Stepfather, 2011 by Cyrus Karimipour

"There are people in my water." That's the entire statement Contender Cyrus Karimipour submitted to us for his images. In what appear to be photographic prints, Karimipour sees the "people," then outlines them by making cutouts to give us, the viewers, these highly abstract figures with suggestive titles, encouraging us to practice our imagination.

Swarm, 2011 by Cyrus Karimipour

Feeding An Owl, 2011 by Cyrus Karimipour

Karimipour's other series on his website, Invented Memory, also caught our eyes. You can read his statement here (pdf download).

Untitled (Boys Holding Hands), by Cyrus Karimipour

Argument, by Cyrus Karimipour

Wallflower, by Cyrus Karimipour

Karimipour received his MFA in Photography from the Cranbrook Academy of Art. His photographs have been exhibited at the Griffin Museum of Photography, Light Work and ThreeWalls, and internationally in galleries in Germany, Austria, China and Lithuania. His work has been published in Harper's Magazine and Contact Sheet, and can be found in the collections of the Lishui Photography Museum in China, Light Work in New York, the Center for Fine Art Photography in Colorado and the Center for Contemporary Art in New Mexico. Karimipour is a two-time Photolucida Critical Mass Finalist, as well as a nominee for the Baum Award for Emerging American Photographers.

South Minneapolis, MN, 2007 by Tom Wik

What makes a home? As a status symbol and as the first impression of—or first look into—a person's individuality, the home is likely the largest visual representation of identity. Exploring the facades of various homes in different neighborhoods, Contender Tom Wik captures the unique "personality" that home owners imbue onto their property.

South Minneapolis, MN, 2007 by Tom Wik

Untitled, by Tom Wik

Wik explains in his artist statement:

For the past several years, I have been working on documenting residential facades—straight-on front elevations of houses in the neighborhoods of Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, and Palm Beach County, FL. Through these "just-the-facts" portraits of houses and their immediate surroundings, my focus is on the often subtle and sometimes awkward expression of home ownership. The marks of individuality found within the details of these houses suggest a wealth of experience just outside their frames. My pictures are not meditations on ideas but observations on the economic and aesthetic condition of private ownership. It is the comically and beautifully "off" that reveals each modest house in full character.

South Minneapolis, MN, 2010 by Tom Wik

Tom Wik, a Minneapolis photographer, has spent much of his photographic career recording his native city's neighborhoods. He studied photography at the University of Minnesota, and he has exhibited his work nationally. The recipient of a McKnight Fellowship in Photography in 2007, and Artist Initiative Grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board in 2005 and 2011, he also works as a building contractor.

Untitled, 2010 by Dai Mogi

"Photography enables you to grasp a place first time round," says German auteur Wim Wenders on the little accompanying booklet to the DVD of his 1984 cult film, Paris, Texas. "Photography is a means of exploration, it's a vital part of travel, almost as essential as a car or a plane. The photo camera makes arrival in a place possible," he adds. More than just an auteur, Wenders is also a world-renowned photographer who has exhibited all over the world. Though Contender Dai Mogi comes from a completely different background, he and Wenders seem to share similar notions on photography and the landscape that they are in.

Borneo, 2011 by Dai Mogi

For these stylish images, taken from quite literally everywhere in the world, Mogi writes in his statement:

[I'm] always in search for spaces in landscapes, looking for places where people take themselves to engage with their surroundings. [I have] an insatiable fascination with tourists, nomads and migrators. ...[I look] into the nature of how we shape our surroundings and how our surroundings give us form and direction to an existence. [I'm] still a sculptor at heart, from the days when [I] took pictures of [my] installations and sculptures. Over time, [my] medium has evolved to this contraption [that] happens to be a camera. What [I shoot] is still an extension of [my] notions in sculpture making.

Norway, 2008 by Dai Mogi

Mogi is an English-born Japanese artist who grew up in London, Paris and Toyko. After graduating from the prestigious Central Saint Martins with a BA in sculpture, he worked as a sculptor in London, creating site-specific, large-scale works, which he often had to dismantle due to restrictive studio space. He began using cameras to document his scupltures, but soon moved to Tokyo to work as a freelance photographer and magazine art director. Mogi is currently in the process of relocating to New York City, and is a featured artist on MoMA PS1's Studio Visit.

Untitled, 2010 Julie Hassett Sutton

By 2014, the number of new hires for the long-haul trucking industry is expected to reach a shortage of 111,000. With one of the largest turnover rates, plentiful safety concerns, relative low wages, the long hours and time spent away from home, it becomes clear why younger generations of truckers are fleeing the industry. But goods and materials still need to be transported, so while the future of trucking is anyone's guess, the transportation of products and goods from manufacturing to distribution and retail remains a non-negotiable part of the consumerism cycle. Contender Julie Hassett Sutton photographed a number of trucks on a lonely highway in Montana last winter. In Sutton's photographs, the trucks are dwarfed by imposing, snow-dusted mountains, capturing a cold, solitary atmosphere.

Untitled, 2010 Julie Hassett Sutton

Trucking was once not only a thriving, essential part of transportation and commerce, it also seemed a natural fit for certain personality types. There was an element of independence on the open road, and fraternity, through truck stop chatter, favored haunts and their unique CB radio lingo and slang. Today, this slang is being replaced with standard English phrasing by younger generations of truckers, proving that the blue-collar industry is as subject to modernization and change as other ever-evolving sectors. About the series, Sutton explains in her artist statement:

I am continually interpreting my surroundings and my relationship to it. [This] body of work was shot during a stay at an artist residency in Montana last November. I would go out shooting in the early mornings. Everything was so quiet and the landscape very stark. This stretch of highway was empty except for the passing semi trucks that would come rushing by. What struck me most about them was [their] relative size in comparison to the mountains. They looked tiny next to them. They were also these great flashes of color against the austere landscape.

Untitled, 2010 Julie Hassett Sutton

Julie Hassett Sutton's work strives to reveal the kinetic energy and life in seemingly static spaces. Sutton has explored her vision through various mediums. She relocated from Florida to New York City, where she attended the School of Visual Arts and later co-founded frantic action, a production company specializing in short form video for NGOs.

Untitled from the series Fight Journal, 2009 by Adam Smith

Mixed Martial Arts, commonly known as cage fighting, is one of the fastest growing sports in North America, rivaling in pay-per-view sales even the most popular of boxing matches. With its origins in combat sports from around the world, MMA didn't have an American audience until 1993, when the vale tudo (portuguese for "everything goes") style of fighting was brought over and incorporated into the Ultimate Fighting Championships. Contender Adam Smith spent some time documenting the bloody sport, capturing this seemingly savage, yet regulated—and still illegal in several states, including New York—combat and its fighters.

Untitled from the series Fight Journal, 2009 by Adam Smith

In his artist statement, Smith explains:

There is a moment before [a] fight when the rhythmic sound of warm-up punches and nervous chatter dissolves into a quiet stillness. This moment only lasts a second or two. No one in the room says anything. There is nothing else to say. Everyone knows what is about to happen. Months of intense training, sacrifice, pain and fear will explode in a fury of disciplined aggression: a beautifully brutal storm of ugliness and heart. When it is over, the two fighters will stand in the cage, naked in their victory or defeat. Each [knows] the implication of the outcome: Had it not been for an instrument of mercy that stops the fight—the rules—one could have killed the other. This is Mixed Martial Arts. Fight Journal profiles a group of professional and amateur fighters from the Pacific Northwest. The images explore contradictions inherent in the sport: the loneliness and brotherhood that exists side by side, the fear and the courage and the vulnerability and strength of these men that choose to fight.

Untitled from the series Fight Journal, 2009 by Adam Smith

Adam Smith is a Seattle-based freelance photographer. Before becoming a photographer, Smith worked as an account planner for an advertising agency. A self-taught photographer, Smith states that he is primarily interested in using documentary photography to create anthropological records that show how people work and live today.

Balloons (Midtown, Manhattan), by Youngna Park

+ Dawn Till Dusk, on view at Jen Bekman Gallery through July 30th, was recently reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, where photography critic William Meyers wrote about Summer 2005 Hot Shot (and HHS! VIP) Youngna Park and HHS! panelist Todd Hido.

+ HHS! 2010 Contender, Honorable Mention and 20x200 artist Marion Belanger is featured in Guernica, showcasing 14 photographs from her series Continental Drift: Iceland/California. It was one of the photographs from the series, Rift #26 (Heimaey Houses), which was first featured in the Contender post and was then made a limited-edition print on 20x200. Which reminds me...

+ We here at HHS! promised you'd see one of the 2011 First Edition photographers' works fast-tracked into a 20x200 edition. Well, we've made the preliminary phone calls and are excited to announce that you will, very soon, be seeing this print! Be sure to keep an eye on your inbox to learn more and sign up for the 20x200 newsletter to stay up to date.

MORE PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS

+ Photographer David LaChapelle is back in the spotlight. Not only does he have a new exhibition—From Darkness to Light—at the Lever House in NYC through September 2nd, but he also just won a pre-trial ruling in his case against pop singer Rihanna. LaChapelle filed a claim in February against the star, claiming her video for her single "S&M" copied his lighting, props, set and mood from past shoots. The case was not dismissed and can now go to trial if not settled out of court.

Dust_1 Gallery, 2010 by Ujin Lee

Dust, in general, is not a wanted element. We've invented a wide array of cleaning products just so we could get rid of these tiny particles in the air—which, besides not looking good, actually causes illness in some people and even damages electronics. However, as annoying and inconvenient as it is (and besides being associated with uncleanliness), dust is also associated with time, and hence is an important visual symbol. In his series, which is simply named Dust, Contender Ujin Lee explores the possibilities of the fine (but not refined) matter.

Dust_2 Bypass, 2010 by Ujin Lee

Although how the images were created is not revealed, we could only imagine the technical challenges involved in capturing these explosive dust clouds and getting the aesthetics right. Lee writes in his statement:

[I aim] to seek insight to understand the meaning of one's life through [this] work, and [I'm] always questioning whether it can be possible to have an emotive or meaningful visual experience that can sustain our spirit and soul in today's world. Transitioning from commercial work to a more artistic direction, the Dust series is a collaborative project with Tom Edwards, in an ongoing series that has, at its heart, the ephemeral nature of life.

Dust_3 Site, 2010 by Ujin Lee

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Lee attended the New South Wales College of Fine Arts and Design School. Now based in Sydney, Lee has a background in commerical design, media and photography.

Chile/Huasos. In the heart of the Central Andes looking for wild cattle, 2010 by Luis Fabini

Although their cultural relevance has dwindled over the decades—replaced instead by the modern, ambitious city-dwelling business man—the image of the American cowboy remains clearly engrained in popular culture, whether through associations with the myriad Western films and television series old and new, or as represented in art and literature. The cowboy is sturdy, rugged, patriotic and no-nonsense; he is labelled powerful and is romanticized as a hero for his control over (and integration with) the wild. Outside of America, however, that image of the John Wayne/Marlboro type of man is replaced by new customs, cultures and folklore. Contender Luis Fabini has been following and documenting what he calls Horsemen of the Americas for over five years, during which time he learned that while each country in South America gives them different names, their characteristics and adherence to traditions undoubtedly overlap.

Brazil/Vaqueiros. The Vaqueiros wear the handmade leather uniform of protecting clothing necessary to their work of roping cows, amidst lethal thorns throughout the bush caatinga, 2010 by Luis Fabini

In his artist statement, Fabini explains:

Horsemen of the Americas is a personal study of the most formidable working partnership ever forged between two living beings: man and horse. Since I began the Horsemen of the Americas in 2005, I have photographed eight different types of horsemen in eight countries, spanning from the southern tip of Patagonia to the Northern Canadian Plains. In the United States and Canada, these horsemen are called cowboys; in Mexico they are known as charros; in Ecuador as chagras; in Colombia and Venezuela as llaneros; in Peru as chalanes and qorilazos; in Chile they are called the huasos; Brazil has its pantaneiros and vaqueiros; and in Uruguay and Argentina they are the gauchos. Each variety of horsemen posseses a unique, cultural connection to their land and environment... It continues today as it did hundreds of years ago. Though their number has dwindled, these working horsemen are keepers of a historical lineage that commands their entire way of life, its traditions and languages. Their legacy [is] on its way to being lost forever. My aim is to provide a deeper understanding of this disappearing culture through my photographs and interviews, offering a closer and broader look at these remarkable working horsemen.

Ecuador/Chagras. The annual wild horses round up, 2009 by Luis Fabini

A self-taught photographer, Luis Fabini was born in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1965, but spent his formative years in South America, Europe and the United States. His interest in photography was ignited at age seven by his father, who put a camera in his hand just before the two embarked on a memorable road-trip crossing the Andes. During his 20s, Fabini worked as a trekking guide and travel photographer throughout South America, leading to his life-long fascination with the working relationship between man and horse. He later worked in the film industry, first as a location scouting producer and then as a director and producer of documentary films. Since 2005, Fabini has been fully committed to his Horsemen of the Americas project, which has taken him to 10 different countries accross two continents in search of today's working horsemen.

Brazil/Vaqueiros. Handling cattle in the tough Sertao, 2010 by Luis Fabini

fairlane, 2011 by Tyler Kandel

If you live in or are familiar with New York City, you don't want to miss these photos by amateur photographer Charles W. Cushman that have made the rounds here at the office. Actually, even if you don't have a particular interest in the Big Apple, you should still be captivated by these casual, rare color snapshots from seven decades ago. These images have transcended beyond what they once were, simply with the passing of time. The unique insight into what NYC looked like is a true photographic preservation—exactly what Contender Tyler Kandel is trying to achieve with his series, The Sherm.

maxson's drugs, 2011 by Tyler Kandel

Using a large-format camera and instant film, Kandel set out to capture his neighborhood before it becomes unrecognizable:

The Sherm is a photographic series of cultural remnants, found within my daily exploration of Sherman Oaks, California. What started as a simple documentation of my surroundings turned into a careful collection of a seemingly disappearing past. Like most neighborhoods in Los Angeles County, Sherman Oaks is constantly succumbing to the pressures of modernization. This project has given me the opportunity to capture specific architecture, cars, signage and landscape in my quest to preserve the inherent charm of this community nestled in the San Fernando Valley.

casa de cadillac, 2011 by Tyler Kandel

A born and bred Californian, Los Angeles-based Kandel graduated with a degree in history and art history from UCLA, as well as a degree in photography and imaging from the Art Center College of Design. His work has been selected in the 2011 PDN Photo Annual, CMYK magazine's Top 100 New Creatives, Photographer's Forum Best of College Photography 2011 book and International Photography Awards' Top 25 Facing 2010.

Untitled, from the series Sentiment, 2010-2011 by Tereza Vlčková

Writing about Contender Tereza Vlčková's submission is proving to be a bit of a challenge. Her latest series, Sentiment, is packed with photographic and post-production techniques, references and, above all, art "isms." Although essentially a self-portrait series from a photography point of view, perhaps the most prominent aesthetic characteristic about Vlčková's images is the lack of photography in a traditional, recognizable form. Photography here has been stripped of its conventional features, and has been reduced to a mere method. In Vlčková's own words, it is a "depersonalization of photography," and she is "creating a world of its own aesthetics and visual rules," in effect "refusing photography's classic appearance, but at the same time still making use of this medium."

Crossing the Line, from the series Sentiment, 2010-2011 by Tereza Vlčková

And then there is the painterly quality. Vlčková doesn't just stop at removing the photographic aspect. Between the digital manipulation, the circular format, the application of mannerisms and careful composition, the images, according to Vlčková, have become "a tribute to the painters, whose works have (intentionally and not) materialized in my creation." Elements like the bowler hat, which is a clear nod to René Magritte's famous paintings, are subtly embedded in the images as references to surrealism and symbolism.

Absent from Shivering, from the series Sentiment, 2010-2011 by Tereza Vlčková

In her statement, Vlčková writes:

From the beginning, the self-portrait study did not even try so much to mirror my actual disposition, [but] rather [was] a yearning to get closer to a given person, at least for a while—no matter whether heroes from films, literary personae, persons from paintings or people from my own worlds and dreams. The situation tells the story of what I never was, of whom I have ever dreamt of becoming, of what I ever wanted to be— [if even] just for an eyewink... But nevertheless, the images reveal me, solely, and more than I admitted to myself during the photographed moment. The collection arose from the necessity to explore and reevaluate myself, arising from a certain degree of self-centeredness, within life's helplessness, to describe myself whichever way. My work reveals past personal "dramas" (which many times eventually seemed trivial)... The milestone is shown as an imaginary horizon divided by a colored line. It expresses the passing of certain life stages or tests and symbolizes imaginary and abstract borders, life's shifts and situations, which often bring along particular, personal poetics bounded by absurdity and fatalness. It is on the threshold of these circumstances that we stand often, motionless and helpless, waiting for our "deliverance."

Unwanted Connected, from the series Sentiment, 2010-2011 by Tereza Vlčková

Born in Vsetín, Czech Republic, Vlčková has studied at the Institute of Creative Photography at Silesian University in Opava, in her native country. She has shown her works around the world, most recently at the 2010 Paris Photo, gallery Lefebvre in Paris and at the Aperture Foundation in NYC (the exhibition, reGeneration2, is currently on view in Monterrey, Mexico).

Cafeteria, 2011 by Christopher Ernst

One of the increasingly popular subjects in contemporary art today is the human relationship with nature. Here at HHS!, we have received a lot of submissions on this very subject, and have already featured some very different takes by our Contenders. Just when we thought we'd seen just about everything having to do with this subject, Contender Christopher Ernst's images of landscape wallpapers yet again reminded us that, like nature itself, an art subject will always evolve, and there will always be a new and fresh perspective.

Bakery, 2011 by Christopher Ernst

Found in business and public interiors, these large scale, scenic and often vivid wallpapers create an awkward but profound contrast against what is in front of them, usually furniture and appliances that are commonly seen in cafes, waiting rooms, laundromats and diners. The quiet images really bring out the juxtaposition, but what you make of it, according to Ernst, is all up to you:

This group of images are selections from a body of work that spans the past year and a half. I set my focus on the interiors of businesses and public spaces that featured a specific type of mural wallpaper. My goal was to simply show these surreal interiors exactly how they exist, without judgement or comment.

Laundromat, 2010 by Christopher Ernst

Ernst was born "in the same NJ hospital as Irving Penn and Jan Groover." A recent graduate with a BFA in photography from the School of Visual Arts in New York, Ernst received an honorable mention at this year's New York Photo Festival, as well as a PDN Curator Award in the Student Work category. The latter earned him a spread in the PDN magazine and a place in The Curator group show at Milk Gallery.

Accidental Rothko v1.0, 2010 by Chip Litherland

Street art has been a recognized art form for decades, with artists like Swoon, Banksy and Chris Stain getting regular billing in blogs devoted to it. But the myriad gang tags, obscenities and plain old spray paint that abound on city walls (and aren't viewed with an artful slant) are subject to another treatment: more often painted over in quick, half-thought and mismatching colors than revered like their counterpart.

Armed with his Canon 5D Mark II and a self-professed addiction to color, Contender Chip Litherland finds these graffiti cover ups and photographs them in this series of works titled Accidental Rothko. Referring to Abstract Expressionist Mark Rothko's use of color, shape and light, Litherland composes painterly photographs of these former etchings of vandalism, focusing on the scene's inherent color fields and shapes, and melding three different viewpoints and motives.

Accidental Rothko v2.0, 2010 by Chip Litherland

In his artist statement, Litherland explains:

The found art photographed in these pages wasn't meant to be art at all, but served a more conventional purpose—to smother the art of others. In essence, this project reclaims them and shows their transition from one construct to their new, yet temporary form. Most of these paintings were made by an anonymous, annoyed business owner or hastily-dispatched city worker. The splotches of color and random pigment have been lathered with a careless quickness and force meant to simply delete the spontaneous thought and scribble of another human. A gang member tag. A graffiti artist's piece in progress. A bored tween with a can of spray paint that his father won't miss. The canvas is temporary. In fact, most of these walls have been already been repainted themselves. The building spaces, which once played a role of makeshift gallery, have been returned to their even, predictable color. For the time being. Some of the cover-ups have multiple revisions. Some show the passive aggressive war between pre-artist and post-artist. What they all accomplish is a stoppage of time and emotion between two humans who more than likely have no idea who the other is. The resulting images evoke the late works of Mark Rothko's large multiform paintings that were completely filled by somewhat errant, yet strictly composed geometric shapes—shapes allowed to flow from their borders into a more organic representation of space. They were meant to overwhelm and swallow up the viewer. These photographs instead allow the room for the viewer to breathe and see the unintended art in their context. In an alley. On a loading dock. Against a foreclosed home. Along the tracks. Anywhere. Just not on my wall.

Accidental Rothko v3.0, 2011 by Chip Litherland

Chip Litherland describes himself as a self-diagnosed color addict. With 10 years of experience working in photojournalism, he is a regular contributor to the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, ESPN The Magazine, the New York Times Magazine and TIME. His work has been recognized by Pictures of the Year International, Best of Photojournalism, Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar, Southern Short Course and the National Press Photographer's Association. Litherland self-published a book titled Accidental Rothko in 2010.

Texting, Crosby Street, 2011 by Joseph O. Holmes

+ HHS! Panelist Darius Himes is participating in a three-day photobook workshop in September. Photographers Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb will be in attendance in this Radius Books-hosted event, which is open to anyone "who is passionate about a photography project that he or she has been working on—from serious amateurs to seasoned professionals, from documentary to art photographers, from those photographing a theme, place or issue to those working on a more personal series of photographs of family or friends." Head to the Magnum Photos site for more information.

+ Hot Shot and 20x200 MVP Joseph O. Holmes' latest series, Texters, has been making the blogosphere rounds, being picked up by several notable sites in the last week and touted on Twitter. For the full series, check out the prolific photographer's photostream on Flickr.

+ Photographers have been paying attention to Google+, and not for reasons you might think. Flak Photo's Andy Adams got a conversation started after Photofocus and the Washington Post's BlogPost called attention to Google's Terms of Service.

ALL THE MORE REAL, 2011 by Mary Ellen Bartley

Of all the different ways to collect photography, photography books are likely the most accessible. Although certain books can become quite the collectible items themselves, photography books generally provide a very affordable alternative to possess the works you love. With publishers like Blurb (with whom a lot of HHS! Contenders have done books with), and the aid of long time HHS! panelist and publishing expert Darius Himes' Publish Your Photography Book (co-authored with Mary Virginia Swanson), it is now easier than ever for a photographer to get a book published, thus giving photography lovers all the more to look forward to. Contender Mary Ellen Bartley, who is no stranger to HHS!, takes a rather different look at her collection of photography books in her newest series Standing Open.

HIROSHI SUGIMOTO, 2011 by Mary Ellen Bartley

Bartley is also no stranger to photographing books. Standing Open, Bartley's fourth book series, is different in that the books in the images are no longer closed. The photographs in these books, be it beautiful portraits or Hiroshi Sugimoto's magnificent Seascapes, along with the physical features of the books, all become part of the abstraction in these images.

Bartley explains in her statement:

While shooting my stacks and rows of tightly closed paperback books, I started seeing some of the standing books loosen up and show bits of the space between their pages. I was drawn into the uniquely beautiful interior space of the books. I began opening all kinds of books and placing them standing open around my space, where sunlight might fall on them. This quickly became a project of looking into my photography books in a new way. This work interests me on many levels. First is the sheer beauty of the physical books and the unique formal discoveries of looking at them close up. Among the repeating formal motifs I've found are the stripes the pages create, the shadowy voids between pages that read like burns or stains and the reflections the photos can make on the pages facing them. On another level, I'm fascinated by conceptual ideas concerning appropriation and reproduction in a mechanical versus digital age, which the work can't help but throw into question. What is the unique aura or presence of a book? Finally, what drives the work for me is the emotional connection I have to the books. I'm trying to evoke the sensuality and intimacy of reading and looking through books, as well as the fleeting inspiration, little jolts of connection found for me in books I love.

THE EDGE OF VISION, 2010 by Mary Ellen Bartley

A New York City native, Bartley now resides in Wainscott, on the east end of Long Island. She earned her BFA at Purchase College, where she began her fine art studies in painting and drawing. Bartley was a Photolucida Critical Mass 2010 finalist, and she earned a Juror Commendation from Houston Center for Photography's Annual Juried show, where she also exhibited. A combination of her book projects, Books, will be exhibited at Corden Potts Gallery in San Francisco this fall.

In Transit #25, by Diego Kuffer

Around 80 years ago, scientists discovered that in the subatomic world of quantum mechanics, atoms, electrons and photons can exist in more than one place at a time. To some quantum theorists, this would imply that if the building blocks that make up everything around us—including ourselves—occupy more than one place in time and space, then everything around us (including ourselves) could and should exist in multiple, parallel universes.

Heavy stuff, I know, and likely not taken too seriously by those who clearly observe only one reality. But I was reminded of this perplexing possibility in viewing Contender Diego Kuffer's series In Transit. In the images, the pixellated cubes contain different moments from the same scene, lending itself to the possibility of alternate occurrences within a given parameter. However, Kuffer makes no claims to be taking on Hugh Everett III's quantum theories in his series, but rather was inspired by filmmaking techniques, photomontage, cubism and—of most importance to the photographer—a moment in time.

In Transit #12, 2010 by Diego Kuffer

Of the composites, the photographer explains:

Photography only lets you capture instants (even long exposures are only blurred instants). So, I hacked the idea of photography, mixing together many photos of the same scene into a single one, slicing and dicing the images and putting them back together, chronologically. I call the grammar behind it "chrono cubism."

Likely referencing David Hockney's photomontage work, and even Marcel Duchamp's Nude Descending a Staircase, Kuffer's "chrono cubist" works get to the root of the passing of time in a particular space, in effect putting snippets of a time-lapse video in one digitized frame.

In Transit #23, 2010 by Diego Kuffer

Brazilian photographer Diego Kuffer originally majored in business and worked in marketing for 10 years before pursuing a post graduate degree in Psychoanalytic Semiotics. He then "gave all that up to become a photographer," having studied photography at Escola Panamerica de Arte in Sao Paulo. His series In Transit has been making the blogosphere rounds, and he has exhibited works in Brazil.

Serengeti Ibex, 2010 by Bremner Benedict

Just how far removed from nature are city dwellers in this day and age? With the seemingly unstoppable urbanization of mankind, how far do we have to go to reach "real" nature? And if these are the questions we are asking ourselves today, what about our children's future interactions with nature? Contender Bremner Benedict's series Re-imagining Eden, which just earned her an honorable mention for the 17th Griffin Museum Juried Exhibition, is replete with these types of questions. On her website, Benedict writes, "Changes produced by the industrial revolution inspired people to create places where our culture decides what is important to remember from disappearing habitats. Today's technology interrupts our ability to experience the natural world as pristine. Nature no longer serves as a source of our identity. This eroding sense of connection makes the shape of our future unclear."

Bwindi Mountain Gorilla, 2010 by Bremner Benedict

The co-owner of Klompching Gallery, Debra Klomp Ching, who served as the juror for this year's Griffin Museum Juried Exhibition—which includes work by Contender Susan A. Barnett—said Benedict's images of "children's relationship with the natural world are mesmerizing. With so much photography dealing with the environment," she added, "these understated and quiet images are also refreshingly bold and confident in use of metaphor, which extends the image beyond the intimate narratives played out inside the frame."

In her statement, Benedict asks, then explains:

Is nature still a place of enchantment? Is childhood a space of wonder where we learn how to connect to the natural world? Do these questions form a basis of the myths humans created to offset their fall from grace, dating back to their expulsion from the Garden of Eden? Using my daughter as a model, I am exploring enduring concerns of the influence on how we view nature. The inquiry is taken up by the young child we see engaging in habitats she may never experience because they are vanishing into a nostalgic past. Her bond is no longer inseparable with the natural world. It is unraveling. She is growing up in spite of it. The most elemental question—whether critical contemplation of the natural world through framing and representation, which transforms the facts of 'land' into the concept of 'landscape'—is boon or bane in maintaining a relationship with nature.

Pronghorn Antelope and American Bison, 2011 by Bremner Benedict

Benedict is a photographer based in Concord, MA. Her work has been included in over 20 exhibitions and has been collected by many museums and institutions, including the prestigious George Eastman International Museum of Photography and the Fogg Museum at Harvard. Re-imagining Eden was recently shown at the Hess Gallery of Pine Manor College.

Gosling Lake, by Kurt Tong

After eight weeks of receiving amazing submissions, the Hey, Hot Shot! First Edition 2011 round of the competition closed on June 27th. So strong was the body of work this round that we are very eager to share it with everyone! So, beginning in July, at least one photographer that submitted will be selected each month (for at least the next three months) to fast-track a 20x200 edition. Our curatorial team is already poring over the extraordinary entries, which is no easy feat. Will you see a Contender's photography featured on 20x200? Or will your own photography be chosen first? To see which First Edition 2011 photographers make the cut, sign up for the 20x200 newsletter.

Meanwhile, we will continue to feature Contender posts until the Hot Shots are announced. For the latest on all things Hey, Hot Shot!—including announcements on the next round of the competition—be sure to check the blog frequently, keep up with us on Twitter and Facebook and sign up for our low-volume newsletter to get the latest news in your inbox.

+ Ruben Natal-San Miguel, who runs the eponymous photography consulting firm and is the blogger of ARTmostfierce, will present a fair tour entitled "How to Invest and Collect Fine Art Photography" for photoHamptons, which is taking place Thursday, July 7th to Sunday, July 10th. This is the first year ArtHamptons is featuring significant fine art photography.

+ 2009 Ne Plus Ultra Kurt Tong's series In Case it Rains in Heaven will be shown for the first time in Germany at Uno Art Space in For You, a two-person show. The exhibition premiered on July 1st and will be on view through the 28th of September, when Kurt will be attending the closing party to talk about the series.

+ Photographer and 20x200 artist Jeremy Kohm is featured on Prison Photography, which was recently named one of LIFE's top 20 photo blogs. You can also see Kohm's work in person as part of the group show Dawn Till Dusk, at Jen Bekman Gallery through July 30th.

+ Fall 2006 Hot Shot Shen Wei got glowing reviews in the New Yorker for his work from Chinese Sentiment, which was featured in the group show Moveable Feast at the Museum of the City of New York.

Red lighthouse, 2010 by Michael Bodiam

Michael Bodiam is now a very familiar name to those of you who watch this space. After participating in the 2010 HHS! showcase group show at Jen Bekman Gallery and making his 20x200 debut, we interviewed the 2010 Hot Shot for a second time to get some more insight (and advice for prospective Hot Shots). Shortly after the interview, we received a fresh submission from Bodiam, and now we can finally see what he has been up to.

Blue tower, 2010 by Michael Bodiam

Clearly a departure from previous series Dickins & Jones, which exclusively consists of artificially-lit interior shots, this new body of work—shot over six weeks in Chile and Argentina at the end of 2010—is bright and airy by contrast. At first glance, it might just seem like a series of random objects without much connection between images. Look a little more carefully; you might notice that shapes and patterns begin to form. Photography, after all, is often just what the eye can make out in the visual chaos that is the world. Bodiam explains the new series in his statement:

I have always been attracted to blocks of color and geometrical shapes, and so when I come across such a thing, I have a strong desire to record it. For a long time I have taken this kind of picture without really thinking about it. Just before I left for South America, I was experimenting on an edit of some of these types of images and it was at this point that I decided that this was going to be the way that I photographed the places I went to. By pursuing an observational theme over a series of images, a shifting of context occurs, especially when the images are viewed consecutively. Everyday objects take on a new heightened sculptural or graphical relevance. As a result, the images become more abstracted—they now say much less about a place and more about color and composition.

Two cylinders, 2010 by Michael Bodiam

Michael Bodiam is a London-based photographer who travels extensively for his work. He graduated from the Arts Institute at Bournemouth with a honors Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Art Photography. Bodiam works on both commissioned and self-commissioned photographic projects. His personal work has been featured in publications such as Dazed & Confused, WIRED, Marmalade and DayFour. Prior to becoming a 2010 Hot Shot and exhibiting at Jen Bekman Gallery, he had exhibited at the Royal Academy (London), the Royal West of England Academy and the HOST Gallery.

Cara, 2011 by Shelley Calton

Few things get Americans riled up like talking about gun ownership and rights. Contender Shelley Calton calls attention to female gun ownership in her series Licensed to Carry: Ladies of Caliber. Set against her subjects' everyday scenarios, the guns are prominently featured, a contrast to their otherwise concealed nature. Calton has documented what she calls the "female experience" in previous projects, addressing feminine aggression and empowerment via the Roller Derby, for instance. In Licensed to Carry, the artist again challenges traditional notions of femininity. In the portraits, the metallic object of brute, destructive force is a constant; as much a part of these women's daily lives as playing an instrument, or getting ready to leave the house, or sitting at a dinner table.

Alana, 2011 by Shelley Calton

Calton delves deeper into the series and explains:

Texas and guns go hand-in-hand. As a young girl, I was taught about guns and learned to shoot. My father kept a pistol in his nightstand and rifles for hunting. Until recently I have maintained an apprehensive distance from guns, except for through the lens of my camera... In Licensed to Carry, I decided to explore the private lives of women who arm themselves. Women who carry guns are unassuming; it may be the mother in the line next to you at the grocery checkout counter, the grandmother that is out walking her dog or the woman parking next to you at the shopping mall. This is not an exclusive club and is open to anyone, except a convicted felon. While owning and/or carrying a gun is not always kept a secret, it is seldom boasted or talked about. I have discovered most of the women that I have photographed through word of mouth and they have all agreed to reveal themselves and their guns. In order to be licensed to carry, my subjects have been tested, fingerprinted and schooled to use a firearm effectively. To better understand this process, I have also become a member of the growing trend of women gun owners. These women are licensed concealed handgun carriers and are empowered with a peace of mind that, if needed, they can protect themselves.

Alana II, by Shelley Calton

Houston-based Shelley Calton's latest body of work Licensed to Carry: Ladies of Caliber is an addition to her recognized projects that focus on the female experience. Her first book, Hard Knocks: Rolling with the Derby Girls, was released by Kehrer Verlag, Heidelberg, in 2009. Her work is in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, as well as many private collectors. Featured articles and interviews have been written in Texas Monthly, the Houston Chronicle, Silvershotz magazine and Black and White International. Represented by DeSantos Gallery in Houston, she also serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors for Houston Center for Photography.

Stick Figure, 2011 from the series Kallima by Alex Kisilevich

Named after Kallima inachus, the Dead Leaf butterfly, Contender Alex Kisilevich explores camouflage in this series of photographs from his project Kallima. This butterfly gets its name from its camouflage, which makes it appear to be a dried, dead leaf when the species folds its wings together. In Kallima, Kisilevich's use of camouflage and mimicry calls attention to the often unnecessary, but still aesthetically pleasing, nature of this evolutionary trait. Additionally, Kisilevich captures otherwise mundane depictions of that which tricks the eye in his images of the seamless lines in wood paneling joints and the colorful patterns of wall coverings.

Cabinet, 2010 from the series Kallima by Alex Kisilevich

Of the series, Alex writes:

When drawing its wings together, the Kallima butterfly bears an uncanny resemblance to a dried leaf. Originally thought to be a defense tactic, it has also been suggested that this form of camouflage has been an "exaggeration of precautions" and [is] completely unnecessary. What motivates such an evolutionary development if not self-preservation? Perhaps it is a kind of sympathetic sentience, a way to connect with and find meaning in the external world, or is it perhaps the result of a gradual loss of self-identity over time, or a sense of bewilderment in relation to one's surroundings? Kallima explores notions of camouflage within contemporary and social contexts by investigating various theories surrounding the concept of mimesis and human subjectivity, as well as mimicry in the natural world and the ways in which it can be mirrored in human behaviour. The images, full of pathos and absurdity, allude to ideas of illusion and transparency, masking and disguise, assimilation and adaptation, as well as the ways we construct connections between ourselves and others.

Sasquatch, 2011 from the series Kallima by Alex Kisilevich

Alex Kisilevich is a photo-based artist living and working in Toronto. Having recently graduated from an MFA in Visual Arts program at York University, Kisilevich's work has been exhibited in Toronto and published in the Magenta Foundation's Flash Forward 2010. For more photographs from the Kallima series, visit the artist's site.

Mop, 2010 from the series Kallima by Alex Kisilevich