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James Peaslee
James Peaslee
James Peaslee

James Peaslee

Country: United States
Birth: 1952

James M. Peaslee (Jim) is an art photographer living in New York City. He grew up in New York City and its suburbs, Los Angeles, and France. He has been taking pictures for 50 years. His formal photography education started at age 17 in 1970, in a course taken in the Yale Art Department from the venerable Walker Evans. Peaslee has a substantial portfolio of black and white pictures (taken with a medium format camera) from that time. The need to earn a living then put a temporary damper on artistic endeavors. He went to law school, and was a tax lawyer for many years with the international law firm Cleary Gottlieb. Good tax lawyers are known for their creativity, but admittedly the artistry is light on color, tones, and shapes. In 2018, Peaslee retired from the law and attended the Rocky Mountain School of Photography Summer Intensive Program. Much of his time since the beginning of 2018 has been devoted to photography, and his portfolio is growing.

Statement
Peaslee admits to having a dark side. Many of the pictures he takes are stark or consciously simplified. A picture that is stark or simple offers the viewer a chance to ask what is missing, or what happens next. Many images show individuals who seem isolated. Pictures of buildings usually show no people, or only figures in silhouette or shadow. One artist Peaslee cites as an influence is Edward Hopper. Walker Evans, his first photography teacher, also helped set the tone.

Gallery

The Commotion

Websites

www.jamesmpeaslee.com

@jamesmpeaslee

 

Inspiring Portfolios

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More Great Photographers To Discover

Ludovica Limido
Ludovica Limido
Italy
1995
Born in 1995 in Varese, Italy, Ludovica Limido is a documentary photographer whose work centers on countercultures and human connection. After graduating from art school, her travels through Australia and Southeast Asia deepened her need for photography. In 2019, Ludovica was awarded a photography scholarship at Milan’s John Kaverdash Academy, which led to new collaborations and recognition. Her projects explore diverse themes, from life in small Italian villages to European body suspension subcultures, folklore, and the experiences of adolescence in provincial settings. Her work delves into the complexities of belonging, identity, and the interplay between individuality and group dynamics. In 2023, she discovered an online community in the world of love dolls, inspiring her project The Doll Next Door, which focuses on the companionship between humans and their synthetic counterparts. Her photography has earned her recognition in several competitions and festivals. In 2024, Ludovica was a finalist at the InCadaqués Photo Festival, the Indian Photo Festival, the ND Awards, the Golden Shot Awards, Les Boutographies, and was shortlisted for the 2024 Un/Fund Artist Grant. In addition, she received honorable mentions at both the Passepartout Photo Prize and the International Photography Awards, and was a finalist at the Gomma Grant Awards. The Doll Next Door: For centuries, humanity has been intrigued by the idea of artificial companionship. Rumors suggest that as far back as the 1600s, sailors carried early versions of sex dolls crafted from cotton and fabric on their long sea voyages. Despite the ambiguity surrounding their origins, the allure of these synthetic companions has persisted through time. In the modern era, the landscape of synthetic relationships has undergone a profound transformation. Since 2018, catalyzed further by the upheavals of the Covid era, the adult doll market has seen rapid growth, fostering a global community of individuals who opt for “synthetic” relationships. Far from fitting the stereotype of isolated introverts, doll owners defy easy categorization. They come from diverse backgrounds, span various age groups, and pursue a range of professions, challenging societal norms with their embrace of unconventional connections. Their homes become gateways to a secret, private world dedicated to their dolls; neat, compact spaces filled with accessories, clothes, jewelry, shoes—everything their dolls might need if only they were alive. Despite the undeniable significance of these relationships, most remain shrouded in secrecy. Fueled by societal stigma and misconceptions, many who are part of this subculture often find themselves hiding it from even their closest friends and family. Through private forums, blogs, and social media, doll enthusiasts build connections, share advice, and celebrate the intricacies of their lives. These online networks serve as lifelines, offering a sense of belonging in a world that often fails to understand their reality. As technology advances, love dolls represent the brink of a new era—the emergence of genuine robot companionship. With each innovation, the line between fantasy and human reality blurs, offering a glimpse into a future where the boundaries of intimacy are redefined. “The Doll Next Door” explores the deep emotional connections formed between individuals and their synthetic counterparts, revealing how companion dolls serve as confidants, companions, and even surrogate family members. Moreover, it delves into the concept of identity for both doll owners and their synthetic companions. Through this project, I aim to highlight the depth within these unconventional relationships and bring to life a contemporary, romantic story that reflects something deeply human: our need for connection, acceptance, and the desire to feel understood.
Jeff Corwin
Jeff Corwin
United States
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Over the years, Jeff Corwin has taken photos out of a helicopter, in jungles, on oil rigs and an aircraft carrier. Assignments included portraits of famous faces, including Bill Gates and Groucho Marx and photos for well-known corporate clients like Microsoft, Apple, Rolls-Royce and Time/Life. After 40+ years as a commercial photographer, Corwin has turned his discerning eye to fine art photography, primarily landscape vistas. He carried his same vision forward, his desire and ability to see past the clutter and create photographs grounded in design. Simplicity, graphic forms, strong lines or configurations that repeat are what personally resonate - a reaction to experience, spirit and instinct. Visual triggers are stark and isolated vistas: a black asphalt road cutting for miles through harvested wheat; an empty, snowy field with a stream creating a curve to a single tree; or a small barn, the roof barely visible above a barren hillside. Trusting his vision is important to Corwin. He has always kept the same approach, the same eye, looking for and adding to the visual qualities that arrest him. This holds true even in his non-landscape work. He cites his mentor Arnold Newman and the works of Piet Mondrian and Edward Hopper as inspiration. His experience has taught him not to second guess elements like composition or content. Humble shapes, graphic lines. Eliminate clutter. Light when necessary. Repeat. His commercial work has won many prestigious awards and garnered vast international media coverage. Corwin's career shift into fine art photography is being met with the same serious attention. He is currently exhibiting in several important contemporary galleries throughout the western United States. Statement "Before I started to devote myself full time to my personal work, I spent 40 years in the world of commercial photography. The majority of my clients were ad agencies and graphic design firms. My photographic focus was on corporate offices, factories, oil refineries and aerospace companies with dark busy manufacturing facilities. I learned that my job title was not "photographer." What I really was - a problem solver. Over the first few years, I developed a style that, with the help of artificial lighting, helped me to see past the clutter and create photographs that were more design than immediately recognizable objects. I worked with whatever was there, all the mundane things that most people walk by or do not notice. I saw great imagery in graphic shapes, shapes that repeat, like patterns in ceilings from ugly fluorescent lights or rows of desks or chairs. It was a created opportunity instead of found. I became known as the photographer to send into hell-holes to bring back the goods (a blessing and a curse). Graphis Magazine once used a quote of mine: "It's amazing how much time I spend lighting, just to get things dark enough." Absolutely true! Once I got past that particular hurdle, I was able to move on to subjects that had real possibilities and make them look even better. But I kept the same thought process, the same eye, looking for and adding to the graphic qualities. (A special shout out to mentor Arnold Newman and the works of Piet Mondrian and Edward Hopper.) On to my current images - landscapes. While certainly not working with the same control I had in the advertising world, it provides, in some ways, more. Or perhaps I should simply different. What I have found is that I could bring the same vision I used for my commercial work into my landscape work. In fact, I do not think I really had a choice. The work I do now is 100% informed by my experience shooting for clients. I see how I see and, after 40+ years of making photographs, it seems foolish to try and change now. I trust that what I have learned works. I have even brought artificial light into the landscapes! Simple shapes, graphic lines, eliminate clutter. Light when necessary. Repeat." Galleries Courtney Collins Fine Art Stapleton Gallery Echo Arts Westward Gallery
Alireza Memariani
Alireza Memariani
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Ares Jonekson Saragi
Ares Jonekson Saragi
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Madison Casagranda
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Madison Casagranda is a recent graduate from Brigham Young University where she studied photography and art education. She works primarily with alternative photographic processes in the darkroom, and enjoys the hands-on nature of these processes. Her goal is to communicate culturally and historically significant concepts and connect us to the past in order to address challenges in the present day. Her photography most often centers around her personal and family history, United States history, anti racism, and amplifying voices from marginalized communities. She has had two solo exhibitions at BYU and her work has been included in many group exhibitions across the country, including at The Springville Museum of Art, The Southeast Center for Photography, and The Praxis Gallery. Her work has been published in Communication Arts and she is currently working on self publishing a book of her series, The Black Stories Project. The Black Stories Project The wet plate collodion tintype process was first invented in the 1850s and became a primary photographic practice in the 1860s and 1870s, documenting much of the Civil War. The tintypes of the Black Stories Project embody the history of photography and the history of racial inequity in the United States and more specifically in the state of Utah. They draw a connection between the history of racism and the dialogue about race today. In a state where the black population is less than two percent and a dominant religious culture presents a unique and complicated narrative of the past and present, we can only address the current issues of systemic inequality while acknowledging and grappling with the history behind them. This project is a study about how the weight of our state's history and the lens through which it is told, affects how black individuals experience life here today. The Black Stories Project is made up of the portraits and voices of members of the black community here in Utah, and stands as an effort towards opening the conversation, understanding the past and changing the future narrative of our history.
Alejandro Martinez Velez
Alejandro Martinez Velez
Spain
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Alejandro Martinez Velez, is a freelance photojournalist for Anadolu Agency and Europa Press Agency, currently based in Madrid, Spain. He began his photography training at Lens School of Visual Arts, combining it with his university studies in Political Sciences (Complutense University of Madrid). His work focuses especially on social conflicts, human rights or political issues. He is currently documenting the exodus of hundreds of thousands of people to Europe. His pictures have been exhibited in different cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Istanbul, New York, Moscow, Shanghai, Mexico City, Beirut, Milan, Buenos Aires or Johannesburg.
Laurence Demaison
Laurence Demaison
France
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Exclusive Interview with Susan Anthony
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For over seven years, Of Lilies and Remains has explored the depths of the goth and darkwave underground, unfolding in Leipzig—a city long associated with a vibrant and enduring subcultural scene. Moving between iconic gatherings such as Wave-Gotik-Treffen and more intimate moments on the fringes, the project offers a rare and immersive glimpse into a world often misunderstood, yet rich in expression and community. Created by Luca in collaboration with Laura Estelle Barmwoldt, the work embraces a cinematic and deeply personal approach. Rather than documenting from a distance, it moves within the scene itself, capturing its atmosphere, its codes, and its quiet contradictions. The title Of Lilies and Remains hints at this duality—where beauty and darkness, fragility and strength coexist. As the book prepares for its release, we spoke with both artists about the origins of the project, their process, and what it means to document a subculture that continues to evolve while remaining true to its spirit.
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