The Charleston Gallery Association has announced its Summer Wine Bouquet on Sunday, August 27, from 5 to 9 p.m., on the rooftop of the historic Mills House Grand Hotel located in the French Quarter of downtown Charleston, South Carolina. Over 300 guests are invited to enjoy a tasting of bouquet wines and fine art from more than 20 CGA galleries. Attendees will also experience painting demonstrations, music by the Gin House Boys, gourmet hors d’oeuvres and will receive a souvenir wine glass.
(24 July, 2017)

In Hail We Now Sing Joy, at Milwaukee Art Museum, new paintings and sculptures from Chicago-born artist Rashid Johnson are on display. The exhibition features 14 large-scale works, filling the museum’s entire feature exhibition space. Johnson uses his signature materials of white ceramic tile, red oak flooring, shea butter, black soap and wax to examine themes of race, history, yearning and anxiety and investigates the relationship between art, society and personal identity. Hail We Now Sing Joy is on view through September 17.
(24 July, 2017)

As drones become an increasingly common sight in UK skies - esp ecially in the hands of enthusiast pilots - the dangers surrounding them have grown considerably. It’s perhaps unsurprising that in resp onse to an increasing number of ‘near misses’ with other aircraft , the government has announced it intends to tighten the rules surrounding the use of drones. Following a public consultation run by the Department of Transp ort between 21 December last year and 15 March this year, two main regulations are set to come into play. The fi rst is that anyone fl ying a drone weighing 250g or above will need to be regist ered. The regist ration - which is likely to have a fee att ached to it - will apply whether they’re an enthusiast or a commercial pilot. Although the details are st ill undecided, early indications are that pilots will most likely only have to regist er once, no matt er how many drones exceeding the minimum weight they fl y. This is of particular benefi t to commercial operators with multiple drones. The second change will come in the form of ‘mandatory competency test ing… for all leisure users.’ For now, it appears this will only apply to hobbyist s, as the consultation recognised that ‘commercial users already have required st andards to meet.’ However, the 65- page report does warn that ‘in future there might be a need for new st andards for commercial pilots too, above those already in place.’ As part of these new regulations, embedded elect ronic identifi cation options are being explored, as is tracking technology, ‘so that enforcement act ion against irresp onsible drone use can be improved.’ By extension, the government is also considering how it can ‘tighten rules around where users can fl y certain classes of drones’ and ‘increase penalties when the law is broken.’ You can fi nd out more about the new regulations and download the full consultation document at the Department of Transp ort website (gov.uk/government/organisations/ department-for-transp ort). You can also brush up on the Civil Aviation Authority’s Dronecode at dronesafe.uk/drone-code.
(26 September, 2017)

On 22 July, Jason Bould and his wife, Tracy, set themselves a very specifi c photographic challenge: to take 73 landscape photographs in 73 days in 73 locations around the Peak District… using the excellent book Peak District Through The Lens by James Grant as a guide. The reason behind their impressive mission wasn’t to augment their portfolios or raise their social media profi les, but to raise money for a number of charities that helped them following the death of their daughter, Emily, shortly after she was born in February this year. As Jason and Tracy both work full time, the logistics of reaching each location for a sunrise or sunset shoot are immense, as are the potential diffi culties they face when they arrive. After 26 days, the couple had already driven more than 1,100 miles and hiked over 60 miles; ‘we aren’t hikers/walkers, we aren’t particularly fi t and we are fi nding it diffi cult,’ said Jason. And that doesn’t even begin to take into account the notoriously fi ckle Peak District weather. Thankfully, the pair are not alone in their eff orts: they have been joined (or will be joined) by a number of photographers and organisations, including Thomas Heaton (landscape photographer and vlogger), Adam Karnacz (aka First Man Photography; landscape photographer and vlogger), Michael Cummins (the offi cial Visit Britain photographer), Tony Worobiec (landscape photographer and author), James Grant (the author of the guide book the couple is using), BBC Radio Stoke, BBC Midlands Today and Simon Cunningham (their consultant at the hospital, a keen landscape photographer and now good friend). Jason admits that ‘it’s been a heart-warming experience seeing how the photography community has got behind us’. At the end of their physical and emotional journey, which fi nishes on 2 October, the couple will exhibit and sell a selection of prints, with all proceeds going to their chosen charities. They’ll also be donating prints to Royal Stoke Hospital to display in its Forget Me Not rooms, where parents stay after their baby has passed away. To fi nd out more about Jason and Tracy’s journey, see their shots so far and donate to their cause visit 73in73.com.
(26 September, 2017)

The prest igious Black+White Photographer of the Year 2018 competition is now open for entries. The competition, which is run by Black+White Photography magazine, in association with Fujifi lm, is looking for the best in contemporary black & white photography. There are three categories to enter and images can be taken on any kind of camera, from a smartphone to vintage wet plate, and everything digital or analogue in between. The categories are: • The World Of People (from formal portraits and st reet photography to photojournalism). • The World Around Us (landscapes, cityscapes, seascapes and wildlife). • The Creative World (let your imagination roam, from st ill-life to abst ract , using old processes to smartphone fi lters; whatever you think fi ts). As well as the chance to be named Black+White Photographer of The Year, each of three category winners will walk away with a Fujifi lm camera: an X-Pro2 plus three lenses, an X100F or an X-T20 plus lens for fi rst , second and third placed photographers resp ect ively. Entry cost s Ј10 for up to fi ve images and the competition closes at midnight on 30 Oct ober 2017. For full competition details visit bpoty.com.
(26 September, 2017)