Trippy hippy

I'm that black hippy making history not black history wait I'm that hippy getting trippy black is the colour of my face but shouldn't define my place in society ain't it free ain't I person first and foremost should that stop me from getting a top post

Gangster rap whys it gangster is it cuz I am black another subtle verbal attack

Contemplating visions just a figment of imagination want the true damnation on view but rather fantasy than reality to grounding with gravity pulling down no true voices around choices are limited truth never found

Had a dream it seems yet aspire to horse hair and contacts lighter faces trading places mixing up races go figure niggas calling niggas niggas killing pulling triggers on another they just called nigga circle of life na more like circle ain't right

Kkk lost its way hiding out but not finished at the end of the day still pray

Bleakness my street ness now a weakness damnation yet a so called one nation by labour big community by the conservatives i am i supposed act conservative what kind of nerve is this, hug a hoody yet no hoodies allowed here and there branded shop lifters dare devils not just because of the clothes We wear

street level dancing with the devil devoured by the lion outside sources prying too many young ones dying no praise for those who keep trying to keep clean on track despite all the set backs

concrete jungle cage fighting the rage aimed at the system roughed up cuffed driving in the back of state owned cars caged up behind bars disturbing the peace just to get a little piece of that cash

Too few champions in those kids eyes how they supposed to realise their worth how can they aspire and learn there true desires when the worlds run by liars aiming for one thing profit in their pockets

It's easy to play the victim to the system but what's a system without victims


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The end of a friend

Da da da dude I don't mean to be ra ra ra rude but what you trying to prove got it all too lose with the lifestyle you choose I'm not amused feel abused more than used but you got to understand why you're out of the band tried too hard to reach promise land

Yeah you can play piano but your just the piano man, call yourself a musician man must be having a laugh dont want to put in the graft your times already past

Fame whore want that famous life a lot more than you want to work you're just a name dropping jerk who's out only for the perks

How you gonna get far when you spend all your time and money at mahiki's bar another hanger on well you won't hang on to this one

Dismissed its fine you've now past and crossed the line a faux wild child with constructed style straight out of vogues style pages

When you see CU chart it will tear at your heart to know that you could of been part of it too but you just wasn't serious or true boo hoo


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Lovers and friends

You let your new boyfriend in on it all as that why you no longer call head over heels you weren't ready for the fall

Lovers and friends yet its easy to see who you'd rather spend all your time with never have time to hang anymore I'm just ignored

I don't even know what's up with you never get around to asking what's new all I see is photos tweets and posts in it all I see a ghost of the past a time when we all would laugh

I understand you want to discover you're new lover but there's a balance too remember the days before he came your way and remember who'll be there if he don't stay


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Tax payers whore

Tax Payers Whore
Nation of creation( work needed)
Scabs
9 2 5

Fashion Photography: An Art Form?

There are fashion photographers who are artists yet use style bibles and advertising campaigns for luxury houses as their gallery opposed to artists working in fashion photography such as Ryan McGinley, Nan Goldin and Roe Ethridge amongst others.  Yet there are those working exclusively in fashion and fashion photography as their main medium. Names like Frederick Heyman, Tim Walker, Daniel Sannwald, Jason Evans & Damien Blotteire, come to mind In the case of Sannwald, the image is usually constructed in his mind before it is shot, and is manipulated in post-production to add elements to it, rather than simply to perfect the model’s face or make the subject thinner. Blottière similarly uses post-production add artistic elements to his work, whilst Jason Evans starts out with an abnormal set-up for his shoots from the get go, through the poses, lighting or subjects.

But you only have to look at how these photographers are being embraced by the industry in comparison with their more commercial contemporaries to realise that fashion imagery has become too safe. It seems its forefathers, such as Irving Penn and Richard Avedon, paved the way for pushing boundaries and creating provocative, thoughtful and genius imagery, only for the landscape now to be dominated by pictures that are fundamentally quite simple and predictable in many aspects.

Mainstream publications seem to shy away from allowing artists to create truly arresting imagery. Editor of Husk magazine, Trey Taylor, believes that commercial considerations are the reason for this: ‘Fashion only survives because not everybody has it, but everybody wants it. However, these relationships between photographer and editor border on incest, with these ‘elite’ photographers recreating predictable, jaded stories that the editors can depend on for filler, save for ad pages.’

The closest British Vogue comes to embracing creative imagery is through the likes of Tim Walker. American Vogue could claim that of Annie Leibovitz, who at times is able to create arresting imagery, yet predominantly remains extremely safe. Taylor feels this causes the publications to stagnate: ‘Vogue, among others, has drawn from the same well of talent since time immemorial. The editors and ad execs who choose these photographers are scared of a fresh perspective. They have fallen into cyclic patterns of trying to recreate past successes. Without risk, we see repetition; fashion photography is insipid because the well has run dry.’

Vogue has its star names in photographers like Steven Meisel and Steven Klein. Meisel’s work for Italian Vogue is often very much of the times, such as his homage to Twitter and his celebrities in rehab, as well as his work tackling harder-hitting topics like the Iraq war, racial discrimination, and the BP oil spill. He comments on contemporary society while still being able to create pictures that are relevant in the fashion industry.

Rasharn Agyemang, Fashion Director of RE-BEL, feels the play-safe attitude is also present in other areas of the industry: ‘It feels like it’s not just photography that has become safe, but fashion in general: there are few individuals still willing to take risks and make people dream. When I was growing up, there were the supermodels and Versace, further on down the line Galliano, McQueen and Chalayan, and later on Gareth Pugh. I don’t know any young designer that’s creating on these levels, yet thankfully we have stylists like Nicola Formichetti, who inject fashion with a flair, difference, creative energy, and who take the time to find new talent in design and imagery.’

Both Meisel and Klein are considered highly creative, yet you could question whether they are ever really allowed to show their true creativity on the pages of the magazines that feature their work. A typical example is the ‘Dogging’ story created by Meisel for Italian Vogue that was deemed to risqué, and found its way onto the pages of V magazine, one that embraces artistic imagery. The simple fact is that creative directors for the big brands look to photographers featured in larger publications for their future campaigns. These are the clients who have the budgets that are now needed to produce, retouch, and cast for the level of quality that is required. The smaller publications have modest budgets in comparison to the might of a Condé Nast magazine – and yet they seem to be the only environment in which a photographer is truly allowed to create.

Smaller, independent publications allowed newer talent to flourish in the late 80s and early 90s: Nick Knight, Wolfgang Tillmans, Juergen Teller, David Lachapelle and Steven Klein all cut their teeth in magazines like i-D and The Face. But many of those independent magazines have either closed or lost the spirit that once defined them and made them unique. Many have caved into the commercial demands and have compromised on artistic expression in a desperate fight to please advertisers and keep themselves afloat. This means that few magazines allow themselves the artistic freedom to risk working with younger names, and it remains difficult for the next wave of talent to have their work published and appreciated.

The new generation of artists combats this through the internet, using blogs and fashion websites such as Contributing Editor and Ponystep, in which their work can be seen outside of the printed page. Webzines and fashion magazine websites allow for more opportunities to young artists, which they won’t get from art directors and decision makers at places like Vogue and Harpers. Emerging talent also benefits from magazines that are created by young people for young people. Magazines like Hero and Husk show credibility and creativity, yet remain commercially viable. Trey Taylor of Husk says: ‘Husk tries to source its artists based on an aesthetic. Experience, to us, is irrelevant if the photographer invokes a feeling we feel worthy enough to share with our readers.’ And it is in magazines like these that artists who are studying now will be likely to first see their work printed.

Some larger publications do push for artistic imagery: Interview and Dazed & Confused are among the few doing so and have become known worldwide for it. Interview has nurtured and supported names such as Sharif Hamza, and Dazed has allowed other new talent to shoot its front pages until they are ready to shoot full editorials. Others who have been given this opportunity are Leon Mark, Matthew Mumford, Fabien Kruszelnicki, and Alex Sainsbury. Damien Blottière has also enjoyed exposure through Dazed, dissecting the human form with his montages, as have Pierre Debusschere, whose work resembles CCTV scans, and Ben Toms, with his muted tones and upfront fashion portraiture. 

However, some feel that contemporary fashion photography is created by a select few, with the landscape dominated by talent like Mert and Marcus, Mario Testino, Craig McDean, David Sims, and even Steven Meisel and Steven Klein. These big names repeatedly create editorials for the dominant glossy magazines, and in turn create the adverts that are also on the same pages. It can be said that fashion photography is informed by an elite few, and that a small group of photographers shape how fashion imagery is consumed, through fashion magazines and through mass-market advertising from a Times Square billboard down to a poster at a London bus stop. 

Every magazine has its favourite photographers that they turn to time and time again, comfortable with the fact that these image makers can create what is needed. Even RE-BEL has its own roster of trusted younger names (including Christian Oita, Ben Weller, Damien Blottière and Daniel Sannwald), yet we understand the importance of continuing to nurture newer talent such as Fabien Kruszelnicki, Cameron Alexander and Willem Jaspert. We must nonetheless maintain a commercial outlook, and be wary of becoming too abstract.

Opportunities for true creativity are largely given to art photographers rather than fashion photographers. These projects give a publication art kudos and a cover name to help sales, but can overlook the talents of pure fashion photographers, instead giving more exposure to art photographers, who may have the opportunity to generate income from other sources – a luxury that fashion photographers do not have.

The power to change always lies with the next generation. With stylists like Robbie Spencer, Katie Shillingford and Anna Trevelyan willing to take risks and produce pictures that encourage artistic freedom for the photographer, and with magazines like Husk, Dazed & Confused and Interview still willing to nurture and publish young and artistic names, there is hope that fashion photography will remain a respected art form.

Owen Jones the making of labour's new leader

 

Owen Jones is kind of like a breathe of fresh air easy to relate to on a variety of fronts youthful and with an air and presence that makes you listen his policies are interesting and its only a matter of time before he becomes a PM he has a growing fan base and that's what's needed seeing a leader become a leader the creation process and every bump and swerve they took to get there not just a wealthy etonian groomed and destined for the top spot he's definitely one to watch in more than one sense

Infatuation

Infatuation

I don't find it fun I find it annoying, annoying that another could cloud my thoughts or change my mood how a phone call can pick me up and it's absence bring me down

I hate being at a stage an in between state of liking yet not knowing enough to truly know if you like all that's there as you've only touched the surface. The fluttering feeling that this could be something special something worth while yet tinged with the fact that it could also be like the others and only end in disappointment or furthermore heartbreak

I hate this feeling of losing control of falling yet not knowing when to land or where I hate this feeling yet love this feeling this state of confusion can not last it progresses or stagnates and either or to live is to love or to live is to learn


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Idols and icons

Idols and icons

When does an idol become an icon and an icon an idol?

Any modern day celebrity is surely both an icon in their existence and an idol by their presence they exist to create and are present by their work and brand or brands. They've been made a brand by becoming an icon and being idolised that brand has allowed them to be felt beyond being seen or heard they can now be worn or smelt via their fragrances or clothing brands.

Coke is an icon yet is so revered and known it could also be an idol it exists and has a global presence it's the same wherever you go the poor drink what the rich drink its affordable and accessible and there's no higher level or lower level you simply get what you're given allowing for a form of equality in one sense or another.


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The lives of others

The lives of others

There's no age but this age that we've been so immersed in the lives of others yes folks have gossiped and papers have chronicled, scandalised, debated and discussed for an age but its this age that is the age where we put our lives out there more than any other. Of course what we put out there isn't the truest truth it's an image and ideal created, crafted and constructed by ourselves to project what we want people to see how we want to be perceived.

We Instagram our images, vine our visions, tweet our thoughts and Facebook all three

We used to watch the lives of others written by another yet what dominates the tv now is lives of others lived by another scripted reality not real real not fake situations created for the viewers pleasure yet how can a life be lived if the one living is aware of the moment to tweet is to step out side what you should or could be lost in, the cameras presence allows for the presence present to be supposed a supposed self an in between state trying to be real yet not real

How can we be who we are when we watch how others live repeat how others speak wear what others wear shop were others shop eat what others eat there used to be distance yet now the details of these details is on show but once again those eating what they eat could be sponsored to eat what they eat there's no authentic self on show and that's the issue we copy a constructed somebody a clone an image where is the reality in reality?



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Fashion is a form of narcism to be fashionable is narcissistic so hipsterdom is the highest form of self indulgent, restless individuals searching for their self a true self an individual who's different separate from any other yet finds solace in other beings and other cult things yet to be in a cult no matter how divided from the mainstream is to be a collective to be a collective is to share a vision of to feel a thought and unites others so how independent is that?

Fashion is a form of narcism to be fashionable is narcissistic so hipsterdom is the highest form of self indulgent, restless individuals searching for their self a true self an individual who's different separate from any other yet finds solace in other beings and other cult things yet to be in a cult no matter how divided from the mainstream is to be a collective to be a collective is to share a vision of to feel a thought and unites others so how independent is that?

Trips to Africa or another 3rd world country is on trend a search for self to separate one self from controlled conditions and enforced states to be somewhere that's nowhere to marvel yet not help to think and feel how unfortunate these people are and how lucky you are. Nothing more than going to the zoo to look at contained stolen beauty at people's pleasure yet the animals cost a docile shell of the wonders of the wild.

People want to own beauty but beauty can never belong to anyone or thing, flowers bloom to die, beauty in people fades, art outlives its collector all that's left of true beauty in its purest form is an imitation a fake and in the search to be real to find real we become artificial and fake its ironically ironic


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Outside Observers

A collection of London's young artistic minds working and living the creative life. We curate exhibits showcasing our work and those of others. Publish Magazines, dabble in fashion and film and put on events that bring together more minds to allow for debate, witty banter and all round good times.