Phillip Toledano

Phillip Toledano states, on his site  that "photographs should be like unfinished sentences. There should always be space for questions." Though he states his work is socio-political, I believe it is much more profound. Though he is a photojournalist and sells his images to the mainstream media, his work stands alone- it is much more conceptual and profound.

Toledano's portraits, for example have more than one unanswered questions. Even when there is presence there is absence as well. The images I have chosen here, though they only represent a small body of his work, provided me the with most eerily and exciting feelings. The first four seem somewhat advertising-based however the stories of these images and, with the last two images, the uncomfort I feel transcends their simple exact compositions. I believe I am attracted to these images because of the careful lighting which creates precise shadows and accentuates the textures of clothing and human flesh.

The bottom 5 images are from a  very profound body of Toledano's work about his father who is suffering from severe Alzheimer's disease. Though I was young, my Grandfather-a man who was important to me beyond the stories he told me as a kid, but by the way I saw his love for my father and vice versa- also died of Cancer, which he refused treatment for because of his rapidly progressing Alzheimer's. I am entrhalled by how Toledano chose to use photography to make witness to and to fight the disease. Beyond empathy, such bodies of work will redefine the photo industry.

So, from Toledano's work I am encouraged. Most of all, I see that there are photographers out in a rather niche industry of media photography that are thinking progressively. I hope, if I go into that business, I can produce work as meaningful and as profound as Toledano.

Images Above  Courtesy of http://www.art-dept.com/artists/toledano/index.html
Images Below Courtesy of http://www.dayswithmyfather.com/