Going Through My Hard Drive
13 years ago
Showing posts with label M4. Show all posts
Showing posts with label M4. Show all posts
Thursday, April 30, 2009
The thesis is.... the problem of what this is.
"Why" is the most subversive question. Don’t answer it.
Is the 'construction' of a print, something I want to document/include in the thesis?
Do I include contact sheets in the work? Are they my ‘sketches’ or diagrams?
Do I include copies of historical photographs or just my own?
What is the story I am trying to tell?
What does it have to do with architecture?
Where can I show my work? and can I do it in mid-July?
- Talk to Jeff L. about using one of the empty shops along Main Street.
Write about your obsessions....
What about the town fascinates me?
STARE at my photographs and find inspiration/stories within them
What does pattern recognition have to do with my photos/groups of photos?
- Rhetorical structure of photos
- Tarkovsky
- The group is an immediate lesson in how to see one image “This is the quintessential photograph of this one”
What happens with the individual photos?
What am I getting out of this?
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
hmm...
I am still concerned about the connection to architecture.
Very concerned.
I know it's there - I'm just worried that I may not find it in time,
or that I won't be able to verbalize it.
a.
Very concerned.
I know it's there - I'm just worried that I may not find it in time,
or that I won't be able to verbalize it.
a.
...from my daybook...
April 21st 2009
I am a bit anxious about reprinting photographs I already did just b/c they're not on glossy. But I want everything to look cohesive and professional so I guess it has to be done.
First up - 3 mailboxes & open/closed. I remember these being somewhat of a pain to print, so I am not too excited about it.
The first issue seems to be the difference in paper - not just pearl vs glossy. Apparently, every batch of paper can be slightly different because of the chemistry used to produce it.
So no the image, which I thought wold take just 15mins or to reproduce is going to take quite a bit longer - I need to iron all the kinks out.
April 22nd 2009
Yesterday did not go well. I printed two images, neither of which I am satisfied 100% with. The open/closed is a train wreck - not less than 3 issues: I messed up on masking, should have exposed the frame longer and this SPOT appeared out of nowhere. It's on the emulsion side of the negative and I can't get rid of it. Bob has a solution I can use to manually touch up the actual print, so we'll see.
I decided to stay away from 're-printing' anything today and I am printing two brand new images - great train bridge pictures taken from underneath the structure.
I have to admit - the only reason I stuck it out yesterday as long as I did is because of this schedule I've made - I can't fall behind, even a bit, if I want to defend on July 16th.
[part way through printing]
Today is going drastically better - the images in the T1 train bridge series were all taken one after another and have the same subject matter so the exposures are very similar. There will need to be adjustments, no doubt, but I may even accomplish 3 prints today.
Because they were taken in foggy conditions, the atmosphere of these images is every different than others I've printed. I am debating on sacrificing increased contrast (and true blacks and whites) to focus on a wide range of greys.
OR, do I sacrifice detail for a feeling of immensity and power??
[after printing]
The images are great. I am not sure what order I will be presenting the triptych, but I managed to print all three components today, which is excellent. I decided to forget about true blacks and focused, instead, on depth. There is a lot of detail within the structure of the bridge, and I thought it was more important to capture that.
I am a bit anxious about reprinting photographs I already did just b/c they're not on glossy. But I want everything to look cohesive and professional so I guess it has to be done.
First up - 3 mailboxes & open/closed. I remember these being somewhat of a pain to print, so I am not too excited about it.
The first issue seems to be the difference in paper - not just pearl vs glossy. Apparently, every batch of paper can be slightly different because of the chemistry used to produce it.
So no the image, which I thought wold take just 15mins or to reproduce is going to take quite a bit longer - I need to iron all the kinks out.
April 22nd 2009
Yesterday did not go well. I printed two images, neither of which I am satisfied 100% with. The open/closed is a train wreck - not less than 3 issues: I messed up on masking, should have exposed the frame longer and this SPOT appeared out of nowhere. It's on the emulsion side of the negative and I can't get rid of it. Bob has a solution I can use to manually touch up the actual print, so we'll see.
I decided to stay away from 're-printing' anything today and I am printing two brand new images - great train bridge pictures taken from underneath the structure.
I have to admit - the only reason I stuck it out yesterday as long as I did is because of this schedule I've made - I can't fall behind, even a bit, if I want to defend on July 16th.
[part way through printing]
Today is going drastically better - the images in the T1 train bridge series were all taken one after another and have the same subject matter so the exposures are very similar. There will need to be adjustments, no doubt, but I may even accomplish 3 prints today.
Because they were taken in foggy conditions, the atmosphere of these images is every different than others I've printed. I am debating on sacrificing increased contrast (and true blacks and whites) to focus on a wide range of greys.
OR, do I sacrifice detail for a feeling of immensity and power??
[after printing]
The images are great. I am not sure what order I will be presenting the triptych, but I managed to print all three components today, which is excellent. I decided to forget about true blacks and focused, instead, on depth. There is a lot of detail within the structure of the bridge, and I thought it was more important to capture that.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Schedule
Since I found out I can defend as a part-time student, I started a pretty rigorous printing schedule in order to meet my (self-imposed) thesis deadline.
Main Structure
Thursdays to Mondays - printing days (I worked it out so that every day I print one photo, and about two days a week, I print two - I'm hoping as the weeks go on, this will take me less time each day)
Tuesdays - High resolution scanning/writing days
Wednesdays - Meetings with Don & Photography elective
Everyday - researching/reading/taking photos/developing film
Milestones
May 1
30 photos chosen for printing (I have about 25 chosen already)
13 photos printed
May 25
60 photos chosen for printing
34 photos printed
June 4
Rough draft submitted
June 18
Sign-off
Schedule defense
June 20
Last photo printed (#60)
Last set of high-res scanning
June 21-24
Finish formatting thesis
June 25
Hand in 3 copies to Andri
June 26-28
Officially out of commission
June 29- July 10
Begin work full-time
Mount all 60 photographs
July 11-15
Prepare for defense
July 16
Defend
July 17-19
Officially out of commission
July 20-26
Make suggested corrections to thesis
July 27
Submit to GSO
I think this sounds pretty doable, though I'm not sure if I'm not kidding myself.... what do you guys think? I would also like to have an exhibition somewhere around the defense time, though I am not sure how feasible that is now that I am defending much earlier than September.
a.
Main Structure
Thursdays to Mondays - printing days (I worked it out so that every day I print one photo, and about two days a week, I print two - I'm hoping as the weeks go on, this will take me less time each day)
Tuesdays - High resolution scanning/writing days
Wednesdays - Meetings with Don & Photography elective
Everyday - researching/reading/taking photos/developing film
Milestones
May 1
30 photos chosen for printing (I have about 25 chosen already)
13 photos printed
May 25
60 photos chosen for printing
34 photos printed
June 4
Rough draft submitted
June 18
Sign-off
Schedule defense
June 20
Last photo printed (#60)
Last set of high-res scanning
June 21-24
Finish formatting thesis
June 25
Hand in 3 copies to Andri
June 26-28
Officially out of commission
June 29- July 10
Begin work full-time
Mount all 60 photographs
July 11-15
Prepare for defense
July 16
Defend
July 17-19
Officially out of commission
July 20-26
Make suggested corrections to thesis
July 27
Submit to GSO
I think this sounds pretty doable, though I'm not sure if I'm not kidding myself.... what do you guys think? I would also like to have an exhibition somewhere around the defense time, though I am not sure how feasible that is now that I am defending much earlier than September.
a.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Storytelling
When I was interviewed for the program at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture, I was asked the obvious question: Why do I want to study architecture? I barely had to think about it, and I'm not quite sure where the answer came from, but it was what I felt at the time, and believe I would still answer that question similarly if asked today, seven years later.
I said, I wanted to study architecture because I believed "buildings tell stories". Architecture is the result and response of a culture, a history, and a specific time-frame within that history. It tells the story of the architect and all those involved who help shape and design it.
Little did I know, the man asking that question was the school's Iconography professor and the first book he would assign to our incoming first year class would be "the Storyteller".
I have this same reaction to photography, though, now, I would change the wording of my answer. Buildings don't tell us anything, they show us, just like photos. Without captions, a photograph gives you no information - you can't even tell what year or what country it was taken, let alone under what circumstances and what it meant to take that photo or be in the photo itself.
Both architecture and photography are utilitarian practices - architecture provides us with buildings, cities, homes, entire environments to live and work in, while photography documents that life for us, whether to remember, experience or share it. But, at the same time, these two practices enhance our lives and allow us to share with others, what we as a society consider important or worth documenting.
Let's look at architecture for the time being, in the context of my site, Galt, Ontario. The steeples of the town rise higher than anything along the river, creating a beautiful cityscape punctuated with spires. The importance of this was immense at the time of the building of the churches - they were the most important buildings within their Christian community and therefore, nothing could rise above them in hierarchy or in physical form. Recently, it was passed that two new condo towers slated to be built along the river's edge, had permission to, indeed, rise above the church steeples.
Another change within the structure of the town, is the use of existing buildings and the overall use of the town. Dubbed the "Manchester of Canada" in the latter part of the nineteenth century, Galt produced textiles, machine parts and ammunition at a calibre matched by no other town in the country, even her quickly expanding sister-city to the north, Berlin (Kitchener). Her product was shipped to Europe, assisting the British troops during the Crimean War, and even as far as Asia and India. After the industrial revolution & the cessation of passenger train service between Galt and the surrounding areas, the town's buildings slowly began falling into decay.
All is not lost, however, since many of these buildings are now being reinforced and renovated, their old names repainted in crisp, black and white paint on the side, "Tiger Mills" or "The Galt Knife Factory". They have been given new life as condominiums, with 'historical presence and meaning'.
I began photographing this town for different reasons. It made sense practically - I live here and have easy and quick access to my site, and being constantly immersed in the town gives me an insider’s view and perspective. The other reason I began photographing Galt was for the sheer fascination I had with it. The old buildings, the people, the river – it all made for an incredible history, which I read, learned and became very proud of.
I wanted to tell the story of Galt, though for the longest time, was very confused as to what that story was (something I have yet to pin point, though I feel I am getting closer). Was I telling the story of its past and so photographing only the decaying buildings and those which have managed to last all these years? Or was I photographing the story of its future? With the help of the School of Architecture, the Business Improvement Program initiated by the mayor and the whisper of the Venice Biennale making its way across the Atlantic to the small town, Galt was slowly being revived. For the first time in decades, there was a very hopeful future for the town that, in the 70s, disappeared into the large and anonymous collection of other lost towns, known as Cambridge, which in turn was swallowed up by “The Waterloo Region”. The identity, which Galt had worked so hard to achieve and maintain for almost 200 years, disappeared.
I finally settled on simply photographing. I would stop looking for a justification for picture taking, besides my desire to do so, as well, I would stop trying to take an analytical and structured approach to the task of documenting the town. I began to wander streets, not caring particularly where I ended up or how long I was out, as long as I had enough film.
My decision to use 35mm and 120mm film cameras and not digital equipment was automatic. My love of the craft itself drove me to make the decision, though considering the subject is Galt, once a prospering industrial town, it seems very appropriate. It is a manner of production that is based on a meticulous method, utilizing equipment & materials that have not been the primary choice of individuals & industry in decades. This system only succeeds with many man hours, the use of one’s hands (and eyes) and ultimately on skill (which comes only with hours and hours of practice – in the beginning it’s mainly guesswork).
Recently, as the deadline for my thesis approaches, I was directed to begin ‘grouping’ my images. I had attempted such an exercise in a blog entry and it was considered very successful and a good route to take to really identify the patterns in my work. I was pleasantly surprised that photographs, which I had taken months previously, fit in very nicely with those taken just days before – there seems to be a system I am employing, even though I am note aware, yet, of what that system is. As I continued to group the photos, a cohesiveness began to evolve – photos, which I thought were interesting but not anything special, took on a brand new life when placed beside another such, non-descript photo. The power of the pair or group could not be ignored and it is this route that I am taking, attempting to find themes and motifs within my photographs to better understand what story I am trying to tell.
a.
I said, I wanted to study architecture because I believed "buildings tell stories". Architecture is the result and response of a culture, a history, and a specific time-frame within that history. It tells the story of the architect and all those involved who help shape and design it.
Little did I know, the man asking that question was the school's Iconography professor and the first book he would assign to our incoming first year class would be "the Storyteller".
I have this same reaction to photography, though, now, I would change the wording of my answer. Buildings don't tell us anything, they show us, just like photos. Without captions, a photograph gives you no information - you can't even tell what year or what country it was taken, let alone under what circumstances and what it meant to take that photo or be in the photo itself.
Both architecture and photography are utilitarian practices - architecture provides us with buildings, cities, homes, entire environments to live and work in, while photography documents that life for us, whether to remember, experience or share it. But, at the same time, these two practices enhance our lives and allow us to share with others, what we as a society consider important or worth documenting.
Let's look at architecture for the time being, in the context of my site, Galt, Ontario. The steeples of the town rise higher than anything along the river, creating a beautiful cityscape punctuated with spires. The importance of this was immense at the time of the building of the churches - they were the most important buildings within their Christian community and therefore, nothing could rise above them in hierarchy or in physical form. Recently, it was passed that two new condo towers slated to be built along the river's edge, had permission to, indeed, rise above the church steeples.
Another change within the structure of the town, is the use of existing buildings and the overall use of the town. Dubbed the "Manchester of Canada" in the latter part of the nineteenth century, Galt produced textiles, machine parts and ammunition at a calibre matched by no other town in the country, even her quickly expanding sister-city to the north, Berlin (Kitchener). Her product was shipped to Europe, assisting the British troops during the Crimean War, and even as far as Asia and India. After the industrial revolution & the cessation of passenger train service between Galt and the surrounding areas, the town's buildings slowly began falling into decay.
All is not lost, however, since many of these buildings are now being reinforced and renovated, their old names repainted in crisp, black and white paint on the side, "Tiger Mills" or "The Galt Knife Factory". They have been given new life as condominiums, with 'historical presence and meaning'.
I began photographing this town for different reasons. It made sense practically - I live here and have easy and quick access to my site, and being constantly immersed in the town gives me an insider’s view and perspective. The other reason I began photographing Galt was for the sheer fascination I had with it. The old buildings, the people, the river – it all made for an incredible history, which I read, learned and became very proud of.
I wanted to tell the story of Galt, though for the longest time, was very confused as to what that story was (something I have yet to pin point, though I feel I am getting closer). Was I telling the story of its past and so photographing only the decaying buildings and those which have managed to last all these years? Or was I photographing the story of its future? With the help of the School of Architecture, the Business Improvement Program initiated by the mayor and the whisper of the Venice Biennale making its way across the Atlantic to the small town, Galt was slowly being revived. For the first time in decades, there was a very hopeful future for the town that, in the 70s, disappeared into the large and anonymous collection of other lost towns, known as Cambridge, which in turn was swallowed up by “The Waterloo Region”. The identity, which Galt had worked so hard to achieve and maintain for almost 200 years, disappeared.
I finally settled on simply photographing. I would stop looking for a justification for picture taking, besides my desire to do so, as well, I would stop trying to take an analytical and structured approach to the task of documenting the town. I began to wander streets, not caring particularly where I ended up or how long I was out, as long as I had enough film.
My decision to use 35mm and 120mm film cameras and not digital equipment was automatic. My love of the craft itself drove me to make the decision, though considering the subject is Galt, once a prospering industrial town, it seems very appropriate. It is a manner of production that is based on a meticulous method, utilizing equipment & materials that have not been the primary choice of individuals & industry in decades. This system only succeeds with many man hours, the use of one’s hands (and eyes) and ultimately on skill (which comes only with hours and hours of practice – in the beginning it’s mainly guesswork).
Recently, as the deadline for my thesis approaches, I was directed to begin ‘grouping’ my images. I had attempted such an exercise in a blog entry and it was considered very successful and a good route to take to really identify the patterns in my work. I was pleasantly surprised that photographs, which I had taken months previously, fit in very nicely with those taken just days before – there seems to be a system I am employing, even though I am note aware, yet, of what that system is. As I continued to group the photos, a cohesiveness began to evolve – photos, which I thought were interesting but not anything special, took on a brand new life when placed beside another such, non-descript photo. The power of the pair or group could not be ignored and it is this route that I am taking, attempting to find themes and motifs within my photographs to better understand what story I am trying to tell.
a.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Groupings
In preparation for the Mx Reviews this coming Thursday, I am preparing some more 'groupings'. I am hoping this exercise helps me look at my existing photographs in a different light, and possibly be an inspiration for more photographs, either to go into current groups or to add variety. I have noticed I have quite a few train bridge shots, three groups, actually, so I think that topic is sufficiently covered for the time being.
I don't think I can have all of these developed in time for the review, in fact, I'm not sure I want to, so I am going to see about developing as much as I can, preparing my presentation and bringing in a projector to show my work. I'd like to get opinions before developing all these photos, not knowing if they will be included in my final selection.
Please ignore the quality variation in some of these groups - some are scanned prints and others only scanned contact sheets. Also, if you notice, some of the groups contain recent photographs as well as ones taken many months ago. I think this is a good sign that, perhaps, some of the pieces is starting to come together into a coherent work.
I don't think I can have all of these developed in time for the review, in fact, I'm not sure I want to, so I am going to see about developing as much as I can, preparing my presentation and bringing in a projector to show my work. I'd like to get opinions before developing all these photos, not knowing if they will be included in my final selection.
Please ignore the quality variation in some of these groups - some are scanned prints and others only scanned contact sheets. Also, if you notice, some of the groups contain recent photographs as well as ones taken many months ago. I think this is a good sign that, perhaps, some of the pieces is starting to come together into a coherent work.
a.
The train bridge.
This grouping previously included a different photograph. This new photograph is a scan of a final 7"x9" print and I think it is much more successful. I am very happy with this picture.
She is sad and beautiful and I'd steal her if she wasn't chained to the post. But that's probably what makes her so beautiful.
I saw a similarity in composition between these two photographs, though the difference in light might be too much of a distraction... maybe I need a third.
A new addition (of an old photo) to a previous twosome.
Some new, some old photos... backyards.
A large house up on the hill.
Collections.
Here are two of the newest contact sheets & some images from them which were not included in the groupings.
This one was really just for me.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Update.
The last three days:
Wednesday: Printed a train bridge picture on glossy paper - looks great. I'm happy with the glossy paper decision. I'm up to seven finals... though six have to be redone on glossy. It should go relatively quickly.
Thursday: Lost a day due to dizziness... bad timing. Bought a pack of glossy paper though, and a binder & plastic inserts to hold the finals so they don't get ruined. Everything is much more organized now.
Friday: Back in the darkroom today. Printing the public school diptych. Hoping to catch up on lost time. Going to reprint the train image today too... I don't think I need it for Mx reviews as it doesn't really have a pair or group yet, but it won't hurt. It should be pretty easy since I have everything writting down.
Saturday and Sunday will be write-offs... I'm beginning to panic slightly for Mx reviews...
a.
...from my daybook...
April 4
After speaking to Bob, I learned there is no easy solution to my park picture. Branches against skies (I'm sure) will be the bane of my existence forever.
The only way to solve the problem is to individually spot burn the main white areas while avoiding, as best I can, the larger branches.
So, that's what I did yesterday. I admit it looks muhc better than before, but I think it still needs some work.
[after printing]
Very overwhelmed and furstrated right now. I started printing this image and it did not go well. I don't think I have the skill set to print this image yet... not this large.
Got a pep talk from Sach... I'm going to do a different image.
[1.5hrs later]
I think I've successfully printed an image. This one was much easier - not nearly as much contrasting areas. No more sunny days! I am quite happy with the result of this one. I even listened to my gut and slightly reframed the picture, bringing the right side to hug the plant a little more. I felt the plant was getting lost and it's one of my favourite things about this picture.
There are seventy-six day sleft of my 100, or 97 if I give myself until the very end of June. However way I look at it, there isn't much time left and I have printed finals of only five images...
April 8
Developed two rolls today. They look pretty good - might be some interesting shots on there. Going to work on the contact sheets today and one train bridge print. I'm trying to get some ready for the Mx Reviews. I'm also done my bulk roll of film. I might have 12 or so pictures worth of film left. Aleks is picking me up four rolls of 120mm film for this weekend, so I'll focus on that for a while. Maybe some groups could contain both sizes of pictures?
I am still facing the dilema - glossy or pearl? I have always printed on pearl... I like that the paper is somewhat unassuming and not show-offy. Glossy paper also tends to glare if not observed under the right condition and at the right angle. BUT, it does look really sleek and the contrast pops more. The blacks are definitely true blacks. I'm going to have to decide quickly before I print too many more finals. Redoing 7 or 8 isn't a huge deal... 20 or more is a bit redundant.
Spoke with Bob... glossy paper it is.
[back tracking]
A couple day sago I printed the bookstore front window. It looks pretty nice - and is a nice partner to the front door/mailbox/plant image I printed a couple days earlier. I'd liek to get a third to go along with this group/theme.
After speaking to Bob, I learned there is no easy solution to my park picture. Branches against skies (I'm sure) will be the bane of my existence forever.
The only way to solve the problem is to individually spot burn the main white areas while avoiding, as best I can, the larger branches.
So, that's what I did yesterday. I admit it looks muhc better than before, but I think it still needs some work.
[after printing]
Very overwhelmed and furstrated right now. I started printing this image and it did not go well. I don't think I have the skill set to print this image yet... not this large.
Got a pep talk from Sach... I'm going to do a different image.
[1.5hrs later]
I think I've successfully printed an image. This one was much easier - not nearly as much contrasting areas. No more sunny days! I am quite happy with the result of this one. I even listened to my gut and slightly reframed the picture, bringing the right side to hug the plant a little more. I felt the plant was getting lost and it's one of my favourite things about this picture.
There are seventy-six day sleft of my 100, or 97 if I give myself until the very end of June. However way I look at it, there isn't much time left and I have printed finals of only five images...
April 8
Developed two rolls today. They look pretty good - might be some interesting shots on there. Going to work on the contact sheets today and one train bridge print. I'm trying to get some ready for the Mx Reviews. I'm also done my bulk roll of film. I might have 12 or so pictures worth of film left. Aleks is picking me up four rolls of 120mm film for this weekend, so I'll focus on that for a while. Maybe some groups could contain both sizes of pictures?
I am still facing the dilema - glossy or pearl? I have always printed on pearl... I like that the paper is somewhat unassuming and not show-offy. Glossy paper also tends to glare if not observed under the right condition and at the right angle. BUT, it does look really sleek and the contrast pops more. The blacks are definitely true blacks. I'm going to have to decide quickly before I print too many more finals. Redoing 7 or 8 isn't a huge deal... 20 or more is a bit redundant.
Spoke with Bob... glossy paper it is.
[back tracking]
A couple day sago I printed the bookstore front window. It looks pretty nice - and is a nice partner to the front door/mailbox/plant image I printed a couple days earlier. I'd liek to get a third to go along with this group/theme.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Some Final Prints
Here are some final prints I've made so far; most of these you have seen in a less refined state. In terms of 'groupings' I am still looking for pairs/groups for most of these - that will be the next step. For Mx reviews I would like to present a series of groups or pairs to show and discuss.
I would love to have a third for this group.
Plus this one, obviously.
Here are the groupings I would like to have prepared for Mx reviews. I am not completely confident about all of them, but I figure it's a good place to start. This may seem somewhat redundant to you to see them again, but it's helping me organize everything and see it all together, so bear with me.
Looking at the previous three groups one after another, I realise they all have the same relationships/perspectives. I'm not sure if I like this... they seem redundant.I am not sure about these photos, per se, but there is something about grouping photographs of groupings that I like... photographing collections and then creating a collection out of them...
Monday, April 6, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Favourites
I want to put together a collection of photographs which I love.
I am finding it very difficult.
I am finding it very difficult.
...from my daybook...
March 31
I've been browsing through photos I've posted so far.
There are some great 'groupings' among them - photos that on their own may not have caught the attention of anyone look quite intersting and seem to have mch more potential when paired with another.
Examples:
- two balcony shots of school
- pictures of grouping of bldgs in water/ainslie parking lot
- three shots of house gates/steps
April 2
[12:30pm]
My favourite time in the darkroom is when the ACM closes for lunch. It becomes my own studio without a stream of people coming in and out with printing issues...
Don suggested I put as much energy and anger into my work as there is in my thesis soundrack - I think I can do that. I didn't really realize there was anger in my soundtrack, but I guess there is. It's funny what a year (or two or three....) of Masters will do to a person.
As of May 6th, there will be aphotography class for the third years and my very own studio will no doubt be transformed into a chaotic mess, at least a couple times a week. NIghts and Saturdays will probably become my escape.
I have started developing three prints at one time, using three different enlargers. I have access to all of them right now, so I might as well take advantage of it. I find that I have much more patience when I do three at a time - mainly b/c before I would put in a couple hours to finish one print and then I would have to start the process all over again for a different print. Now, I start the testing for all three images and near the end of the finals around the same time. It feels much less repetitive and tedious. To avoid confusion, I am religiously writing every piece of information down as soon as I expose the paper - I can't keep track of that many numbers all at once.
Right now I'm workign on the park image, the school w/ trees and one of the 120mm wall images.
[5:30pm]
Okay, so the park is a bit of a puzzle. The bldg and ground are nto a problem - it's the trees. Or, the tre branches to be exact. Here's what I've done.
After a couple test strips, I decided f16 is a good aperture. With a number one-and-a-half filter, even some ofthe smallest twigs are shoping up, creating an incredbly intricate web in the sky. But, the photo is a bit flat - there aren't any blacks, really and the texture of the tree trunk is pretty blah.
As soon as I do 21sec w/ a two-and-a-half, the overall depth of the photo improves quite a bit... but all the little twigs disappear! The top half of the photo is too washed out. I tried burning the sky & twigs (avoiding the main tree trunk) but it just doesn't work tha twell. The branches and sky are too dark compared to the rest of the photo.
[8:oopm]
I've done some more testing and I can probably up the exposure to about 25 seconds for the entire image of the park and burn the top portion an extra 7 seconds or so to get some more detail. I'd like to run this over with Bob, though, see if he has any suggestions before I waste half a pack of paper.
I did manage to get a very nice print of the school, though, so that makes me happy.
However, after speaking to Bob, I gave up on the 120mm wall image - it's just not good enough to be in the thesis, so there is no point of messing around with it. I have another roll in the Mamiya that I would like to finish and I'll print those instead (if they're better).
I also started test strips of the cyclops house - an hour or so more, and I think I'll have the print.
I've been browsing through photos I've posted so far.
There are some great 'groupings' among them - photos that on their own may not have caught the attention of anyone look quite intersting and seem to have mch more potential when paired with another.
Examples:
- two balcony shots of school
- pictures of grouping of bldgs in water/ainslie parking lot
- three shots of house gates/steps
April 2
[12:30pm]
My favourite time in the darkroom is when the ACM closes for lunch. It becomes my own studio without a stream of people coming in and out with printing issues...
Don suggested I put as much energy and anger into my work as there is in my thesis soundrack - I think I can do that. I didn't really realize there was anger in my soundtrack, but I guess there is. It's funny what a year (or two or three....) of Masters will do to a person.
As of May 6th, there will be aphotography class for the third years and my very own studio will no doubt be transformed into a chaotic mess, at least a couple times a week. NIghts and Saturdays will probably become my escape.
I have started developing three prints at one time, using three different enlargers. I have access to all of them right now, so I might as well take advantage of it. I find that I have much more patience when I do three at a time - mainly b/c before I would put in a couple hours to finish one print and then I would have to start the process all over again for a different print. Now, I start the testing for all three images and near the end of the finals around the same time. It feels much less repetitive and tedious. To avoid confusion, I am religiously writing every piece of information down as soon as I expose the paper - I can't keep track of that many numbers all at once.
Right now I'm workign on the park image, the school w/ trees and one of the 120mm wall images.
[5:30pm]
Okay, so the park is a bit of a puzzle. The bldg and ground are nto a problem - it's the trees. Or, the tre branches to be exact. Here's what I've done.
After a couple test strips, I decided f16 is a good aperture. With a number one-and-a-half filter, even some ofthe smallest twigs are shoping up, creating an incredbly intricate web in the sky. But, the photo is a bit flat - there aren't any blacks, really and the texture of the tree trunk is pretty blah.
As soon as I do 21sec w/ a two-and-a-half, the overall depth of the photo improves quite a bit... but all the little twigs disappear! The top half of the photo is too washed out. I tried burning the sky & twigs (avoiding the main tree trunk) but it just doesn't work tha twell. The branches and sky are too dark compared to the rest of the photo.
[8:oopm]
I've done some more testing and I can probably up the exposure to about 25 seconds for the entire image of the park and burn the top portion an extra 7 seconds or so to get some more detail. I'd like to run this over with Bob, though, see if he has any suggestions before I waste half a pack of paper.
I did manage to get a very nice print of the school, though, so that makes me happy.
However, after speaking to Bob, I gave up on the 120mm wall image - it's just not good enough to be in the thesis, so there is no point of messing around with it. I have another roll in the Mamiya that I would like to finish and I'll print those instead (if they're better).
I also started test strips of the cyclops house - an hour or so more, and I think I'll have the print.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Cancer Horoscope for week of April 2, 2009
I linked to this site through Vien's blog.
I enjoy it.
"You could be highly entertained and resoundingly moved by the dilemmas that come into your vicinity, but without going overboard into obsession. You could embrace the challenges in appreciation for the way they compel you to get smarter, but without clutching them desperately."
I enjoy it.
"You could be highly entertained and resoundingly moved by the dilemmas that come into your vicinity, but without going overboard into obsession. You could embrace the challenges in appreciation for the way they compel you to get smarter, but without clutching them desperately."
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
...from my daybook...
Left the house around 1pm and walked around North end of Galt for the first time (Wellington, Kerr, Beverly, etc.). Focused on residential details - yards, porches, sheds) using 35mm Pentax. (Result: Third contact sheet in this post).
I'd like to go at dawn and dusk for the next shoots to get different light.
Photographed Royal Hotel wall w/ 120mm Mamiya for second mini-project. "We have a tendency to photograph things on their way out," (G. Sorbara).
The renovations on the bldg have begun - walls are being cleaned, repaired, torn down. here were incredible textures, patterns and compositions. The series was quite successful - developing negs tomorrow.
March 5
The negatives are a bit underexposed - must have stopped won from what the 35mm light meter indicated. Thought that because it was really sunny there was a chance of over exposure...not the case.
The image of the school yard taken from balcony turned out well - great contrast.
March 10
Went home (Niagara) for the weekend - forgot the Mamiya and colour film. I had wanted to take pictures of Stella Street and family.
Developing photos - not so easy.
Using a new enlarger (for the 120mm negs) is proving a bit of a set back.
Wall enlargements are coming out grey - I'm having trouble getting true blacks and whites. Slightly discouraged - hoping to be able to enlarge photos to show the texture qualities I intended to capture.
[after enlarging]
No.5 filter seems to be getting me whites and blacks in wall images.
Great school enlargement.
[evening]
Finished shooting roll w/ Pentax - it was great atmosphere. Just after rain and sunset, misty, glowing. Had issues w/ the light meter so the photos might not turn out. Should try own Pentax MZ7.
March 11
Meeting with Don today.
He compared photography to wind - the difficulty of capturing the energy, but not the by-product.
March 14
I discovered shadows today in the image of the porch - it'll add incredible depth and interest to the image. The discovery is thanks to the advice of Bob for always saying it is better to expose the paper for too long rather than not long enough.
.... some notes on exposure follow...
Three seems to be my maximum for the day. I need to catch up so I can begin producing only one final enlargement per day - I seem to have a lot of patience and enthusiasm for the first enlargement.
March 16
Spoke with Bob.
Re: Porch
He likes the first exposure better - says windows provide a feeling of entering into photo and traveling upstairs. He says the couch, when not burned, looks more inviting - like he cold go and sit down on the it and bask in the sun.
Detail in wood beam is great.
Shadow of porch could be slightly lighter: 4-5 sec.
Re: Factory
In contrast to the original 4x6, the 7x9 photos both feel truncated. Suggested to take photo to 9-1/2 wide and make vertical whatever it happens to be (probably around 6).
What he really likes: angle of tree, rise and dip of snow (partially lost in truncated version) and balance of light on right and left sides (also partially lost in truncated version).
Suggested 10sec or less on snow and to burn the right side only, 15sec or so?
Re: Trains
Good contrast. Snow in background does not really bother him as much as it should. Suggested slightly less on actual trains (highlights of snow on roof are almost lost), plus 4-5 sec dodge on wheels. Snow in front could be a couple sec. darker.
[after developing]
"You are to be congratulated" - Bob
Two finals are successfully enlarged! It feels really good to know two photographs have been 'figured out', so to speak.
March 19
Attempting third final - the pace needs to quicken drastically. I want (need) ten finals for next wednesday.
...some notes on enlarging follow...
I have been watching BBC Documentary "The Genius of Photography". Hilla Becher spoke about photography on grey, clear days - they allow you to see much more than sunday days which cause shadows.
So, I went out yesterday and shot a roll of film (Wellington, Walnut, to Ainslie townhouses and around neighbourood South of Concession). It was a monotonous grey light so we'll see how it turns out. (Result - first two contact sheets in this post).
I've decided to pay part time tuition next term, but not work part time. Will start full time work in July after thesis is done. I am giving myself until the end of June to submit.
Final #3 (Trains) may be done - might require changes after I speak to Bob.
I'd like to go at dawn and dusk for the next shoots to get different light.
Photographed Royal Hotel wall w/ 120mm Mamiya for second mini-project. "We have a tendency to photograph things on their way out," (G. Sorbara).
The renovations on the bldg have begun - walls are being cleaned, repaired, torn down. here were incredible textures, patterns and compositions. The series was quite successful - developing negs tomorrow.
March 5
The negatives are a bit underexposed - must have stopped won from what the 35mm light meter indicated. Thought that because it was really sunny there was a chance of over exposure...not the case.
The image of the school yard taken from balcony turned out well - great contrast.
March 10
Went home (Niagara) for the weekend - forgot the Mamiya and colour film. I had wanted to take pictures of Stella Street and family.
Developing photos - not so easy.
Using a new enlarger (for the 120mm negs) is proving a bit of a set back.
Wall enlargements are coming out grey - I'm having trouble getting true blacks and whites. Slightly discouraged - hoping to be able to enlarge photos to show the texture qualities I intended to capture.
[after enlarging]
No.5 filter seems to be getting me whites and blacks in wall images.
Great school enlargement.
[evening]
Finished shooting roll w/ Pentax - it was great atmosphere. Just after rain and sunset, misty, glowing. Had issues w/ the light meter so the photos might not turn out. Should try own Pentax MZ7.
March 11
Meeting with Don today.
He compared photography to wind - the difficulty of capturing the energy, but not the by-product.
March 14
I discovered shadows today in the image of the porch - it'll add incredible depth and interest to the image. The discovery is thanks to the advice of Bob for always saying it is better to expose the paper for too long rather than not long enough.
.... some notes on exposure follow...
Three seems to be my maximum for the day. I need to catch up so I can begin producing only one final enlargement per day - I seem to have a lot of patience and enthusiasm for the first enlargement.
March 16
Spoke with Bob.
Re: Porch
He likes the first exposure better - says windows provide a feeling of entering into photo and traveling upstairs. He says the couch, when not burned, looks more inviting - like he cold go and sit down on the it and bask in the sun.
Detail in wood beam is great.
Shadow of porch could be slightly lighter: 4-5 sec.
Re: Factory
In contrast to the original 4x6, the 7x9 photos both feel truncated. Suggested to take photo to 9-1/2 wide and make vertical whatever it happens to be (probably around 6).
What he really likes: angle of tree, rise and dip of snow (partially lost in truncated version) and balance of light on right and left sides (also partially lost in truncated version).
Suggested 10sec or less on snow and to burn the right side only, 15sec or so?
Re: Trains
Good contrast. Snow in background does not really bother him as much as it should. Suggested slightly less on actual trains (highlights of snow on roof are almost lost), plus 4-5 sec dodge on wheels. Snow in front could be a couple sec. darker.
[after developing]
"You are to be congratulated" - Bob
Two finals are successfully enlarged! It feels really good to know two photographs have been 'figured out', so to speak.
March 19
Attempting third final - the pace needs to quicken drastically. I want (need) ten finals for next wednesday.
...some notes on enlarging follow...
I have been watching BBC Documentary "The Genius of Photography". Hilla Becher spoke about photography on grey, clear days - they allow you to see much more than sunday days which cause shadows.
So, I went out yesterday and shot a roll of film (Wellington, Walnut, to Ainslie townhouses and around neighbourood South of Concession). It was a monotonous grey light so we'll see how it turns out. (Result - first two contact sheets in this post).
I've decided to pay part time tuition next term, but not work part time. Will start full time work in July after thesis is done. I am giving myself until the end of June to submit.
Final #3 (Trains) may be done - might require changes after I speak to Bob.
...from my notes...
During the last meeting...
What tense to write in?
What perspective to write from?
When do you make transitions?
- when you lose the train of thought
- no explanation needed for making transition
"Good writing is the mastery of digression," (Don).
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
That somewhat sketchy place called the darkroom....
Speaking to a friend this past weekend, I realized that most people have no idea what actually goes on in the darkroom. Why does it take so long? Why don't I just send my negatives away to get developed? What's all this about? I wrote a previous post about the composition of a photograph... testing each piece for exposure, dodging and burning (they're not just Photoshop techniques, people) but I decided that maybe showing exactly how a final image comes together is the best way to demonstrate the process.
As noted today in our meeting that if I wrote down exactly what it took me two minutes to say, I'd have 1000 words to throw into my thesis, verbatim. But to use my favourite adage, a picture is worth a thousand word and so here are 9000 words or so worth of explanation.
As noted today in our meeting that if I wrote down exactly what it took me two minutes to say, I'd have 1000 words to throw into my thesis, verbatim. But to use my favourite adage, a picture is worth a thousand word and so here are 9000 words or so worth of explanation.
words to know
burn - to expose an area to light while blocking out the rest of the image
dodge - to block one small area of image while exposing the rest to light
first enlargement notes for image below
- f8, filter #1, 35 sec., 10 sec. burn bottom portion (below porch shadow)
- bricks above porch roof too light
- slightly too dark under porch roof, especially above door
- lacking information in door
- left side near sofa - too light?
- snow washed out... needs more time
bottom (snow)
f8, filter #1
60 seconds.... slight too dark? does snow look grey? 55sec will work better.
top (bricks/windows)
f8, filter #1
60 sec. (perfect)
couch
f8, filter #1
60 seconds
good detail, but Bob points out, looks cold... lost sunny and warm feeling
shadow & door
f8, filter #1
30 sec. entire picture
+10 sec. burn, lower portion below porch shadow (shadow still too dark)
+10 second burn on door and snow on ground (snow slightly too light now, door still definitely too washed out)
shadow
f8, filter #1
25 sec. entire picture
+5 sec. dodge of shadow (sort of missed the darkest part I wanted to test... try again)
shadowf8, filter #1
23 sec. entire picture
+7 sec. dodge of shadow - good amount of detail. area above door is not brick, something else - will have to remain dark, I think that will be okay in the composition
door
f8, filter #1
60 sec. - MORE. not enough information
door
f8, filter #1
90 sec. - shadows! could be slightly lighter - but great detail.
door, shadow and snow
f8, filter #1
30 seconds entire image
+10 second burn below porch
+15 seconds on snow (great!)
+50 second on door (almost... looks a bit dirty, so perhaps lighter by 10 sec.)
final
f8, filter #1
30 sec. total during which....
- 13 sec. entire image
- 7 sec. dodge porch shadow (left side of post)
- 7 sec. dodge porch shadow (right side of post)
- 3 sec. dodge snow on roof to whiten slightly
10 sec. burn entire lower portion below porch shadow
20 sec. burn top portion (brick and windows)
15 sec. burn snow
40 sec. burn door.
ta-da!
soundtrack | ten songs
part one
songs that have something to do with my thesis (as related to time, observation and truth)
black and white town by the doves
fake tales of san francisco by arctic monkeys
i believe in symmetry by bright eyes
the fly by u2
time by pink floyd
part two
songs that help me get through my thesis - because you can't cry when you're dancing!
bruises by chairlift
not fair by lily allen
big girl (you are beautiful) by mika
you're gonna go far, kid by the offspring
so what by pink
songs that have something to do with my thesis (as related to time, observation and truth)
black and white town by the doves
fake tales of san francisco by arctic monkeys
i believe in symmetry by bright eyes
the fly by u2
time by pink floyd
part two
songs that help me get through my thesis - because you can't cry when you're dancing!
bruises by chairlift
not fair by lily allen
big girl (you are beautiful) by mika
you're gonna go far, kid by the offspring
so what by pink
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Formulating an Abstract + some Advice
Questions to help formulate an abstract:
- What am I doing?
- Why am I doing it?
- How am I doing it?
- What do I hope to find?
- What will the significance be?
What am I doing?
I am taking pictures of Galt.
The object of study can be the subject of study - architecture.
Why am I doing it?
I wish "Why not?" could count as an answer....
I am doing it because I want to take beautiful photographs. I want to explore the city and document it, find places that are poignant, unexpected (or expected), have something to say, or sit quietly in the background. I want to record history. There are a lot of "I want"s in this paragraph.. the simple answer really is, "Because I want to."
How am I doing it?
I am using a 35mm Pentax and a 120mm Mamiya, black and white film (100 speed) and developing the images in the darkroom myself. I wander around the town, trying to explore different areas and document them. I return to places I believe have character that perhaps I haven't been able to capture yet or places I would like to visit in various lighting conditions. There is no set way in how I explore the town. It's a bit of a meandering wander - I end up where I end up.
*In the last couple days as I have been posting negatives and other images on this blog, I have realized just how much time I have been, am now and will be devoting the actual enlargement of these negatives in the darkroom. Having gone through about 30 photographs in a matter of hours, touched up quickly, fixed scratches - it really made me look hard as to why I have decided to physically and manually (and painstakingly) develop my images. For now, my answer is - for the craft. It really is about the priviledge of being so closely involved with the images - of spending hours in a dark room perfecting each corner of a photo until it all comes together to form the final print.
What do I hope to find?
I'm not sure if there is anything in particular that I am looking for. I think the idea is more about bringing together a cohesive image or depiction of the town - by seeing photo after photo, I hope to take viewers on a walk through the town, follow in my footsteps and see (through my eyes) what I have seen.
What will the significance be?
This is the question I am having the most trouble with. In the grand scheme of things, this is not a redesign for the better of a city core.... or research into social housing and making the lives of people better. It is art for art's sake, as well as, being about the town. It is about presenting Galt to a greater audience and in a different light than perhaps it has been perceived in the past (see the last quote at the bottom of the post).
Advice
At my Mx reviews last fall, there were a couple quotes by the professors, during my crit and the one previous to it, which I wrote down. I can't remember who it was that said what, but some I remembered, so I credited.
About progress...
"become OBSESSED" Geoff
"Don't be good. Everything/everyone is a subject" Don to me
"Project the project forward - don't be meek. 'Here's my MASSIVE idea'"
About the outcome...
"What do I want the result to look like?" (work backwords)
"Who's work do you most wish your work could be like?"
"Which project do you most desire yours looked like right now?"
"This isn't your last project, it's your first project." Geoff
About titles...
"'Adaptive reuse' is a healthy meal. 'Wallowing in shit' is a feast!'" (Don)
"Think of a name you could put in italics"
My favourite quote was from Geoff, and it really hit home in terms of what I want to achieve:
"Tell the town what it has not seen of itself."
I am taking pictures of Galt.
The object of study can be the subject of study - architecture.
Why am I doing it?
I wish "Why not?" could count as an answer....
I am doing it because I want to take beautiful photographs. I want to explore the city and document it, find places that are poignant, unexpected (or expected), have something to say, or sit quietly in the background. I want to record history. There are a lot of "I want"s in this paragraph.. the simple answer really is, "Because I want to."
How am I doing it?
I am using a 35mm Pentax and a 120mm Mamiya, black and white film (100 speed) and developing the images in the darkroom myself. I wander around the town, trying to explore different areas and document them. I return to places I believe have character that perhaps I haven't been able to capture yet or places I would like to visit in various lighting conditions. There is no set way in how I explore the town. It's a bit of a meandering wander - I end up where I end up.
*In the last couple days as I have been posting negatives and other images on this blog, I have realized just how much time I have been, am now and will be devoting the actual enlargement of these negatives in the darkroom. Having gone through about 30 photographs in a matter of hours, touched up quickly, fixed scratches - it really made me look hard as to why I have decided to physically and manually (and painstakingly) develop my images. For now, my answer is - for the craft. It really is about the priviledge of being so closely involved with the images - of spending hours in a dark room perfecting each corner of a photo until it all comes together to form the final print.
What do I hope to find?
I'm not sure if there is anything in particular that I am looking for. I think the idea is more about bringing together a cohesive image or depiction of the town - by seeing photo after photo, I hope to take viewers on a walk through the town, follow in my footsteps and see (through my eyes) what I have seen.
What will the significance be?
This is the question I am having the most trouble with. In the grand scheme of things, this is not a redesign for the better of a city core.... or research into social housing and making the lives of people better. It is art for art's sake, as well as, being about the town. It is about presenting Galt to a greater audience and in a different light than perhaps it has been perceived in the past (see the last quote at the bottom of the post).
Advice
At my Mx reviews last fall, there were a couple quotes by the professors, during my crit and the one previous to it, which I wrote down. I can't remember who it was that said what, but some I remembered, so I credited.
About progress...
"become OBSESSED" Geoff
"Don't be good. Everything/everyone is a subject" Don to me
"Project the project forward - don't be meek. 'Here's my MASSIVE idea'"
About the outcome...
"What do I want the result to look like?" (work backwords)
"Who's work do you most wish your work could be like?"
"Which project do you most desire yours looked like right now?"
"This isn't your last project, it's your first project." Geoff
About titles...
"'Adaptive reuse' is a healthy meal. 'Wallowing in shit' is a feast!'" (Don)
"Think of a name you could put in italics"
My favourite quote was from Geoff, and it really hit home in terms of what I want to achieve:
"Tell the town what it has not seen of itself."
Monday, March 23, 2009
Why Photography?
The last couple weeks, I have sat down several times to write what I was thinking, try and explain to myself why I am doing what I'm doing. The format is very informal, as I was basically talking to myself and recording the conversation.
Why take photos of Galt?
I wanted to take photographs of Galt because of the incredible history in this town. In such a short period, it's gone from being dubbed "the Manchester of Canada" to presently being swallowed up by the City of Cambridge, not to mention the Region of Waterloo. It is mainly bypassed and driven through. Most of the old buildings have stood their time having only changed tenants - many of them are falling apart and are in serious need of repair. The CIBC building is an exception, having been the first tenant in the building at the corner of water and main and remaining there today (after an interior renovation in the 60's).
I feel there is a change coming to the town and, though slowly, it's on its way back up again. The demise of the Royal Hotel and its current rebuilding gives me that idea. There is something to be said for someone who invests so much money in a building that would have been much cheaper to simply tear down. There is history here. And, though, selling crack through a hole in the wall in the bathroom may not be anything to brag about, it is part of the texture that makes up the history of this town, and helps define the town as it stands.
Why do I want to take photos?
The first reaction that comes to mind is that I don't just want to take any photos, I want to take beautiful photos. I want to find the beauty that lies in this town, some of it obvious and some of it not. And though one begs to question whether something is beautiful because it is photographed or whether it is photographed because it is beautiful, I am not sure I am ready to answer that question in this thesis or whether or not it is my responsibility to do so. Light, shadow, texture and form do an amazing job to create beauty in places where it may not be typically present.
I almost feel that taking photos of ruins, and abandoned buildings is a somewhat cliché, an image I don't want to be tied to. But, on the other hand, there is incredible beauty in things that have been abandoned, worn down by weather, changing and existing on their own.
There are those other things, like cheap subdivisions and condos, buildings built and created solely to cash in on a portion of the money that has somehow been slowly coming back to the town since the school moved in. And though, I don't find those buildings beautiful, I do find the images of them moving, or telling. They also make up a part of this town, its present history, and since I do not believe they are a good idea, lack character, quality and all the things that make good architecture, I believe juxtaposing them with the defiant structures of the original town, gives them an incredibly weak, almost laughable, image.
The houses in the various areas around the downtown core amuse me. There are the mansions in West Galt - beautiful old buildings, full of character and amazing workmanship. Some, though, are still ridiculously monumental for the sole purpose of being a residence to a single family. On the east side of Galt is another hill - old houses again, not nearly as monumental, still filled with character - though many of them more so from their owners and tenants rather than their architectural appeal.
The 1950's neighbourhood to the South of Concession Street is almost surreal. Though I am used to seeing townhouses and condos, all lined up like ducks in a row, not knowing one from the next, the small 900 square foot symmetrical boxes line the streets so identically, it becomes somewhat rhythmic and soothing.
In between all these distinct classes are a mish-mash of beautiful houses amid incredible trash - homes with terrible proportions, vinyl siding galore, and of course, 'furnished' porches and kitsch strewn yards.
Sometimes, depending on the light, incredible shapes, forms, textures and scenes emerge from these random places, weaving together the characters that make up the town.
Where are all the people?
I have never had any inclination to take pictures of individuals – people are too unpredictable, and I enjoy the patience I can employ while waiting for the light right, trying the image from a different angle. Also with all the red tape involved with taking photographs of people, I rather stay away from the whole thing. I have become much more brave at approaching people’s homes, backyards and properties in general to photograph them, but photographing people is still beyond my realm of courage. (Unless I do it the Walker Evans way and release my photos ten years later in fear of being sued). There is a certain amount of control which must be relinquished when photographing people.
There is constancy in buildings – something to always expect, and yet something to always be surprised by. Though I may see a building a hundred times, passing it on the street daily, there can be one instance in which, it shows itself in a different light (pun intended), and everything about it changes. It is my responsibility (and privilege) to experience and capture that exact moment, if I am prepared and capable.
What does it mean to take a photograph?
Being a photographer, I immediately believe that the photograph belongs to the person who captured it with his or her camera. There is no doubt in my mind that buildings, once built, are in the public domain. They are in the street, they are viewed every day, there is no reason why someone, for whatever reason, cannot take a photograph. Wallpaper, clothing – anything that is designed, at one point ‘belongs’ to the designer, but after it is released for others to purchase, to see, to interact with – the designer relinquishes his or her control. Arguably, someone inevitably owns the building and the actual property on which it sits, and so they can control photography taken inside. Unless there is some sort of security threat, they, I do not believe, have the right to control the taking of photographs.
Though I tend to think the same when photographing a person, I am sure I would be of a different opinion if the photo in question were of me. In an intimate setting, yes I think there is an issue of privacy, defamation is possible and many other issues. But out in the public domain, with the mass production of cameras and camera phones, one cannot expect to never end up in a strangers photo. And though entering the frame could be completely accidental, or staged and patiently expected by the photographer, neither, I believe, should be an issue. There is the, obviously, the problem of people who are ill and take photos for personal use and abuse, but this, I think, begins a more political discussion. You can’t control a person like that, but you can control your own actions. I have had my photo taken randomly by a camera phone on a bus, and found it incredibly creepy – but I simply moved away from the person and out of their view.
The reason for many tribes in North African (?) countries and elsewhere to fear photography is pretty simple and really quite understandable. Their belief system explains our souls, our essential being, as having a multitude of layers. When a photograph is taken, one of those layers is trapped within the photograph to create that image and so the subject is one layer closer to ceasing to exist. This belief is actually very close to what Sontag and Barthes spoke of when they referred to the light emanating off a photograph. The exact light that took the photograph of a missing person was absorbed by the camera, which then recorded that photo. That light produced that photo and now allowed Barthes and Sontag to see the image of that person, linking them physically to the person through light.
Composition
What many people are not aware of is the incredible work that occurs in the dark room after the photo is taken. I completed two final prints today – my first two out of approximately sixty to come. And, for the first print, there must be at least twenty scrap test sheets – puzzle pieces that make up the complex areas of the photo, those that have to be tested and retested, burned or dodged. Within every photo that is printed, each area of shadow or light has to be tested, compared, altered – discovered. To make the final composition work, look as coherent and beautiful as it possibly can, many different components have to be finalized first.
I had an incredible day when I was working on my first print – still messing around with shadows and trying to find information in areas of light. I decided, upon the advice of my mentor, to risk it – to risk exposing the light area too much, rather than not enough. If I had decided to only expose it a little bit longer than I had already done, hoping there would be more information, I would never know what information could possibly be lying in the image if I exposed to, say, twice the amount of time as I had previously done. And, amazingly enough, I discovered shadows where previously I thought there were none! It seems quite ridiculous, but it was an incredible find as it brought that portion of the image alive – dancing tree branches on an old and rusty front door – one more piece of the puzzle was complete.
There is a very obvious connection with design in this entire process – once in the darkroom the composition of the photograph becomes a design of components. You must first perfect each component, but, all the while, keeping in mind how it will compare with the rest of the image. You may discover that an area seems too light, missing information, looking slightly under exposed. But, after having exposed that small piece of the picture longer, you find that the whole image now seems colder, less inviting. You discover that, even though on its own the small area seemed much too bright, in the whole of the picture it actually provided a ray of sunlight, of warmth – a destination for the viewer, where he or she could image themselves sitting on a tattered sofa on a porch, basking in the afternoon sun. By taking away that warmth, you change the atmosphere of the photograph and its connection to the viewer.
I have learned to underexpose the shadows and over expose the light – information lurks in areas you would not expect and though our eyes are complex enough to be able to pick out these tonal changes and hidden information, the camera lenses are not capable to see what we see. It is our job to then find what the camera cannot see – or does not know it sees.
Why take photos of Galt?
I wanted to take photographs of Galt because of the incredible history in this town. In such a short period, it's gone from being dubbed "the Manchester of Canada" to presently being swallowed up by the City of Cambridge, not to mention the Region of Waterloo. It is mainly bypassed and driven through. Most of the old buildings have stood their time having only changed tenants - many of them are falling apart and are in serious need of repair. The CIBC building is an exception, having been the first tenant in the building at the corner of water and main and remaining there today (after an interior renovation in the 60's).
I feel there is a change coming to the town and, though slowly, it's on its way back up again. The demise of the Royal Hotel and its current rebuilding gives me that idea. There is something to be said for someone who invests so much money in a building that would have been much cheaper to simply tear down. There is history here. And, though, selling crack through a hole in the wall in the bathroom may not be anything to brag about, it is part of the texture that makes up the history of this town, and helps define the town as it stands.
Why do I want to take photos?
The first reaction that comes to mind is that I don't just want to take any photos, I want to take beautiful photos. I want to find the beauty that lies in this town, some of it obvious and some of it not. And though one begs to question whether something is beautiful because it is photographed or whether it is photographed because it is beautiful, I am not sure I am ready to answer that question in this thesis or whether or not it is my responsibility to do so. Light, shadow, texture and form do an amazing job to create beauty in places where it may not be typically present.
I almost feel that taking photos of ruins, and abandoned buildings is a somewhat cliché, an image I don't want to be tied to. But, on the other hand, there is incredible beauty in things that have been abandoned, worn down by weather, changing and existing on their own.
There are those other things, like cheap subdivisions and condos, buildings built and created solely to cash in on a portion of the money that has somehow been slowly coming back to the town since the school moved in. And though, I don't find those buildings beautiful, I do find the images of them moving, or telling. They also make up a part of this town, its present history, and since I do not believe they are a good idea, lack character, quality and all the things that make good architecture, I believe juxtaposing them with the defiant structures of the original town, gives them an incredibly weak, almost laughable, image.
The houses in the various areas around the downtown core amuse me. There are the mansions in West Galt - beautiful old buildings, full of character and amazing workmanship. Some, though, are still ridiculously monumental for the sole purpose of being a residence to a single family. On the east side of Galt is another hill - old houses again, not nearly as monumental, still filled with character - though many of them more so from their owners and tenants rather than their architectural appeal.
The 1950's neighbourhood to the South of Concession Street is almost surreal. Though I am used to seeing townhouses and condos, all lined up like ducks in a row, not knowing one from the next, the small 900 square foot symmetrical boxes line the streets so identically, it becomes somewhat rhythmic and soothing.
In between all these distinct classes are a mish-mash of beautiful houses amid incredible trash - homes with terrible proportions, vinyl siding galore, and of course, 'furnished' porches and kitsch strewn yards.
Sometimes, depending on the light, incredible shapes, forms, textures and scenes emerge from these random places, weaving together the characters that make up the town.
Where are all the people?
I have never had any inclination to take pictures of individuals – people are too unpredictable, and I enjoy the patience I can employ while waiting for the light right, trying the image from a different angle. Also with all the red tape involved with taking photographs of people, I rather stay away from the whole thing. I have become much more brave at approaching people’s homes, backyards and properties in general to photograph them, but photographing people is still beyond my realm of courage. (Unless I do it the Walker Evans way and release my photos ten years later in fear of being sued). There is a certain amount of control which must be relinquished when photographing people.
There is constancy in buildings – something to always expect, and yet something to always be surprised by. Though I may see a building a hundred times, passing it on the street daily, there can be one instance in which, it shows itself in a different light (pun intended), and everything about it changes. It is my responsibility (and privilege) to experience and capture that exact moment, if I am prepared and capable.
What does it mean to take a photograph?
Being a photographer, I immediately believe that the photograph belongs to the person who captured it with his or her camera. There is no doubt in my mind that buildings, once built, are in the public domain. They are in the street, they are viewed every day, there is no reason why someone, for whatever reason, cannot take a photograph. Wallpaper, clothing – anything that is designed, at one point ‘belongs’ to the designer, but after it is released for others to purchase, to see, to interact with – the designer relinquishes his or her control. Arguably, someone inevitably owns the building and the actual property on which it sits, and so they can control photography taken inside. Unless there is some sort of security threat, they, I do not believe, have the right to control the taking of photographs.
Though I tend to think the same when photographing a person, I am sure I would be of a different opinion if the photo in question were of me. In an intimate setting, yes I think there is an issue of privacy, defamation is possible and many other issues. But out in the public domain, with the mass production of cameras and camera phones, one cannot expect to never end up in a strangers photo. And though entering the frame could be completely accidental, or staged and patiently expected by the photographer, neither, I believe, should be an issue. There is the, obviously, the problem of people who are ill and take photos for personal use and abuse, but this, I think, begins a more political discussion. You can’t control a person like that, but you can control your own actions. I have had my photo taken randomly by a camera phone on a bus, and found it incredibly creepy – but I simply moved away from the person and out of their view.
The reason for many tribes in North African (?) countries and elsewhere to fear photography is pretty simple and really quite understandable. Their belief system explains our souls, our essential being, as having a multitude of layers. When a photograph is taken, one of those layers is trapped within the photograph to create that image and so the subject is one layer closer to ceasing to exist. This belief is actually very close to what Sontag and Barthes spoke of when they referred to the light emanating off a photograph. The exact light that took the photograph of a missing person was absorbed by the camera, which then recorded that photo. That light produced that photo and now allowed Barthes and Sontag to see the image of that person, linking them physically to the person through light.
Composition
What many people are not aware of is the incredible work that occurs in the dark room after the photo is taken. I completed two final prints today – my first two out of approximately sixty to come. And, for the first print, there must be at least twenty scrap test sheets – puzzle pieces that make up the complex areas of the photo, those that have to be tested and retested, burned or dodged. Within every photo that is printed, each area of shadow or light has to be tested, compared, altered – discovered. To make the final composition work, look as coherent and beautiful as it possibly can, many different components have to be finalized first.
I had an incredible day when I was working on my first print – still messing around with shadows and trying to find information in areas of light. I decided, upon the advice of my mentor, to risk it – to risk exposing the light area too much, rather than not enough. If I had decided to only expose it a little bit longer than I had already done, hoping there would be more information, I would never know what information could possibly be lying in the image if I exposed to, say, twice the amount of time as I had previously done. And, amazingly enough, I discovered shadows where previously I thought there were none! It seems quite ridiculous, but it was an incredible find as it brought that portion of the image alive – dancing tree branches on an old and rusty front door – one more piece of the puzzle was complete.
There is a very obvious connection with design in this entire process – once in the darkroom the composition of the photograph becomes a design of components. You must first perfect each component, but, all the while, keeping in mind how it will compare with the rest of the image. You may discover that an area seems too light, missing information, looking slightly under exposed. But, after having exposed that small piece of the picture longer, you find that the whole image now seems colder, less inviting. You discover that, even though on its own the small area seemed much too bright, in the whole of the picture it actually provided a ray of sunlight, of warmth – a destination for the viewer, where he or she could image themselves sitting on a tattered sofa on a porch, basking in the afternoon sun. By taking away that warmth, you change the atmosphere of the photograph and its connection to the viewer.
I have learned to underexpose the shadows and over expose the light – information lurks in areas you would not expect and though our eyes are complex enough to be able to pick out these tonal changes and hidden information, the camera lenses are not capable to see what we see. It is our job to then find what the camera cannot see – or does not know it sees.
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