We’ve talked some about ‘alternative publishing’ here on Dva but this might be more outside the box than you’ve heard before, but hopefully will be intriguing to some of you. Matt Mallams, and a few others I know of, are getting their photos out into the world in innovative ways that bring a much different reaction from viewers. To sound foolishly ‘arty’, the photograph is taken from its normal context, or the context it was created in, and morphed into a new kind of object. It is intriguing to me, messing with the often-stodgy limitations of ‘where photographs belong’ (on websites, on newsprint, on walls).

In addition to lots of great work that falls into more traditional realms of photography/photojournalism Matt Mallams is pushing some boundaries and developing his own way of bringing his pictures back into the streets. I’ve been idly thinking about how to make ‘photos as street art’ for years, but haven’t done the first thing about it, so it is great to see a talented photographer trying it out.

He is also producing t-shirts with a cool image of his (if I were back in the States, I’d definitely be picking one of these up):

If you want one, follow the link for info. Printed on whatever color tshirt you like, $15.

That image has made some earlier street appearances, and was actually my first sight of Mallams’ push to get images out in this new way. Be sure to catch his journals too (unfortunately I can’t give you a direct link because of how his site is set up), which show a different side to Mallams’ vision.

I love it, congrats Matt… can’t wait to see what is next, I’ll let you know if I ever get something started myself. And can’t wait to do our rogue street exhibition some day.

I know of a couple of other instances of this kind of photo street art, including this random post that came along a couple of months ago on (what other than) the Slog: “Currently Hanging on the Tennis Court at Cal Anderson”. Someone tied a collection of photographs to the chain-link fence at a popular park in the center of the active Capitol Hill neighborhood, and a writer for the Stranger newspaper (who produces the Slog) saw, photographed and commented. Simply, they were impressed with the expression of the exhibition, not knowing who did it, why, or really what it was all about. Perfect, provocative, fresh. I love it. And if you read the comments on the blog post some people figured out that it was probably a highschool photo student from a nearby school, which is great.

M. Scott awhile ago pointed me toward Zoe Strauss’ ‘under-highway exhibition’. I haven’t found anything better to show it than Flickr set. Again, great idea (though from the looks of these pictures, not quite right to my taste).

Also, Magnum did something a bit unusual when it had exhibitions on kiosks in Paris, or even on a video screen in the center of Manhattan. I can’t find a picture for that, but as the NY Daily News said, they were “operating on the notion that New York deserves art where it least expects it…”. Cool, but a bit too close to an organized exhibition with state approval than the vibe I like in these other examples!

Mallams also reminded me about the work of JR who recently completed an opus in the Nigerian slum of Kibera. See more of the impressive and inventive work here at the online bible of street art (as far as I know) The Wooster Collective. While you’re at it, look at some of the beautiful self-published books they’ve produced.

As for me, I’m starting work on a project about a Roma slum here in Belgrade that is soon to be torn down. Its a complicated thing, and if I can continue to get access (there were complications this week) I’ll be sure to tell more soon. But I’m thinking of the ripe possibilities of turning pictures of ‘the invisible’ (most in Belgrade have no idea what life is like in there) into something that confronts the public more directly. Mm, I’m excited about this.

Please, if you’ve experimented with this or seen other work that has, send it my way!

Luceo Images has joined the fray of print sales online. Their anniversary sale includes 4 prints from each of the 6 Luceo photographers. Lots of good pictures there.

I’ve also noticed a few other photographers getting into online print sales lately. Davin Ellicson has some prints from his great Maramures project available through Anzenberger. Stephen Voss has an Obama print for sale in a limited edition. Gallery owner Daniel Cooney has a new edition of his Emerging Photographers’ Auction up at iGavel, featuring Susana Raab among others. (PDN previously talked with Cooney about the auctions) Christopher Barbour launched a limited edition print sale to help cover his rent. It sounds like the resurrected JPG Magazine will be getting into prints, too. By far, though, my favorite print seller has got to be Zoe Strauss. Any picture on her website can be had, in 7×9 color xerox form, for $5. She also has an annual print sale/exhibition where the $5 xeroxes hang underneath I-95. Here some images I found on flickr of the 2006 exhibition. And, of course, the big guns are over at Jen Bekman’s 20×200, which is a pretty innovative mixture of support for emerging artists and an attempt to introduce art collecting to people who haven’t done it before. All of this is nice to see, given the collapsing art market.

Want to get started in the print business? PDN just recently posted a video talking with Cole Thompson about how he generates as much as $20,000 in annual revenue through online print sales of his black and white photography.

The other problem is figuring out the tools to make selling prints online easy. Photoshelter’s got you covered, of course, but so do Printroom and Smugmug. I’m also a fan of Adorama’s printing, but last I used them, they weren’t set up to have direct ordering from your clients. American Frame will take care of your framing, I’m told. (apologies if that reads like an ad; just a smattering of services with which I have had good experiences)

Here we go with another mass of links, but there is too much good stuff out there this week following the Obama victory on Tuesday night. I’ll split this into a couple or three posts I think.

It has been incredible week here in Seattle .. dancing in the streets and wellwishes from the world over (I’ve heard from friends as far as Kosovo, Finland and the UK who are all jumping for joy themselves). Even Thom Yorke, the leader of Radiohead, got in to the spirit and released a free song in celebration. Please feel free to send us your tips and links, or even your own work, and we’ll consider posting it here for the rest to see.

We can start with Magnum | InSight America’s Election Night post with some interesting deadline work by Magnum photographers van Agtmael, Anderson, Vink, Dworzak and Reed. David Alan Harvey chimed in on his blog, bez pictures unfortunately, with “Obamatime…”

We can’t miss Alan Chin’s contribution over at BAGNewsnotes (which I was happy to see got a shout-out on APhotoEditor’s blog in Rob’s own campaign wrapup). Be sure to read the comments. And start following BAGNews right now if you aren’t familiar with it; there will be lots of great insights in the coming days (it has already started) about the election-night pictures.

Here is a cool little slideshow (sideshow?) at Time by photographers Christopher Morris and Danny Wilcox Frazier at John McCain’s Campaign Farewell in Phoenix, Arizona.

From some international photographers: Swedish/Polish photographer Chris Maluszynski, a favorite from the Moment Agency, offers his take from the election in Chicago. And Bruno Stevens from Brussels will soon be posting more from his Land of the Free: America 2008 work. Cross your fingers it will get up, and stay up, on those Digital Railroad servers.

Watching the day-after coverage on the major American networks last night I saw reports and interviews with two Obama-centric photographers. Time photographer Callie Shell, who is popping up everywhere these days (see this popular feature at Digital Journalist) was on Anderson Cooper’s CNN show (can’t for the life of me find it online) and NBC nightly news (click in to their player and search for ‘Obama’s incredible journey in pictures’). Also notable is that Tufankjian is releasing a book titled Yes We Can of her nearly two-year Obama project through PowerHouse Books.

The SLOG pointed me in the direction of Philly photographer Zoe Strauss (I guess M. Scott’s mention of her to me didn’t stick) and her new book “America”. I haven’t seen too much yet but it looks good. Philadelphia Weekly also published a cover story and selection of the work this week, and that seems like a great place to start reading about Strauss and the pictures.

Perennial favorite Chip Litherland posts some pictures from his extra-long election day assignments on his Sportsshooter page.

On the Newspaper front: Andrew Sullivan has the final tally of newspaper endorsements. A little out of date, but the New York Times has Campaign Trail photo galleries from a bunch of its photographers. And the cherries on top: PDN writes about the great day for print journalism with record sell-outs of newspapers and the Newseum’s roundup of the world’s newspapers announcing Obama’s election (including this radical horizontal cover by the Hartford Courant, spotted by M. Scott). Truly a worldwide moment.

More soon….