JUNE 2024: JOHN DOLAN
“A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE IMPERFECT”
John Dolan has woven a career in advertising, editorial and fine art photography over the past 30 years. He is the author of The Perfect Imperfect, The Wedding Photographs of John Dolan, published by Damiani Books. Recent clients include Naomi Biden. I knew when I asked John to set this month’s one-word assignment that it would most probably have something to do with his quest to show that a picture doesn’t have to be perfect, just the moment.
THE ASSIGNMENT BRIEF
From John: “It may seem obvious of me to ask, but I think I’d like people to work with the word ‘Imperfect’. Consider making a picture that tells the truth without explaining too much. But remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect. The moment is the key thing.”
HOW TO ENTER. IMPORTANT NOTES ON FILE SIZE AND ENTRIES
Send your entries to stories@photowalk.show. If possible, pictures should be 2,500 pixels wide for online optimisation. You can also send the full-resolution photo, which we will optimise. Feel free to provide text as well if you think it will help explain the location, context, etc. One picture only, please.
Entries are shown below, and good luck!
Neale
JOHN DOLAN
Observing the moment. Celebrate the imperfect in a perfect moment. Photograph copyright John Dolan. Not to be reproduced or used without express permission from the photographer.
MARTIN PENDRY - FLASK WINNER FOR JUNE
Last Saturday, I set off from home to join the IBikeLDN Pride ride on the Southbank in London, camera slung jauntily across my shoulder. As I pedaled down the Mall towards Trafalgar Square, I found myself alongside a charming parade of pony and traps driven by young men, adding a delightful touch of nostalgia to the scene.
In my excitement, I made a rookie mistake: the aperture ring had slipped out of automatic, resulting in a slow shutter speed. While this means I missed the chance to capture crisp images of the elegant pony and traps trotting through Trafalgar Square, I still cherish the shot I did get, even if it's not perfect.
Note to self: Always double-check your settings!
See more of Martin’s work on Instagram.
PAUL FRIDAY
This is actually the back wall of my house. I can only think the scaffolding must have been sagging at the time it was built. Or could it be that I live next door to a pub?
DAVID HORNE
In lower Manhattan, quite near ground zero, there is an opulent transit center called the Oculus! Besides the subway connections that are available in the transit center, there are many shops inside as well.
The image contained herein is NOT a double exposure, although it may appear to be it is a single shot. You see outside the Oculus there was/is a mural and that mural, at a certain time of day projects itself on the lower level shops inside the Oculus. I happened to be there at the right time and this shot is the result. Mind you I did some burning and dodging of this image to make it look like it did when I saw it but essentially it is single shot.
See more of David’s work on Instagram.
ANDRÉ GROTE
As I understood Mr. Dolans assignment it is more about the moment and not so much about the best gear and the perfect timing. I usually do not have enough time for my family and so the few moments I have with my children and my wife are very precious to me. This photo was taken on a walk with my middle son and our two dogs in a nearby forest. I used my Canon 7 and a colour film that expired about 20 years ago.
See more of Andy’s work on Instagram.
LARS HEGAARD
Here is my contribution to this month's assignment. The title is "Lost at Sea".
Is the picture imperfect? - I don't know. I sense a certain loneliness in the picture but find it difficult to see what kind it is. Is it voluntary?
Is it applied? I do not know.
Is it the break between two lovers during a night swim the night before this beautiful morning? I don’t know.
Did they break up because he didn't present himself from his best side in Speedos, or did he get mad because she lost the towel? I don't know.
Is it your towel, Neale? Then please let me know!
See more of Lars’ work on Vero.
ROBIN CHUN
There is so much wrong or imperfect with this image, and I'm not going to point out the faults to such an initiated audience, on the other hand there is so much that's right... the time of day, the occasion, the grandchildren (even though one is headless), the toys, and most captivating - at least for me - the energy... all of which convey that a photograph doesn't need to be technically perfect, but it does need to be important!
See more of Robin’s work on his website.
COLIN MAYER
Disease, death, and burial was your most likely fate if you got sick on the ship to Australia and found yourself off loaded at Sydney Quarantine Station. From its establishment in 1835 until 1984, the Quarantine Station housed victims of multiple pandemics, natural disasters and other misadventures of history. Over the decades the station has taken in victims of smallpox, typhus, scarlet fever, measles and the bubonic plague. Many "guests" had come on the long sea voyage to Australia on the promise of a better life, only to have disease rage through their filthy and cramped cabins. Bodies were routinely thrown overboard and large families arrived with their numbers decimated.
Its purpose was to keep disease out of Sydney.
When passengers from ships carrying disease arrived at the station, they were made to shower in carbolic acid!
Peepholes were cut into the shower walls so that supervisors could check that people showered properly!
Coal Tar Soap was used to thoroughly cleanse the skin.
Woe betides anyone who did return to perfect health. Imperfect health meant you never left quarantine.
See more of Colin’s work on his website.
MARC GRAVEL
Inspired by your show, I went to New York City last weekend with my daughter to make pictures and do photowalks. My daughter, 19 years old, has had a little bit of a rough patch during the last little while. We thought that a little father daughter time with some cameras would do some good. I brought my trusted 1953 Kodak Brownie Hawkeye Flash Model and should brought her Nikon FE2. Never had a better time! Best therapy in the world. Incredible long weekend.
WALEED ALZUHAIR
I was photowalking in an old area in Riyadh, that is being demolished to allow for a new infrastructure and civil engineering. I walked beside a wall standing on its own in an empty piece of land (already cleared), and I noticed an opening in the wall that was probably used for an air condition unit. I looked through the wall and saw an old abandoned cemetery.
I don’t know if this fits the assignment or not, but a storm of emotions hit me when I saw the cemetery. Hundreds of graves of forgotten people are protected by a wall. What will happen to their memories? Their remains?
MICHAEL MIXON
My take on this month's assignment was to look for beauty in a decidedly imperfect subject. This past week my wife was doing some pressure washing of our driveway (my dad likes to say that my wife is the one who performs the "manly arts" at our house, and he isn't wrong), which temporarily produced some very ugly-looking streaks and collections of debris, but only when looked at from afar. Up close, the patterns and colors were actually quite pleasing.
See more of Michael’s work on Instagram.
MAT BOBBY
It’s carnival time here in Colorado and here’s a photograph I made yesterday at the Greeley Stampede in Greeley, CO. The Greeley Stampede consist of a carnival, rodeo, country music concerts and even a demolition derby. It’s quite the cultural event. It’s a great please to observe people as they take in all the events.
KELVIN BROWN
While on my way to a collection in Loughborough, I noticed this row of bollards that followed the contour of the road, with one leaning from left to right, and out of line with the rest.
JON DORSETT
Shot at The Royal Cheshire Show, I’m leaving it unexplained.
See more of Jon’s work on Instagram.
KYLE ATTWOOD
Recently I have switched from digital to using 35mm film for most of my photography. I have really enjoyed the authenticity of the process, a physical negative doesn't beg the question of whether or not it is AI. Along with this authenticity comes embracing faults and imperfections and here-in lies my submission for this month.
Whilst out in Perth CBD for some documentary and street photography there was a protest rally and march, I took the opportunity to document the event. The image attached was one of the first on the roll. I had loaded the film and snapped a shot however I wasn't confident the film had caught correctly so rewound a little and reloaded, resulting in this double exposure.
See more of Kyle’s work on Instagram.
GLENN SOWERBY
Really like the idea of the assignments as it gives a focus and a push to get out with the camera rather than digging through my back catalogue. Although trying to keep a keen eye open for those situations that can fit these one word challenges can be problematic! The images that are submitted each month are varied with some simply stunning entries. Each month its a pleasure to see the diverse interpretations from everyone who enters.
This month, "Imperfect" had me scratching my head and I eventually thought about trying to capture some wild flowers whilst out on my lunchtime walk during the working day. Rather than ICM I was thinking about putting a 6 or a 10 stop filter on to see what the final imperfect movement would look like. Typically, the day I managed to get out there wasn't a breath of wind! However, I did manage to grab an image that I believe fits the imperfect category.
We see and expect to see flowers as perfect symmetry, however, this little fella sitting amongst perfectly shaped wildflowers and was certainly still engaging for the local bug life!
See more of Glenn’s work on Instagram.
PATRICK SCHOENMAKERS
Here’s my photo for this month’s assignment. I recently made it at the edge of the Bude Sea Pool in Cornwall. Initially I wanted to make some sort of minimalistic photo of the pool in front of the sea with the stairs in between them. But suddenly this swimmer swam into the viewfinder. Before swimming back to the other side she stopped and adjusted her swimming goggles. Quickly I adjusted my composition and focal point, which resulted in this amusing image. Her bright orange swim cap and neoprene gloves are the icing on the cake for me.
See more of Patrick’s photographs from this three-week journey through Cornwall and Devon.
ROB SPICER
While sitting in my backyard waiting to get some photos of A Northern Cardinan, I noticed my two dogs, Ellie and Arby, sleeping on the patio. This is as much of them that I could capture with my 100-400 lens.
MICHAEL TENBRINK
I took this photo in Warsaw, Poland, earlier this month. I post plenty of imperfect photos on my Instagram; if you’d care to follow along, I’d love to have you.
BLAKE ROBERTSHAW
This February I attended a workshop with John Dolan so I was excited to see this imperfect challenge!
I love both wedding and landscape photography and I’ve been trying to embrace what I perceive to be "imperfect", for I’ve learned that a moment deemed imperfect by me can be extraordinarily important for my couples. Similarly, a landscape image does not need to be perfect, and in fact, many landscapes are not. What we show within National Park boundaries are snippets of beauty when in honesty the land is suffering.
There are lessons in the imperfect that are some of life’s most important. They are full of excitement, grief, and beauty. Having been a pilot and Coastguardsman I would often try to harvest perfection, leaving myself little room for anything less. When I began to seriously photograph I learned to better embrace it all because I was leaving out honest stories by only posting curated beauty.
In this photo my partner spends time with a whale skull that had washed up on a remote beach in Iceland. This was her honoring the life of this creature and sitting with it after death. At the time it wasn’t my go-to to include a person in the landscape but I saw her time with the skull as profoundly important. To me this photo has become one of my favorites. It sits on my bookshelf and is a constant reminder to me to appreciate it all. Life, death, perfect, and imperfect—it’s all temporary but incredible.
VICTORIA ROBB
This is something that felt in the spirit of the Photowalk in coming across this on walking the Vanguard Way in Sussex yesterday - with one of my walking friends called Matthew in pure coincidence! As a palace or hotel it is certainly imperfect but hopefully the bugs are enjoying it! It made me and Matt smile. Taken on iPhone rather than camera, as that is what I had with me.
See more of Victoria’s work on Instagram.
DAVID HIGTON
Here's my imperfect image. I made this on a Fuji sponsored Street Photography workshop led by Mr Whisper. The event was hosted by WexPhoto in Manchester and after the introductory talk, Fuji loaned us cameras with a choice of lens and we headed out. Not being a Fuji user, I should have asked for help to set-up the camera, however I didn't as I thought I would figure it out myself. Our first stop was Projekts MCR _Skatepark which is just under the Mancunian Way across the road from the shop. As you can see I hadn't figured out the autofocus or exposure settings at the time making the skateboarder out of focus and burnt out highlights. I love the feel of the image and think it works better because of its imperfections, I'll never know!
See more of David’s work on Instagram.
JOHN CHARLTON
Photographed this week for this assignment, this is my entry of a perfectly imperfect photo. I've driven past this tree at least once a week for the past 36 years. It's been dead for most of that time, looking ever more interesting with each passing year. Cattle graze the property keeping the vegetation down. I like the contrast of the dead tree with the field of fresh daisies that surround it this time of year.
See more of John’s work on Substack.
DAVID HORNE
Times Square cab.
See more of David’s work on Instagram.
JEFF SMERALDO
Attached is my entry into the photo assignment for June. Last month I sent a picture of Pepper my walking partner who was no longer able to walk. She has since passed over the rainbow bridge. When this assignment came up, I immediately thought of a series of photos I took of her in the yard I had to do for a photo class last year. The assignment then was speed and I used another shot for that, but I did like this one because of her facial expression I caught. This one wasn’t what I intended at the time but it resonated with me because I think I caught her essence.
