Hey, Hot Shot! Entries for General

Are you planning to head to SXSW? Are you not going but simply super interested in all the awesome talk that will go on there? Then vote, now, for Jen Bekman's SXSW panel proposal:

Curating the Crowd-Sourced World Level: Beginner Type: Panel Category: Content Presenter: Jen Bekman, 20x200 | Jen Bekman Projects, Inc. Description: With all the stuff we weed through online, good filters are crucial. Who's best-suited to determine what's best – curators or the crowd? People have their religion about one or the other, however this panel will focus on the overlap, the grey areas and how curating and crowd-sourcing enrich each other.

With the curatorially-mediated online phenom of 20x200, Jen's a pretty good fit to head up this panel which is sure to be filled with other talents — who can speak as both curators and "crowd" — that she'll announce in the coming weeks.

Carrie Marill, A Dream World Glimmers In The Background Of The Soul (Detail)

Fall '07 Hot Shot Todd Forsgren has six photographs in the latest Jen Bekman show, Ornithology. The group show, which features a stellar array of artists working in various media, opens tonight, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the gallery, at 6 Spring Street.

Ornithology features bird-themed works by Echo Eggebrecht, Todd Forsgren, Laura Levine, Carrie Marill, Christina Muraczewski, Victoria Neel, Lamar Peterson, Jason Polan, Alec Soth, Amy Stein, Keith Taylor, Bert Teunissen, and Luke Stephenson. Many of these artists will debut exclusive editions on 20x200 during the course of the exhibition.

In the spirit of summer, Ornithology takes its cues from the great outdoors. With their brightly colored plumage, sweet songs, and uncanny ability to fly, birds have captivated humans for centuries, making ornithologists out of even the most casual of observers. From Aristotle to Audubon, Darwin to the binocular-clad of Central Park, our feathered friends have proven to be a source of abundant inspiration.

Of his work, Todd writes:

Ornithologists now use mist nets instead of shotguns. These nearly invisible nets are set up like fences and function as huge spider webs, catching unsuspecting birds. The researcher carefully extracts the bird from the net. Each bird is measured, aged, sexed, and banded with an individually numbered anklet. Then the bird is released.

I photographed these birds while they are caught in mist nets, moments before the ornithologist extracts them. Here, the birds inhabit a fascinating space between our framework of the bush and the hand. It is a fragile and embarrassing moment before they disappear back into the woods, and into data.

Measured in Time, #2, by HHS entrant Jacqueline Truong

This shot is like a movie. Like a great old movie about a sport that I'm not interested in, but with a story and spirit that grab at my heart. I can't turn it off. What composition!

(What? You thought we were finished? While we are no longer accepting submissions for the current round of Hey, Hot Shot!, and these posts and my blog views are not a reflection at all of the judging process, but we'll stick with it, because it's fun to see what's out there, from among all the great stuff was sent in.)

9717 by HHS entrant Liz Danahey-Fish

Hey, Hot Shot! contender Liz Danahey-Fish makes photographs of items she's purchased at thrift stores around Los Angeles. She writes, "This is a catalog of last chances — someone saved this stuff when they donated it, someone saved it when they priced it, and I saved it yet again when I bought it."

What she neglects to mention is that she really saves the stuff when she photographs it. She's documenting detritus. She's saving stuff in a way that's a lot more permanent than simply purchasing it for pennies and putting it on a tchotchke shelf.

Her approach is direct and interesting. I'd rather look at her shots than through the Goodwill bins, for sure.

*REMINDER* Go get your entry ready! Submit it! There is still time. Not much, though! All entries for the current round of Hey, Hot Shot! are due tomorrow, Tuesday, June 17, at 8:00 p.m.*

Okay, so you like what you see here, and you've done some further investigating at the 20x200 and Jen Bekman sites. Hopefully you've visited the gallery and other galleries too. Now it is time to start shopping.

Join Jen Bekman, Michelle Dunn Marsh, and Amy Stein, and moderator Michael Foley for In Focus: Collecting Photography, a panel discussion, tonight, Thursday, June 12, at 7:00 p.m. at The Affordable Art Fair (135 W 18th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues).

The Affordable Art Fair is, "the place for new and established collectors to discover and buy paintings, drawings, sculptures, video, photography and limited edition prints from distinguished galleries, all priced from $100 - $10,000. This year the Fair will host more than 70 galleries from the US, Europe, Asia, Canada, and South America.”

Time is almost up.

Have you entered this round of Hey, Hot Shot!? If not, then you need to do it soon. Do it now. Send us your photos and your completed application at once, for the chance to be selected and honored in the Hey, Hot Shot! competition.

Unlike previous years, we WILL NOT be extending the deadline. Not even by a day or an hour or a minute! All submissions are due TUESDAY, JUNE 17, at 8:00 P.M.

It's time! We are now accepting entries for 2008's first edition of Hey, Hot Shot! We're all super excited about the great changes in store for applicants and winners. And, remember, all applicants are also potential contenders for features on this very blog.

Hey, Hot Shot! offers unrivaled opportunities for emerging photographers to have their work promoted online, reviewed by top-notch panelists and exhibited in our New York gallery. Now entering its fourth year, the international competition has been lauded by curators, critics, educators and journalists. This year we'll sharpen our focus on fewer hot shots, giving them even more exposure. Read on for the details.

Fewer hot shots + longer exhibitions = more exposure
The competition will now be bi-annual. In each competition 5 photographers will be selected to be part of a two-week showcase at Jen Bekman Gallery.

Cold hard cash
All winning photographers will be awarded a $500 honorarium.

Ultras go solo
At year's end 2 Ultras will be selected from 2008's 10 Hot Shots. The Ultras will be represented by Jen Bekman and slated for solo exhibitions at the gallery.

In it to win it
As always, we'll be selecting contenders to feature daily on the Hey, Hot Shot! blog throughout the entry period. Contenders will also be considered for 20x200, Jen Bekman's newest online endeavor which offers limited edition prints at affordable prices.

So what are you waiting for? Get your work out there: apply now!

We are only accepting submissions online, via this web site.
The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, June 17th @ 8pm(EDT).
Winners will be announced on Wednesday, July 9th @ 1pm (EDT).
There is a $60 handling fee for your entry.
Submissions are open to everyone (from anywhere in the world!).
The competition is open: APPLY NOW!

By Summer '06 Hot Shot Kate Bingaman-Burt.

The past few weeks have been great, but, look, we need a break.

And, by "break," I mean a short pause here as we get ready, technically, to launch the first Hey, Hot Shot! edition of 2008.

So grab your portfolio, and start working on your statement and bio; I look forward to seeing them when we return.

• Dith Pran, Photojournalist and Survivor of the Killing Fields, Died at 65, on Sunday. The New York Times ran one of their is-it-eerie-or-is-it-amazing pre-death video-interviews, "The Last Word." In it, Dith speaks of his mission, his role in assisting New York Times reporter Sydney Schaberg in reporting on survival under the Khmer Rouge, in the "killing fields." Together they reported on the war and the collapse of the country. "I began to realize that he was just as obsessed a reporter, just as determined and driven as I was," says Schanberg. "Coming from a whole different angle. His reason was that he was convinced that the rest of the world just didn't know what his people were going through, what they were suffering. That was his mission." Dith worked as a photographer for The New York Times from 1980 until 2007. This video was shot in March 2008.
• Apartment Therapy writes of the Perspektiva Lamp by Transparent House. Made from a vintage Leica and a tripod, the lamp is simple and sort of stunning. A unique, if obvious, light source. I'd love it in my home, but if I could afford a vintage Leica, I'd probably go for one I could shoot with first.
• Via Rachel Hulin , comes word of Light Work's Artist-in-Residence program for photographers to pursue their own projects in Syracuse, New York. Past residents have included Renee Cox, James Casebere, Cindy Sherman, Dawoud Bey, Max Becher and Andrea Robbins, Laurie Simmons, and Joel Sternfeld, to name a few.

  There is no formal deadline, but "The next review process will consider all portfolios we have received by the end of April. We are currently scheduling residencies for 2009, although one or two spots remain for 2008."

• Hello, I'm Rachel considers the following: "...does thinking that a recession is bad for art mean that you also think throwing money at an artist makes their work good? I’m not sure the two go together…but then, that’s why this work is in a gallery, asking me to think about these things days later," while viewing Jennifer Dalton's work at Smack Mellon. It's a good question and a good read, click through and consider it.

Sold out 20x200 edition Untitled (Astoria Park, Queens, New York), by Carlo Van de Roer

"It's a gateway drug for art."

Today's Houston Chronicle writes on all things Jen Bekman — specifically 20x200, Hey, Hot Shot! and the gallery — in "On the Internet, it's real art for $20."

That's right, folks. Your time has finally come. The entry deadline has now passed and the submissions folder for the Summer edition of Hey, Hot Shot! is officially closed. This season's competition is pretty hot and I'm very excited to see who the panel selects!

Stay tuned to the blog for the winners will be announced here next Tuesday, August 21st. Plus, I'll continue posting Hot Shot-related announcements.

Expect to see one more contender post from me today, as well :).

Charlie Sober by Fall '06 HS winner Juliana Beasley

Yee Haw! Charlie over here looks pretty damn excited and you should be, too! You know why? Because us folks over here at the jb decided to give y'all some extra time by extending the submission deadline for the Summer '07 edition of Hey, Hot Shot! by one week!

That's right, you heard me. ONE MORE WEEK! The new deadline is Tuesday, August 14th at 11 AM (EST). So mark your calendars, tell all your friends, and do a little jig because extended deadlines are radical.

Installation shot, HHS! Spring Edition, 2007 -- courtesy of Joe Holmes

We are now accepting entries for the Summer Edition of Hey, Hot Shot!.

The deadline is Tuesday, August 7 @ 11:59pm ET and winners will be announced at noon on Tuesday, August 21, 2007. Submissions are open to everyone, from anywhere in the world!

The benefits of entering? HHS! offers amazing visibility to emerging photographers. A very impressive panel will be looking at your work this season!

Being selected as a finalist puts you in great company -- the HHS! Alumni are some of the very best new photographers. Though, it's not just the finalists who benefit from entering -- contenders who are featured on the blog also get quite a bit of attention, not to mention an increase in their website traffic.

In other words, your work gets seen.

The Summer Edition Showcase opens at jen bekman on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 and will be up through the 16th. In the meantime, bookmark this blog to stay up to date on the contenders and any other Hey, Hot Shot! news. Also, take a look here for more installation shots from the Spring Edition.

Go, go, submit your entry now!

In the July/August issue of STEP magazine, Jen's 20x200 project got a nice little review -- "Art, Afforded" it's titled -- and alongside the great words about 20x200 was a lovely bit on Hey, Hot Shot!.

Her seasonal photography competition 'Hey, Hot Shot!' is like an American Idol for photographers, with a stellar rotating panel of judges and some pretty incredible exposure: winners receive a gallery showcase and an opportunity to be represented by Bekman.

Luckily for you, the next edition of HHS! will be opening tomorrow, your chance to be the next Amer--- I mean, Hot Shot! Check back to this blog for an official announcement at the start of the contest.

Untitled (Hanoi no.2) by Spring HS Kelly Shimoda

The list is in! The time has come to announce the 10 artists selected for the Spring 2007 Edition of Hey, Hot Shot! And the winners are...

Clint Baclawski
Nina Berman
Michael Julius
Karolina Karlic
Mark Marchesi
Casey Orr
Justin James Reed
Pavel Romaniko
Kelly Shimoda
Daniel Traub

Pencil it in, the showcase soiree in honor of our Hot Shots is Wednesday June 13 from 6–8PM. Get on down to the jb, see the work, and support the winners. The show will be up from June 14–17, 2007 and quite a show it promises to be!

Special thanks to our fabulous group of panelists––Anthony LaSala, Lesley Martin, Jörg Colberg, Raul Gutierrez, Jenni Holder, Youngna Park, Christine Collins, and the Ultras, to Jeff Kirsch and Jesse Chan-Norris for all their hard work and commitment to the jb, and, of course, a whoppin' thank you goes out to all of the participants for sharing their work with us.

And what work it is! Our panelists were posed with what seemed the impossible feat, narrowing it down to a mere ten proved just as difficult as expected. Some honorable mentions are in order:

Matias Aguilar, Rob Ball, Nelson Chan, Larissa Cleveland, Kate Copeland, Shane Lavalette, Maria Passarotti, Will Sanders, Michelle Sank, Deidre Schoo, Tamir Sher, Rylan Steele, Joseph Tripi, Ching Wah Lam, Greg Wasserstrom, Emily Winton

Congratulations to all! Stay tuned to the HHS! Blog for more news, fun facts, and other tidbits of information for your pleasure and entertainment.

Max, Recarpeting, Lena's House, Nampa, Idaho 2005 by HS Shawn Records

Fall 2005 Hot Shot Shawn Records has come back for round two. This edition he submitted work from his family-based series La Playa. A little over a year ago we attempted to fill you in on the happenings and accomplishments of Mr. Records––the list was long and it continues to grow.

And Shawn is not the only one, Hey, Hot Shot! has done quite a bit of growing itself. Not only have fifty amazing artists graced the walls of our little Spring Street space, but the competition has turned into a major, one of a kind opportunity with loads of excitement and support making it, as we like to say, the best thing going for emerging photographers.

Last month I missed this opportunity, but today our dear blog is officially one year and one month old. In April 2006, former Hot Shot guide Anna Wolfgang kicked things off, setting the bar high for what has been a non-stop bloggin' blast. We've brought you news of the endless array of amazement that is the jb. Our panel has reached superstar status, we had our first Ultra solo show, and we put together the very first of its kind HHS! Yearbook––the New Photographers Annual. The list goes on. Now we're on the brink of Ms. Bekman's mega-exciting-we-absolutely can't-wait-venture, 20x200. The future is looking brighter than ever.

With the deadline for the Spring 2007 edition upon us, take tonight and/or tomorrow as an opportunity to not just enter, but to browse the blog's archives, take a peek at our family history, and mark your calendars for one month from today for what we know will be another stellar showcase.

Nixon's Tie Matched His Shirt by Larissa Cleveland

Yes, it is here––the deadline for the Spring 2007 Edition of Hey, Hot Shot! Do you have your entry in? I hope so. Just as I hope you can make it to the showcase's opening soiree on Wednesday June 6. The weather will be warm, the skin will be showing, and the wine will be flowing––it will be a night to remember. Will you be a guest of honor?

In the meantime, I offer you aspiring Hot Shot Larissa Cleveland. Larissa submitted work from her series on the curious community of collectors. Fascinated by our innate desire to possess in order to find meaning in life, Larissa offers us portraits of these foragers basking in the joy that is their most precious of possessions, their collection. From Larissa's statement:

This body of work represents my investigation into a societal preoccupation with collecting and the narrative or symbolic power of objects. My experiences as a child surrounded by the mass collection of civil war artifacts that belonged to my father has prompted my continued interest in the pursuit of collecting and also to question the nature of hobby versus obsession. In creating these images, I investigate the personal and social conditions that inform an inherent need to possess, create order, gain status, knowledge and to preserve.

I am liking Larissa's titles––little glimpses into her interactions with her subjects, tiny little tales such as "She is an Artist. There Wasn't Room in the House" and "He Called Me Little Lady. He Ate Them All" and of course "Nixon's Tie Matched His Shirt." Keep it up Larissa.

And now, let the countdown begin. Midnight will strike sooner than you think. Enter now!

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.

Untitled by Winter 2007 HS Kirby Pilcher

My how time does fly. You've had a week to become acquainted with our sizzling new set of Hot Shots. If you haven't checked out the HHS! work on flickr, I suggest you do so right now. Here at the jb we are pulling ourselves from the daze of excitement that usually follows the breaking news, and frantically beginning preparation for what I am positive will be yet another wild and crazy showcase. An unusual quirk of this bunch, they've managed to scatter themselves across the globe. Our Hot Shots hail from Oregon, Michigan, Sweden, Washington, California, London, Minnesota, and New York. And you can expect to see their sweet smiling faces when you come support their work opening night.

Be there: Wednesday March 7 from 6–8 PM.

As always, more fun to follow.

The Bute Street Goldfish, Kowloon, Hong Kong by Winter 2007 HS Ka-Man Tse

Oh yes, it is here! The time has come to announce the 10 photographers selected for the Winter 2007 Edition of Hey, Hot Shot! Here we go, the winners are:

Holly Andres
Colin Blakely
Jeffrey Krolick
Juho Kuva
Molly Landreth
Brad Moore
Kirby Pilcher
Ben Roberts
Mickey Smith
Ka-Man Tse

And now the fun begins! Pencil it in, the showcase soiree in honor of our new Hot Shots is Wednesday March 7 from 6–8pm. Make sure to see the work and support the winners. The show will be up from March 8–11, 2007 and what a show it promises to be!

Special thanks to our fantastic group of panelists––Anthony LaSala, Leslie Martin, Joerg Colberg, Amit Gupta, Eileen Gittens, Jenni Holder, Youngna Park, Christine Collins, and the Ultras, to Jeff Kirsch and Jesse Chan-Norris for all their hard work and commitment to the jb, and, of course, a gigantic thank you goes out to all of the participants for sharing their work with us.

Our panelists were faced with what promised to be the impossible, narrowing it down to a final ten proved just as difficult as expected. With so many fantastic entries coming our way, some honorable mentions are necessary:

Sarah Claire Ahlers, Alejandro Cartagena, Hin Chua, Jill Frank, Nicole Hatanaka, Shane Lavalette, Seth Lower, Jason Reblando, Paula Rebsom, Beth Riemer, Caroline Shepard, Michael Simon, Mandy Sue Springer, Will Steacy, Monika Sziladi, Daniel Traub, Andrea Wallace, Keith Kin Yan, Christopher Young

What a round, congratulations to all! Stay tuned to the HHS! Blog for more news, fun facts, and other tidbits of info for your entertainment.

Count your lucky stars, for today we are feeling generous @ the jb. You've asked and we willingly oblige, the deadline for the Winter 2007 Edition of the Hey, Hot Shot! competition has officially been extended one additional week. You now have through next Monday at 2pm s-h-a-r-p to strut your stuff and get it in.

New deadline: Monday February 12 @ 2PM
Winners Announced: Monday February 19 @ 12PM
HHS! Winter Showcase Opening: Wednesday March 7, 2007 – 6-8PM

Be a winter winner and enter today!

Halo by aspiring Hot Shot Logan Kleier

I am often asked if we here at the jb are opposed to certain types of photography, most recently, abstract photography. It's true that when browsing through the artists on the site or the submissions shown on the blog, you will run into very little "abstract" work. While we pride ourselves for the variety in work and artists we showcase, we don't have genre quotas to fill. We won't lie, we each have our own preferences, but the panel is extensive, as are our preferences. When it comes down to it we like work that is good––good work comes in many forms. And I have said, and will say again, the selection I show here is my attempt to summarize the work you're sending our way. So for those of you after something abstract, I hunted down a recent submission by Logan Kleier which caught my eye.

I use color and light as tools to create abstractions of ordinary objects. The resulting images evoke an appreciation of elemental beauty and joy. I also use these images to explore the personal emotional value we attach to colors and light that surround us on a daily basis.

Beautiful indeed, I am drawn to Logan's image for its similarity to my personal fixations at the moment. I recently enrolled in a braincrashing course if there ever was one, the Search for Life in the Universe. My late night surfing sessions have been filled with stardust and extraterrestrial beings squished between long pauses of contemplation and perplexity. For the weekend I pass along some inspiration in the form of UFOs, the cosmos, and the good ol' Comet Sample Return Mission.

In between your new found obsessions and the standard weekend fun, we have reached the homestretch, get those entries in! As for Alice, I'm headed south for a few days, but leave you in good hands.

Enter today!

The fabulous Jen Bekman taken by John Von Pamer for American Photo

American Photo has dubbed our very own Jen Bekman as an Innovator of the Year! A well earned title, if I may say so myself, and right in time for some major mile stones. The gallery is about to hit its 4-year anniversary and, if you glance at the past exhibitions, about to climb right on over the hill. Impressive––naturally––it's the jb! And Jen stands in excellent company, other innovators (and Hey, Hot Shot! Panelists, of course) include Joerg Colberg of Conscientious, Caterina Fake of Flickr, and Lesley Martin of Aperture.

What will our innovator pull from her sleeve this year? Only time will tell, but the track record promises it will be nothing but fabulous!

Read more here.

A picture of HS Matthew Nighswander next to his Chandelier, Chicago

Summer Hey, Hot Shot! winner Matthew Nighswander came to us from Chicago. While he recently relocated to Brooklyn, he definitely soaked up some of that communal energy I have mentioned before. Let's jut say it's a good time to be a photographer in the Midwest. This Fall his work was published in the Nov/Dec issue of Adbusters along with fellow Chicagoans and friends Paul D'Amato and Brian Ulrich. And he was featured in a group exhibit in the online F-Stop Magazine. If you find yourself in the Chicagoland area, make a point to pass by 33 E. Congress and see his piece above at a colossal scale.

Where were you born, where were you bred?
I grew up in a small town (Gilmanton) in central New Hampshire, near Lake Winnipesaukee.

Age? 36

How do you pay the bills?
I'm currently the Archivist for VII Photo. I worked previously for 6 years as an international photo editor at The Associated Press.

What's your formal background (if any) in photography?
I have an M.F.A. from Columbia College Chicago.

What artist drove you to make the work you do? Who inspires you now?
Garry Winogrand originally inspired me to want to be a photographer. Right now I'm pretty into Alec Soth's "Niagara." I like work like Soth's that incorpoates many different approaches to photography. Alessandra Sanguinetti's "On the Sixth Day", Paul D'Amato's "Barrio," and Brian Ulrich's "Copia" are three of my favorite photo books from this year.

What camera do you use? Is it always with you?
When I'm going out shooting my main camera is a Mamiya 7. Because of its size and fragility I don't keep it with me most of the time, but I will almost always have my Leica M6 or my small Contax point-and-shoot with me.

Do you shoot with a plan or on a whim?
When I set out to shoot, I usually have a plan for an area or subjects that I want to photograph. I try to impose some sort of discipline on myself but only to a point. I want to remain open to any distracting influence that might pop up because this will often lead to the best pictures. Also, it's this kind of open-ended wandering that makes photography so enjoyable. I'm not curing cancer so if it's not at least enjoyable I'd rather spend my time doing something more productive.

What images are superglued into your mind for all eternity?
Helen Levitt's picture of the kids walking down the street with the bubbles floating over the road next to them.

Untitled, New York (soap bubbles and girls) by Helen Levitt

What piece of equipment do you fetishize the most and/or what is your guiltiest tech pleasure?
I'm pretty satisfied with the equipment I have for my own personal work but I would like to eventually get a digital setup (maybe the new Leica) to do assignment stuff.

What are your loftiest goals?
I would of course love to have a book but my craziest fantasy is somehow turning my website into something that could support me. Organizing a website is a great way to get to know your own photography and if I could live off that, I would be fine with never being published or exhibited again.

Do you have any other talents, hobbies, or favorite pastimes?
I played for many years in a rock band called Monobrow. Look for our reunion tour in 2012.

Any big plans for 2007?
My wife and I are expecting our first child in a few weeks.

If you had to choose only one film to watch for the rest of time what would it be?
Michael Mann's "Heat"

Name three songs that would be on your soundtrack?
The Breeders covering "Happiness is A Warm Gun"
Judas Priest's "Heading out to the Highway"
Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony."

Favorite director/composer/author/artist/musician/etc?
Jose Saramago's "Blindness"--a thrilling combination of brutal, violent realism and the fantastic.

City you would most like to escape to?
Prague or a small town in New Hampshire.

What do you look for in a mate?
I got me one. Ain't looking.

If you had to choose any object/service to be branded with your name, what would it be?
Matt's Guitar Wax.

How do you spoil yourself?
Plugging in my electric guitar.

It was a busy Fall for Summer Hot Shot Sara Macel. A participant in the d.u.m.b.o arts festival through The Rider Project, her work was seen in two group shows in October, all while continuing to make new work––and it doesn't seem like she'll be getting a break anytime soon. Sara's work is to be included in Kiss & Tell curated by Kate Menconeri at The Center for Photography at Woodstock opening later this month. Keep it up Sara!

Where were you born, where were you bred?
Born and bred in Spring, Texas – a stone’s throw outside of Houston.

Current place of residence? Brooklyn

Age? 25

How do you pay the bills?
I’m a photo production assistant and I do my own photography on the side.

What's your formal background (if any) in photography?
I studied photography at NYU where I learned almost everything I know and had some really amazing teachers. But the best way to learn technique is just by trial and error. After school, I worked as Bruce Davidson’s assistant for 2 years and he taught me all kinds of nifty tricks.

What artist drove you to make the work you do? Who inspires you now?
Being from the south and a color photographer, William Eggleston is a definite hero. I love Stephen Shore, Joel Sternfeld, and Alec Soth. Christian Patterson is great and other young photogs I know inspire me to keep at it. But most of my inspiration comes from music and books and my personal life.

What camera do you use? Is it always with you?
I mostly shoot with a Mamiya 7II, but I prefer using the RZ for portraits. I’m looking to make the jump to 4x5 in the near future.

How would you sum up your photographic process from start to finish?
I’m an old-timer in the sense that I sort of like bulky equipment and film and printing your own c-prints in the darkroom with weird little cut-out dodging tools.

Do you shoot with a plan or on a whim?
I try to have a general plan or project idea, even if it is just a song that I’ll listen to over and over while I’m wandering around looking for something to shoot. There’s a Big Star song that really inspired the project I’m working on now.

What images are superglued into your mind for all eternity?
I find old family photos of my parents and grandparents when they were my age a little haunting. And then, there’s Joel Sternfeld’s photo of the beached sperm whales; Davidson’s Brooklyn Gang; Robert Frank’s elevator girl from The Americans; Alec Soth’s photo of Johnny Cash’s boyhood home just floored me when I first saw it. There’s just so many.

"Elevator - Miami Beach" from Robert Frank's The Americans

What piece of equipment do you fetishize the most and/or what is your guiltiest tech pleasure?
I’m a total camera nerd. I am currently lusting for a cherry wood 4x5 Wista- and not because it is the best 4x5 but just because is so damn pretty. And 8x10 is just the cat’s pajamas.

What are your loftiest goals?
Just to shoot and wander around and have some nice folks like the photos and want to buy them so I can keep on wandering around.

Do you have any other talents, hobbies, or favorite pastimes?
I like to knit. I can make beer bread from scratch. I won a trophy for pantomime in the 7th grade, but I don’t think that really qualifies as a talent. That’s really more of my ace card up the sleeve whenever I get into discussions about embarrassments from adolescence.

Any big plans for 2007?
I have a show opening at the Center of Photography in Woodstock in late January. I’m thinking of doing a road trip through Texas with my best friend in March. And my sister is getting married in July. Beyond that, just to find some time to make a couple nice photos.

If you had to choose only one film to watch for the rest of time what would it be?
Big Lebowski.

Name three songs that would be on your soundtrack?
“Say Something Nice to Sarah� - Ernest Tubb
“These Days� - Nico
“Deep in Your Waters� - Sonny Oaks
“Days� - The Kinks
“Everyone� - >Van Morrison...Okay, I’ll stop now.

Favorite director/composer/author/artist/musician/etc?
Director- Billy Wilder
Author- Salinger and Steinbeck
Artist- Edward Hopper
Musician- Sam Cooke

What are your favorite websites/blogs?
NYTimes.com, Tiny Vices, Conscientious, Modish, HopStop is a Godsend.

City you would most like to escape to?
Every day when I leave for work I wish someone would drive up and say “Hop in, we’re going to Memphis.�

What do you look for in a mate?
A goof, a rascal, a good time, a Scrabble opponent, a shared love for aquatic animals (or at least the ability to find my love for them bearable), a bookworm, and a handsome devil.

If you had to choose any object/service to be branded with your name, what would it?
If I could put a copyright on my homemade Chex Mix I would.

How do you spoil yourself?
Bubble baths with my rubber ducky.

Favorite beverage of choice?
Unsweetened iced tea or whiskey when I wanna get messy.

New Year's resolution?
No more whiskey (not really).

From The Cloverfields series by Spring 06 HS Andrea Chu

Hot on the heels of the Hey, Hot Shot! Annual Exhibition and the release of the yearbook, before we get too buried in 2007, let's check in with some of our recent HHS! winners. It never ceases to amaze me, the endless array of possibilities and activities as an artist and a photographer––yes, life can in fact be grand. With 40 photographers in our 2006 Alumni pool, we have witnessed some pretty amazing achievements over the course of the year. Myself on the brink of graduation, it eases the pressure to see so many emerging photographers doing so many impressive things. Oh how easy they make it look...

For instance, since last hearing from Spring Hot Shot Andrea Chu she has lived out a photographer's dream and traveled to Japan to shoot for Getty Images. And 2007 holds many more international adventures for Andrea. We'll be sure to keep you posted, in the meantime read an interview with her here.

So get ready. In the days leading up to the Annual's opening and the initial days of the competition's Winter Edition, I'll be posting more juicy interviews and tidbits of information on past winners. Hear life stories, explore some links, and find out what it takes to win the heart of a jen bekman Hot Shot––all here on the one and only Hey, Hot Shot! Blog.

Misty Maiden by 2006 Ultra Ian Baguskas

And we are off––2007 is here and what a year it promises to be! Let's not waste a single moment. You heard it here first, the Winter 2007 Edition of Hey, Hot Shot! is officially open.

Deadline: Tuesday February 6, 2007
Put your new year's resolution to work and enter today!

Exciting times are on the horizon @ the jb! We are only three weeks away from the opening of the 2006 Hey, Hot Shot! Annual, showcasing the work of the hottest of the hot shots from 2006 and our newest additions to the jen bekman family. And then there is the release of the first of its kind HHS! Yearbook, the gallery's 4-year anniversary, four rounds of action packed HHS, and that is just the beginning! Stay tuned...

From Ultra Alison Grippo's Friday Night Fights series

Choosing the best of the best is never ever an easy task. With so many excellent photographers gracing our walls over 2006, it was next to impossible to narrow the number down from 40 to 4––but nothing is impossible for the jb. We are bouncing off the walls with excitement over our Ultra selection. Not only are they extremely talented, intelligent, creative, and fun loving, they are now the newest additions to the jen bekman family. And how proud we are!

Watch out for our 2006 Hey, Hot Shot! Ne Plus Ultras...

Ian Baguskas
Kate Bingaman-Burt
Alison Grippo
Joseph O. Holmes

Our Ultras pretty much sum up the excellence that is HHS!. The fantastic four will participate in the 2007 HHS! Annual, join the too amazing to believe panel, will be represented by the gallery for 2007, and work towards what I'm sure will be four fabulous solo shows.

Save the date. The Hey, Hot Shot! ne plus ultra Annual opens January 24––2007 here we come!

And last but not least, I give you Hot Shot Hans Gindlesberger. See you tonight!

Current place of residence?
Buffalo, NY

Birthplace? Where were you raised?
A small town outside of Toledo, OH

Your age?
25

What do you do to pay the bills?
I teach at several colleges in the Buffalo area

What initiated your committed romance with photography?
Lou Krueger, one of my undergraduate instructors, did a lot to support my work when I was figuring out what it was I wanted to do with photography. I probably stuck with the photo because of my experience in those classes.

What artists inspire you––whether they be photographers, musicians, politicians, painters, or the like?
Teun Hocks, Dan Bern, Beckett

What formal training, if any, do you have?
Its limited to school, rencently finishing up graduate school last year.

What camera do you use?
Canon 20D

What piece of equipment do you fetishize the most and/or what is your guiltiest tech pleasure?
My own large format printer would be fantastic. And a new Mac would be good as well.

What are your loftiest goals?
I suppose like most artists, to be able to sustain myself just by making my work.

Do you have any other creative talents?
I love to cook, but I'm a slave to following the directions.

What are the top three movies on your queue?
The Spirit of the Beehive, Chinatown, Wonderboys

What book connects with your life the most?
I read Winesburg, Ohio shortly before beginning the series that I'm currently working on. Winesburg was based on a town neighboring the one I grew up in and the collection of short stories in there were recognizable to me and influenced the process a lot early on.

What are your favorite websites/blogs?
I compulsively check Boing Boing throughout the day. Alec Soth's blog always is interesting to check in on as well.

Any pets?
Two cats.

It's here! If you haven't already penciled us in, make a point to join us tonight for the Fall 2006 Winners' Showcase. See some amazing work, have a drink, meet cool artist-types and otherwise––it will be an event not to miss. Be there.

Hey, Hot Shot! Fall 2006 Edition
Opening Reception TONIGHT!
Wednesday December 13, 2006 | 6pm - 8pm

Warm Your Toes Open House
Saturday December 16, 2006 | Noon - 3pm
Joe Coffee, tasty treats, and the work of 10 Hot artists––what more could you need?

Exhibition dates
Thursday - Sunday, December 14-17, 2006 from noon - 6pm.

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

We are now only hours away from the Hey, Hot Shot! Winners' Showcase and what an event it promises to be! For now, get to know Hot Shot Joe Fornabaio.

Current place of residence?
East Village, NYC

Birthplace? Where were you raised?
Born-n-raised in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.

Your age?
37

What do you do to pay the bills?
Shoot.

What initiated your committed romance with photography?
Boredom and a very smart high school teacher.

What artists inspire you––whether they be photographers, musicians, politicians, painters, or the like?
Edouard Boubat, Karl Bissinger, Leon Levinstein, Modigliani, Egon Schiele, Alexander Calder, Leonardo DaVinci, Bernini, Gianni Berengo Gardin, Pat Metheny, David Darling, Tom Waits, Duke Ellington, Brian Eno, that’s a very short quick list, there’s really too many.

What do you like most about being a "photographer"?
At least once a day it puts a smile on my face.

What formal training, if any, do you have?
BFA in Photography from SVA, and too many years of assisting.

What camera do you use?
Mamiya RZ 67, Yashica T4.

What piece of equipment do you fetishize the most and/or what is your guiltiest tech pleasure?
FILM!

What do you find to be the biggest cliche in photography these days?
You really want me to answer that? It’ll piss off people.

What are your loftiest goals?
A career behind the camera.

Do you have any other creative talents?
Another? LOL, ya killin’ me!

What are the top three movies on your queue?
Charlie Brown Christmas Special

What book connects with your life the most?
The Essential Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

Who are your favorite musicians?
There’s a few above. Bob Marley, Grateful Dead, Muddy Waters, Albert King, Ayub Ogada, Etta James, Frank Sinatra, Bobby Bland, Claudio Villa, The Rolling Stones, The Ramones, AC/DC, Rage Against The Machine, Juan Carlos Formell, The Temptations, The Supremes, The Flamingos, Radiohead, Ali Farka Toure, Neil Young, Annie Lenox, Steely Dan, Marvin Gaye, Led Zeppelin, gotta stop, too many to list ‘em all.

If you were on a deserted island and could only take one luxury, what would it be?
A woman.

Favorite color?
Black.

Favorite food?
Italian.

Favorite possession?
My Mamiya RZ.

Favorite way to kill time?
Watching the world go by.

For this Monday night, I pass the mic to Hot Shot Sasha Rudensky.

Current place of residence?
I split my time between brooklyn where I've been living for the last 5 years and new haven, ct where I go to school.

Birthplace? Where were you raised?
I was born in moscow, russia and lived there till I was 11. When my family moved the states we briefly lived in new haven, then moved to seattle.

Your age?
27

What do you do to pay the bills?
Now that I'm at school I live in debt, but beforehand I was mostly teaching photography at wesleyan university in middletown, ct.

What initiated your committed romance with photography?
We had a pretty good photography program at my high school and my boyfriend at the time was very into it and he's the one that gave me my first camera. And after that it just happened on its own. At a number of points in my life I was thinking it was time to do something a little more stable and lucrative, but just couldn't bring myself to stop taking pictures.

What artists inspire you––whether they be photographers, musicians, politicians, painters, or the like?
I've had a lot of influences - very early on while still living in russia my parents would drag me and my brothers to museums - I was in love with northern renaissance painting - van der weyden, van eyck, cranach. Though I didn't realize it at the time, I think that's what originally got me thinking about the function of color in art making. i also grew up reading a lot of poetry - axmatova, mandelstam, brodsky. The latter was especially influential in trying to wrap my brain around living abroad, while creatively being connected to the place where one was born. And of course there were photographic heros - koudelka, stephen shore, joel sternfeld.

What do you like most about being a "photographer"?
I like not being confined to a studio, I like being in the world, I like the pressure of having to actually meet and engage people when I'm with my camera

What formal training, if any, do you have?
Majored in studio art in college, though I went to a liberal arts school and we only had two photo classes - black and white photo 1 and 2. Now I'm making up for it at grad school when we have more brutal crits than any sane person can take.

What camera do you use?
For years I used a Konica Hexar, a tiny silent rangefinder, which I still adore. When I started shooting color I bought a Mamiya 7 and now primarily shoot with that. Recently I became interested in portraiture and have been borrowing the RZ from a friend, it's a bit clunky for me though and I might switch to something else.

What piece of equipment do you fetishize the most and/or what is your guiltiest tech pleasure?
I never think about equipment - I know very little about it and only use what I have or can get access to for free.

What do you find to be the biggest cliche in photography these days?
Sullen portraits of upper-middle class young people staring at the camera

What are your loftiest goals?
I suppose sustaining myself as a gallery artist - though I will always want to teach as well

Do you have any other creative talents?
I'm a good arm-wrestler.

What are the top three movies on your queue?
I recently saw a Melville film called Army of Shadows, which was absolutely amazing and have been trying to get my hands on it ever since. There is also a devastating Russian film called Ascent by Larisa Shepitko which appeals to my tragic side. Of recent stuff I loved Cronenberg's History of Violence.

What book connects with your life the most?
Do I dare say it? I guess Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov.

Who are your favorite musicians? Do you have an anthem?
Musically I'm very torn - I listen to Sonic Youth, Stereolab, Pavement, but I also love old country - Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, Hank Williams. And Shostakovich makes me cry.

If you were on a deserted island and could only take one luxury, what would it be?
My husband.

Any pets?
My four pet fish died recently.

Brooklyn-based photographer Joseph Holmes is a two time winner with a superb eye and a worthy photoblog. Meet him and many of the other winners in person this Wednesday @ the jb. Until then, enjoy.

Birthplace? Where were you raised?
I was born and raised in a tiny factory town in Pennsylvania.

Your age?
52

What artists inspire you––whether they be photographers, musicians, politicians, painters, or the like?
These days, every good photographer in the world inspires me, too many
to name. Every great photo book and gallery show makes me want to
immediately get out and start shooting. And I discover new great
photographers all the time. Finnish photographer Esko Mannikko just crossed my radar -- he's amazing.

What I find fascinating is that, even though I can't warm up to Lee
Friedlander's work, though I just can't get on his wavelength, the
longer I see his stuff, the more I'm finding that he influences me.
What's that about?

What do you like most about being a "photographer"?
Photography can be social in surprising ways. I don't often go out
shooting with friends, because shooting becomes a very meditative
experience. There's a kind of zen-like space I've learned to reach for,
which doesn't lend itself to chatting. Very few friends are good
companions for that. But lately I've been working on some things that
involve approaching strangers. That turns out to be a lot of fun.

What formal training, if any, do you have?
My father taught me to use his Miranda Sensorex when I was in junior high school. A childhood in the darkroom is a wonderful teacher.

What camera do you use?
I like my Nikon D200, but I miss film.

What do you find to be the biggest cliche in photography these days?
Oh, where to start? Gas stations in the desert twilight. Lonely
shopping carts. Heroin addicts. Too many photographers seem to be all
about reacting to other photos.

What are your loftiest goals?
I'm enjoying today so much that I haven't spent much time thinking
about tomorrow. I suppose my goal is to continue to find photo projects
that excite me.

Do you have any other creative talents?
My short story "Keys" is appearing in the next issue of North Atlantic
Review. I've won two screenwriting prizes. Long ago I acted in dinner
theater and summer stock.

What are the top three movies on your queue?
I don't have a queue, but since we're talking about movies, I was
surprised lately to discover that Dr. Strangelove hasn't aged as well
as I thought, while both Vertigo and McCabe and Mrs. Miller are timeless.

What book connects with your life the most?
Continuing in the vein of the last answer, I was recently disappointed
to find that Catch 22 doesn't hold up well at all; I loved it as a teen, but I now find it unreadable. Walker Percy's Love in the Ruins also didn't hold up well, but I'm thinking of rereading Percy's The Moviegoer Russell Hoban's Riddley Walker however, remains a
masterpiece.

What are your favorite websites/blogs?
They're almost all boring, technical things, but I'm happy to have discovered Alec Soth's blog. There aren't many really fine photographers willing to take that level of conversation online.

Who are your favorite musicians? Do you have an anthem?
My son is my favorite musician. Seriously. And my daughter's an amazing
songwriter and singer.

If you were on a deserted island and could only take one luxury, what would it be?
A speedboat.

Today I give you Copenhagen-based Hot Shot Mette Mærsk. Happy Saturday!

Birthplace? Where were you raised?
Copenhagen, Denmark. Fredensborg, Denmark

Your age?
36

What do you do to pay the bills?
my best

What initiated your committed romance with photography?
Instinctive flirting with found footage and discarded photographs at a young age

What artists inspire you––whether they be photographers, musicians, politicians, painters, or the like?
Andy Warhol, Gerhard Richter, David Hockney, Peter Fischli & David Weiss, Lynne Cohen, Len Lye, Man Ray, Stephen Shore, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Ed Ruscha, Oscar Niemeyer, Gordon Matta-Clark, Gabriel Orozco

What do you like most about being a "photographer"?
Being in motion, encounters and seduction. Analog equipment has all the pace and attitude, that I like. I can never fully grasp the implications of what I observe, but I can gradually approach a totality, subsequently. In the meantime, signatures have to be recorded and contours framed, as handles to grasp.

What formal training, if any, do you have?
Mixed and mostly self-taught

What camera do you use?
Yashica Mat, Polaroid SX-70, Richo GR1v ( like to try a Graflex Super Graphic )

What piece of equipment do you fetishize the most and/or what is your guiltiest tech pleasure?
cars, no guilt

What do you find to be the biggest cliche in photography these days?
The urge for asking artists to produce linguistic meaning and define the sense of their work. Curators are better at that.

What are your loftiest goals?
A loft! Frequent field-assigments and artists residencies. Working with photographic books

Do you have any other creative talents?
I am a documentarist, I thus could unfold my gaze to capture yet unknow subjects. Just ask.

What are the top three movies on your queue?
(un-numbered group) Music of Chance, In the mood for love, Ultimo tango a Parigi, Blow up, Chelsea Walls, Soy Cuba, Playtime, The Straight Story, Boccaccio '70, Jules et Jim, Det Perfekte Menneske, The Conversation, La Linea, Sheltering Sky, The Idiots, Down by Law, Lucia y Sexo, Bonnie & Clyde, The Night of the Iguana, Le Mepris

What book connects with your life the most?
Mac Powerbook

What are your favorite websites/blogs?
zoetati.blogspot.com ( and all the links listed on the blog )
patalab02.blogspot.com

Who are your favorite musicians? Do you have an anthem?
John Lennon, Thomas Dybdahl, Nina Simone, Jan Johansson, Kate Bush, Nick Drake, Cat Power, Gotan Project, Bob Marley, Chet Baker, Tom Waits, Eric Satie, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Beck, Omara Portuonda, Aretha Franklin

If you were on a deserted island and could only take one luxury, what would it be?
A swiss army knife with an espresso-machine, a fireplace and a male surf-instructor attached

Favorite food?
cod roe

Favorite possession?
rare collection of toy caravans

Favorite animal?
puppy

Favorite way to kill time?
Fleamarkets

a self portrait by Shen Wei

If HHS! winner Shen Wei isn't out practicing photography, he's probably looking at it online. Shen's favorite way to kill time is a popular one, by surfing the web. His favorite site, also a popular one, is our fabulous panelist Joerg Colberg's Conscientious. If you're in Seattle, plan a visit to The Center on Contemporary Art. Shen is one of 16 artists included in The 2006 CoCA Annual, curated by Jennifer Gately and up through the end of the month.

Current place of residence?
New York City

Birthplace? Where were you raised?
I was born and raised in Shanghai, China.

Your age?
29

What do you do to pay the bills?
Mostly freelance work and selling my prints

What initiated your committed romance with photography?
I came to the US initially to pursue a masters degree in Design; I was initially educated and worked as a designer in Shanghai. Before I started my study at Minneapolis College of Art Design, I only had experienced a Seagull point and shoot camera, but after I took a couple of photography courses, I absolutely fell in love with photography and decided to pursue serious training in photography. I feel much emotionally in control of what I want to express when I ready to take a photograph.

What artists inspire you––whether they be photographers, musicians,politicians, painters, or the like?
Thomas Eakins, Diane Arbus, Lucien Freud, Caravaggio among others are some of the inspirations for me. Composer Keith Fitch’s work has been my major inspiration for my film/video work.

What do you like most about being a "photographer"?
Capturing the moment that’s personally moving + contact sheet surprise.

What formal training, if any, do you have?
I received my MFA in Photography, video and related media from School of Visual Arts, a BFA in photography from Minneapolis College of Art and Design and a BA in Design from Shanghai Light Industry College. I have to mention that two of the most significant mentors during my photography study are David Goldes and Sylvia Wolf.

What camera do you use?
Most of my recent projects were filmed with a Mamiya 67 II and I also used a Toyo 4X5 View Camera for some of my early projects. I also start to use a Canon 5D for documentary and freelance work.

What piece of equipment do you fetishize the most and/or what is your guiltiest tech pleasure?
I refuse to take Polaroids in order to motivate myself to concentrate more on details. I hope that makes sense.

What do you find to be the biggest cliche in photography these days?
When a photograph is all about the lighting technique + overly decorative.

What are your loftiest goals?
To be able to build schools in the poorer regions of China.

Do you have any other creative talents?
Creative cooking

What book connects with your life the most?
The Dream of Red Chamber

Who are your favorite musicians? Do you have an anthem?
Jascha Heifetz, Tchaikovsky and Scissor Sisters.

Favorite color?
Turquoise Blue for now.

Favorite food?