Imagno/Hulton Archive/Getty Images – Ned Scott/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Classic is the thing now, with the current state of the economy, right?  People are “shopping in their closets” and investing in fashion staples like plain white shirts, trench coats and little black dresses.  Have you seen all of the rugged Filson bags on shoulders and Barbour jackets on backs?  Not exactly exciting fashion, but it’s tried and true.  Inoffensive enough in appearance to last a while and hearty enough to take a beating.

The same attitude towards spending can be applied to interior design.  Recently, the king of “classic”, Thonet, paired up with Japanese lifestyle designers, Muji for a collection of furniture.  The pieces aren’t inexpensive, but with the mindset that you are making an investment in classic design and quality materials, the price tag might be right.

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Michael Thonet is the originator of the ubiquitous “vienna cafe chair”.  You are familiar with the chair whether or not you know it’s origins.  Made of bentwood (usually beech), it’s sinewy curves and graceful proportions yearn to be sat in and yes, photographed.  You are reading the Getty Images blog, which makes me think you are interested in photography.  Right now, Thonet is hosting a photo contest through the end of 2009 featuring their no. 14 chair.  Go here for details.

The chair has many imitators but they are all based, more or less on Thonet’s No. 14 chair from 1855.  It has been called the most influential furniture design in history.  It takes very little wood to create, is very light and therefore inexpensive to ship.  You see them on stages, in restaurants, bars, in set design, and homes of all kinds.  Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec depicts the chairs in his paintings of Parisian cafe life, Picasso used one in his studio and  they are in the MoMa permanent collection. Can you imagine Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly upstaged by a piece of furniture?  They are above (top right) Even Ikea manufactured their own plasti-wood version called OGLA.

See how Thonet’s designs invade our subconscious here.

Alfred Eisenstaedt/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images – The Bridgeman Art Library/Getty Images

Express/Express/Getty Images

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We are delighted to share the following visual diary created by Jacklynne Hobbs from Market Photo Workshop.
With the South African general elections finally wrapped up, political parties are reviewing their performance during the ballot, especially with regard to media coverage: the kinds of messages and images that populated our airwaves, print publications and websites for the months leading up to the big day (April the 22nd, 2009).
The polls provided an ideal opportunity for students from the ‘Photojournalism and Documentary Photography Programme’ (PDP) at the Johannesburg-based Market Photo Workshop to sharpen their skills. Getty Images is a key sponsor of this course.

An intensive workshop on political reporting and photojournalism was held for the PDP learners to help them cover the vote. Students received instruction about South Africa’s political landscape – and were given insights into methods of gathering news, the latest technologies for transmitting images and the operations of press agencies. They were also required to document a political rally of their choice and submit their work electronically, all to a tight deadline.

Jacob Zuma, the president candidate for the ruling African Congress (ANC), leaves the party's final pre-election rally - held in Johannesburg on April 19th, 2009.

“I wasn’t able to get a picture of him (Zuma) when he arrived,” says Caroline. “So when he left, I was determined to get the shot. Supporters were trying to get his attention, and that was when I decided to take this photo. The security detail was telling him to get into the car, but he paused to give a final wave to his supporters.”

ANC supporters at the perty's final election rally, in Johannesburg.

“This photo was taken before the rally got underway. What I liked about this shot was the personalised number plate pictured in the left of the image – ‘MY ANC GP’ (GP refers to Gauteng Province, where Johannesburg is located); it seemed to show how certain supporters almost felt they ‘owned’ the party,” notes Caroline.

A packed stadium at the ANC's last rally ahead of the polls; this event was held at Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg.

According to Caroline, “This image shows the rally as it was starting. The crowd had just been treated to ‘Madiba Magic’, so they were emotional. They joined a choir that was there to sing the national anthem, and there was a feeling of unity.”
“Madiba” is the name South Africans use to refer affectionately to former head of state Nelson Mandela. The country’s first democratically-elected president made an appearance at the rally.

Emotions run high as the ANC makes a bid for support at its last rally for the April 22nd vote.  “I liked the expression of this woman; she was singing and dancing as Jacob Zuma and Nelson Mandela entered the stadium, along with the whole crowd of people around her. Everyone stood up to welcome them,” says Siphathokuhle.

A soccer game takes precedence over queuing as South Africans go to the polls for general elections earlier this year.

“The ANC worked very hard to encourage the youth to take part in the election. It was a cold morning, and these boys perhaps decided to warm themselves up with a game of soccer as voters queued in the background – maybe even to entertain the voters!” says Caroline.

Campaign posters for the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), led by Helen Zille, loom above voters waiting to cast their ballots in South Africa’s elections.

The DA captured about 16.6 percent of votes to the ANC’s 65.9 percent.

The PDP workshop was supervised by Kim Ludbrook, regional photo editor for EPA Photos, an international news agency. Most recently, Kim has covered the inauguration of US President Barack Obama, the xenophobia-related attacks in South Africa and Kenya’s post-election violence. Kim’s work has been featured in a number of publications, including ‘Time’ magazine, ‘The New York Times’, the ‘Guardian’, the ‘International Herald Tribune’ and ‘Le Monde’.

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Recently, photographer Sue Flood was awarded two first place wins at the prestigious 2009 International Photography Awards.  She won first place for the Special Finalist Pro category and first place for the Travel/Tourism Pro category. The International Photography Awards conducts an annual competition for professional, non-professional and student photographers on a global scale, creating one of the most ambitious and formidable competitions in the photography world today.  Her first place wins gives her the opportunity to compete in IPA’s top award of International Photographer of the Year.  Sue is one of eight finalist that will be competing for this award, which will be announced in October 2009. We had a chance to catch up with Sue and hear her story behind her images, what she has been up to, and how she became a photographer.

Before joining Getty Images I spent 11 years as a wildlife filmmaker with the BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol, England.  In 2005 I moved from producer to freelance photography, and my life as a wildlife and travel photographer now takes me all over the world on assignment.  Along with some wonderful trips to Africa in the last few years, I’ve spent lots of time in the polar regions – a combination of filming trips for the BBC, Disneynature’s Earth movie, and working as a lecturer for Quark Expeditions, who run adventure travel trips to the poles.  It’s just as well that I like the cold!

Last fall I spent three months on board the Russian icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov, on an incredible trip to the emperor penguin colonies of Snow Hill Island, and then on to the Ross Sea.  This included the awesome experience of standing on the world’s largest ice barrier – the Ross Ice Shelf, and visiting the historic huts used by Shackleton and Scott.

I was thrilled to hear last week that a portfolio of images from my Ross Sea voyage has been selected as one of the eight finalists for the title of International Photographer of the Year – The Lucie Awards, which will be announced in New York in October 2009.   My favorite shot was the image of passengers standing on top of the Ross Ice Shelf – like tiny ants on the vast icescape – that I managed to grab as the helicopter flew out to pick them up.  However, my favourite subject from the entire three month trip had to be the emperor penguins – the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen in my life (apart from George Clooney!).

I’m looking forward to another three months in the Antarctic starting in October, but I’ll have a chance to thaw out on a three week shoot to Tahiti and Easter Island in September – I can’t wait!  It will be great to be able to pack for a trip and not include thermal underwear in my pack…

- Sue Flood

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Massachusetts Senator and brother of JFK, Edward Kennedy, succumbed to his battle with brain cancer late Tuesday night at his family home.

Family Statement

“Edward M. Kennedy—the husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle we loved so deeply—died late Tuesday night at home in Hyannis Port. We’ve lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever. We thank everyone who gave him care and support over this last year, and everyone who stood with him for so many years in his tireless march for progress toward justice, fairness and opportunity for all. He loved this country and devoted his life to serving it. He always believed that our best days were still ahead, but it’s hard to imagine any of them without him.”

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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

To see more images and footage click here.

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The crescent shaped hotel block that gives Century City its Utopian, modernist character has been at the center of debate over its preservation  for about a year.  Los Angeles developers would like to raze the Century Plaza Hotel to make way for two 600 foot towers.  Though the 40 something year old hotel got a 36 million dollar rehab within the last two years, its fate is uncertain.

Fotos International/Getty Images

David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images

The Los Angeles Conservancy argues that the hotel should be preserved for its historic importance as a prime example of, mid-century modernism, having been designed by Minoru Yamasaki, the architect that also designed New York’s World Trade Towers (below) and their smaller cousins, the Century Plaza Towers (bottom).  The Century Plaza Hotel was nicknamed “The West Coast White House” under Ronald Reagan, having hosted two presidential victory parties. The former president held court in the glassed suites on more than one occasion (above). The Banquet Hall at the hotel hosted scores of Hollywood galas in the from the 1960’s to the 1990’s.

Los Angeles doesn’t have a great track record with preservationists.  Amongst the hundreds of iconic pieces of architecture that have been lost in the city’s strive for progress is The Ambassador Hotel, a sprawling 1920s era complex and the site of Senator Robert Kennedy’s assassination which was razed in 2005 after a lengthy tug of war between the city and preservationists.

Recently, The Los Angeles Times drew attention to the the role that architecture plays in the film, (500) Days Of Summer.  Throughout this film, the cameras turned their fond gaze on those building erected before 1950, embracing the nostalgic character Los Angeles embodies in its framework.

Are these edificial artifacts worth keeping? See more pictures here.

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The Prada Autumn/Winter 2009 collection saw models walking the catwalk during Milan Fashion Week in thigh high boots strongly reminiscent of fishing waders. Do you think anyone will be daring enough to wear them on the red carpet?

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Ava Gardner fashionably wore waders and a bathing suit while standing in the ocean holding a fishing pole in 1942.

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Studs are being seen everywhere and on everything. Possibly to protect herself from Vampires or their fans, Kristen Stewart wore a studded mini to the Teen Choice Awards 2009 held at the Gibson Amphitheatre on August 9, 2009 in Universal City, California.

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Alexa Chung wore a button up shirt adorned with collar studs to the Cinema Society & Hugo Boss screening of ‘Inglourious Basterds’ at SVA Theater on August 17, 2009 in New York City.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images Entertainment

Actress Diane Kruger rocked killer peep toe high heels to the UK film premiere of ‘Inglourious Basterds’ at the Odeon Leicester Square on July 23, 2009 in London, England.

Frank Micelotta/Getty Images Entertainment – Roger Kisby/Getty Images Entertainment

Rihanna channeled Metal band GWAR for her performance at the 2008 American Music Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on November 23, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. GWAR at the Viva La Bam tour at Roseland Ballroom on November 2, 2007 in New York City.

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