Analog Forever Magazine is pleased to showcase 30 images in this month’s online exhibition entitled Compelling Dreams. Curated by Russell Joslin, these photographs explore the results of photographers who push the envelope with their photography in either a technical or social sense. Viewing their photographs take us through a portal straight to their consciousness (or subconscious) where we are shocked, moved, and even confused by the unexpected results they achieve with their camera, subject, and process of choice. The selected images draw outside the lines of what is expected and creates a compelling force that draws us into their world via avant-garde experiments and documentary exposés of individuals or groups living outside of social norms.

Russell Joslin writes: My interest in dreams lies in their ability to expose our innermost psychology, desires, and fears in a primarily symbolic, visual, and emotional manner. Our deepest memories and the matter of our everyday lives can take the same precedence in the mysterious space of a dream. Dreams are universally personal, experienced by each of us, but only “seen” by ourselves. They are reflective of the way we see and understand our individual lives, yet share common themes that add insight into the collective human experience. When dreams are considered, studied, and reflected upon, they may be used as a valuable tool to better understand ourselves.

Similarly, when an artist makes a conscious effort to intersect the life of the mind with the medium of photography, it is often a rewarding endeavor that may shed insight into the darker recesses of our subconscious. I considered this as I looked through the analog created submissions to Compelling Dreams, and was not only reminded of the personal experience that dreams are, but also of the universally understood threads that run through them. The images presented here—often executed with impressively inventive technical processes—are photographs that, individually and as a collection, evoke the mysterious sense of the dream world that we all experience. I believe that there are universally understood threads that run through these works, and, like dreams, are left to be discovered and interpreted by each contemplative viewer.

- Russell Joslin

The Prize - A Classic Diana F+ Camera!

Congratulations to Penny Felts for winning this month’s exhibition! You will be receiving a Classic Diana F+ Camera courtesy of Lomography!

The Lomography Classic Diana F+ camera is an experimental twist on a classic analog camera that shoots multiple exposure and pinhole photos that allow you to render dreamy color drenched images on medium format film! Equipped with a 75mm lens, zone focusing, and three different aperture settings, this camera will allow you to quickly focus in on your subject of choice to capture the perfect dreamscape on your travels throughout life.

Make sure you visit Lomography’s website to learn all about their Classic Diana F+ Camera!

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Gallery 

About the Curator

Russell Joslin has worked primarily in photography since the early 90s. His work has been internationally published and exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions. Additionally, he was the Owner, Editor & Publisher of the internationally acclaimed photography journal Shots from 2000-2017. In 2018, he founded his new publishing company, Skeleton Key Press. He has authored two books as editor: Black Forest (Candela Books, 2014) and Series of Dreams (SKP, 2018). He lives and works in Oslo, Norway.

Read our recent interview with Russell Joslin Here!