Like really strong coffee, venison, Mexican cigarettes--appreciation of Steve's work is an acquired taste. But once you've swum in the deep end of the pool, paddling around in the kiddie end just doesn't suffice. Eloquent images of great integrity, subtlety, perception and intellect, humor and autobiographical hon… Read more

Like really strong coffee, venison, Mexican cigarettes--appreciation of Steve's work is an acquired taste. But once you've swum in the deep end of the pool, paddling around in the kiddie end just doesn't suffice. Eloquent images of great integrity, subtlety, perception and intellect, humor and autobiographical honesty--all unflinchingly presented. Somebody I wish I could meet in person, walk the beach with, throw sticks for the dog. Otherwise, looking at the images is good, too. Maybe even the best.

This gentleman - no matter what is alias may be - is an unfailingly fine photographer, and is supportive and helpful of others' work and growth. He's also a long-suffering grumpy old man with problems none of us deserve to have, which makes his frequent praise and delightful work doubly valuable. Finally, he has a dry … Read more

This gentleman - no matter what is alias may be - is an unfailingly fine photographer, and is supportive and helpful of others' work and growth. He's also a long-suffering grumpy old man with problems none of us deserve to have, which makes his frequent praise and delightful work doubly valuable. Finally, he has a dry sense of humor, which suits him well. I have a lot of respect for Steve and I'm thankful for his presence here. I doff my hat to him.

....Cups of coffee, cowboy gear, dead flowers, gloves, guitars, guns, hats, knife sets, masks, mirrors, sandy beaches, shoe repair, train cars, toilets, tubas—these are some of the things about which Passing Through knows, believe me, all. ....But these are just the things, the props, the artifacts, accoutrements, acc… Read more

....Cups of coffee, cowboy gear, dead flowers, gloves, guitars, guns, hats, knife sets, masks, mirrors, sandy beaches, shoe repair, train cars, toilets, tubas—these are some of the things about which Passing Through knows, believe me, all. ....But these are just the things, the props, the artifacts, accoutrements, accessories. They're not important really. They're fine, but not important. He could just as well be photographing moons, canoes, ukuleles. He does, in fact. Those are in there too. In or out, not important. ....We're to look past that stuff, past the ornaments to our ways of living, the décor hung on what else is in the picture, what else is really always in the picture—the camaraderie, the comfort, confusion, and doubt, the fortitude, grief, humility, and longing, the regret, the self-contempt, tolerance, and trepidation, the wariness, the weariness, the woe. He’s taking us someplace , sitting us down, making sure we’re as uncomfortable as is appropriate, making sure we have our eyes opened wide. ....He shows us worlds we haven't been in and never before imagined. He shows us worlds we are in, where we think we're entirely alone. ....He couldn't be more valuable, this master of Paint It Black.

Anyone who finds unreconstructed's photograph's is a very lucky person indeed. I found him several months ago and haven't been able to leave since. His is the page I look to first, every morning. And I revisit as often as I can. How Steve has never found more public recoginition for his work is a mystery, but his m… Read more

Anyone who finds unreconstructed's photograph's is a very lucky person indeed. I found him several months ago and haven't been able to leave since. His is the page I look to first, every morning. And I revisit as often as I can. How Steve has never found more public recoginition for his work is a mystery, but his most recent set "A kind of Dignity" is mindblowing: it should be published - this body of work rivals any of our most reknown British photographers. Steve's photographs are capable of taking you through a whole gamut of human emotions: pain, anger, disgust, beauty, regret, despair, laughter, wonder and awe. He is able to picture others with dignity and respect for their situation - and his message is one of deep anger at social injustice and his desire is to expose the way in which people are abused. His work is also intensely personal, and connects on a very deep level with the viewer in it's unflinching honesty. His series "This Long and Narrow Land" is for me the most powerful work I have seen on flickr - it speaks for me and to me in ways I won't try to articulate here but I would urge you to start from there and then work your way through everything else you can. Soak it up. It will stay with you. Aside from his astounding talent he is a very generous man,and his technical knowledge and skills something else. When he has time to share his experience I listen very carefully because I know I will learn alot. From him I have seen how flash can make the mundane extraordinary. And for his encouragement and time I will always be truly grateful. So stick around for joy - it may get hairy, it may get wild at times, but it will always, always be a spectacle to remember.