Inside the Photo #37

Talking with Kenneth Nelson

Hey folks! Welcome back to another Tuesday with Inside the Photo! It’s incredible how fast time goes by. Summer is already knocking at the door, while it seems yesterday when we were talking about New Year’s projects and wishes.

This month, I’m very happy to dedicate this appointment to an amazing photographer I met (like many others) on Substack, Kenneth Nelson.

A native of Red Hook, Brooklyn, I’m wholly a product of that environment. Back then considered one of the toughest neighborhoods in the city. As a long time resident, its bark was worse than its bite. So much so that it’s where I began photography studies in my early teens.

Like many a budding teenage photographer, the excitement of watching a print develop in a processing tray was the magic that put me on the path to a lifetime of photography. I continue the practice today using traditional wet darkroom processes when applicable.

The first photograph I ever took, was with black & white film in a 126 Kodak Instamatic cartridge camera. You know, the ones that use those four-sided GE Flashcubes. Photography dutifully guided me throughout those teenage years. Learning to unabashedly observe and deconstruct, then react by documentation.

In my early twenties, I picked up work as a pro camera salesperson. Offering advice with instamatics, point-n-shoots, 35mm—camera accessories & film. That’s how I learned to teach the art of photography to the public. A decade of preaching & teaching budding amateurs in using their equipment. Exploring the science of ASA/ISO, aperture, shutter speed, and f-stops, etc. During this period, I acknowledged a need to learn more about photography than just what I technically knew. Making way to earning a degree at one of the best-known schools for fine art photography in the city, Pratt Institute.

After a decade in pro camera sales and a hard-earned degree, I signed on to working at a New York City in-house still life photo studio. Ultimately worked my way up to associate photographer, fine-tuning studio lighting techniques on the way. These were some intense years of valuable education. Intersecting with the period of time when digital photography in commercial studios was starting to catch on.

With more than six years of studio experience behind me, I reevaluated my photography priorities. Worked towards, and conceived long-term fine art photography projects. Moved forward with observing the human condition. Exploring the who, what, where, when, why, and how of human nature. It continues today.

Photography has been what I’ve lived and breathed every day since being introduced to it, Hopefully expressed in both the fine art and commercial images I’ve produced. Experiences that have led me to where we all are now. Through the years, I’ve produced a number of personal fine art and documentary projects. Including Harlem Nocturnal, Coney Island House, and B’klyn Changes to name just a few. All of which are located on my website.

Ken is an incredible reporter and street photographer. His images have the power to document the life in a city that's constantly changing. He is a witness, and makes us witnesses through his pictures, of how people shape the evolution of a place and how times shape people with different costumes and cultures. I'm fascinated by his work.

© Kenneth Nelson

I appreciate the invitation to talk about the significance of this photograph, that it may resonate for others as well. Before I talk about it, I thought that singling out a particular photograph among thousands was going to be daunting. To some degree, it was. How to make a reasoned and rationally informed selection from every photograph I’ve ever taken? My first thought, consider black & white or color. Both have equal creative and artistic benefit in visual expression as far as I’m concerned. It’s part of the choosing nonetheless.

Once I made that decision, consider which period in my life’s history that would provide an insight or better understanding about what I thought and felt from the millions of situations that had played out in front of me over a lifetime. A photograph from early years, mid years, or more recent? Though I could’ve selected from thousands, the memory of taking this particular photograph remains clear to this day, twenty-six years later.

It’s summer 2000 at the largest food festival on the streets of the city. Twenty-three city blocks, 1.25 miles (2.01km) worth of foods from countless cultures the world over. The graphic nature of this particular food display caught my attention. So much was going on. My first thoughts; depending on one’s conviction if a vegan or vegetarian, I suspected something such as this could’ve been a catalyst to not eat any meat products. If one is omnivorous or carnivorous, I suspected that this visual (or similar content) would make the most dedicated of meat eaters think seriously whether it’s a morally righteous choice. But, we’re human. When it comes to surviving, we’ll do most anything—including consume the flesh of animals.

I’m neither a proponent or opponent in the types of foods people should consume. At the time this photograph was taken, it was rare for me to see this level of graphic glorification of animal carcasses. I believe butchers and slaughter house workers were used to this. The general public, not so much. Primates have been hunter/gatherer carnivores for hundreds of thousands of years. This type of cooking scene may even have been the norm before the industrial revolution.

The graphic nature of the photograph caused deep seated thoughts that disturbed on a level I rarely had meditated on. It caused me to truly think about life’s trajectory and decisions that could affect my life going forward. Sounds deep? That’s part of maintaining a connected presence to my own state of mind and visual processing in real time. There have been dozens if not a hundred times I’ve wanted to share it on my website and social media since 2000. Always airing on the side of caution not to offend or glorify what the photograph graphically depicts.

The sign in the pig’s mouth supposedly added a humorous aspect, though its colloquial context of “eat me” is more sexual than advocating sustenance. Coming from that point of view, it’s just very weird. Examining the casual gesture of the guy drinking from the bottle added to a seeming every day experience on their part. If you’re not used to such casual behavior with the scene, it becomes an obvious visual for further contemplation.

I made three exposures of this scene that day. The other two exposures, though acceptable, didn’t have as dramatic a pull towards the story I wanted to distill.

If the viewer’s perspective winds up being very different from what I took from the experience, no worries. That’s expected given the subjective nature of art and creativity. I’ve had quite a few years to meditate and contemplate the stories that could emanate from the photograph.

This is exactly what I meant saying he’s a witness of cultures and real life. Ken’s insight about this image is far beyond the image itself and it lets the debate open for everyone to give a personal interpretation of what’s represented.

Let me give you an advice: check out Ken’s links here below and give him a follow. There’s a whole world in a single city and he tells its stories in a way you’ll never have enough.

Website
Image Licensing
LinkedIn
Substack

Thanks a lot for sharing this image and the story with us, Ken!

Take care and talk soon!