Laura Jane Coulson’s Pleasing Is A Compelling Ode To The Ordinary

The ability to see the potential for a strong photograph in any ordinary situation is a specialized skill. In Pleasing, Coulson achieves this abundantly—organizing graphic elements like line, shape, texture, and form together to make compelling compositions. The title is an appropriate adjective to describe Coulson’s work, where shots of glistening ocean waters are interspersed amongst images of shadows cast against objects and floors, while plastic bags of fruit compost sit alongside portraits of the backs of people’s heads and bodies. Pleasing is published by Libraryman, and is the final installment of the quarterly series titled Seasons Series, drawing inspiration from Kim Ki-Duk’s seminal film Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring. Previously, we have featured the autumn monograph published by Libraryman, which is Finnish photographer Osma Harvilahti’s Ethiopia. Pleasing is available for purchase here.