Robbie Becklund Photography

Last night at 4:30ish a.m. I was woken by much yelling in the hall of our apartment. I soon realized one very frustrated neighbor had had it with our noisy neighbors. Eventually the police came, but the yammering went on between the noisies and the police. The cops made two comments that stick in my head as kind of humerous. Cops have to employ some humor or I'm sure they would go crazy. After one of the noisies claimed that the upset neighbor hit him, the police said, "he's in his boxers and she's (his wife, who I guess was in the hall, I didn't check) in her nightgown, I don't think they're the problem." And the cops made a very astute judgement regarding the fact that the noisies are still able to live in our building (the police have visited them repeatedly on noise complaints), "For some reason management won't kick you clowns out." Quite a stimulating early morning, had a hard time getting back to sleep though.

Click Here! and scroll down the page for "Patient's-Eye View" and click that link for photos of photojournalist Art Shay's own surgery. (I don't know a way to directly link to these slide shows). It's in the NY Times Magazine. Along with a story with a big smiling picture of Pedro Martinez of the Mets (sorry Paul).

Jim Jarmusch -- The Last of the Indies -- with a number of quotes from Tom Waits and Bill Murray--geniuses all.

Deer and Rocks, Duluth, Minn. - 2005 - Holga

Ron Slattery combs the streets of Chicago and photos the great signs and paintings around the city. I love checking out his pics.

Boy, it sure is nice being busy with photo related stuff to do. And knowing I'll be busy through Sunday getting things done and out the door is pretty cool, much better than some of the dulldrums I've experience. Of course I've got that pesky regular employment to attend to, but the fact remains it's a nice feeling.

Not sure if I mentioned this, but I fixed my bedroom/darkroom to be impervious to sunlight (there are side benefits to the bedroom/darkroom combo). In the past I could print at night, now for the first time since I can remember I can print when the sun is out! Nice change of pace printing during the day than late at night when I'm tired and fretting about getting up at 6am.

A couple of days ago I read an article by Mark Sink on the Diana camera, which is similar to the Holga camera in that they are both all plastic and looked at his website.

Also, I looked at images fromNancy Rexroth's book "Iowa" that were taken with a Diana camera in 1970-76.

I don't know what happened, I got real bummed out about Holga photos. I guess I thought, great, people have been taking this kind of picture for decades, what am I doing it for. Maybe because it's so trendy now. Maybe because I thought I was doing something different. Maybe because sometimes I think it's gimmicky or too easy. I don't know. And I know that people have been using the Diana camera for a long time and that I'm not doing anything new or groundbreaking. But it kind of shook me up. Anyway, I'm fine now, I still love, like, tolerate, adore my Holgas.

Even the pinhole camera is in a resurgence and it is the oldest form or photography.

Here's a pretty cool comment about the Diana camera which applies to the Holga now.

"The Diana questions many photographic axioms, such as "a photograph must be sharp," "a photograph must have maximum detail," and "a photograph must possess a complete range of tones to be considered good." The Diana challenges the photographer to see beyond the equipment and into the image.

"This camera also is easy to use. There is no need to use a light meter or to calculate shutter speeds and f-stops.

"Finally, the Diana summons up the Dadaist traditions of chance, surprise, and a willingness to see what can happen. This lack of control can free you from worrying about doing the "right" thing and always being "correct." Since the Diana is a toy, it allows you to look and react to the world with the simplicity and playfulness of a child."

--Hirsch, Robert, Photographic Possibilities, Boston: Focal Press, 1991, pp. 141-3.

It's been a little over two years that I have been really trying to sell my photos. I've used art fairs, my website and eBay. For fun, I counted how many limited edition prints I've sold, so far it's 205 (my 5x7 sized prints are not limited, I don't know how many of those I've sold). While it's a nice number, it's nothing I can make a living at. Much of the time I'm just covering my costs. Either I need to sell at higher prices or sell a whole bunch more if I'm to make this into a self-supporting thing.

Lucha Libre, Bolivian style Check out the slide show for some more pictures.

Soon you can see lots and lots of photos!

I guess I better not call this a photo blog--that infers that there are photos posted here...

I have been kind of busy. Selling some work, with potential orders being worked on and getting images ready to submit for publication (I'll give more info if I'm actually going to get in the publication). Also, submitting a larger framed holga image for the Minnesota State Fair Art Show--it's huge, the show that is, gotta print and frame that by next week. And, just got back from an auction preview that might have some good photo equipment I might be able to use.

I find that I get self doubt regarding my photography and whether it's any good at times and that can derail my progress. Right now I don't have that though. But I do find that when things start to get busy, like they are seeming to right now--it kind of creeps up on me and all of a sudden I realize I'm busy. I notice when this happens, I have a tendency to put the brakes on things. I know why this happens, along with trying to make this photo thing go, I've got two part time jobs and other miscellaneous odd jobs I do for people, like lawn mowing, painting, etc. Oh, and I've got an 8 year old kid to tend to as well. So I get a little freaked out when everything starts going at the same time. And, tonight we have to watch the Tour de France on OLN of course.

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Got a nice mention on Alyson Stanfield's blog, she's an artist marketing consultant, with a great weekly newsletter and online classes, and she posted one of my pics as well.

Cultured Meat...Tissue Engineering...You say Potato I say Potato--But is it safe for vegitarians. Maybe it's the scientists who have Mad Cow Disease. I just want to know if In Vitro meat will bring down the cost of pork chops--whoa daddy, pork chops without the bone.

Shot a couple of rolls today as I took my son hunting for graffiti to check out--he really digs the stuff. Wandered around the old Glenwood Springs buildings and grain elevators in Minneapolis. The grain elevators and connected buildings are huge and open. My son wondered if there was a way to get up to the top of the grain elevators to check out the coolest graffiti, which of course, is at the top of the buildings. I explained we would have to go inside and climb up through the buildings to get to them--he decided it would be best to stay outside and look from the ground (I wouldn't have taken him--he's eight). I let him take pictures of the graffiti with my Holga. He's wanting a Holga of his own (but guess who would have to develop the film and guess who's having a hard enough time doing his own film).

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At times I get frustrated just using the Holga camera. It does have some short comings ya know. But the more I think about it, I really identify with using the Holga and doing traditional black and white. Photography has always been a gear geek medium, but with the advent of digital it is out of control. It has become so expensive and techie oriented. Even used medium format cameras are very expensive. Hell, photography is expensive.

The more I think about it, the more I realize or have decided that part of my "thing" is that I am using the holga, not just because I like the image quality, but because I like the simplicity of it and it is a reaction against the consumeristic nature of photography now. Photography has really become like so many things in our culture, you have to get the latest and greatest and obsolescence is built into the products with the constant upgrades.

My heart and thoughts go out to you in London after the terrible bombings this morning.

I just completed this "Cattail triptych" for a friend. It measures 13x33". One feels quite a sense of accomplishment AND RELIEF after cutting the third opening and not screwing it up!