Sunday, February 27, 2005
More on the potential photo ban in New York Subways: Overexposed? NYC Weighs Subway Photo Ban
My plan for spring is to get the Zero Image 6x6 Pinhole camera soon. The end of March we'll go to the Badlands in South Dakota for some holga and pinhole shooting. I'm sure there'll be a Duluth/North Shore trip as well. I'm planning to then get a Mamiya RB 67 to keep shooting the Lake Superior area. I hope by the end of summer or fall to get up to Canada along the lake. I was hoping for a Big Bend trip, but that will have to wait.
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If you didn't know, The Donnas are the greatest. They're playing at Stubb's on the 16th in Austin TX, wwwwwaaaaaaaa, I wanna go!
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If you didn't know, The Donnas are the greatest. They're playing at Stubb's on the 16th in Austin TX, wwwwwaaaaaaaa, I wanna go!
Here's a NY Times article with a Jeff Mermelstein photo (click to enlarge the photo because it's cropped). It's fun to see good/interesting/nontraditional photographers pop up in the NY Times. I really think Mermelstein is influenced--oh, sorry, informed by Weegee to a degree. Mermelstein seems to be the hottest street shooter currently. Somewhere in the archives of WFMU Radio there's a good interview with him.
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Printing, matting, spotting, packing, mailing--that's what I've been up to. Made a few sales on eBay. Last night I printed a couple Holga images 11x14. I like 'em. I'm going to try 16x20 soon. If it works, like why wouldn't it, it'll only get blurrier, I'll start offering them on ebay matted to 24x30 inches. Oooh, that's almost sofa size! I did just list a batch of matted 11x14 photos in my eBay Store.
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I have been shooting and should have some new eyecandy sometime in the next couple of days.
Okay, here's something I never actually printed, until last night, I had only scanned it a couple years ago.
Verrazano Bridge - Brooklyn, New York - 2002 - Holga
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Printing, matting, spotting, packing, mailing--that's what I've been up to. Made a few sales on eBay. Last night I printed a couple Holga images 11x14. I like 'em. I'm going to try 16x20 soon. If it works, like why wouldn't it, it'll only get blurrier, I'll start offering them on ebay matted to 24x30 inches. Oooh, that's almost sofa size! I did just list a batch of matted 11x14 photos in my eBay Store.
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I have been shooting and should have some new eyecandy sometime in the next couple of days.
Okay, here's something I never actually printed, until last night, I had only scanned it a couple years ago.
Verrazano Bridge - Brooklyn, New York - 2002 - Holga
Friday, February 25, 2005
A review of "André Kertesz" at the National Gallery of Art, on the National Mall in DC--Unmasking a Chameleon of the Lens
"Working more from the heart, you don't see the things you photograph, you feel them." --Kertesz
"Working more from the heart, you don't see the things you photograph, you feel them." --Kertesz
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Some very nice Pinhole Photography from Mexico.
Just thought I'd share... I was reading the Social Security Administration/Internal Revenue Service Reporter--I do billing and payroll for a company (one of my "jobs") so I got to keep up on this important stuff. The IRS proudly announced that it's updating one of it's forms. "Each line of the form was critically reviewed. In addition, IRS brought in "plain language" contractors to help ensure the form and accompanying instructions are clear and easy to understand." What's a "plain language" contractor, and can I be one? What are the qualifications? To speak plainly? I want to do that. Doesn't the IRS have employees who speak plainly who could have helped the lawyers write the new form. No matter how many "plain language" contractors they employ, I'm sure the form will still be unintelligible.
Monday, February 21, 2005
Artist's Point 2, Grand Marais, Minnesota, 2004
Iced Rocks, Grand Marais, Minnesota, 2004
Reeds, Plymouth, Minnesota, 2005 - holga
Looking at the Grand Marais photos makes me realize I need a bigger camera for doing this type of picture. Can you image how beautiful the ice would be with an 8x10 contact print! It was amazing. I'm realizing to best capture this beauty bigger is better.
To my thinking, northeast Minnesota is one of the most beautiful places in the U.S. and I don't want to regret not making the most of it. It's like the time we went to Big Bend in Texas for a few days and all I had was a Holga camera.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Sorry about the lack of new images here. I've been preoccupied with getting stuff listed on ebay. But I will be printing tonight and I've got a couple of new holga rolls to contact and maybe there's some winners. I've made a few recent sales on ebay so that's a good feeling. I sure enjoy sharing my photos with people and making a bit of money ain't bad either.
Online and ebay sales of Big Bend parcels for cheap. The Desert-Mountain Times - Internet land rush leaves local government officials worried -- I've seen these auctions on ebay. It makes you think about buying some property, just so you have a nice place to gather rattlesnakes and scorpions when you're in the mood.
I just started reading a book about the history of Big Bend National Park. It makes me want to visit again.
I just started reading a book about the history of Big Bend National Park. It makes me want to visit again.
Friday, February 18, 2005
I realize some of my posts might not make the best of sense--but that's kind of fun. About picture taking in NY with the view camera: I'd go out before daylight/dawn and get to where I wanted to shoot as it got light. Then shoot when it was light. 6am on a Sunday in NY is pretty quite.
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I'm slowly getting back into selling my photos on ebay. I just set up my ebay store and will start adding photos over the weekend. Currently I've got about 60 images for the store. I'm offering 8x10 unmatted and matted prints and 11x14 matted prints.
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I'm slowly getting back into selling my photos on ebay. I just set up my ebay store and will start adding photos over the weekend. Currently I've got about 60 images for the store. I'm offering 8x10 unmatted and matted prints and 11x14 matted prints.
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Been thinking about what kind of real camera to get--medium format or view camera. Since I've been thinking about view cameras, here are a few 4x5 contact prints:
The top is part of the New York State Pavilion and the second and third image are of the Unisphere from the 1964-65 World's Fair at Flushing Meadow - Corona Park in Queens, NY. During 2000 and 2001 I would get up before daylight on Saturday or Sunday and explore NYC to take pictures with my 4x5 and 5x7 view camera. Lots of interesting sites and some decent shots.
The last two pictures are from Chicago in the mid 80s. Second to the last is at Oak Street Beach in the winter, yes that's Lake Michigan in the background. The bottom one is a greenhouse in Lincoln Park--is it still there? For awhile I would wander Chicago in the middle of the night, shooting until the sky would lighten. That was some fun and scary. I think I would pick places to explore that were a bit scary in hopes other people would be too scared to go there so I wouldn't have to run into anyone. Also, winter was a good time to minimize human contact.
I remember when I started shooting during the day with the view camera, I was so pleasantly surprised how easy it was because each exposure didn't take at least 15 minutes.
The top is part of the New York State Pavilion and the second and third image are of the Unisphere from the 1964-65 World's Fair at Flushing Meadow - Corona Park in Queens, NY. During 2000 and 2001 I would get up before daylight on Saturday or Sunday and explore NYC to take pictures with my 4x5 and 5x7 view camera. Lots of interesting sites and some decent shots.
The last two pictures are from Chicago in the mid 80s. Second to the last is at Oak Street Beach in the winter, yes that's Lake Michigan in the background. The bottom one is a greenhouse in Lincoln Park--is it still there? For awhile I would wander Chicago in the middle of the night, shooting until the sky would lighten. That was some fun and scary. I think I would pick places to explore that were a bit scary in hopes other people would be too scared to go there so I wouldn't have to run into anyone. Also, winter was a good time to minimize human contact.
I remember when I started shooting during the day with the view camera, I was so pleasantly surprised how easy it was because each exposure didn't take at least 15 minutes.
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Here's some new stuff...
Plastic Ribbon - Plymouth, Minnesota - 2004 - Holga
White Stripes - Minneapolis, Minnesota - 2004 - Holga
Cattails & Tree - New Hope, Minnesota - 2005 - Holga
Cattails 2 - New Hope, Minnesota - 2005 - Holga
Cattails 3 - New Hope, Minnesota - 2005 - Holga
I feel good about these. One thing is they are all recent. No 2002 images. I do still have undeveloped film from then, but I've vowed to myself to just work on current pictures for awhile. Some of these are using the holga with the 2 foot focus modification. I don't know if it actually focuses at that distance, but it kind of does and it gives a different look that I like. Also I pushed the cattail film a stop, which really helped, and it also brought up the grain a bit which I like.
Plastic Ribbon - Plymouth, Minnesota - 2004 - Holga
White Stripes - Minneapolis, Minnesota - 2004 - Holga
Cattails & Tree - New Hope, Minnesota - 2005 - Holga
Cattails 2 - New Hope, Minnesota - 2005 - Holga
Cattails 3 - New Hope, Minnesota - 2005 - Holga
I feel good about these. One thing is they are all recent. No 2002 images. I do still have undeveloped film from then, but I've vowed to myself to just work on current pictures for awhile. Some of these are using the holga with the 2 foot focus modification. I don't know if it actually focuses at that distance, but it kind of does and it gives a different look that I like. Also I pushed the cattail film a stop, which really helped, and it also brought up the grain a bit which I like.
Friday, February 11, 2005
The theme for Photo Friday is Luscious. All I can think of are things related to females, whipped cream, chocolate and ice cream and not necessarily all mixed together--but that's a possibility. I think I'll take a pass this week. Anyway Holga and luscious don't seem to go together.
So this is what Minneapolis is like--I always wondered... Remember I don't get out much. I did go to Murray's many years ago--very cool place and esspensive. Well, my son does allow me to leave once a week or so. Yes, the Mall of America is super freaky, there is now an IKEA next door to it, which looks puny in size compared to the Grand Canyon of malls (I would put links to all this but I'm running out of time--I'm very busy). And yes it gets rather cold in the winter. I'm getting a bit concerned that I am reacclimating to the winter weather, it's not seeming so bad this winter. (oh and I did develop some film last night and the fix did work--I tested it first. Looks like some good stuff--maybe--we'll see).
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Wondering where the new photos are? What, you expect daily photos. Man, I'm practically a shut-in. I don't walk to the subway in NYC with all these interesting things to take pictures of with my digital camera and then upload them on my arrival home from my exciting job in Manhattan. Like I said I'm practically a shut-in and I use film and photo paper. Bear with me, anyways the TV shows have been especially good lately so I keep blowing off developing film. Maybe tonite, but there is a new ER tonight and I get sleepy after 10pm. I'll try to get the film done. Oh and tomorrow is Friday so I'll have to dig up an old photo for PhotoFriday. Or...maybe I could even take a photo, like an assignment, for PhotoFriday. I was thinking of borrowing my brother's digital camera and take some pics with that and post--hee hee hee. Anyway, hopefully I'll have some stuff by Saturday AM.
The other thing that's annoying me and making me put off doing film is the Ilford fix I got only stays good a week after it's been mixed, which I thing is a bunch of crap. Most fix has a long shelf life. Oh well, waa waa waa.
(wow the spell checker offered 'footbridge' for PhotoFriday).
The other thing that's annoying me and making me put off doing film is the Ilford fix I got only stays good a week after it's been mixed, which I thing is a bunch of crap. Most fix has a long shelf life. Oh well, waa waa waa.
(wow the spell checker offered 'footbridge' for PhotoFriday).
I was looking for Daido Moriyama books and this Japanese blog on photography books had some write ups of two of his books so I used the google translator--I don't know which is harder, trying to read Japanese or the translated version. And of course these are only available in Japan. I found another site that published two of his books and I've emailed them, everything on their order page was Japanese as well. Is anyone out there traveling to Japan soon so they can pick me up some of his books?
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
I'm sure this relates to photography somehow: I got my Black Cat T-shirt at a stand in Bayou La Batre, Alabama, but you can get yours at the Black Cat Fireworks Store.
Yesterday was Fat Tuesday, I wish I could have spent it in Mobile for Mardi Gras. Here's a site with what looks like every Mardi Gras website on the net.
In honor of Mardi Gras eat a Moon Pie today!
Happy Chinese New Year!
In honor of Mardi Gras eat a Moon Pie today!
Happy Chinese New Year!
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Canada or Bust! - A friend and I talk about this idea regularly. Canadian Alternative--find out why Canada is the perfect alternative for conscientious, forward-thinking Americans. Some very interesting information to lure you across the border.
Pole Grass Bolt - Plymouth, Minnesota, 2004 - Holga
Pole Sky Bolt - Plymouth, Minnesota, 2004 - Holga
These were shot in November or December.
Sunday, February 06, 2005
I've seen a couple of '8x10 view camera contact print on platinum palladium or AZO only photographers' dabbling in the use of the holga camera. The funny thing, at least to me, is they aren't printing with an enlarger. They are scanning the negatives and one is printing "giclees" which we all know are inkjet prints, and the other is scanning the negatives, making a digital negative with an inkjet printer from the scan and then making a platinum palladium print! And what's even better, these guys kind of put that contact printing purist thing out there to charge more for prints and to get above the fray of the commoners who don't contact print. They would never say this or admit to it, but it's implied in their information. And now these two photogs are using scanners and inkjet printers. Hey, I'm all for changing things up and experimenting. Hmmm, maybe their jumping on some kind of holga cult bandwagon. I'm not showing a link to them because I think their holga pictures are run of the mill.
Hey, if you're bored send these people a nasty letter telling them to stop sending spam. It's one of those envelope stuffing scams. Something like 'we know where you live...'
Send Envelopes
3325 Lorna RD 2-357
Birmingham, AL 35216
Send Envelopes
3325 Lorna RD 2-357
Birmingham, AL 35216
& Company Inc - Greenpoint, Brooklyn, 2002 - Fuji GW690II
This picture is from the batch of negatives I shot in New York that I'm going to be going through to make the new NY section of the website.
The lens on that Fuji camera is so sharp and the added negative size doesn't hurt--it gives such a crisp image. It really makes me realize I need at least a 6x7 medium format camera again. While I love shooting with the holga and I'll be doing that for a long time, there are certain photos I like to take that have to have lots of detail and sharpness.
The easy fix would be a Mamiya RB67, but I've also been pondering getting a 4x5 view camera (which includes getting another enlarger...). None of this will be happening for a few months I gather. I've got enough shooting and new and old negatives to keep me occupied for some time.
The thing that's tantalizing about getting a 4x5 is the ability to make 16x20 or 20x24 prints that have lots of detail. Yes, I can print medium format negatives that size, but they loose something. When you print big it's nice to have the detail so people can "get into" the print as they view it close up. At that size with lots of detail, you see things you would normally not--which is one of the magical things about photography--the ability to capture things the eye cannot see.
Saturday, February 05, 2005
I redid the section of Minnesota & Lake Superior photos. Sometime in the next couple of weeks I'll be adding photos I took in New York, some in the Catskill Mountains and some from Brooklyn in 2002 and 2003.
Since I've been busy with the website I haven't done much printing. I should tomorrow night or tonight. Depends on if I want to do film or print.
Since I've been busy with the website I haven't done much printing. I should tomorrow night or tonight. Depends on if I want to do film or print.
Friday, February 04, 2005
FORTUNE RECORDS PLATTER PARTY!
6-8 PM Saturday, February 5
WFMU 91.1 FM (in NYC) or www.wfmu.org.
Norton Records Billy Miller and the inestimable Lenny Kaye (a/k/a Link Cromwell, hepsters!) join Rex on the Fool's Paradise radio show for a two hour singles spin session all from Detroit's revered Fortune Records label. Rock the universe with wild screamers, cool dreamers and outer space moon beamers! Dig a special tribute to the great Nolan Strong and the Diablos with a phone in tribute to Nolan from Andre Williams. Tune in for part one it's reallly clickin'!
Fool's Paradise is a great rock and roll radio show--they spin the old stuff. And you can get it on the internet as an archive or live.
6-8 PM Saturday, February 5
WFMU 91.1 FM (in NYC) or www.wfmu.org.
Norton Records Billy Miller and the inestimable Lenny Kaye (a/k/a Link Cromwell, hepsters!) join Rex on the Fool's Paradise radio show for a two hour singles spin session all from Detroit's revered Fortune Records label. Rock the universe with wild screamers, cool dreamers and outer space moon beamers! Dig a special tribute to the great Nolan Strong and the Diablos with a phone in tribute to Nolan from Andre Williams. Tune in for part one it's reallly clickin'!
Fool's Paradise is a great rock and roll radio show--they spin the old stuff. And you can get it on the internet as an archive or live.
Thursday, February 03, 2005
While my post from Monday is true, I do want a pinhole camera, that idea is what I like to call a photo daydream: 'A fanciful notion or plan,' but better yet, 'a visionary fancy indulged in while awake.' --Then my whole life is a daydream. I do want a pinhole, but I really need to spend money on film and paper to unearth more holga pictures.
I am getting better at stopping my photo daydreams. I guess I get bored with the holga sometimes or bored and frustrated with its shortcomings. I don't know if you've noticed but it is made of plastic and has a plastic lens so sometimes the photos don't turn out the way you plan. But I must say that I have gotten pretty good at seeing how a holga takes pictures (or maybe I just need new glasses or is that my glaucoma kicking up). So, while I get my fanciful notions I am able to rein myself in and keep sticking with the holga.
Why do photographers have such a gear fetish? Even I have it, luckily anything over $100 is out of my price range, so that narrows it down some.
I am getting better at stopping my photo daydreams. I guess I get bored with the holga sometimes or bored and frustrated with its shortcomings. I don't know if you've noticed but it is made of plastic and has a plastic lens so sometimes the photos don't turn out the way you plan. But I must say that I have gotten pretty good at seeing how a holga takes pictures (or maybe I just need new glasses or is that my glaucoma kicking up). So, while I get my fanciful notions I am able to rein myself in and keep sticking with the holga.
Why do photographers have such a gear fetish? Even I have it, luckily anything over $100 is out of my price range, so that narrows it down some.
Whacky! When the Sous-Chef Is an Inkjet
"We can create any sort of flavor on a printed image that we set our minds to," Mr. Cantu said. The connections need not stop with things ordinarily thought of as food. "What does M. C. Escher's 'Relativity' painting taste like? That's where we go next."
Food critics have cheered, comparing Mr. Cantu to Salvador Dali and Willy Wonka for his peculiarly playful style of cooking. More precisely, he is a chef in the Buck Rogers tradition, blazing a trail to a space-age culinary frontier. --NY Times
"We can create any sort of flavor on a printed image that we set our minds to," Mr. Cantu said. The connections need not stop with things ordinarily thought of as food. "What does M. C. Escher's 'Relativity' painting taste like? That's where we go next."
Food critics have cheered, comparing Mr. Cantu to Salvador Dali and Willy Wonka for his peculiarly playful style of cooking. More precisely, he is a chef in the Buck Rogers tradition, blazing a trail to a space-age culinary frontier. --NY Times
Some interesting thoughts on Daido Moriyama (who I love) and nobuyoshi araki.
Lots of Joel Meyerowitz interviews.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
My stats for January: an average of 301 individual sessions per day and 438 page views per day on average. It keeps growing. 16% of the views are at the blog main page, 55% go to the 10 most popular pages and the rest is spread out all over the site.
