Big Bang Glorious: A photo/video exploration.

In conjunction with the post below about Big Bang Glorious, this is a video clip that shows people interacting with what they are viewing. I am and have always been curious about how people interact with their surroundings. As a photographer I find myself increasingly interested in people. Whether they are in their natural environment or interacting within the environment we are both in. People make up a large percent of my photographs.

If you watch this clip closely, it will give you a sense that you are watching the people in the exhibit as they are watching you. Their interactions are very interesting. As I was viewing the exhibition, I felt as if my photography was contributing to the atmosphere as people moved in and out of the frame. This is the first time that I have ever edited my photographs into a video clip. There shall be more to come.

Quick Post

I hope everyone had a safe and Happy 4th of July. For those outside the U.S. well I hope you had an amazing weekend also. This week I have a few great posts and such lined up. It has been a few days since I have made a post, but that is due to the amazing weekend that I had. I was gone most of weekend. Now that a new week is here it is back to the chopping blocks. The next two weeks have quite a few surpises in store. Some of which you will have to wait the two weeks to see and some, well they will come a little faster than that.

Until then, enjoy this image by Garry Winogrand

Big Bang Glorious: A Photo Exploration

Big Bang Glorious was a one night mixed-multi-media exhibition. The entire second floor hall way of the C building at Holyoke Community College was the birthplace to this wild exhibit. When we spoke with the artist, he explained to us, “that we would totally appreciate hearing this, this project came out exactly as how I saw it in my head”.  Being the artist that I am, I knew exactly what he was referring to and fully appreciated being a part of his exhibit. I know the level of work and intensity that it takes to convey and idea for people to see. The amount of time and effort spent constructing and maintaining this brain child of Dan O’Neil consumed the better part of a year. 11 months to be exact.

I was invited to Big Bang Glorious a few months back. But the day of exhibition the artist contacted me and asked me to bring my camera with me. I thought to myself, why ask me to do something I was already planning on doing? Well, because he wanted to ensure that I would capture the exhibit in my style and he also wanted to make sure that I would have it with me in order to document the event so he could use the images. I was very happy to be able to make some photographs of the exhibit. Below you will see some very unique photographs. These are images I might not usually be found making. But hey, after all, thats why I was asked to bring my camera. The artist knew that I would take what I was viewing, interpreting, and perceiving and make some unique photographs based on these principals. One of the most enthralling aspects of shooting an exhibition of this magnitude was the fact that as I was shooting, it felt as if I was a part of the exhibit. There were numerous projectors, screens, makeshift screens, make shift frames , computers, and speakers showcasing hundreds of images and videos. I have never been to an exhibition that took on such a live-creative process. I am excited to see it take place again in September. 

My photographs represent a visual display of the space around me. . I also explored the realm of possibilities while being present in such a creative atmosphere. My goal was to photograph the way the light played so creatively within the elements of the exhibit while documenting the entire exhibit for the artist. Enjoy!

 

New and New…

I have spent my entire life living in New England. Living in a region like New England you come to expect the most interesting weather. One thing that is ingrained in every New Englander, besides loving each season, is knowing how quickly the weather changes and being able to forecast these changes. Over the past month, possibly a little longer, New England has been experience some terrible weather. We have barely had any days that feel like summer. Everyday we are saturated rain and thunderstorms as well as a grey overcast sky. Today however, we managed to make it nearly a whole day with June like weather. That is until we had a very nice thunderstorm pass over. I made both of these photographs just as the storm was rolling in very fast. I was working on a project outside, painting a desk for my office, when I happened to look up and see the clouds forming, moving quickly, and taking on some beautiful colors and tones. I grabbed my camera and quickly made a few photographs of the clouds. By the time I get back outside from putting the camera in the house, thunder began to roll in from a not so distant storm. I love a good thunderstorm, but I also love seeing blue skies. Hopefully soon enough the rain and storms will pass and we will have the summer that should already be here.

 

 

 

Thats right! Lenshare will be taking on a new look/layout very soon. Lenshare’s 1st anniversary is nearly over, to celebrate the 1 year mark, Lenshare will be making some very positive upgrades. As well as another major surprise to be coming in the next week.  Lenshare will be taking on a few new features in order to give you the best possible content, images, and resources to find the most unique information possible. At Lenshare 50% of our focus is to inform and educate.  If you are just making your way onto Lenshare for the first time, you are going to be in for some amazing posts. If you have been following Lenshare for some time now, we are pleased to have you as a reader/follower and look forward to your continued loyalty by giving you something new and exciting. We would also appreciate your feed back. If you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas about what you would like to see featured here on Lenshare, we welcome your opinions and would like to hear your thoughts. We have some great articles and posts we are anxious to publish. So please, stay tuned to see the new and exciting changes.

The staff at Lenshare,

Saying good bye...Kodachrome

Saying good bye is never an easy thing to do. But Kodak is bidding farewell to the world's first commercially successful color film. Eastman Kodak announced this past Monday that they will be retiring Kodachrome from their line of films. The increasing demand for digital technology is pushing out film faster than ever. Kodachrome had a good 74 years in production. But times are changing and with the change brings the chance for new products to enter the market.

One thing that I did find interesting, is the fact that there is only one place in the world that can still process Kodachrome. I did not realize that there was only one lab in the world with the capability to process Kodachrome. With such a low statistical figure of Kodachrome being sold, less than 1 percent of the company's total sales in film, I wonder if the last remaining lab processing Kodachrome will see a drastic drop in their sales as well. The economy at the present is definitely effecting nearly all forms of businesses. So it is not really a surprise to me that after 74 years Kodachrome will be discontinued. One thing is for sure, when Tri X 400 sees its day of retirement, this will officially be the first film that gets retired that I will miss the most. Trix 400 has been one of my favorites when it comes to film in my cameras. I hope this day will not come to soon.

Here is a link to read that discusses Eastman Kodak's decision: Kodak Retires Kodachrome Film

Alternative Processes: Questions become answers.

From time to time we meet people that are just so curious about photography that hundreds of questions come up. Being able to provide answers to these questions means you really have some sense of what photography is. But, then there are those moments where things may have slipped your mind or its been a very long time since you last took a look at what was asked. Does this mean you don’t know a good deal about photography after all? Not at all. It just means you are are human. And as much as we would like to be able to retain every slightest bit of information we read, study, or once thought of, or possibly used to use, some times that information gets put on the back burner of your brain. A quick look at back at whatever could have slipped your mind can bring every last bit of knowledge right back to the table and give all the possible answers. Especially if you know the person asking the questions will truly appreciate you providing the answers.

So what kind of answers will I provide? Well it’s not just about answers for this post. It’s about more of an introduction to a process that yields some amazing results when the time and effort is taken to experiment with this process. Anxious to know still? Well here is an alternative process known as Lith Printing. Lith Printing, not to be confused with Lithography ( a print making process using stone or metal plates: not related to darkroom or traditional photography) can be done with a basic knowledge of how to make prints in a darkroom. There are some very unique difference in the approach to making lith prints. First, lith prints are very beautiful and can sometimes look like similar to infrared prints. But, lith prints have their own qualities that make them vey beautiful. Such as the soft highlights, deep shadows, and the grainy, semi-gritty appearance they present. Lith prints are visually pleasing to look at. So what makes doing lith prints different than traditional silver prints in the darkroom? Well, Lith Prints require you to over expose your black and white negatives  (usually by two or three f-stops) onto a special Lith paper, Foto Speed Lith Paper. The photograph is then developed using a special litho developer. This Litho Kit features everything you need to start doing your own litho prints. Lith printing takes a good deal of patience considering there is a little bit more time required in making these prints.

So in conclusion, it is always nice to be give a question that makes you go back over something you once knew and take a minute to review it, so that way you can provide the best possible answers. It also helps that you surround yourself with people that are eager to learn what you know and have a desire to sit and listen to you explain things (especially photography related) in a way that they can understand. If you are interested in trying Lith printing, I suggest you make a go at it. As you can see lith printing is very different than making silver photographs on fiber paper. More so it has a more esthetically appealing look than a sepia toned print. Don’t get me wrong, I have been known to tone A LOT of my prints ( for a short time I was known as a tone nut, because of the vast amounts of toning experiments I did) but there is just something very unique distinctive about lith prints vs. sepia toned prints. None the less each in their own respect are outstanding.

If you are not to well versed in traditional darkroom processes, have yet to step into a darkroom, or like most people either do not care to, nor want to any more. Then maybe perhaps there is still hope for you yet. There are a number of resources for Digital Lith Prints. I have a very nice book that explains a few ways to get that specific look. But, here is a link to a photoshop tutorial that explains in steps how you can easily obtain a similar look in your photographs. Take a few minutes and give it a try. I am sure you will like the results.

Cyanotype: An historical practice still in use.

Cyanotypes are not just a piece of history. In fact people are still using this very simple alternative process to make some beautiful photographs. By people I am referring to photographers around the world, and me included. I have just ordered my first cyanotype kit from Hunts Photo and Video. I am anxiously awaiting the kit to come in so I can start working on a few prints that I have been waiting to print and exhibit. I also have a few surprises for this new process. So, now that you know that cyanotypes are no longer a thing of the past, you might be asking, ok, well what the heck is a cyanotype. Cyanotypes are a photographic printing process that gives a cyan-blue print.

There are a few reasons why I am going to experiment using the cyanotype kit. 1. I was recently asked what I knew about cyanotypes. I knew a few things about them, for example, the history of cyanotypes and what they were used for. But, I have never made any cyanotype prints. So, this leads to number 2.  I have a few surprises that I am working on and a few other images that I am going to set up as a limited addition for an up and coming exhibition this summer. I plan on scanning them so I can feature the prints here. I hope that the images will inspire some of you to look outside the box and try something new, get your hands wet, or blue for that matter.  Below is a more concise look at what cyanotypes are and how to make them.

The English scientist and astronomer Sir John Herschel discovered this procedure in 1842. Even though John Herschel is perhaps the inventor of the cyanotype process, Anna Atkins actually brought this to photography. She created a limited series of cyanotype books that documented ferns and other plant life. By using this process, Anna Atkins is regarded as the first female photographer.

The process uses two chemicals:

• Ammonium iron(III) citrate
• Potassium ferricyanide

They result in a photo-sensitive solution when dissolved in water, which is used to coat a material (usually paper). A positive image can be produced by exposing it to a source of ultraviolet light (such as sunlight) with a negative. The UV light reduces the iron(III) to iron(II). This is followed by a complex reaction of the iron(II) complex with ferricyanide. The result is an insoluble, blue dye (ferric ferrocyanide) known as Prussian blue.

The developing of the picture takes place by flushing it with flowing water. The water-soluble iron(III) salts are washed away, while the non-water-soluble Prussian blue remains in the paper. This is what gives the picture its typical blue color. The process was popular in engineering circles well into the 20th century. The simple and low-cost process enabled them to produce large-scale copies of their work, referred to as blueprints.

In a typical procedure, equal volumes of an 8% (w/v) solution of potassium ferricyanide and a 20% solution of ferric ammonium citrate are mixed. This mildly photosensitive solution is then applied to a receptive surface (such as paper) and allowed to dry in a dark place. Cyanotypes can be printed on any surface capable of soaking up the iron solution. Although watercolor paper is a preferred medium, cotton, wool and even gelatin sizing on nonporous surfaces have been used. Care should be taken to avoid alkaline-buffered papers which will cause degradation of the image over time.

Upon exposure to ultraviolet light (such as that in sunlight), the iron in the exposed areas will reduce, turning the paper a steel-grey-blue color. The extent of color change is dependent on the amount of UV light, but acceptable results are usually obtained after 10-20 minute exposures on a bright, sunny day. The highlight values should appear overexposed as the water wash will reduce the final print values. Prints can be made with large format negatives and lithography film, or everyday objects can be used to make photograms.

After exposure, the yellow, unreacted iron solution is rinsed off with running water. Although the blue color darkens upon drying, the effect can be accelerated by soaking the print in a 6% (v/v) solution of 3% (household) hydrogen peroxide.

The overall contrast of the sensitizer solution can be increased with the addition of 1% (w/v) solution potassium dichromate. Approximately 6 drops for every 2ml of sensitizer solution.

Critique: The internal need to make a photograph.

Over the past few years I have met some really interesting photographers. Some have become friends, close friends, while others remain nothing more than just professional acquaintances. From time to time when I check up on some of the photographers I am networked with, I fine an image or two that I find compelling. One photograph in particular is featured below. John Balathunis, a photographer I studied photography and art with while in school, made this photograph. There are a few reasons why this photograph is being featured. The number one reason I wanted to showcase  this photograph is because when John and I spoke about this image he had told me that  “This guy came up to this trash can that I was sitting near and just started eating food he found in it, and I had to get a shot of him.” John felt an internal need to make a photograph of this man. In retrospect, the man in this photograph had  internal need to approach a trash can to search for a meal. He, like John is faced with an  internal force driving him to do what he needs to survive. There are dozens of reasons why photographers are compelled to make photographs. Being able to understand that you have an internal need to make photographs makes you consciously aware that what you are doing means something to you. This internal need allows you to be able to defend your photographs and the reasons why you have made them. The second reason that I felt this image should be featured is, well, because this person is a face that I see daily. I have passed this man on the streets of Northampton at least a dozen times. The last time I had seen him, he was lounging on the grass merely 10 feet from where John made this photograph. He was spread out on the grass enjoying the warmth of the sun and watching the people pass by. I have often thought about making a photograph of him. However, every time he has seen me with my camera, he gives me a very sad expression, as if making a photograph of him would make him feel worse about himself for being in the condition he is in. I think John made a fabulous choice in making this photograph. Both the photographer and the subject matter exhibited an internal to do what compels them to do. In the 1/125 of a second it took John to make this photograph, both the photographer and the subject formed a relationship. This makes a photograph my dynamic and gives the view a sense of the human condition.

Thank you John for allowing me to share your photograph.

Frank Wark: Social Documentray Photographer

At the moment, friend and fellow photographer is traveling through Asia. Frank has a few extremely beautiful websites. One site that I have been following since he began posting to it is: The Coruscating Camera This site is very insightful and gives the reader an extremely unique insight into a world of social and documentary photography. The content that he regularly features highlights photographers who's images make a difference. The current site that I have been following is his newest blog. Asia Central A blog that he has set up to make posts to while he is traveling. He began using the blogger format to make the ease of posting go smoother and quicker, with uploads and travels through the country side, wordpress was acting up.

As Frank is traveling through the country sides with his wife. He is making photographs of the people, places, and culture. Frank is no stranger to making photographs in Asia. You can find his work on the JPG website. It was this past winter, when I was away in Boston that one of his photographs from his large view camera was published in the pages of JPB. I had come across it without knowing it was being published. I was taken by surprise, but yet thrilled to see the image in the pages of the publication.

New media outlets such as blogging, even thought blogs have been around for quite some time, is still providing people with new and exciting outlets for documenting and publishing some amazing content. Forexample, Frank makes regualr posts showing his readers where in the world he is currently photographing. I have a sincere appreciation for his ability to make images while he is traveling and still maintain the ability to publish them online.

This photograph reminds me of an Henri Carte Bresson image. But with the asthetics of a 21 century.

Some of my favorite images though, are from a post he made titled: Silk and Clay these photographs show a part of the culture that is so ancient and historical yet, at the same time it is a practice that is not widely done. The words that accompanies these images give you a sense of just grueling it is to be a part of this trade. I think he did a fanominal job putting together a post with images and words that really tells the story of what this traditional practice entails.

The next photograph that I find to be very compeling is this image of a young man embracing the camera as Frank photographs him. For the people that know me and know my interests with photography know just why this image speaks to me. For those of you who do not, photographing people is a large part of what I do and a large part of what my portfolio consists of. The expression that is on this young mans face begs for questioning. It is apparent that he has a tool in his hands, perhaps a broom. Is he unhappy with the daunting task of cleaning up the space he is in? Is he turned off by the camera being pointed in his direction? or perhaps he has had a bad day? There is a text above the image, "This is the guy who orchestrates the beating to a pulp." Without seeing ad reading this text, we are left with an image that compels the viewer to read and inturprt the image. If this image was haning in a gallery or possibly in a book, there might not be any text to accompany it, thus forcing us to come to our own conclusion of what the expression on his face means. This is an image the commands your attention as well as an image that speaks to me. It is more than just a portrait.

Frank has two more sites you can view his photographs at:

His Photoeye site and his page on Social Documentary which has a Bio of him. I strongly recomment taking a few minutes to educate yourself more by reading his blog, his images, and his bio.

Thanks for posting your photographs as you are traveling Frank. Your images give me inspiration as well as the strong desire (more than I have already had) to travel the world with my cameras.

History Lesson and more...

Jacques Henri Lartigue
1894-1986

Jacques Henri Lartigue can very easily be regarded as a genius with a camera. A more appropriate title would actually be "boy genius". Henri Lartigue was merely a small child when he picked up a camera and began his career as a photographer. Lartigue's body of work is as impressive. What makes this "boy genius" so special then? Well besides making photographs at such a tender age, starting roughly when he was several years old. Lartigue captured paradoxal moments with his camera. The three images that accompany this post are great examples of this.

When I first learned about Lartigue, I was completely blown away with how he managed to make photographs that captured the brilliance of of motion. Lartigue literally froze time with his camera. The photograph above shows the motion of the car traveling. However you can only see the motion in the background. Lartigue froze the car in a perfect composition that shows the speed of which it was traveling.



The power of the internet can be a very funny resource when it comes to finding out information. A few searches to pull up some factual evidence to support my knowledge of Lartigue pulled up a few things that did not make sense. One website that I found claimed Lartigue to have first started making photographs when he was 11. 11 still being a young age, was not the truth. I found a few other sites that put claim to some false information. However Lartigue's Wiki Page has all the right facts about him. When I was in college, I found a reproduction of the first photograph pictured above. I was shocked and amazed to see it sitting in the bottom of a box ready to be put to the trash. I was not very hesitant to take the photograph and put it into a collection of images that I have obtained over the years. Reproductions are worth money, especially one of this calliber. Lartigue's body of work is great representaion of a life time achievement by a Master of Photography.

Jacques Henri Lartigue's Time Line

Cool New Camera Gear

Check out these cool products by Interfit. Interfit Strobies Will these products make you a better photographer? No, that comes with years of practice, patience, willingness to try new things, and the artistic ability to grow as a person and a photographer. These Strobies though, will improve the quaility of your image when it comes to using your speed light. And if you follow the strobist mindset, like hundreds of thousands of photographers, than you will truely appreciate these products.

Why use a flash?
Because the good folks and Smash & Peas said so. Why Use A Flash

Not so much a photography product, however, this snazzy little desk will be going into my work space. I was searching for a very simple, a desk that will hold my lap top, camera, and external hard drive, when I was given a very offer. This desk below is simple, small enough to fit nicely in my space, and matches the color of the floor very well. The good people over at CSNOfficeFurniture.com hooked me up with this nice offer. Check out the site. They have some great office/studio furntiture as well as fixtures available.

4D Concepts Office Desk

4D Concepts has created an office desk with an overwhelming compromise in mind-the plain but desirable concept of simplicity has fused with aesthetic, ornamental design to create an office desk defined by functionality. This is undoubtedly the formula for success in building an office desk with the sole goal of worker efficiency in mind. By using this formula, 4D Concepts has become a leader in office furniture for the last ten years, and they continue to produce quality products. Nowadays, consumers are more frequently seeing office desks that are wonderfully ornate and fashionable, but hardly practical. After all, the most important aspect of a good office desk is how functional it is in terms of space, comfort, and organization. The 4D Concepts Office Desk is a working area that is simply designed, but visually appealing as well, with its beautiful espresso and laminate finish. This is an office desk designed for those long days at the office where space and organization are absolutely essential for individual success and career advancement. This fits right in with the creed of 4D concepts, “The customer is always #1.” Perhaps they should change their motto to “Keeping it delightfully simple.”