Sarah Small

I’m just back from Trieste, Italy where I was sent as a Photography Finalist by International Talent Support Eight (ITS#8). I DIDN’T win the 10,000 euro Grand Prize
I am sad to say! However, the Finalist who did win is a sweet Finnish girl named Saana Wang who is going to buy herself a perfect new computer so I feel very happy about that!

Grand Prize aside, when invited to enter this competition, I had no idea what a high-budget production this was going to be. ITS#8 researched talent and organized production year-round with a 40-person staff. The experience was delicious and decadent: dinners and treats and martinis on the water with wind in hair and sailboats surrounding, the most perfect air, with wonderfully strange puree-flavor-experiments in our modern hotel, like smoked shrimp in sweat pea puree, nutmeg chicken in carrot puree, and a mozzarella puree cushioning fresh tomatoes and basil.

ITS#8 flew Finalists from around the world (I was 1 of the 3 Americans) in the categories of Fashion, Accessories, and Photography. There was a ton of international press and we all gave presentations about our work on exhibition. The weekend culminated with a lavish fashion show with onlookers from across the globe filling stadium seating in the old fish market, now turned fancy auditorium with circus decor allover and an audio backtrack of beats/voices with the narration speaking “Now, Ladies and Gentleman, brace yourselves for the Greatest Show of All!”, circus style announcements and cotton candy machines.
The whole thing was a lush carnival dream.

Before Italy, I was in Mendocino in Northern California for a week at Balkan Camp, singing and dancing in the Redwoods and studying various Balkan vocal traditions including classes in Bulgarian, Turkish, Romani, Greek, Albanian, and Macedonian singing. What delightful fun. Here’s me obviously thrilled to be learning a new Bulgarian song taught to us by master singing/teacher Tsvetanka Varimezova.
I’m the dork with the headlamp.

If you’re at a Newsstand this month, pick up a copy of HOW Design Magazine. They’ve chosen me and 3 other photographers as well as 12 designers/ illustrators to be showcased in their 1st Annual Talent Showcase. We each give a short interview. It’s the August 2009 issue.

Check out the bi-monthly Japanese Magazine, Phat Photo. Shuzuka Minami writes an article in which he chooses and interviews an American Editor or Gallery Owner examining a Photographer of their choosing. This issue, David Schonauer, editor in chief at American Photo Magazine, chose my work to discuss. The Magazine sells 20,000 per issue and can be picked on stands in Japan or in specialty magazine shops in the US. I haven’t seen it yet. I am eagerly awaiting my copy.

Remember Surface Magazine’s Avant Guardian Competition?- It’s the contest I won in 2005 where I photographed taxidermic monkeys and deers with models, and then again in 2009 marking their 10-year anniversary issue, where I photographed the elegant nude elderly in that futuristic showroom. Remember?

Anyway, I’ve just been confirmed as a JUDGE for this year’s AVANT GUARDIAN COMPETITION.

If you have any interest in photographing fashion and have a unique vision, make sure to submit work. If you win, you’ll get the budget paid for a full-production shoot to be published in Surface Magazine as well an industry party to supplement the publication launch.

Officially, THIS IS THE LAST DAY LEFT TO SUBMIT! However, between you and me (and the rest of this list), Surface will be EXTENDING THE DEADLINE to the END OF NEXT WEEK. The competition is open to those living and working in the US, but if you’re abroad and have friends in the states, feel free to pass this opportunity onto them.

I’m looking forward to seeing your work!
Click here to submit.

One last reminder for those of you living in Italy near Bova, as mentioned in my last Newsletter, The Bova International Festival of New Images, will be taking place next week. They’ve selected unlikely images from my site to exhibit, photos I haven’t shown in years. If you’re curious, here’re the 3 images.

A quick update about my next Tableau Vivant Performance and Party- I’m currently on the hunt for a line producer, someone who can help to budget out a plan, raise money and sponsorship, help find producers, and brainstorm appropriate marketing. I’m not naming names yet, but it looks like I have some ideal and exciting publications on board interested in publicizing my next Tableau Vivant of the Delirium Constructions. I am also searching for unique new fashion designers interested in showcasing their current line within the unlikely context of performance, live music, and both still and activated bodies of varied visual personalities and in various stages of undress. More explanation to come next month. This is just to start to put the word out there.

For those of you who missed my first Tableau Vivant Party last winter, see here.
The next one is tentatively planned for February 13th.
The number of models will triple in size.

Starting in the Fall, I’ll be looking for a part-time Assistant. I love my interns tremendously of course, but it’s time I actually hire someone. I need some help over here! If you or anyone you know is interested (and please spread the word), send the following items to assistant@sarahsmall.com. Applications must be received by 9/23/09

* a description of why you would be a good admin and studio assistant, what you’re strengths and weaknesses are. Are you a self-starter? Good on the phone? good with details? Are you good with really getting things done?… Really tell me what you strengths and weaknesses are. Be honest and thorough. No point in hiring, then firing. I’m Looking for solid match with possibility of long term relationship.

*list your administrative, computer, and design skills. You will need to be proficient in Photoshop, iView Media Pro, Word, Excel, Mac Platform, and some some very simple HTML (for blog updates etc…). It is helpful if you have some experience with editing/working with video.

* You must be a fast, dedicated, and resourceful learner and problem solver.

*You must have basic retouching and color correcting skills. It is also good if you have experience with Canon equipment and studio lighting.

_____________________________________________

* send your resume

* send a link to your work

* send me honest answers to the requirements above

* tell me your background- where you are from, education,  and experience with photo and/or   photo assisting etc..

* send 2-3 references with numbers and emails (at least one personal and one professional)

* tell me something I don’t know about you

Thanks!- Looking forward to meeting you.

Last, but certainly not least, for those of you new to my list, I sing and arrange vocal music with my Balkan a Capella Quartet called Black Sea Hotel. We have a last-minute performance THIS FRIDAY, July 17th (that’s TOMORROW night) at Galapagos Art Space in Dumbo Brooklyn. Doors are at 10pm, show is 10:30 sharp. We perform after the second installment of the Opera Grows in Brooklyn series, an evening of contemporary opera. $20 for the whole evening (Opera at 8, BSH at 10) or $10 for just our show. We’ll also be serving homemade banitsa (it’s freaking delicious, crispy doughy, cheesy, yumminess that we ate lots of while in Bulgaria).