Comments on: juliette mills – brothers

By: julieharrisphotography

julieharrisphotography — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 21:05:57 +0000

Juliette–this is stunning work and clearly straight and true from your heart. As a professional portrait photographer I am sickened with contrived, polished portraits and the status quo of what is being produced out there. Your essay however has inspired me and encouraged me that people are still documenting children in an honest fashion. Thank you for sharing–both your words and imagery.

By: Andy Gray

Andy Gray — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:03:23 +0000

I want to say again that I’m so glad these discussions aren’t anything like the discussions on Flickr, although sometimes I think comments cross the lines. In this case, I didn’t feel that way.

I (should I write this) find myself agreeing with Jim Powers, except in my case I have children and enjoy pictures of children. But I draw a line between the kinds of photos I would love to have in a family album versus the kinds of photos of (other peoples’ children) that I would like to look at again and again. These are beautiful shots and well done, but I am happy to skim through them quickly.

At any rate, surely any photos worth taking won’t work for everyone. I may take your suggestion to see your other work…on the other hand, my wife is waiting to watch the final episode of Dollhouse on DVD now that those pesky daughters of ours are asleep…

By: Imogen

Imogen — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:24:43 +0000

I love this work. The composition and lighting of Juliette’s shots convey for me a wonderful mood and atmosphere that just draws you in. She captures the brothers’ relationship with their environment beautifully – these pictures say as much about the surroundings they’re growing up in as they do about the boys themselves, the study of each enhanced exponentially by the way Juliette’s captured the interaction. Therein lies the ‘ethos’ in my opinion. I look forward to the next chapter of this story, and the one after that.

By: Paul Newbery

Paul Newbery — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:48:13 +0000

Juliette,

Loved your photos :-)

By: Gordon Lafleur

Gordon Lafleur — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 03:56:29 +0000

Juliette

Thanks for this peek into your life.

I find these wonderful photographs to be so affirming. You have given me faith in my own vision.

By: Juliette Mills

Juliette Mills — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:02:49 +0000

Thank you everyone for looking and commenting. The constructive comments have been very valuable. Intriguing to me how the critique shows as much about the individuals writing it as it does about what they’re observing. And this has added something quite unexpected to my experience of being published on Burn. I hadn’t realised before now quite how much our life experiences had an effect on how we view art. A fascinating experience. Thanks so much.

By: Imants

Imants — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:42:10 +0000

My books have periods of quiet and serenity paced with some in your face aspects.
Yea I am capable of the ordinary http://www.etrouko.com/iman.htm

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:59:54 +0000

This beginning to all sound a little absurd.

By: Juliette Mills

Juliette Mills — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:32:50 +0000

Imants, do you think you could be less confrontational with your work – if someone great suggested it? Would you try? Would it depend on who asked this of you and how they asked it?

By: Juliette Mills

Juliette Mills — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:33:42 +0000

Words are so much more powerful when delivered in a noble manner. Billy and Mike Avena, I really appreciate your thoughts.. thanks for looking and thinking.

By: Imants

Imants — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:28:30 +0000

……some prefer back stabbing method (laughing and grinning)

By: Pete Marovich

Pete Marovich — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:45:45 +0000

JIM

No, artists want to all be patted on the back so they pat others on the back. Everything and everyone is wonderful!

(grin)

By: m.avina

m.avina — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:08:03 +0000

I like this series and I’m curious about this new direction in photo essays. Just as often as we see people cataloging conditions at the ends of the earth we are starting to get more and more of these close examinations of every day life or the photographer’s own inner landscape (Ivan and the Moon)–it is refreshing, but maybe it just seems new to me and has always been there. In a way it almost goes full circle back to Country Doctor (in so far as the subject matter is not exotic or remote). Perhaps we are so saturated with images of the exotic, the drama of war and tragedy, that these more quiet examinations take on a new power.

By: Jim Powers

Jim Powers — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:04:58 +0000

“I don’t feel that this the way artists should be speaking to each other about their work…Burn or no Burn.”

How should artists speak to each other? Dishonestly? Patronizing?

By: billy_mac

billy_mac — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:28:39 +0000

Hi Juliette,
Thanks for sharing these with us.

[Before I start: I would try not to get too worried by the odd harsh critique on Burn.. no-one is immune, even the superstars. And I guess you'll get some home truths here that you might not get from people in person?]

Regarding the pics: on the positive side, I would echo the others in saying how great these are technically. Those tones are fab. I’m a bit jealous.

In terms of style, I do feel you have your own vibe visually, which unites the project in my opinion.
Having said that, I personally would like to see you living on the edge a bit more. You know your subject inside out, so this could be the perfect opportunity to visually ‘throw yourself off a cliff’ and see what comes out? After all, you’ve got the knack of shooting like this – I think people agree on that.

In terms of subject matter, people have argued over this one already..
Hmm. This is clearly not ‘edgy’ photojournalism. But why shouldn’t the Burn team throw projects like this into the mix? These images have their own power, because you’ve put your heart and soul into them. Personally I like having a variety on this site – it keeps me guessing.

Best of luck with the project.. and from a kindred spirit: think about that cliff eh?
;-)

By: Richard Terry

Richard Terry — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:29:49 +0000

Hadn’t noticed 1st time around, but if you look full screen at the 2nd image there’s a child materialising out of the old wall, who’d been partially hidden through the swirl of leaves. I said before that they looked like ghosts.

In 13 there’s the empty leather chair with a slight indentation – Who used to sit there I wonder….maybe it’s not completely unoccupied?

By: zdb22222222222

zdb22222222222 — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:14:36 +0000

We need to celebrate every artist for who she is,
for when the time comes that art will no longer
exist, (or perhaps it’ll fall beyond our comprehension, like the NFL)
we as artists need to share the
willingness to imitate and impersonate the greatest,
we need to share Woolf’s moments of being and Joyce’s
love of allusion and Eggleston’s love of the eccentric.
For when this continues, and when the political
world reaches a tipping point (near at hand)
a new Renaissance will be born and it’ll make
Boticelli look like Stephen King.

By: dq

dq — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 03:51:43 +0000

MW- I did not say that the atrst statements are bullshit, I only said I didn’t read them. Not to be insulting or disrespectful, only to experience the images with less “baggage” attached. I will often read the statement after viewing the work. Could have been clearer about that.

By: rcologne1

rcologne1 — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 03:48:04 +0000

Well, first of all I am not a photographer so I cannot speak to the more technical aspects of Juliette’s piece; however, I am a musical artist and can appreciate an artists’ voice regardless of medium.

Juliette lays out beautifully in her artist statement what one is to expect in perusing the photographs: two brothers simply living. To those with a harsh tone to their critique regarding the subject matter – what did you expect to see, a couple of bums strung out on crack in harlem? Seriously, I thought the statement clearly set up a mystical world, existing in a rural area of England and I thought the photos captured that world beautifully. I also thought the choice of black & white tightened the scenes in a way that served them well, there seemed to be almost a sheen to the quality of the pictures. A luminous-ness.

Also, I know nothing of Burn, except what the website itself states in the first line of information: burn is an evolving journal for emerging photographers. Why should this artist not be included on this site? She is an “emerging photographer”. And why should this piece not be included on this site? Since Burn strives to be an “evolving journal” for artists. By it’s very nature, to me, the word “brothers” sums up the idea of evolving.. . the ever evolving JOURNEY of siblings.

Gorgeous work Juliette, ignore the armchair critics!

By: Gordon Lafleur

Gordon Lafleur — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:42:24 +0000

We have multiple means of communication limiting oneself to a single form achieves very little if anything ………………….wow mum didn’t have to take a photograph of the eggs she could have told me to collect them from the chook yard

Say what?