Friday, February 29, 2008
Shutter, Aperture and Compostion Assignment
Well, after spending three long nights in the darkroom, I think I finally have my six prints completed. I think by the time I got to the sixth one, I was comfortable adjusting the aperture, the exposure time and knowing what effect the filters would have on my prints. They are not perfect, for sure, but came out better than I thought they would. If I have time before next class, after all you youngsters come back from spring break, I might try a couple of things. My paper is getting low so I'll need to replenish before then. I'm already thinking of the next assignment, light and shadow, and am excited at the prospect of experimenting with it. The snow tomorrow should prove beneficial. I think I'll also try photographing my grandson's hockey game this weekend....but I don't quite have the knack for taking motion photos yet...especially shooting through the glass that surrounds a hockey rink. I'll read up on it a bit before I try it. Hope everyone has a good vaca.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Library Assignment
I finally found the stack of monographs (with a little help from a classmate) and began a very pleasant journey. I don't know any photographers or their work so I began by leafing quickly through books while sitting on a step stool in the middle of the aisle. I put aside those that made me hesitate. These were the ones I would peruse further. Among the photographers that compelled me to stop fanning pages were Eugene Atget, Roger Fenton, Jan Groover, Walker Evan and W. Eugene Smith.
Eugene Atget's monograph collection from "I Grandi Fotografi" included woodland and seaside scenes and architectural photos. Both subjects are near and dear to me, especially the architectural ones. I can't tell you how many photos of churches, homes and businesses I have from my vacation in Nova Scotia last year. He also photographed people surrounded by the wares of their trade that were obviously posed, yet somehow natural. One of my goals at the beginning of this class was to do just this, especially when away on vacation. The fact that he did it, I guess, is what made me slow down and pay more attention to the photos.
Roger Fenton's series in "Aperture Masters of Photography" was my next stop. His compositional ability was superb but the way he wove people into them, without obstructing the grandeur of the scene was uncanny. I'm constantly taking photographs of scenery but always hesitate to include 'humans' as I think they will distract from the photo. I can see that is not always the case by looking at his work. He, too, had many architectural photos, especially churches. There was one of two churches, one in the near distant, almost next door, that reminded me of the closeness of the churches I saw, again, on my trip to our Canadian neighbors in NS. Different faiths with a different look in the same neighborhood.
My third stop was a female photographer, Jan Groover, "Photographs". She had many still lifes which I tend to find both pleasing and confusing....sometimes I just don't understand what the artist was trying to say. There were many of hers that caused this same head-scratching. The mix of materials didn't make sense no matter how much I opened my mind. However, she did have a couple of beach scenes, one was a very soft seaside scene where I could just imagine a person had, minutes before, stepped away from the table. Another was so natural that I could almost hear children's laughter as they ran beneath the canopy. I think the most creative of her photographs were the closeups of the people. Rarely did you see their faces; she shot their hands touching and grasping, their feet intertwined, legs crossed. My favorite of these is one of an aged hand holding an infant's; natural, protective, a very soothing photograph.
Walker Evans "First and Last" was stop number four. So many scenes of everyday life. I've spent many days just traipsing around Boston taking pictures of anything that caught my eye (thank God for digital!) and his monograph reminded me of this. The clotheslines with laundry drying, the photos of the bridges using shadow and angle, ordinary people doing ordinary things. He used the available architecture to frame his photos, something I try to be aware of myself. The facial expressions he captured are so real, I don't know how else to describe them. The despondency, the boredom, the feeling of being lost. His ability to get this from these people who knew they were being photographed shows a true talent. From the tenements adorned with fire escapes in New York City to the shanty shacks of Alabama, Evans captured the full range of life in America.
My final destination was W Eugene Smith. He believed in honesty in journalism, a trait that gave him grief in his endeavors as not everyone wants to know the truth. He had many stirring photos that showed a realism in life that few people will ever witness. The one that both saddened and angered me simultaneously was of the KKK. He had many of the KKK, some guys had no issue with pulling back their hoods and being photographed, many remained hidden. There was one that showed a burning cross in the foreground, and in the distance a blurred image of an American Flag centered among a group of KKK members at a rally. The whole photo was a bit out of focus, even the burning cross. Made sense as the backward thinking of these men was totally unclear to me. The American flag amongst the revelers is what made me choose this one. The land of the free and the brave muddied up by a racist mob. I didn't like that they stood behind the symbol of my country spouting hatred. Smith had many photos like this of the KKK. They bothered me because they remind me of the hatred and narrow-mindedness of so many people. The desegregation, the race riots. I attended a local high school where my second day of school in the ninth grade I bore witness to the hatred. It was unnerving, especially in a city where the racial mix was not that unbalanced. We are still there, but its more global, and more violent. My fear is that it will become so everyday that we become desensitized to it. Photographs such as Smith's, where he was willing to stick his neck out and show it like it is, are desperately needed so that we don't lose our ability to feel some empathy for our fellow man, no matter his race or religion. (I could not find the exact photo in the monograph but I did find another of his that is of the same idea.)
Eugene Atget's monograph collection from "I Grandi Fotografi" included woodland and seaside scenes and architectural photos. Both subjects are near and dear to me, especially the architectural ones. I can't tell you how many photos of churches, homes and businesses I have from my vacation in Nova Scotia last year. He also photographed people surrounded by the wares of their trade that were obviously posed, yet somehow natural. One of my goals at the beginning of this class was to do just this, especially when away on vacation. The fact that he did it, I guess, is what made me slow down and pay more attention to the photos.
Roger Fenton's series in "Aperture Masters of Photography" was my next stop. His compositional ability was superb but the way he wove people into them, without obstructing the grandeur of the scene was uncanny. I'm constantly taking photographs of scenery but always hesitate to include 'humans' as I think they will distract from the photo. I can see that is not always the case by looking at his work. He, too, had many architectural photos, especially churches. There was one of two churches, one in the near distant, almost next door, that reminded me of the closeness of the churches I saw, again, on my trip to our Canadian neighbors in NS. Different faiths with a different look in the same neighborhood.
My third stop was a female photographer, Jan Groover, "Photographs". She had many still lifes which I tend to find both pleasing and confusing....sometimes I just don't understand what the artist was trying to say. There were many of hers that caused this same head-scratching. The mix of materials didn't make sense no matter how much I opened my mind. However, she did have a couple of beach scenes, one was a very soft seaside scene where I could just imagine a person had, minutes before, stepped away from the table. Another was so natural that I could almost hear children's laughter as they ran beneath the canopy. I think the most creative of her photographs were the closeups of the people. Rarely did you see their faces; she shot their hands touching and grasping, their feet intertwined, legs crossed. My favorite of these is one of an aged hand holding an infant's; natural, protective, a very soothing photograph.
Walker Evans "First and Last" was stop number four. So many scenes of everyday life. I've spent many days just traipsing around Boston taking pictures of anything that caught my eye (thank God for digital!) and his monograph reminded me of this. The clotheslines with laundry drying, the photos of the bridges using shadow and angle, ordinary people doing ordinary things. He used the available architecture to frame his photos, something I try to be aware of myself. The facial expressions he captured are so real, I don't know how else to describe them. The despondency, the boredom, the feeling of being lost. His ability to get this from these people who knew they were being photographed shows a true talent. From the tenements adorned with fire escapes in New York City to the shanty shacks of Alabama, Evans captured the full range of life in America.
My final destination was W Eugene Smith. He believed in honesty in journalism, a trait that gave him grief in his endeavors as not everyone wants to know the truth. He had many stirring photos that showed a realism in life that few people will ever witness. The one that both saddened and angered me simultaneously was of the KKK. He had many of the KKK, some guys had no issue with pulling back their hoods and being photographed, many remained hidden. There was one that showed a burning cross in the foreground, and in the distance a blurred image of an American Flag centered among a group of KKK members at a rally. The whole photo was a bit out of focus, even the burning cross. Made sense as the backward thinking of these men was totally unclear to me. The American flag amongst the revelers is what made me choose this one. The land of the free and the brave muddied up by a racist mob. I didn't like that they stood behind the symbol of my country spouting hatred. Smith had many photos like this of the KKK. They bothered me because they remind me of the hatred and narrow-mindedness of so many people. The desegregation, the race riots. I attended a local high school where my second day of school in the ninth grade I bore witness to the hatred. It was unnerving, especially in a city where the racial mix was not that unbalanced. We are still there, but its more global, and more violent. My fear is that it will become so everyday that we become desensitized to it. Photographs such as Smith's, where he was willing to stick his neck out and show it like it is, are desperately needed so that we don't lose our ability to feel some empathy for our fellow man, no matter his race or religion. (I could not find the exact photo in the monograph but I did find another of his that is of the same idea.)
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Anxious for Contact Processing
I have my 3 rolls of film developed and sleeved and am very anxious to process the contact sheets. The negatives look pretty good on a light box but only contact sheet processing will tell the real story.
As I sit in a training class (where I'm only here as a consult) I have time to daydream a bit...can't wait for 4:30 so I can begin my long journey to class. My aperture roll and my shutter speed roll were done in 18 degree weather, one on a windy waterfront. But I would rather have done this 5 times in a week than study calculus for even one hour!!
As I sit in a training class (where I'm only here as a consult) I have time to daydream a bit...can't wait for 4:30 so I can begin my long journey to class. My aperture roll and my shutter speed roll were done in 18 degree weather, one on a windy waterfront. But I would rather have done this 5 times in a week than study calculus for even one hour!!
Friday, February 15, 2008
Goodby 'Instant Gratification'
Just as the pinhole camera experience was a test of our patience, the film camera is also, although to a lesser degree. We are so used to taking our digital cameras and snapping away, instantly seeing the results and erasing those that don't measure up, that it is a bit disconcerting to compose the photo, using manual adjustments, snap the picture and then...wait...not knowing if what you saw in the viewfinder is what you'll actually get in the end. But it's a good thing. It's nice to be forced to slow down, think about what you are doing and experience one of the great virtues; patience.
I just took 36 frames of my very small, narrow galley kitchen. I found it to be a great experience, looking for different ways to photograph cabinet handles, cookie jars and refrigerator magnets. I was a bit disappointed when I hit the last frame! I wanted to keep going! I did have to use some extended shutter speeds for a few...I hope I steadied myself and the camera enough....but, I'll have to be patient and wait until I have the chance to run to school and develop the roll.
I just took 36 frames of my very small, narrow galley kitchen. I found it to be a great experience, looking for different ways to photograph cabinet handles, cookie jars and refrigerator magnets. I was a bit disappointed when I hit the last frame! I wanted to keep going! I did have to use some extended shutter speeds for a few...I hope I steadied myself and the camera enough....but, I'll have to be patient and wait until I have the chance to run to school and develop the roll.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Pinhole Experiences
It was nice to read about everyone's pinhole experience. It certainly was a lesson in patience and perseverance! Can't wait to use the manual settings on my camera and see the results.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Pinhole Revelation
Looking at the pinhole photos in class last night I realized that I may be taking my 'business' senses into the darkroom. I saw how nice it was to think more freely and unencumbered. I wished I had gone with one of my initial ideas, which were very simple, but instead went after the still life idea. I like my photos, don't get me wrong, and they depict an activity I do every chance I get (hike) but they lacked a natural creativity, an edginess that makes for a good photograph. I'm sure this natural creativity was there when I was younger, I just need to go back and find it.
I've been told I over-think things sometimes, and this is good when you are in a tough retail environment like I'm a part of everyday, but with photography (or any of the fine arts) you have to let that go some. So I think when I work on these next 3 projects, my goal will be to let things come more naturally, let go of the analysis and the black and white (no pun intended) of the business world and try to unleash the creativity I saw pinned to the wall in class. I may go too far the other way but I figure before the end of the semester, I'll find the right balance.
I've been told I over-think things sometimes, and this is good when you are in a tough retail environment like I'm a part of everyday, but with photography (or any of the fine arts) you have to let that go some. So I think when I work on these next 3 projects, my goal will be to let things come more naturally, let go of the analysis and the black and white (no pun intended) of the business world and try to unleash the creativity I saw pinned to the wall in class. I may go too far the other way but I figure before the end of the semester, I'll find the right balance.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Pinhole Camera Project: Part 1
Well I got the negatives completed tonight. Hannah is correct when she said in her blog that it takes a lot of patience. When you finally nail down the exposure time and distance (and use lots of black tape) its fun to finally see the results. Superbowl Sunday will be pre-empted by the making of the positives. I used up a lot of paper also but no matter, this beats any business course I've taken so far!
:)
:)
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