"for me the printing process is part of the magic of photography. it’s that magic that can be exciting, disappointing, rewarding and frustrating all in the same few moments in the darkroom." – john sexton
Tag: black and white film
This image marks an important checkpoint in my walk as a professional artist. Just before I made this image, I had an amazing explosion of pre-visualizations take place in my mind’s eye. I’ve had similar experiences before, but this time, I finally felt able to direct the model [my wife], to act out what I was thinking. With very specific words, I explained the feeling that the photo should have, told her how to lean her head, where to place her hands, and adjusted everything in little increments until the image in reality and the image in my mind lined up perfectly. The awesome part is, I had spot metered on her face, set the shutter and focused before any of those artistic thoughts took place. I was prepared.
Another awesome aspect of this image is that I metered, set, visualized, executed, developed and scanned all in one afternoon. There’s just something special about self developing black and white film, especially when the images on it are fresh! It’s an amazing experience watching the images roll out one by one while unwinding the reel and hanging the strip up to dry. I foresee a lot more of this in the future.
This image is titled “The Power of a Dream” not just because the mood is dreamy but because it is a dream of mine fulfilled. Years ago, I knew I wanted to eventually make images like this and I think my confidence level is finally catching up. I certainly don’t plan to become vain in any sense, as all vanity is doused by this being the only awesome image on the 36 exposure roll [in my opinion]. But this result speaks to me with much volume: if you have a dream, chase it. Be responsible while you chase it, but don’t let it get away. I have had my eyes set on becoming a better photographer and I truly feel like I am growing every day.
Categories
013 – The Fourth Dimension
Sometimes, an image doesn’t need an explanation.
exposure time: 1/40
f-number: f/8.0
ISO:50
focal-length: 50mm
equipment: Canon 5D Mark II with 50mm f/1.4 USM
software: Adobe Lightroom 3 and Photoshop Elements 6
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Have a great week!
Notes
I recently obtained an Epson Scanner that has an adapter for film strips, so I thought I would share a shot from my most recent film experiment. I shot this image a few months ago with the Pentax ME Super that my dad lent to me. He bought the Pentax when he was fresh out of high school.
Using old equipment and media can be inspiring; it makes me look at ordinary things very differently, not to mention much more decisively. I used to believe that going to an exotic location would lead to better images, but the love of simple things has recently refuted that belief. While traveling and experiencing new things can definitely broaden one’s horizons, it can also be distracting. I yearn to be so observant towards everything around me that I am able to see fresh photographs, ready to be made, in everyday life. This image is meant to serve as an example of that belief. To further drill the point home, let it be known that four out of the six 104 experiment images so far were all created within a half mile of each other around our apartment, and I hope to maintain that ratio.
“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” -Elliott Erwitt
exposure time: very slow
f-number: f/2.0
Film speed:400
focal-length: 50mm
equipment: Pentax Me Super with Pentax 50mm f/2.0
scanner + software: Epson Stylus RX500, Adobe Photoshop Elements (cropping the strip).
Click the follow button to be notified via email for the next “104 Experiment” post!
Have a great weekend!