Emerging Photographer Fund – 2011 Recipient





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Irina Werning

Back to the Future

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I love old photos. I know I’m a nosy photographer. As soon as I step into someone else’s house, I start sniffing for those old photos. Most of us are fascinated by their retro look but to me it’s imagining how people would feel and look like if they were to reenact them today… A year ago, I decided to actually do this. So, with my camera, I started inviting people to go back to their future.

It starts when I get together with my subjects and we choose the old picture. I go through their boxes and albums looking for an image that speaks about them. Next comes a bit of a photographic investigation: studying the lighting, the angle, the type of camera and lens it was shot with, etc. Then, from there, the search begins: internet auction sites, second hand stores, borrowing from friends wardrobes, cutting, dying, sewing, attaching, adapting, assembling, gluing, coloring, painting, renting rare and hard to find objects. This project requires a lot of improvising on the run and it involves searching endlessly for stuff in the streets of Buenos Aires. I guess I really like finding things. If I cant find something, then I make it.

Once I have everything I need, we are ready to go back to the future. I dress them up and put them either in the set I built for them or, when possible, back in the real location. Once I get the light right, I ask them to do that thing they were doing in the original photo. I am always amazed that they do it.

Its funny how what you do can show you who you are. I always thought of myself to be the opposite of perfectionist as I live in complete chaos most of the time. However, when I now look at these pictures and see the attention to detail in them, I have to question my self image…

This story has been published in Sunday Times Magazine (Spectrum).

Editor’s Note: Irina will receive $15,000. from Burn Magazine through the Magnum Cultural Foundation to continue her project. The EPF 2011 judges: Trent Parke – photographer, Magnum Photos

Narelle Autio – photographer, Agence VU’

Maggie Steber – photographer, editor, teacher

Barbara Stauss – photo director, Mare magazine, Germany -dah-





Bio

Born in Buenos Aires

BA Economics, Universidad de San Andres, Buenos Aires, 1997

MA History, Universidad Di Tella, Buenos Aires, 1999

MA Photographic Journalism, Westminster University, London, 2006

Winner Ian Parry Scholarship 2006

Gordon Foundation Grant 2006

Selected for Joop Swart Masterclass (World Press Photo Organization), 2007





Related links

www.irinawerning.com





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Emerging Photographer Fund – Finalists:

Dominic Bracco II

Michael Christopher Brown

Zhe Chen

Laura El-Tantawy

Daisuke Ito

Tushikur Rahman

Benjamin Rusnak

Daria Tuminas





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Emerging Photographer Fund – Honorable mentions:

Walter Astrada

Victor Cobo

Maurizio Cogliandro

William Daniels

Marc Davidson

Alvaro Deprit

Rian Dundon

Matt Eich

Ryan Gauvin

Robin Hammond

Tom Hyde

Sebastian Liste

Alberto Lizaralde

Nicola Lo Calzo

Guy Martin

Gabriele Micalizzi

Karen Mirzoyan

Jane Moriarity

Isabelle Pateer

Emily Schiffer

Valerio Spada

Andy Spyra

Anastasia Taylor-Lind

Munem Wasif



