Archive for: August 2007

It is humid and not quite stormy out. This kind of weather puts me on edge and makes everything seem unsatisfactory.  Needless to say, I’m not editing photos today.

I have a question for everyone:  When you exhibit or publish a series, is it something you actively worked on from start to finish with the series in mind, or do you go through all your good shots and pick out the ones that go together in a story or group?

I would really like to  know  how various people work.

MAS

Tomorrow is (would be) my younger brother’s birthday. He died tragically 12 years ago. My mother has a shrine to him in the corner of her living room. The pictures of him are in the back left. His two kids’ pictures are also in the set, and they are all sitting below the one painting he wished to inherit someday. I never noticed the shrine before this visit.

Dumb name for a post, but I did just wake up from a nap. I don’t take it as a sign of old age; I’ve always liked a siesta. The Europeans really do know what they’re doing.

I’ve been trying to turn this visit to my mom into a photo project to use for David Alan Harvey, although it borders on the confessional which I’ve never bought into, as it relates to art. I have been getting some good shots, though. At first, my mom didn’t want to be photographed, but when she understood it was for a project, she was more willing. I hope this isn’t the last time I’ll get to do this.

I’ve been talking to my brother-in-law, Doug Plummer, who is big into the business/commercial end of photography, about portfolios and submissions. He tells me I need to pick a particular area of my work and submit that only. My problem is that my work goes from street work to portraits, and, although that’s not a huge stretch, there’s still a span. Hmmm…

I got a chance to meet with a couple guys, Gary Ingle and Mike Murphy, at the Big Time Brewery. They are both participants in a listserve mostly about rangefinder cameras. There was a bit of talk concerning lenses and viewfinders, but it wasn’t excessive, and we all had a good time. Now we can put a few more faces to names.

…but, if you’re going to make photographs, you have to use something. My biggest ongoing quandry is not about cameras, nor even lenses; it’s straps and bags. These days, since I’m indulging in the one camera, one lens approach (ok, 2 lenses), the idea is simplicity – freedom-. I don’t want a special bag just to carry a camera, and I don’t want to notice the bag I’m carrying. I want that bag just to be a pocket that could be used for anything – laptop – journal – snack – whatever. The answer? Messenger bags that are secure, comfortable, weatherproof.

I’m using a Domke 802 Reporter’s Satchel, Patagonia Half Mass, and a Timbuk2 Laptop Messenger (medium). These are big enough for one camera (not oversized) with attached lens, a laptop, and other small objects. I can carry my other lens if I really think I need it.

With the Domke, my camera fits in one of the outside pouch pockets. With the Patagonia, I use an Eagle Creek 1/4 cube and just toss it into the big compartment.

I still can’t find the right strap. For hanging around my neck, almost anything will work, but for a wrist strap – man, that’s something else again. I want something that attaches to both lugs and has enough length to loop around my wrist with a little tension. I’ve ended up using a thin (3/8″?) nylon strap with keyring type loops going in the camera lugs. The strap is just long enough so I can stick my hand through it, loop it once and stick my hand through again. It’s totally secure.

The only problem is, if I want it around my neck, the strap isn’t long enough.

That’s all the gear talk I can handle.

My Paris trip almost 4 years ago was a better investment than I ever imagined. In addition to my book, Paris, I started two ongoing projects, Cafe’s and Justaposed. Not only are they ongoing, but they are good backdrops for me to watch my own evolution as a photographer. Man, is it subtle!

The first one is from Paris; the next two are within the last couple months. All are part of the juxtaposed series.

I’ve finished a bunch of administrative work – mailing Paris book maquettes to potential publishers, updating mailing list, sending out catalogs and postcards to galleries, publishers, magazines – and I’m starting to think about photographing again. I’m trying out a new digital rangefinder, which, so far has been wonderful. I’m using just two lenses, a 28 and a 35. I’m working on shooting a lot more than I was doing with DSLR’s – making it more fluid and natural.

I posted a new project on my site, one about cafes. I also posted some new work in “new and …”

I’m looking forward to a trip to Seattle to visit my mother. I don’t know how many more visits there will be, so I’m going to do a lot of shooting. Perhaps I can use what I make to send into DAH’s blog.

Yesterday, we went to visit some friends, including their five kids. We’ve known the parents since before the kids were born, so it’s really fun to visit and see how they’re progressing. These kids are smart, not just above average, but really, potentially scary smart. I spent the day photographing the cookout being prepared and the kids and the meal and sitting around afterward. It was different than my usual way of photographing; I used a 28mm lens the whole time. I liked it and got some fun images.

I’ve also got a bunch of photos from my Pine Ridge project on the kitchen wall, trying to figure out what order is best to tell a coherent story.  Aside from that, I’ve been trying out some more bags. I really like satchel styles which are pretty much like messenger bags.

Here’s another one that seems to work quite well for several purposes-

Marianne Fulton has accepted a dispatch concerning work on my Pine Ridge Reservation project.  I’m not certain how soon it will show up in the Digital Journalist, but sometime between now and October.  I’m glad to be working with Marianne; she has always seemed like a goto person ever since she was instrumental in publishing Mary Ellen Mark’s work through George Eastman House.