We are excited to introduce a new episode of Picture Perfect with photographer Christopher Anderson. In this episode, we sit down with Anderson at his studio in Brooklyn to learn more about his past projects, including the life-changing assignment he took on for The New York Times Magazine in 1999. We then follow Anderson all over New York City as he captures the people and stories within the city in new and intimate ways as part of his work for New York Magazine.

Anderson is a member of Magnum Photos and internationally recognized for his emotionally charged photographs that cross the boundaries of documentary and art photography. Born in Kelowna, British Columbia Canada in 1970, Anderson grew up in Abilene, Texas, where his interest in photography grew after an early job out of university printing pictures for The Dallas Morning News. He gained recognition in 1999 when he boarded a handmade wooden boat with Haitian refugees to document their attempt to sail to America. The boat, named Believe In God, sank in the Caribbean. In 2000, the images from that harrowing journey received the Robert Capa Gold Medal.

Anderson is also known for his work as a war photographer. His images from Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and the conflict in Israel have also received international acclaim. In 2004, he traveled to Venezuela to document the self-described “revolution” of Hugo Chavez. The resulting book, Capitolio (RM 2009), was named one of the best photographic books of 2010 at the Kassels Photobook Festival, and has since been turned into a groundbreaking app for iPhone and iPad. In our exclusive bonus footage, Anderson gives us a tour of an exhibition of portraits of New York-based war photographers. He explains that he made the photographs on the weekend after Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros’ death in Libya and gives us a glimpse into this very tight community. The show opened as a benefit to RISC, an organization that was started by Sebastian Junger and whose aim is to make things safer for photographers and journalists on the front lines.

Anderson was one of the early members of the agency VII, formed by legendary photographers James Nachtwey and Antonin Kratochvil. He joined Magnum Photos in 2005. He has served as a contract photographer for Newsweek and National Geographic Magazine, and is currently the first ever “Photographer in Residence” at New York Magazine.

10 minutes isn’t enough to scratch the surface of what The Impossible Project is, and what it means to millions of Polaroid enthusiasts. Conceived at the closing party of the last Polaroid factory, The Impossible Project completely re-invented the process of creating instant film specifically for Polaroid cameras. A daunting task for sure, but one that they’ve been at since 2008.

10 minutes isn’t enough to scratch the surface of what The Impossible Project is, and what it means to millions of Polaroid enthusiasts. Conceived at the closing party of the last Polaroid factory, The Impossible Project completely re-invented the process of creating instant film specifically for Polaroid cameras. A daunting task for sure, but one that they’ve been at since 2008.

Photo geeks rejoice as THIS Visits the Impossible Project’s US offices and showroom with Impossible Vice President, Mr. David Bias.

A very special thanks to Ms. Sunny Shokrae for helping us out with this one.

The Ari Marcopoulos Camera Bag comes with Now is Forever, a limited-edition book of unpublished Ari Marcopoulos photographs.

Now is Forever takes the form of a travelogue with images from Italy, Japan, United States, France and England. Ari Marcopoulos looks for the familiar in everything; in doing so, he creates one new place out of many.

Project Space will host an opening reception for the exhibition “Now is Forever” featuring images from Ari Marcopoulos’ new book of the same name. Now is Forever is a travelogue of previously unpublished photographs from around the world. Premiering for the first time at Project Space will be “Moroso Crew”, a 60-minute cinema vérité documentary Marcopoulos shot in 1992 on illegal drag racing in Brooklyn and the Bronx. The exhibition also celebrates the launch of the Camera Bag collaboration between Incase and Ari Marcopoulos, available mid October.

Opening Reception: Thurs, Sept 23, 7pm – 10pm

Exhibition: Sept 23 – Oct 15
Project Space
603 North La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles CA 90036
+1-323-938-8818
Wednesday – Sunday
11am – 7pm

Just a friendly reminder that the Janette Beckman show: “Archive of Attitude” is opening this Friday at Project Space.

Janette Beckman’s photography exhibition marks the third artist installment at Project Space. Beckman culls works from her time in London during the punk era through the hip-hop decade in New York and Los Angeles. The show will feature artifacts and photographs of musicians, their fans and youth culture.

603 North La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles CA 90036
+1-323-938-8818
Wednesday – Sunday 11am – 7pm

I recently sat down with both and asked them 5 questions about the project…

Mike O’Meally

1. What equipment did you use for this shoot?
I used two Nikon F5’s – film cameras, in case anyone forgot!

2. Have you shot with P-Rod before and what impressed you the most about P-Rod?
I have shot with Paul before on some Nike tours and also when he used to ride for City Stars back in the day. I think one thing that really made an impression on me is how calm he is, and also his speaking skills while doing interviews. He is one of the most eloquent young skaters I have heard.

3. How were you able to shoot during the TSA bag check?
Just by good old fashioned jedi mind tricks! I think a lot of it was luck, but presenting yourself in a way that you don’t seem sketchy is a big help too

4. Which shot turned out the best?
I don’t think I could say one particular shot, but there are some of him stretching in the back hall before the Dew Contest that I particularly liked, as well as some of the photos of him checking in curbside at LAX.

5. What project are you working on next?
Just focusing on some editorials for TWS Skateboarding and possible a project with the artist Phil Frost.

Felipe Lima

1. What equipment did you use for this shoot?
Sony HDR-FX1, Canon PowerShot TX1, iPhone (1st Gen) + Sonoma Wire Works FourTrack App, Audio-Technica AT835b Shotgun Microphone and Modified Cables.

2. Have you shot with P-Rod before and what impressed you the most about P-Rod?
Never shot Paul before – his zen is unbreakable! Airport security, endless interviews, dirty diapers… nothing shakes his focus or smile.

3. How were you able to shoot during the TSA bag check?
Small camera, selective deafness, and lots of charm ; )

4. Which shot turned out the best?
1:08. The shot’s super short in the edit, but you can see the family resemblance in their faces and demeanors.

5. What project are you working on next?
Music video for The Soft Pack.