Light, Photography, Magic - Last Two Days to RSVP for Thursday at Picto, Brooklyn
The uncanny parallels between photography and magic, and why the (free) event will not be recorded.
Welcome to In the Flash, a weekly, behind-the-lens dialogue on photography. To join the conversation.
Last week, I announced a free talk between three Nat Geo photographers —myself, Paolo Verzone, Ismail Ferdous, and one magician — Shane Cobalt, where we will discuss and demonstrate uncanny parallels between photography and magic.
Many of you were able to RSVP, but unfortunately not everyone could make it. Quite a few people have asked if it would be recorded or streamed live, but for this particular event, the experience would have to be strictly in person. We imagined this evening as a cozy French salon, a unique opportunity for us to come together and experience the intimacy and immediacy of the conversation, being able to interact, and to see the magic in real time, an experience that is impossible to capture on camera.
Paolo Verzone and Ismail Ferdous are two of the most incredible photographers working today, and while our work is strikingly different, all three of us use strobes, flashes, and continuous light sources to transform a scene into a photograph. We will share insights into how we think about and work with light, show photos, ask each other questions, and invite discussion from the audience.
To add a very unique perspective, professional magician Shane Cobalt (who is also on Substack) will offer insights into his practice and the secretive world of magic. He will trace some of the familiar photographic concepts back to their origin in magic, and he will demonstrate some of them live. Besides being an expert in the history of magic, Shane is also one of the best sleight-of-hand artists alive today, so as a special treat, there will be a small magic show.
The talk is free and open to the public (with RSVP), and is sponsored by Picto and Scuola della Luce.
The sitting is limited so please RSVP to attend
https://www.scuoladellaluce.com/
February 6, 2025
6pm Doors open/ 630pm talk.
Picto New York
77 Washington Ave, 3rd floor
Brooklyn, NY 11205
A couple of the photos I’ll be discussing are my last year’s TIME and NYTMag covers, which are the direct result of my recent obsession with the art of magic.
I wrote more about the event in last week’s newsletter
Hi Dina,
I'm a big fan of your photography but also of the work of your speakers. Hence sad that this event will not be recorded, as I would have loved to tune in from afar (Los Angeles). I get the lovely dynamics of a petit French salon but that shouldn't be jeopardized by a recording. By which I mean not a Zoom with people wearing earplugs but a stage that had a camera recording the conversation. Maybe that's too big of a production, but I so wish it were possible. In lieu of that, maybe you could do a post-event write-up sharing some of the main moments/points? Thanks!
Scarlett
Thanks for sharing!