As every year, members of the London Independent Photography Greenwich group are showcasing some of their work at the Greenwich Gallery.

I am going to present two images from the 'Holi' series, which was taken over 3 different years at the Hare Krishna Temple near Watford. The festival is traditionally celebrated in India at Spring (also known as the festival of Colours). Fascinated by the joyful transformation after festival goes throw colour pigments at one another, I decided to create a pop up studio and invited the temple visitors to have a portrait taken. Have a look at 'Holi' on my website.

Private View: Thursday, 07th June, 6.30pm - 8.30pm
Venue: The Greenwich Gallery at 
Linear House, Peyton Place, London SE10 8RS
 

Opening times: Mo - Fri, 9am - 5pm / Sat - Sun, 12pm - 4pm

There will also be a special critics evening: Thursday, 14th June, 6.30-8.30pm

A new fLIP magazine is on the horizon. This year’s Spring issue carries the title 'Memories' and it includes images from my portrait series with the same title.

 


‘Memories’ is inspired by a quote in a movie by David Lynch ('The Straight Story'): "The worst thing of being old is remembering being young."  It started as a personal project in 2016 with an image of Daphne Davis, which has been nominated and exhibited numerous times in 2017 (including at the ‘BJP Portrait of Britain’ exhibition). The image above is of Nick Hague, taken whilst remembering his baby granddaughter as she was bathed in the kitchen sink.
 

fLIP is an independent magazine, which is published three times per year by the London Independent Photographers (LIP). It is available at specialized stores across London, including the Tate Modern Bookshop, National Portrait, Serpentine Gallery Bookshop, Whitechapel Gallery Bookshop and many more.

Proud announcement: my latest portrait project with the title 'Blind Spots' has been nominated to be among the best photo projects created in 2017 and is shortlisted for the KOLGA AWARD 2018 in the conceptual photography category!!!

Twelve images from this series will be on display during the KOLGA TBILISI PHOTO Festival from 5th - 11th May.


Kolga Tbilisi Photo 2018 is exceptional for the number of powerful photography projects covering a wide range of topics and taken by the photographers from around the world.

Venue for the award exhibition: Art Arena, Dodo Abashidze Street 10, Tbilisi, Georgia 

Opening event: Friday, 4th May 2017 from 8pm


About 'Blind Spots':
For this project the sitters are guided back into childhood memories and then photographed whilst remembering a challenging situation. In such moments children create negative opinions about themselves and the world such as 'I am worthless', life is unfair' or 'nobody loves me'. Later in life we are often unaware of the origin of such self-limiting believes, yet we hold on to them and carry them as a lifelong burden. All of us have certain blind spots, areas of endeavor or personal issues that we ignore because of the painful doubts or feelings of futility that they arouse.
The final result is aiming to shine light into our hidden viewpoints; the process of photographing the upcoming emotions created space for self-reflection.

   

Proud announcement: with support of the Meta House, a German-Cambodian cultural centre, and the Goethe Institute we are going to re-exhibit a selection of my images of people, living in the capital city of Cambodia.

In case you are in Phnom Penh, please come to the opening event:
Date & time: 16th March 2018, 6pm - 10pm
Venue: Meta House, 37 Samdach Sothearos Blvd (3), Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The photos in this show are taken for chapter 4 in Dr. Michael Waibel’s latest photo book ‘Phnom Penh: CAPITAL CITY’. In this chapter, a variety of residents have been asked to comment on their impressions and relationships to the city they call home. I wanted to take a closer look behind the facade and explore how people use their personal space. The outcome is a collection of enticing insights into homes and workplaces spanning rich and poor, younger and older generations, migrants and those who have lived there all their lives and helped shaping the city. In case you are not in Cambodia, here is an image preview.

The book 'Phnom Penh CAPITAL CITY' is available on Amazon (ISBN: 9-789924 915102)

Lets end this year in style: 15 years ago I had one of my first exhibition experiences at the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane. Coming again to the same venue is closing a cycle for me and looking back at so many years of photographic adventures leaves me very proud. Come and celebrate with me at the 29th exhibition for LIP members*.

Opening event: Monday, 11.12.17 from 6.30pm

Venue: Old Truman Brewery, Unit 11, Dray Walk, London E1 6QL (located at street level, off Brick Lane [MAP])
Opening times:  Wed - Sun, 11am - 6pm; Mon 11am - 5pm; Tue 11am - 3pm

The image is from the Madonna triptych, created in 2016 for the ICONIC exhibition in Palermo.  It is inspired by Madonna's video for her song 'Prayers'.

* LIP (London Independent Photography) is annually celebrating the best work of its members to be shared with a wider public audience. A series of talks and events will feature throughout the exhibition period, with leading figures from the photographic world including: Dewi Lewis (photo book publisher); Simon Roberts (landscape photographer with an emphasis on human geography); Tanya Houghton, presenting her project ‘A Migrant’s Tale’; a panel discussion on 'The Street Today', and more.

Please visit me: I am going to sit in the gallery on 7th December from 5pm - 7pm, followed by the talk of social photographer Tanya Houghton from 7pm (the talk costs £10, you can book here)

Another exhibition opportunity arises for Daphne Davis (pictured): her image has been selected by artist Julie Cockburn for the annual Portrait Salon event in 2017. Now in it's seventh year, this exhibition will showcase portraits from photographers that submitted to and were rejected by the Taylor Wessing Photographic Price this year. The images will be displayed outdoors, but we will have the chance to celebrate in the function room.


The event takes place on Thursday, 16th November 2017 from 6pm until late
Venue: The Pub in the Park, 19 Martello Street, London Fields, London E8 3PE


About the image: 96 year old Daphne Davis was the first person I photographed for the series 'Memories', inspired by a quote from the movie 'The Straight Story' by David Lynch: "The worst thing about being old is remembering what it was being young". Daphne remarks that she hasn't had a professional portrait taken before in her lifetime, except for her wedding photograph over 60 years ago.

 

The magazine 'British Journal of Photography' is annually organizing a competition and exhibition, which showcases the many faces of modern Britain. In partnership with JCDecaux, an out-of-home advertising company, this is the biggest public outdoor showcase of contemporary photography.

I am trilled to announce that one on my images is among the 100 selected portraits. Throughout September those images will be displayed on high streets, roadsides and in transport hubs, visible to an audience of millions.

About the image 'Memories': 96 year old Daphne Davis has lived in the same house in Edgware since 1954, the year she got married. Daphne remarks that she hasn't had a professional portrait taken before in her lifetime, except for her wedding photograph.

The image is from the project 'Once upon a Time', which is inspired by a quote from the movie 'The Straight Story' by David Lynch: "The worst thing about being old is remembering what it was being young". However, when I ask my sitters about the past, what comes up is the stories they cherish, the people they most love and the magical places they visited.

The series is still in development, more to come soon.

As every year, the members of the Greenwich group of LIP are showcasing their work at Greenwich Gallery.

For this years exhibition I have chosen on of my favorite images from my work in Vietnam. It was created for a book commission on Hanoi City. The picture is a portrait of 25 year old ‘Le Dinh Hung’; he is running his own motorbike workshop in Ba Dinh District. Hung knows everything about his trade and claims he can build any type of custom made motorbikes on request.

The opening event: Thursday, 17th August, 6.30pm - 8.30pm
Venue: The Greenwich Gallery at 
Linear House, Peyton Place, London SE10 8RS
 

Opening times: Mo - Fri, 9am - 5pm / Sat - Sun, 12pm - 4pm

There will also be a special critics evening: Thursday, 24th August, 6.30-8.30pm 

A new fLIP magazine came out. Fresh from the printer, this years Summer issue carries the title 'Storytelling'. Four of my images from the series '100 Faces of Viet Nam' are included, telling the story of 4 young people from Hanoi, Hue and Hoi An.

About the pictures: In the years from 2013 to 2016 I was commissioned to take photographs of people in various cities of Viet Nam. In each place I visited around 30 people in their homes or at work and asked them about their life. The images are forming one chapter in four books, which otherwise documents the urban developments of Vietnam's fast growing cities - in between ancient traditions & modernity. If you want to find out more about the project or the books, please get in touch.

fLIP is an independent magazine, which is published three times per year by the London Independent Photographers (LIP). It is available at various stockists across London, including the Tate Modern Bookshop, National Portrait, Serpentine Gallery Bookshop, Whitechapel Gallery Bookshop and many more.

I would like to welcome you to my brand new website! Over the last years I have grown and so has my portfolio and experience. It was time to create a new 'shop window' that reflects that. And here it is - please visit astridschulzcostume.work

I hope you will agree with me: the new site is easier to navigate and ultimately much more fun. And finally, it is mobile friendly :) Please test it for me and let me know if there is anything that still needs improving. 

As I am in the process of renewal, I will do the same with my photography website in the coming month. Watch this space and come back for more!


PS: It has been quite a journey up to this point. Lots of memories came up whilst digging out the wonderful projects throughout my creative history which are featured on my new costume site. I would like to thank those who worked with me and I wish plenty more opportunities will come up for all of us.

I am trilled to announce the outcome of the Kolga Award in 2017: Various images of mine have been nominated to be among the best projects; they will be exhibited during the KOLGA TBILISI PHOTO Festival and celebrated at the opening event on 5th May.

This year the jury went for another selection of 10 images from my documentary series '100 Faces of Viet Nam'. The images were taken from 2013 - 2016 and demonstrate scenes of life and work in the cities of Vietnam.

Another nomination went in favor of the portrait 'Mbaye' from the series 'Made in Senegal' in the category 'One Shot'. This body of work is depicting small scale food producers; it was created during my artist residency in Saint Lewis, Senegal.

However, I am particularly proud about the nomination of 'Daphne' (from the series 'Once upon a Time'). This is a brand new project, dealing with memories on how it felt to be young.

Venue for the award exhibition: 14 Kostava Street, Art-space at the Hippodrome Park, Tamarashvili Str.13, Tbilisi, Georgia
Opening event: 5th May 2017 at 8pm
Professional week: 5th - 11th May 2017

For further information about the festival please click here: https://www.kolga.ge

Another photo book is about to be ready!!! Michael Waibel's latest publication on urban city development is going to be in print this week and will be available from 16th March. This time we were exploring the recent developments in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

As you might know, in the years from 2013 to 2016 I was commissioned to take photographs of people in major cities of Vietnam. In addition to this, we are now proud to announce book number 5, for which I traveled to Cambodia's capital city last year in September.

With support of the Goethe Institute and the Meta House, a German-Cambodian cultural centre, we are now preparing our informative book launch event, which will also feature a selection of my images in the exhibition hall (image preview).

The show will last for one month from 16th March to 17th April 2017
Venue: Meta House, 37 Samdach Sothearos Blvd (3), Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Exhibition opening and launch event: 16th March, 6pm 
Talks and guest speakers:Nico Mesterharm (Meta House), Astrid Schulz, Michael Waibel

Statement:
'The photos of this exhibition are taken for chapter 4 in Dr Michael Waibel’s latest photo book ‘Phnom Penh: CAPITAL CITY’. In this chapter, a variety of residents have been asked to comment on their impressions and relationships to the city they call home. Astrid wanted to take a closer look behind the facade and explore how people use their personal space. The outcome is a collection of enticing insights into homes and workplaces spanning rich and poor, younger and older generations, migrants and those who have lived there all their lives and helped shaping the city'.

The book 'Phnom Penh CAPITAL CITY' is available on Amazon (ISBN: 9-789924 915102)

Does anyone of you speak Korean? Please please help me translate :)))

Perhaps you remember my creative photography project 'Playing Cards' from 2014, which is playfully observing our daily routine on mobile devices. It seems that mobile phones and tablets have become our new best friends, we never leave them unattended. But what happens to the seemingly endless stream of data we leave behind? All this private information we post and tweet about our lives; where is it really going? Who is the one that is pulling the strings???

The project has been picked up by the South-Korean cultural magazine 'Chaeg' which is dedicated to the world of books, with special care for contemporary photography. The 'Playing Cards' series is featured on the cover and the article is spread over 4 double pages. If only I could read the text... :)))

Credits: Photography & Styling: Astrid Schulz   /  Make-up: Mary Ellen Lamb  /  Hair: Michael Ptootch & Sophia Eltayeb at salon Flaxon Ptootch (Chaeng ISBN: 9-772383-750001)

Each year the members group 'London Independent Photographers' (LIP) is celebrating the best work of their members in an annual group exhibition to be appreciated by each other and by the general public. This time we will be in a gallery in London's East End.



I am going to join the show with 4 images from my portrait series from Vietnam, a project which is was commissioned for a number of photo books. The series has been chosen for the LensCulture finalist award in 2016 and got voted to be among the best documentary photo projects at the KOLGA AWARD exhibition in Tbilisi, Georgia. 



Venue: Escacio Gallery, 159 Bethnal Green Road, London, E2 7DG


Opening times: Tuesday – Saturday: 1pm – 7pm, 
Sunday: 1pm - 5pm



The member's private view takes place on 15th November 2016, from 6.30pm - 8.30pm

Proud announcement: one of my images from the ‘Madonna’ series (on the right) has been selected for the legendary ICONIC 2016 exhibition in Palermo. The show features portraits & artwork inspired by the 'Queen of Pop' and hosts a section of photography with subjects that are influenced by Madonna's career and status as an icon.

Opening event: Saturday, 15th October 2016 at 6pm

Venue: BOBEZ Arte Contemporanea, Via Isidoro La Lumia 22, Palermo 

Opening times: Tuesday to Saturday, 10am - 12pm & 5pm - 7.30pm, 
Monday by appointment only

Hereby I would like to thank Mary Ellen Lamb (make-up), Gabrielle Guy (photography assistance), and especially Stephanie Newton for modelling as Madonna.

Once again, the is an update for the legendary photo books by Michel Waibel in Vietnam. This is the third edition of the book 'Tp. Ho Chi Minh MEGA City' and updates an earlier version from 2014. It takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the familiar and lesser-known aspects of this bustling city to witness its vibrancy and dynamic changes of the past years.

The event is organized by the Goethe Institute of HCMC and features an expert talk on the challenges of sustainable urban development in Vietnam. Two lucky winners will walk away with a complementary copy via a book lottery.


In case you are in Saigon, come early, the venue is usually quite full...

 And if you don't fit in - no worries - here is a preview of my chapter 'People in the City'.

Book launch event: Sunday, 9th October, 10.00am - 12.00pm

Venue: Salon Van Hoa Ca Phe Thu Bay, 
1st floor, Trung Nguyen Café, 19B Pham Ngoc Thach, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

Afterwards, the book can be bought on Amazon (ISBN: 978-604-94-9365-2).

As every year, the members of the Greenwich group of LIP are showcasing their work at Greenwich Gallery. This year I have chosen to exhibit another image from my work in Vietnam, which I created during a 2month artist residency in 2013. The picture is called ‘Seashells’; it is a portrait of ‘Chau Thi No’. Mrs No has been boiling tiny seashells on Con Hen Island for over 30 years. This occupation was passed on from her ancestors. View more images from the series 'Made in Vietnam'.

The opening event: Thursday, 11th August, 6.30pm - 8.30pm
Venue: The Greenwich Gallery at 
Linear House, Peyton Place, London SE10 8RS
 

Opening times: Mo - Fri, 9am - 5.30 / Sat - Sun, 1pm - 5pm

The series ‘Farmers' has been created in honour of micro food production households and features people who are physically involved in growing or producing food from their homes and gardens. We often forget how labour intensive it is to produce what we eat. Especially in the Western world the connection between food and nature seems to get lost. The aim of the project is to re-establish a relationship with the origin of food provisions. The series will be continued in Latin America.

Concept136Film cordially invites you and your friends to the premiere of the short high concept film ‘Death Lies on Her’ in an exclusive location in central London. The private screening will be followed by a Q&A session with the writer Afzaal Mauthoor and writer/director/producer Uppili Raghavachari. Please also welcome the rest of the crew and the talents Ellie Tanner and Chris Edgerley.

‘Death Lies on Her’ is an electrifying high concept debut film - a tragic Shakespearean love story with a deadly twist. I am the costume designer & supervisor – can’t wait to see the finished film.
Venue: The Hospital Club, 24 Endell Street, WC2H 9HQ
Time: 14 July, 2016 (18.00 – 21.00)

After Q&A session there will be a networking drinks reception for those who like to party into the night.
 Tickets are available for those who are not cast or crew: please order here

Proud announcement: 
my portrait images from Viet Nam are voted to be among the best photo projects created in 2015 and are shortlisted for the KOLGA AWARD in the documentary category!!!

Eight images were chosen by international jury members and they will be exhibited during the photography festival during May 2016 in Tbilisi, Capital City of Georgia.

The images have been commissioned in between 2013 - 2015 and are planned to be published as a portrait book with the title '100 Faces of Viet Nam' in 2017.

And there is more good news: another one of my images got nominated for the category 'One Shot'. The picture of 'Lassana, the Poultry Breeder' was taken during my artist residency at Waaw in Saint Louis, Senegal (from the series 'Made in Senegal', 2015).

Venue for the exhibition: 14 Kostava Street, Tbilisi, Georgia
Opening event: 12 May, 2016, from 6pm
Festival duration: 12 -19 May 2016

Further information can be found here: http://kolga.ge

There will also be an overall winner for each category. Please keep your fingers crossed for me :)))

Another exciting announcement: my 'Hairdressers' have been selected to highlight the opening event at the German Hairstylists convention in Saarbrücken. The annual convention is held by the Trade Cooperation and supported by the Landesinnung Friseure and Kosmetik (Guild for Hairstylists and Beauty).

Venue: Handwerkskammer des Saarlandes (Trade Cooperation of Saarland), Hohenzollernstrasse 47 - 49, 66117 Saarbrücken, Germany
Opening event: Thursday, 14th April 2016, from 6.00pm

The series 'Hairdressers’ is inspired by the novel Egalia's Daughters in which the protagonists swapped gender based roles. The images are questioning our perception on what is regarded as ‘normal’ and what is ‘acceptable’ in our society. Perhaps it’s time for men to get emancipated, when it comes to style?