The highest artistic standard on Flickr. No cheap technicality or bravery, no visual manipulation or pretense - just the real stuff. Deeply profound and multi-layered. Often light-spirited and comical. Layers to discover: 3D, 4D, 5D... The Art with a capital A. A forgotten quest in the post-modern world. Combine the … Read more

The highest artistic standard on Flickr. No cheap technicality or bravery, no visual manipulation or pretense - just the real stuff. Deeply profound and multi-layered. Often light-spirited and comical. Layers to discover: 3D, 4D, 5D... The Art with a capital A. A forgotten quest in the post-modern world. Combine the incompatible. Connect unimaginable and there you have it. That's how I define ESCOFFERY PHOTOGRAPHY. Each and every success of hers is making you wonder, how in the world does she manage to stitch this up together? Again! How does she snitch it from the reality in which I personally never see a tableau like that? Although I am looking, doing my best. Because it can be done only once and never be repeated. You think. It would take me ages to assemble it (but I'm not smart enough to do that in the first place). Or wait for the scene to present itself? Like I mostly do with my camera (or for God to reward me? For what, I've done no good...). Which admittedly is the root of my passive approach and thé cause I'll never be a real photographer. But then if you follow Irina's photostream - as I chaotically but loyally do - you realize that she manages to do the same "trick" capture after capture... well OK not each and every shot, or each day, but at least one a week... or month. Inspiration is an ocean, it has ebbs not only tides. The "trick" is then likely similar – that striking multi-layered wonder hidden in everyday life of common people, now spotted and fished out by her, stitched together in a most unexpected way, and lusciously exhibited. But the contents is never similar from one to another capture, except for a few themes which she as if "branded" and pursues. Her each particular work is unique, original. Often a work of art, not just the recording of a lavish scene. It does bear that irresistible charm of photography linked directly to LIFE. To me this is an essential ingredient. You are free to pursue your own ways and philosophies using photography instead of a brush or chisel; I'll stick to the essential, traditional documentary-to-art span and let the contents show what's new in the genre. Irina is a living proof that this essence of XX century photography carries on and builds upon those masters while unveiling something completely new and thoroughly personal. Her cityscapes-streetscapes-cafescapes-sidewalkscapes-shopscapes suck juices from real life. It's photography, not abstract digital painting or construct. Even in her most daring collages the picture elements are not the means; they are players, subjects; carriers of a social symbol or affection. And then eventually you realize there is a mastermind at work here. Which is not God shuffling cards and the author drawing a good one; or you trying to fool your way using the high probability chances by taking very many photographs and picking out that good one out of thousands; no, it's something organic, alive, human, pre-visualized, carefully grown, mentally curated, prepared, long pregnant, before the button for that final snapshot is finally pressed; it's a process of giving birth to photography, not taking it. Rather inaccessible to us the mortals. Whenever you see a new Irina's post, click on it and enlarge. Use the big screen. Full Screen over the whole of your real estate is almost mandatory. That's the only way to appreciate this feast. Take the trouble of a couple clicks, and you'll be rewarded. As it never fails. When this is done, keep quietly watching for a short while. Trace the image elements and layers for a few seconds. Start connecting the dots... and... It won't be long before I hear you saying: - YES!... Irina has scored again.