Photo District News' 30 New and Emerging Photographers To Watch In 2012.

above photo by Lauren Hermele, one of PDN's 30 New and Emerging Photographers to Watch

Each year, the respected photography publication, Photo District News, chooses 30 up and coming photographers to showcase.

We chose to profile these 30 “photographers to watch” based largely on the photographs they submitted to us way back in October 2011. As we learn each year, though, the striking, intriguing and delightful images these women and men produce are the end product of a ton of effort.

It may seem vulgar to some to talk about business while celebrating creative work, but it’s useful to consider that each of these photographers is also an entrepreneur. And as entrepreneurs do, they produce their work by taking substantial risks—personal, financial, creative and otherwise. Chloe Dewe Mathews hitchhiked from China to England in search of ideas. Markel Redondo traveled with migrant workers from Honduras to the U.S. Peter DiCampo worked by flashlight for three years in Ghana and elsewhere. Ryan Pfluger and AnaStasia Rudenko challenged themselves to photograph difficult family relationships. Peter Ash Lee published a magazine. Mark Fisher regularly hangs out of a helicopter.

In addition to taking risks, these photographer-entrepreneurs find the funding they need to act on ideas. They are disciplined in their approaches. They create markets for their work through persistence, rather than letting the market dictate what they do. They seek out advice, take criticism on-board, and learn all they can from teachers, mentors and peers, with whom they collaborate openly. They value their relationships with their clients, and they are a delight to work with.

While you look at, take in and enjoy the photography in the following pages and read about these intrepid entrepreneurs, keep in mind what it takes to open a successful small business in today’s economy. As Mustafah Abdulaziz notes: “Talent only gets you so far.” —Conor Risch

Below are their picks for The 30 New and Emerging Photographers to Watch in 2012 (shown alphabetically by first name) and one example of each of their work:

AnaStasia Rudenko:

Andrea Gjestvang:

Chloe Dewe Mathews:

Christopher Testani:

Daniel Shea:

Dominic Bracco II:

Eliot Dudik:

Ilvy Njiokiktjien:

Ingalls Photography:

Jake Stange:

Jenn Ackerman:

Juco:

Kyle Alexander:

LaToya Ruby Frazie:

Lauren Hermele:

Mark Fisher:

Mark Hartman:

Mark Mahaney:

Markel Redondo:

Meiko Takechi Arquillos:

Michele Borzoni:

Misha Friedman:

Mustafah Abdulaziz:

Peter Ash Lee:

Peter DiCampo:

Ryan Pfluger:

Sam Kaplan:

Sarah Elliott:

Sebastian Liste:

Yasu + Junko:



PDN thanks Sony, Adobe and Canson for their support of the PDN's 30 issue and educational programs. American Society of Media Photographers has given a one-year merit membership to each of this year’s 30. The editors would also like to thank all the people who nominated photographers for the 2012 PDN's 30.

To see complete bios and contact information for the 30 photographers shown here, check out the gallery here.

Ready, Aim... Frame. Bullet Casing Portraits of Lennon, Lincoln, Kennedy and Others.

above: Abraham Lincoln (detail), made with real used bullet casings

Another artist who has found a way to use ammunition in his work, David S. Palmer, joins the ranks of these talented folks about whom I've written; Al Farrow uses bullets in his amazing reliquaries, Unearthen makes stunning jewelry of bullet casings and gems, Jason Clay Lewis has a series of engraved bullets and artist Walt Creel uses bullet holes to create his artwork.

So what does David do with bullets? He uses spent bullet casings to create portraits of heroes, all of whom were actually felled by bullets, with the exception one: John Wayne.


above: David uses a torch to place the finishing touches on the Tupac portrait.

A contemporary artist, David S. Palmer was born in Knox, Indiana in 1953 and studied fine art at Ball State University. In 1976 moved to Laguna Beach, California where he is now represented by Lu Martin Galleries.

John Lennon:



above: John Lennon, "Peacemaker" 4ft x 4ft., mixed media/bullet casings

John F. Kennedy:

above: John F. Kennedy, "The Proud American" 41" x 31", mixed media/bullet casings

Abraham Lincoln:


above: Lincoln, "Dark Days, Dark Times", 38" x 38", mixed media/bullet casings

Tupac Shakur:



above: Tupac Shakur, "Angels With Broken Wings", 29" x 39", mixed media/bullet casings

John Wayne:

above: John Wayne, "The Duke" 36" x 36", mixed media/bullet casings

Images are all from the artist's site. Mr. Palmer, as talented as he is, could use some new photographs of his work and a much needed website redesign.

David is represented by Lu Martin Galleries, 372 North Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Eye Popping Pill Portraits of Celebrities Amy Winehouse, Heath Ledger & More.

Get a load of Jason Mecier's portraits of celebrities Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger, Courtney Love and Kelly Osbourne made with actual pills. While it's true that some of these subject's undoing was the medium itself, others, like Kelly Osbourne have successfully kicked the habit. Either way, these are interesting homages to them.






Be sure to check out the Red Vine, Candy and Junk mosaic portraits by this same artist, Jason Mecier and the self portrait comprised of Ecstacy tablets by bar code artist Scott Blake.