Fine Art Photography

Oct

2018

WHY BLACK & WHITE?

Recently Susan and I went to a presentation from a local photographer that works for one of the camera stores. Or should I say computer store, since all he seemed to talk about was the latest computerized camera. This month’s do everything offering. That aside, I really don’t care how you make your photographs. That is your business and this is not another digital versus film discussion. What interests me is the idea of color versus black and white. And it isn’t only my opinion that you will be bored to hear me yap about.

What we saw was about an hour of the presenting photographer’s work. I’ll not even comment on that either. During the presentation there were several examples showing how color photos could be transformed into black and white. This presenter showed several examples of the original, then the black and white, followed by a side by side of the two.

What made my entire day, or should I say evening, was the comment from a couple sitting just behind us. One whispered to the other, “look at how much more detail there is in the black and white.” I could have jumped up and screamed YES! But, of course I didn’t. What I immediately thought was, here is one person in this room of 50 to 60 people that ‘gets it!’

Yep. . . I love black and white!!!

JB

NOTE: The example photo above is not one from the presentation mentioned. It is an example of one of JB’s photographs. Naturally, the depth, feeling and presence of the actual finished B&W print is lost in this representation. Depending on the resolution of your viewing screen, hopefully the idea remains.

Oct

2018

FEELING & TOUCHABILITY; NOT NUMBERS

artificial intelligence (AI)

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

n. Intelligence exhibited by an artificial (non-natural, man-made) entity.

n. The branch of computer science dealing with the reproduction or mimicking of human-level intelligence, self-awareness, knowledge, conscience, thought in computer programs.

n. The essential quality of a machine which thinks in a manner similar to or on the same general level as a real human being.

n. a computer system or software package which is artificially intelligent

HogWash!!! Numbers can not quantify a feeling; I don’t believe that even the most advanced AI will ever replace human emotion. A computer only crunches numbers. . . and only ones and zeros at that. It doesn’t think, it just computes. AI may ‘mimmic’ human thought, but it is not human. It is not capable of emotional intimacy.

This is especially true when it comes to the appreciation, recognition and understanding of art. And in particular, photographic art. Photos have a LOOK, FEEL, PRESENCE. A quality that is extremely difficult to put into words, and impossible to mimic with numbers. You can run tests and plot curves forever, but you will not KNOW for sure what a film, paper, developer combination is really doing until you make a real photograph.

I keep coming back to the same point; you can not calculate feeling. There are some things that just exist and are not possible to be explained by a mathematical expression. They are emotional expressions. . . emotional responses. . . subject to any number of personal preferences of the individual. These preferences are the product of what make each person an individual. You cannot measure these things. . . they are subjective. Think about it; can art really be expressed by numbers???

It is about personal taste. . . Ford or Chevy. . . Coke or Pepsi. . . green or blue. One size does not fit all! What you may find perfectly acceptable in a film developer combination may not suit my taste at all. My father used to say, “that is why they paint cars different colors.”

Don’t get hung up on the numbers and technology. Believe it or not, the computer inside that camera cannot think for you. Let your natural intuition guide you. If the finished photograph looks satisfactory to you, then you are there. If not; try something different. Don’t expect some computer gadget to make that decision for you. And, while you are at it, do not be swayed by another person’s comments. Only you know when it is right. When it feels right; it is right.

JB

Sep

2018

Photo Arts Xchange 2019

Mark your calendar now to attend Photo Arts Xchange 2019, May 3-5!

Are you a serious photographer? Do you regularly make finished prints? Would you like to share your work with other like-minded and serious photographers? Would you like to see what other dedicated photographers are doing? How about a three day meet up to share your work, your passion and your commitment to the art form?

Photo Arts Xchange (PaX) is a unique, first of its kind event created just for sharing your finished photographs. Yet PaX is a different kind of event. This is not the usual technical gathering for discussing processes. There are plenty of workshops that teach photographic technique.

What PaX is about is taking the art of photography beyond the technical and exploring the more demanding aspects of artistic creation. This will be a gathering specifically for print sharing and digging deep into each photographers creative mindset. The focus will center around discussions of creativity and foster camaraderie with others that share your passion for photography.

This will be a three day gathering in Rocky Hill, Connecticut hosted by passionate photographers exclusively for sharing the artistic side of serious image making. Again, this is not a how-to workshop, but a multi-day event solely for the purpose of sharing work and discussing the why of the creation of an artistic statement within a printed photograph.

PaX is a free event. Your participation is simple, in that all you need to do is Register for PaX by going to the PaX website. Participants should bring a sample of their finished, mounted and ready for display images they feel are their best work. Be prepared to talk about and explain your artistic vision and what motivated you to make that image; then bring it to completion as a finished print. Again, this event is different in that the focus is not on the how, but on the why.

We invite all serious image makers to join us in Connecticut May 3-5, 2019 for a groundbreaking new type of serious printmakers weekend of sharing the why of creativity. For more information and to register, drop by the PaX website and follow Photo Arts Xchange on FaceBook.

We hope to see you there!

JB & Susan

Sep

2018

PROCESS AND RESULTS

The scientist is absorbed in the process, while the artist is obsessed with the results.

Brooks Jensen, publisher of LensWork Magazine, tells an interesting story about someone he once knew that had a thirst for photography. Seems this fellow leaped into photography with unchained enthusiasm. He spent many hours, and a lot of money, purchasing equipment and building a darkroom. Then spent even more time learning how to control the process of B&W film and printing. He became an expert at exposing, developing, and printing. He was a master of the equipment and materials. Then suddenly he got rid of all of his photographic equipment and took up another interest. When asked why he said, he could not find anything of interest to photograph. He had nothing to say artistically. He was absorbed in the process, yet discovered he had no interest whatsoever in the results. To quote one of my earlier BLOG posts; Edward Weston said something to the effect that, you should be able to look down at your feet and find something interesting to photograph.

Edward Weston was absorbed in his photography. It was said that he had little interest in anything mechanical. Edward never learned to drive a car. He was totally dependent upon others for transportation. If his camera or other equipment broke, he was helpless to repair any of it. Yet he was a master at operating the camera and in the darkroom. He was obsessed with the results, and understood only enough of the process to achieve his vision.

I have witnessed this phenomenon myself. I have seen those that really believe they wanted to work with big cameras and film. They start off with a bang and end with a fizzle. Creating art really is hard work. You have to master the photographic process, but it is even more important that you have something to say. Don’t become absorbed with the gear and forget that the end product is what really counts. Like baking a cake, it should be about the cake, not the brand of mixer used for the batter. Remember that PROCESS is only a path to RESULTS.

JB

Sep

2018

WHAT CAN WE DO?

Susan and I were recently invited to visit the camera club we were members of many years ago. Back in the days before digital turned camera clubs into computer clubs we were both serious club members. Susan is a past club president and I a past vice president. Over the years this club’s membership has changed and many of the old hands we knew have moved on. The majority of those attending were new faces, but there were quite a few dedicated members we knew from years past.

The meeting brought back fond memories of being in a room with fifty or more like-minded people, all sharing their interest in photography. We had a great time visiting and catching up with what our old friends are up to now days. The group seems to still be motivated, with several photography outings planned and even a few workshops. Of course all they seem to know about is digital, PhotoShop and LightRoom.

What struck me like a bolt from the blue was the remarks that came up when the word film was added to the conversation. Blank faces; jaw drops; and a look of confusion when we mentioned we still shoot film. The same questions came up; you can still get film? When informed that film was still there and gaining in popularity, there was even more silence.

This just dumbfounded me and leads me to question myself. I have to ask, what can I do to get the word out about film? Here we were with a group of motivated photography buffs, and all they seem to be aware of is one single path for photographic expression. This situation begs the question, what can we as dedicated film shooters collectively do to make sure the world knows film is still there? Maybe we should all attend our local camera clubs and try to inform everyone that there is an alternative to being a computer club. If you are interested in the art and craft of photography, there should be a well rounded interest in all forms of visual expression. Film, digital, alternative processes; they are all valid. Even today! Our interest centers around traditional film and wet darkroom and that is what we do. Thing is, others interested can do it too. . . if only they knew it still existed.

Hello World. . . Film Is Not Dead!

JB

Sep

2018

WHAT IS YOUR LEVEL OF DEDICATION?

There is an old photographic saying that goes something like; “if you buy a camera, you are a photographer; if you buy a piano, you own a piano.” No matter what your experience may be with the camera and making photographs, my question for you is, what is your commitment to photography? Are you dedicated to making photographs? Do you make prints? Or, are you only interested in the hardware?

When I think of what a truly dedicated photographic artist would look like, I think of Edward Weston. He lived a very simple life. He was not a camera aficionado. Edward did not have an elaborate darkroom. Yet he created some of the most influential photographs of his time. He was all about the finished image. Certainly he was a master of his technique and the hardware he used. But technique and hardware were only the tools he used to do what he loved.

One trend I find disturbing is that people today do not make prints. There is something very special about a finished print. Whether held in an album, or framed on the wall. Just the act of making a print says there is something special about this particular photograph. It requires, even demands you look! Not a casual glance, but to really take the time to look at what is there.

I don’t care what hardware you use, do you make finished prints? Do you feel your time, money and effort is worthy of making a print? Do you go out and shoot several hundred images, look at them maybe once then discard them? Why not go out with the intention of making only one photograph which you will then take the time to make a finished print from? Why not intentionally go and make only one or two, or three photographs? Then choose the best, and take the time to make a print. Hang it on your wall and live with it. Show it to everyone you know.

Maybe, just maybe if you made prints and did it often, you could influence others to do the same. Why not be different? Why not get out of the rut of snap, look and discard? Why not demand that people look at what you do? Make a statement! Do it to the best of your abilities. Make a finished photograph. . . make several. Be tough on yourself and make photographs that say something to you. If you reach others, then you are doing something worthy. You are expressing yourself and not just flashing something on a little screen to immediately forget and discard.

Why not be a trendsetter? You never know, you might even surprise yourself!

JB

Aug

2018

PRE-SOAK FILM; YES/NO

Here is another one of those subjects that seem to come up and usually divides those that participate in the discussion into two distinct camps. Do you pre-soak your film, or not? For me, there is no other choice when processing sheet film. I process in trays, multiple sheets, using the shuffle method. I have done this for as long as I have been using sheet film. In fact, I have always pre-soaked film, even back in the days I processed 35mm and roll film in a tank. 

A pre-soak is absolutely necessary when using the shuffle method in trays. If you drop a pile of sheet film into the developer dry, you will end up with a pile of film all welded together. Each sheet has to be placed into the pre-soak tray, one at a time, and allowed to sit for a few seconds to insure each is adequately wet before adding the next. Once I have all of the film in the pre-soak, I begin to shuffle, start the timer and continue for a minimum of three minutes. The stack is then lifted out of the tray, allowed to drain, then it is off to the developer.

As a friend has said on numerous occasions, he believes not pre-soaking is only a manufacturer’s way of trying to speed up the process for those that do not want to add an extra step. Pre-soak not only keeps sheet film from sticking together, I believe it allows for more even development, since the emulsion is already wet and prepared to better and more uniformly absorb the chemistry.

I have never seen any ill effect from pre-soak and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone that asks. Though, I am sure there are others that will tell you all about how it is not what should be done. One thing you will notice is the pre-soak water will have some color to it when you turn on the lights. This is simply dye in the film emulsion, and depending on the film, ranges from light blue, to a nice bright green.

 So, pre-soak or not. . . this one is up to you, but if you ask me I would say definitely yes.   

JB

Jun

2018

FILM; STILL ALIVE AND KICKING!

And they said it wouldn’t last! Hmm. . . seems that has been said before. What am I talking about? Well. . . FILM of course! It’s amazing to see the resurgence in the interest in and the use of the worn out old technology of photographic film. Sort of like vinyl records, tube amplifiers, buggy whips and saddles. What becomes old is new again. I honestly had this feeling something like 15-20 years ago when that tired old chant started; Film Is Dead. I didn’t believe it then and now it looks like I was correct in my assessment. I didn’t fall for the sell your film gear now while you can still get something for it. Truth is, we bought even more film gear. And what is happening now? The prices of film photographic equipment is once again rising. All of the manufacturers closed up shop and went chasing after high-tech gizmos. And now, suddenly there is a growing market with a finite supply of hardware. You have to choose what you can find used or refurbished. How could that happen? What is going on in the world of photography?

It’s all because of young people. They grew up with all that techno stuff and one day someone, like me, showed them there is something else. Something different. . . Wow! A different way of seeing, creating, photographing. . . making your artistic statement. The key word is different. Fred Picker used to say, “different is not the same!”

I hear all kinds of comments. Look at the size of that camera! You can still get film for that? You can get film that big? Oh, you make prints? And the look of them! That seems to be something else that is new to the younger generation. I grew up looking at photo albums put together by my family. You didn’t have a little screen to view your snapshots instantly as you made them. You had to send the film off and wait! And those prints you got back in that envelope had value. You didn’t make a thousand snaps and pick one to look at once and then discard. You kept real printed photographs and looked at them over and over. And if one was really special, you had an enlargement made!

Yes the story of film and film cameras has come full circle, just as I had predicted way back in the Film Is Dead days. I said there would be a mass exodus by film and film camera manufacturers. But I also said that film would not go away. There would always be someone out there that would keep making it. Because there are those of us that are not willing to give it up. I predicted there would be someone to fill the niche market. I also predicted the price of film would go up. . . and it has. But, what is the cost of what you love? How can you put a price on that which you have spent most of your life learning, exploring, refining and experimenting with?

Another thing I feel strongly about is knowledge and passing it on to future generations. I feel it is near a responsibility to preserve what you have spent a lifetime learning. This commitment led to the four book series that Susan and I put together and self-published 20 years ago. Those books have been revised and are now available in e-book format. Through our web site and this Blog we have further endeavored to highlight what we do and how we approach photography as an art form.

It’s been an interesting and fulfilling journey to this point and that journey is just beginning. I feel I can now say with confidence, FILM IS NOT DEAD!

JB

May

2018

PYRO DEVELOPERS; SUBTLE YET DIFFERENT

When you go into your darkroom year after year and print your negatives, you slowly become acutely aware of the most minute changes in image quality. It’s this intimate contact with your craft and subject that allows you to see the minute changes that the materials and process make. The prints you made in years past may now seem to be lacking. Even those negatives you were never quite able to interpret into a suitable finished image may somehow come alive when you apply new wisdom and technique. Everything in the chain of events, from the camera to the finished photograph can and will make a difference. Some can make a vast amount of difference; others can be very small. Yet they all add together in the finished print.

When we first started working with Pyro developers it took some time to realize exactly how the different look and feel of the film would translate into the finished print. There are those that say there is no difference between different film developers. They may also say there is no difference in the film you choose. That is like saying there is no difference between Ford and Chevy; no difference between red or white wine. Maybe for some this may be the case. But for those that take the time to really look and absorb the image, there is always a difference. Fred Picker said, “different is not the same!”

Never let the opinion of someone else dictate your choices; either in life or photographically. You need to prove all things for yourself. Never fall prey to hearsay. Test everything for yourself. If you feel the need to explore Pyro developers, by all means take the time to do your own testing. To really know, you have to find the answers for yourself. A quick dabble will not do. You need to establish your personal film speed and developing time. Then go out and make photographs in the real world. And not just a few photographs, but a lot; over time; test; adjust as needed. Give yourself at least a years worth of real photography. Then you will have enough experience to make a really personal and informed decision.

Is there a real difference in a Pyro film developer? This is a question you will have to answer for yourself. Just do not fall into the trap of depending on someone else to make the decision for you. Pyro was good enough for Edward Weston, Morley Baer and many others. If we could only ask them their opinion.

Over the past 20 or so years Pyro film developers have again become popular, with modern reformulations for modern film. John Wimberley, Gordon Hutchings, Sandy King, Jay DeFehr, among others, have done a lot of research and have formulated numerous reincarnations of Pyro film developers, specifically designed for use with modern film. Steve Sherman, Bob Herbst, Michael A. Smith and Steve Simmons have written extensively about Pyro developers and their unique qualities. Susan and I have made our choice based on our own real world experiences. We join with the many others that are also Pyro developer users.

Apr

2018

ILFORD PHOTO ULF CUSTOM FILM RUN 2018

Time to order your Ilford ULF film. You have until Friday 25th May 2018 to place your orders with participating Dealers. Your order will start shipping in August and you should check with your local ULF reseller for expected arrival dates.

This annual campaign allows ULF photographers the opportunity to order selected sizes of ILFORD sheet film and other specialist products without the constraints of the usual minimum order quantity.

You will find more information HERE.