Laura Bute Photography
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Tag: Ace Hotel

Celebrating the great American snapshot

A “snapshot” is a photograph taken in spontaneity, often (but not always) with a non-professional camera. While a snapshot is not usually taken with any kind of artistic integrity in mind, the little imperfections that are synonymous with a snapshot can yield an artistic result. There is also something distinctively American about the snapshot, probably because we invented it. Good ‘ol Eastman Kodak invented the Brownie camera in 1900 and suddenly photography was no longer strictly for the professionals. “You push the button, we do the rest.” So begins the tale of poorly-exposed-heads-chopped-off-no-depth-of-field photography. The snapshot has, naturally, changed with the times. Film is no longer shipped to Kodak to get processed. In fact, people pretty much no longer get their images processed at all. (I don’t even get prints made anymore unless I am actually going to hang them up.)

The snapshot has made yet another leap as of late, moving from camera to phone. While few people make it a habit to bring their point-and-shoots with them everywhere, everyone brings their phone with them everywhere. The snapshot is suddenly peaking. People not only have the tools to take them anytime, anywhere, but they also immediately share them, either by uploading online or with a quick text or email.

In celebration of the art of the snapshot, photographer Chase Jarvis, an artist in a residency program at the Ace Hotel in New York, has created Dasein – An Invitation To Hang. This month-long project is an interactive “work of social art” in which Jarvis is taking snapshots around New York for a month. The cool part is that anybody can upload their own snapshots to share online. A selection of these images will also hang in the gallery at Ace Hotel New York and they will be updated with hundreds of new images daily. Photographers will not, however, be notified if their image is selected to hang. The only way to see if your snapshot makes it to the gallery wall is to stop by. Clearly this is limited to those living in or visiting New York, but that doesn’t mean we can’t all participate just for funsies.

This is one of my favorite personal snapshots. We were in Busan, South Korea, sight seeing and stop to look at the blowfish in a window-tank. We did not, however, go into the restaurant to try some. Another day, another day.

This is one of my favorite personal snapshots. We were in Busan, South Korea, sight seeing and stop to look at the blowfish in a window-tank. We did not, however, go into the restaurant to try some. Another day, another day.

About Me

About me

After a photojournalism degree and a short stint as a lead photographer/photo editor at a news web site, I decided it was time to branch out on my own. I specialize in editorial food and travel photography but dabble in a little bit of everything.

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