Jörg M. Colberg writes about contemporary photography, and is an educator. He was born in Germany and now lives in the United States. He is the founder and editor of Conscientious, a blog dedicated to contemporary fine-art photography. He worked as a research scientist in astronomy from 2002 until 2010 and is now a professor of photography at the Hartford Art School.
Life and work
Colberg studied physics and astronomy at the University of Bonn; he earned a Ph.D. in physics at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics. He moved to the United States in 2000. After a short and unsatisfying experience in the computer programming industry. Colberg returned as a postdoc at the University of Pittsburgh. He discusses and dissects contemporary fine art photography on his blog, Conscientious, started in 2002. In 2009 Source included Conscientious in its list of ten recommended photography blogs; in 2010 Wired said that "Joerg Colberg is a pioneer in photography blogging, and his blog Conscientious maintains a tight editorial voice"; and in 2012 Sean O'Hagan included it among his few most recommended online photography websites and publications. In 2006 American Photo named Colberg one of their Photography Innovators. Colberg is the author of Understanding Photobooks: The Form and Content of the Photographic Book, a guide to making photo-books. He has contributed essays to photography publications, including Foam Magazine, British Journal of Photography, and Creative Review. He has written introductory essays for photography monographs, guest-edited photography exhibitions and photobooks. Along with Andrés Marroquín Winkelmann, Colberg is a founder of the photobook publishing company Meier & Müller.
Understanding Photobooks: the Form and Content of the Photographic Book. London: Focal, 2016. Hardback, ; paperback,.
Publications with contributions by Colberg
Image Makers, Image Takers: the essential guide to photography by those in the know. New York: Thames & Hudson, 2010. By Anne-Celine Jaeger.. Second expanded edition.
Conditions by Andrés Marroquín Winkelmann, Meier & Müller, 2010. Edition of 300 copies. Edited by Adam Barto. Co-published and with an introductory essay by Colberg.
Observed. London: Ivorypress, 2013.. Sixth volume of C Photo. Guest edited by Colberg.
2013 project.Caf́é Royal, 2013.. Includes texts by Colberg, Craig Atkinson, Sarah Bodman and Lawrence Zeegen.
Ostkreuz 25 Jahre. Ostfildern, Germany: Hatje Cantz, 2015. Edited by "Ostkreuz".. With a foreword by Wolfgang Kil and essays by Colberg and Laura Benz. Text in German, English and French.
Tim Richmond: Last Best Hiding Place. Heidelberg: Kehrer, 2015. Edited by Tim Richmond and Lee C. Wallick.. With an essay by Colberg.
Awards
2011: Life.com picked Conscientious for its Photo Blog Awards.
