Antarctica-from the Archives-circa 1991

photo © Ian van Coller. All rights reserved.
I made this image in Antarctica many years ago-fresh out of photo school in South Africa, 1991. It has always stuck in my memory as the most sublimely beautiful place on earth that I have been fortunate enough to visit. Recently I became aware of the NSF Artists grant to help artists get to Antarctica, and I have since been thinking hard on an idea for a proposal that might get me back there. Finally, after seeing Werner Hertzog's film, Encounters at the End of the World, I think I have a feasible idea. Then I went to the NSF website and saw that they have suspended the program. What a bummer.

Old Miners House in Walkerville plus Mining Headgear

photo © Ian van Coller. All rights reserved.

Josephine

photo © Ian van Coller. All rights reserved.
A portrait from the Interior Relations series that has not been exhibited (did not make the final edit). Has grown on me since though.

Aidan, South Africa, 2005. From the Archives

photo © Ian van Coller

Aidan Up a Tree

photo © Ian van Coller. I meant to post this earlier in the summer. Hard to decide what my favorite camera is now, but it is hard to beat the Norita. That 80mm f2 lens does some beautiful things. This is a block from our house on MSU campus where I throw the ball for Nola almost every day.

Alas, no luck this year.

Alas, no luck at making the top 50 of Critical Mass this year. Congratulations to my friends Alexis Pike, David Taylor, and Betsy Schneider. See the full list here.

From the Archives: South Africa 2005

photo © Ian van Coller

The Rambler (after Edward Hopper)

photo © Ian van Coller. I think this image illustrates why over the course of the last year I have fallen in love with Butte. When I walk through the town it seems that I am stuck in an Edward Hopper painting. With its complex history, incredibly welcoming residents, and the amazing color and light, it is like no other place on the planet. This image really could have been made anytime from the 1950's on.

Butte Mine Headgear

photo © Ian van Coller

Happy Halloween

photo © Ian van Coller

Alexi Guarding the Neighborhood

photo © Ian van Coller. We (Dan Cornish and I) met Alexi yesterday in Butte. He was just hanging out on the corner next to his house making sure everything was safe in the neighborhood.

Nola from earlier this summer

photo © Ian van Coller

Blue Chair in Butte, Montana

photo © Ian van Coller

Dan in Butte

Photo © Ian van Coller

Bozeman Survey Images

photo © Ian van Coller. These 2 images were taken of Bozeman Creek from the same bridge on Sourdough trail. The only difference is a slightly different angle of view and a 3 year time gap between the 2 photos. The one with the swing was made in 2006 and the other was made this morning. Amazing to see how the flow of the river has changed, and that the tree with the swing no longer exists. The stump from the tree is now in the middle of the creek. For those interested in our project, check out the website www.bozemansurvey.org

Adam Caillier

photos © Adam Caillier. I love this work by Adam Caillier. Adam graduated from MSU a couple years ago and then left us to pursue a graduate degree at Minneapolis College of Art & Design.

Butte House--Evening Glow

Was in Butte yesterday afternoon making photos. The evening light was gorgeous.

I met some great people while I was walking the streets. Bill was working on re-roofing his house which stands across from this one in the photo and Ed who grew up in Butte, knows tons of history, and was involved in the recent Butte, America film. I think this is one of the incredible things I love about photography, that it allows for circumstances to have conversations with people that would usually never happen.

Another Version of the Dead Mountain Bluebird

photo © Ian van Coller

Mountain Bluebird

photo © Ian van Coller. I was in Butte photographing yesterday with my friend Dan Cornish. As a native of Butte, Dan was able to get us inside some old mine buildings. We found two dead Mountain Bluebirds dead inside one of the buildings. This one was almost pristine, and just gorgeous.

While working on my Butte project, a find myself continually being drawn to photographing windows. Maybe this image is the perfect metaphor for why that keeps happening.

We had hoped to continue photographing all evening, but an Arctic front moved in over the course of the afternoon and it was just frigid.

A Bozeman Garden this Summer

Filing Cabinets

Dead Bird

From Butte Last Week

Rejected by FIFA

Just got this rejection notice from FIFA. Well it was worth a try.

Dear Sir or Madam,

Following a review of your registration, we regret that we will not be able to grant you access to the FIFA Media Channel.

The information on your registration form is incomplete or fails to meet our requirements for confirming that you are a bona fide member of the media.

If you would like FIFA to reconsider your registration, or if you believe you have received this message in error, write to MediaChannel@fifa.org with a detailed explanation why you require access to the FIFA Media Channel. We will review your request and notify you by e-mail of our final decision.

Please do not reply to this email. It will not be forwarded.

Kind regards,
Your FIFA Media Channel Team

Frankie and Ethan

Was in Butte photographing today. I met Frankie who is an awesome bike racer. His broken wrist is just one in an apparently long line of injuries. Ethan was just one of the happiest kids I have ever met.

Follow me to the World Cup in South Africa

For the first time in History the Football (Soccer) World Cup will be held in and African Country, my former home, South Africa. Come June 11 2010, I will head to South Africa to road trip around the country and head to the various stadiums to photograph all aspects of the monumental event. This will really be the coming out party for South Africa and I hope the event that will allow me to reconnect with the country of my birth. Follow me as I plan my trip and then next year as I head out for the festivities.

Marcie in her Garden

My neighbor Marcie loves her gardening as much as I do.

Headed to Portland

Nancy and I are headed to Portland this week for my opening at Blue Sky Gallery. We are excited for a weekend away.

Butte Bath Tub

Lewis M. in Butte-

I really enjoyed meeting Lewis M. in Butte in early summer. He was a Boss on the mine for many years. Now he spends a lot of his time in his beautiful veggie garden. We spent a long time conversing about the ins-and-outs of gardening in Montana.

To Critical Mass or Not?

I am trying to decide whether to enter Critical mass this year or not. The last 3 years I have made the top 50 but the book prize seems ever elusive. The deadline is Sunday, so I have to make up my mind soon.

By the Campfire

Slough Creek Campground. Norita 66

Aidan eating a Banana

I am finally getting into my studio to scan some images. It is a bit tough when the weather is so gorgeous outside. (Norita 66)

The Bozeman Survey is Live

Check out our new website The Bozeman Survey . Thanks to Camden Hardy for all his hard work on the website.

The gallery card as Relic?

Hmmm, maybe, maybe not.

Nontsikelelo "Lolo" Veleko

Hugo 2006

Sibu 1 2006

I love this work by Nontsikelelo "Lolo" Veleko

Saying Nyet to Flickr

Check out this post by Daniel Cuthbert on Verbal Hmm about his love hate relationship with Flickr. I have been experiencing similar emotions of late and am starting to wonder if it is worth it anymore. Several of my images on Flickr have magically appeared on random websites. Who knows how many of my images have been stolen and are floating around in in the vast digital wilderness out there.

Zachary Allen: " The Hi-Line"

Check out this fantastic project by one of my former students Zachary Allen, called "The Hi-Line".

Terry Kurgan

Photographs by Johannesburg artist Terry Kurgan and Robert Madamalala

Schneider Gallery Summer Exhibition

I am in the summer exhibition at Schneider Gallery called A Glance at Photography

Elizabeth Fleming

I also met Elizabeth Fleming at Review Santa Fe. We share a similar passion for photographing our children.

Graham Miller

I was at Review Santa Fe and met many talented photographers. One was Graham Miller from Australia, whose literature influenced narrative portraits I love.

Sol Mednick Exhibition

Photos © Harris Fogel
I have a show up at Sol Mednick Gallery in Philly for the summer. First time my collage portraits have been shown.

Website Updates

Added 3 new galleries to my website. The Garden Path, Butte, and Growing up Montana. Check em out.

Jim Stone @ SF Camerawork

SF Camerawork

The New Colonialism?

A fantastic series of images by Paolo Woods called China Africa. Like the Europeans before them, it seems that China is out to rape Africa of as many natural resources as they can.

New Gallery Representation: Schneider Gallery

I am very excited about new gallery representation in Chicago. If you are in town for Art Chicago, stop by Schneider Gallery. 230 W Superior. Some of my work is on the walls right now.

Enjoying Spring in Bozeman

The Dog Days of Butte

Jacob in Walkerville