Alex Stoddard
Posted by Alex
I’m blown away by these self-portraits of Alex Stoddard. According to Alex, he is “seventeen years old, and spends far too much time running barefoot in the forest.” Love it. He also seems to spend a fair amount of time naked or dillydallying around open flames. Can’t help but feel I misspent my late teenage years…
17 Comments Leave A Comment
Kyle says:
April 14, 2011 at 5:41 amAt least your teenage years led you to be able to adore these photos!
They have a true character and story about each of them, as if it were static acting. Really powerful photography.
Coenie Sutton says:
April 14, 2011 at 8:38 amI really like them too, but:
Shout at me, disagree with me;
I find them a tad self-indulgent.
Oh no, I’ve said it now…
Austin says:
April 14, 2011 at 9:58 amCoenie: I agree with you, but as a teenager he should be self-indulgent. I mean, when you’re a teenager, what’s more important than yourself? Nothing!
Great photos.
JimmViola says:
April 14, 2011 at 12:33 pmAlways amazed (and admittedly wildly jealous) at young artists so mature in their medium. BRAVO!
jon says:
April 14, 2011 at 2:33 pmhe seems like a chill person to do shrooms with.
Salemi says:
April 14, 2011 at 2:44 pmI really tried to hold my breath on this one, I cannot.
I find it troubling that an artist would release images
that are unresolved. e.g where are the blacks in #2 and #3? And what’s going on with the color, it appears to have the signature un-color corrected look that appears quite often on iso50. Which, don’t get me wrong, can look great. The square format imho is the easiest to compose, yet these are lacking any elements of formal composition. Not that they need to be formal, but to shoot with a tripod and to have a lackadaisical composition seems amateur-ish. You guys are great curators but I would have left this one out.
Alex says:
April 14, 2011 at 3:59 pm@Salemi – Unresolved? I can’t help but respectfully disagree. The last thing I care about when I am looking at a picture is “where the blacks are”, or any similar technical teardown. “Resolving” these photographs would jeopardize the style that makes them interesting in the first place.
Salemi says:
April 14, 2011 at 11:39 pm@Alex First off I just want to say thanks for continuing the discussion. What is the point of making and showing work if we all agree on it. I do appreciate what you are saying, as I know many people who would agree with you, and on the other hand, I know many who would disagree. Of course there are no rights and wrongs, but there is good and bad.
BOURNE says:
April 15, 2011 at 11:48 am@SALEMI- If he were to do that, then it would look like anyone else’s photoshopped creations. What one person does, is their own works of art. Plain and simple, one persons taste varies from your own of course; it should. Thats why we all look at things differently hence why its an artistic vision or story being told. I’m sure he is more concerned about the story being told in the photos; along with his feelings thoughts, emotions, or anything else conjured up. Oppose to fretting about web colors and where the blacks are at. Call it a “happy” mistake and accept it, its imperfections that truly make life beautiful.
Just my two cents…
RLE says:
April 16, 2011 at 8:08 pmnr 4 as record cover:
http://infobrilliantine.com/news/montauk-the-newsroom-brill006/
doug says:
April 16, 2011 at 9:33 pm@Salemi – people who comment like you did crack me up. read the blog post and check out his flickr page. He’s 17 years old dude. Haha, you sound so over educated that your soul is crushed. He’s 17 and has the foresight and inspiration to run out naked in the forrest and capture some photographs that would get any NYC photographer a New Yorker article. And he’s down in Georgia.
Man get out of your cocoon and get with the real world. This artist is part of the 365 project, and you’re watching him grow as a young artist through social media.
don’t mean to be too harsh on you, but you’re quite clueless, and need to get a soul revival
doug says:
April 16, 2011 at 9:33 pm@Salemi – people who comment like you did crack me up. read the blog post and check out his flickr page. He’s 17 years old dude. Haha, you sound so over educated that your soul is crushed. He’s 17 and has the foresight and inspiration to run out naked in the forrest and capture some photographs that would get any NYC photographer a New Yorker article. And he’s down in Georgia.
Man get out of your cocoon and get with the real world. This artist is part of the 365 project, and you’re watching him grow as a young artist through social media.
don’t mean to be too harsh on you, but you’re quite clueless, and need to get a soul revival
Salemi says:
April 18, 2011 at 11:03 am@Bourne – Couldn’t agree with you more, right on.
@Doug – I appreciate your concern for my mental being, but I’m quite alright. I would have liked to continue this conversation with you in a civilized manner.
Kim says:
April 18, 2011 at 12:50 pmI forget where I first found Alex Stoddard’s work, probably through flickr groups or something, but I simply love his work! He’s one of my main inspirations recently. His photographs are somehow magical, although there is never any Harry Potter-style magic happening. The scenes are simply surreal. I’ve printed out a ton of his photos for inspiration in my own work.
Josh McDonald / Onestepcreative says:
April 18, 2011 at 7:40 pmDamn, things are getting tense in here. I can appreciate a good argument, but what I appreciate more is what a 17 year old had the audacity to create. This is just some awesome work, and can’t wait to see what this kid’s going to be pumpin out a couple years from now.
jlh says:
April 21, 2011 at 11:29 amVery much in the spirit of Robert (and Shana) ParkeHarrison. I’m sure they could have an excellent dialogue.
Nathan C. Warner says:
April 21, 2011 at 3:44 pmI was introduced to this photographer not that long ago and i was looking at this work. I dont think they necissarily relate all that much but i thought that people who were interested in this work might also like the work of Peter Hugo
http://www.pieterhugo.com/the-hyena-other-men/
His hyena and nollywood sereies are probably my favorites. There are some gems in that series.