Arturo and Maxwell Vale - Pocantico Hills, NY 2006 by contenders James Tribble and Tracey Mancenido
Has this ever been done before on the Hey, Hot Shot! blog? Has there ever before been a photo duo vying for one of the 10 winning spots of a hot shot competition? A married photo duo, I might add??
That's right, today's contenders (!), James Tribble and Tracey Mancenido are a newly married photo duo who have been "shooting in tandem for 2 years." The above portrait is from a series called "TUE, WED, SAT", which has a special meaning for the pair:
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays are the days that we, as newlyweds have dedicated time to spend with one another photographing the world around us. Awkward at times, we all have brief encounters with strangers on a daily basis. Living and working in such a busy city we all become consumed and operate on a continuous routine. It’s that constant divide of time away from home, working, and being in transit that separates us all from one another.
I've never really given much thought to the authorial issues at hand with a media-based duo. I've thought about auteur theory in relation to cinema and its strong directorial personalities, but never applied this school of thought to the work of a directorial duo, like the Coen Brothers, for example. I wonder how the concept of authorship applies to photographic work. Is it a matter of shared intellectual property? Ok...now I'm rambling to myself...
Speaking of duos, the boys in the photo above are quite the dynamic duo, right? Arturo on the left looks like he learned his pose from a Banana Republic ad, while little Maxwell projects comedic genius, unless he's just really uncomfortable in front of the camera. It's a beautifully posed photo, as are the other images of children in parks that Tribble and Mancenido submitted. They also have another great series called "Pillow Talk" that can be seen on their website (and was also featured on jb friend Amy Elkins' blog wanderlustagraphy), which explore the physicality of intimacy and shared space in relationships. Looks like this pair is pretty keen on shooting people in pairs, and they're good at it.
Here's a little more about James and Tracey:
Our curiosity of people drives us to create portraits as a collective glimpse of where we live. During moments of passing and obligation do we find inspiration in our subjects. These images are an extension of the only time we manage to share together, both working different schedules. They are portraits of strangers, co-workers, passerby and friends. As an ephemeral survey of our daily encounters, we hope to stir the same curiosity for one another and influence similar friendships.
Tribble is a former SVA student originally from South Carolina. His wife, Tracey, grew up in New York City and studied in Florence, Italy. The are currently living in upstate New York where they are working on a project that explores the states, commerce, and goods.
10 days left, friends. 10 days.
(Submit now.)