Hey, Hot Shot! Show!!!

[And that she did! The opening was a smash success. We were so happy to have all 10 Hot Shots in one space. Thanks to all who attended––see you next time!]

For your PM pleasure, some words from Hot Shot Brad Moore.

When + where were you born?
1958, La Jolla, California

Where were you trained, if anywhere?
I received a Bachelor of Science degree in art (I know that doesn’t that make since) with an emphasis in photography from Loma Linda University in Riverside, California. Afterward I attended Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

What do you do to pay the bills?
In 1984, I started a company called Aperion, Inc. that manufactured and distributed color calibration systems for photo labs. I sold the company in 2005, now I’m focusing my attention on fine art photography full time (at least for now).

What led you to photography over other mediums?
I loved photography since I was 12, plus I can’t draw worth a damn.

What is your guiltiest tech pleasure?
Getting good and lost then finding my way back with my GPS. (Better than bread crumbs).

Do you have any other creative talents?
Still dabble a little in art direction and graphic design. I also like wrapping presents.

What image is permanently etched into your brain and thank goodness for it?

From Richard Avedon’s The Sixties

Frozen Foods with String Beans by Irving Penn

There seems to be more images floating around in my head, than I can keep straight these days - confusing at times. A couple of images I think of are Avedon’s napalm victim and Penn’s frozen food still life. I like the emotional power of the one, and pure compositional beauty of the other.

Who are three of your favorite living artists?
I have long admired Penn, Avedon, Witkin, and Gursky, as well as many more recent talents - I love seeing new ideas.

What does the spring and beyond have in its forecast for you?
I was just in a APA show at the Pacific Design Center in L.A. last month, and I’ll be in shows at the Los Angeles Center For Digital Art, downtown L.A. and The Barrett Art Center, NY and of course Jen Bekman this month. I just found out I’ll be participating in The Art Of Photography Show next month in San Diego, and I’m heading to San Francisco this Friday for a portfolio review at the Photo Alliance. So, I hope for more of the same for the rest of the year, shooting, shooting, shooting, and a road trip.

Share 3 of your favorite links with us.
http://www.jeffkoegel.com/
http://alecsoth.com/blog/
http://www.sigalert.com/

What led you to enter Hey, Hot Shot!?
I came across
Jen Bekman on the web, which lead to Hey, Hot Shot. I liked the work I saw, so hoped they’d like mine.

Anything about you––exciting news, oddball facts, or otherwise––that we should know?
I use an electric bike to run errands when I can. And soon to be outfitted to carry a tripod and some equipment.