The Rushes - work from the small camera

Saturday, January 18, 2014

From the little camera...

I'm not sure that I even like cameras. Don't misunderstand me, I really like the things when they just go. And, I love that they produce images that, when I get the thing pointed in the right direction, interest me.

Policy approaches like "you can't interact with a portrait subject using a 200mm lens," or, "HCB said...." or, you know, those folks that trot out the literal, (read: dictionary) definition of 'photography' -- not my bag.

See something interesting, pick up the camera, look through the finder and organize the visual elements and select your point of focus, depth of field and exposure. Seems like an interesting way to work. It's sort of the only way I know how to work other than lighting people against a backdrop.

Difficult on assignment. A guy who only works with natural light, in colour, was asked what he does when the weather is bad. He said, "I wait for the light -- my clients understand..." or words to that effect. He's an east coast guy so that takes pretty big ones. But it works. And do you need clear skies for the light to be good?

As a matter of fact, close this page -- in fact, turn the damn computer off and go outside and take a picture of something. As an aside, the above was shot with a broken camera. You really want to know? Email me.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

My new Kodachrome

...the view is malleable. But the view! (And the colour.)

And, in fact, as Albers would have said, the colour is the subject.

One of the challenges in any kind of visual work using colour is getting the colours on the slide or print or canvas to where you want them - or in this case just representing them faithfully. At least with digital you can look and see if you're getting it and that sort of really kicks ass on film. I've shot a lot of slide film with filters, hoping, praying.

I don't talk about cameras. They're all great. I use the normal stuff. But alongside the "normal stuff" I've been shooting a little Fuji X100. Stunning.