Since Miko was talking about JPX being lost and alone and 50p was talking about the apocalypse, it seemed appropriate to post this photograph. I actually just got back from printing it at the darkroom. At the moment it is quite flawed, but I wanted to check out the tone after it dried before I put any effort into perfecting it.This is a photograph of JPX that I took in Newport two summers ago. I’m just getting back into printing my negatives so this is the first opportunity I’ve had to print it, and I actually only developed the film about a month ago. (Poor me, I have about 30 roles of film to develop. I hate developing film. I’ve contemplated dropping them off to be processed, but I can’t justify spending money on something that I’m perfectly capable of doing and at a fraction of the cost. Plus, I don’t really like anyone else developing my negatives.)
Anyway, JPX is standing in this old abandoned mansion at Bretton Point in Newport. They have a fence around it to keep people out, but it is still really easy to sneak in. They never used to have it fenced. I’ve been going inside this building since I was a kid, and it was always dangerous. Many times when I was inside rusty metal bars and concrete would come crashing down. When they didn’t have the fence up you could stand in the back in the courtyard. It was believed to be a serene place, and when you stood there you were supposed to feel a sense of calm. I always did, but I’m sure it was only because that’s what I told myself to feel.
I shot some other images of JPX here. In one of them he is standing behind the bars in one of the horse stables screaming and shaking his head. It’s not a good image though. There’s not enough available light in that area so it ends up looking flat. I may have to get some battery operated lights and go back. I can’t resist. It is a great space.
9 comments:
Whirly, I just found out that there are urban explorer clubs that explore abandoned buildings all around the country. I've always wanted to do that stuff. Very, very, cool.
That picture kinda creeps me out...
Yeah, really cool picture. Straight out of a Japanese nightmare! That might be the best picture of JPX I've ever seen.
Super cool! Okay, I'm nowhere near your level of photog - I wouldn't know the first thing about developing film. But next time we get together we have to talk about all this!! What do you shoot with? What's your take, in general, on Photoshop? I'm all sorts of curious...
Clarifying!
Clearly, you are not doing Photoshop editing on developed pics. I go to a site a lot where the woman photoshops almost every pic she takes and I wanted your opinion on that aspect.
Thanks everyone!
DCD, I shoot with a variety of cameras. This image was shot with a Canon Rebel 2000. That's the camera I've had the longest and use most frequently. Then I have a couple of medium format cameras I shoot with. The first is a Mamiya 645. The other is a Holga, which is a cheap $20 plastic camera. Everything is plastic including the lens. I love shooting with it because I can be very carefree since I don't have to worry about it getting broken or stolen. Also its simplicity is a nice change sometimes because there is no focusing involved, and no shutter or aperture to set, well, only in a very minimal way.
The main appeal of the Holga is that it can cause vignetting around the edges of the photo, the plastic lens can sometimes crate a soft dream like image, and because it is a cheaply constructed camera it can have light leaks, which can be taped, but if left un taped can produce some interesting effects. The camera began being manufactured in China in, I think, the 1950's for the working class Chinese to be able to take snap shots of their family and friends. Oh, and most importantly, every Holga is unique, not one is ever like another, and that’s pretty sweet.
The last camera I use is a pinhole, which I have only minimally explored. I’m still very much a pinhole photography virgin.
As far as photoshop is concerned, I have some, but minimal experience. I think photoshop is fun, but frustrating; it’s not like being in a darkroom. I feel like I have less control of how the image will come out using photoshop verses printing an image in a darkroom, but I lack photoshop experience. I've seen some really cool stuff done to images using photoshop, and I do plan on getting more experienced.
I am very resistant to going digital because it is still inferior to the quality of an image produced by film. Some digital equipment is better than others, but I can always look at a digital print and know that it is digital. A major complaint I have about digital is that you have to spend a certain amount of money to buy quality equipment that will produce a quality image. However, with film you can spend $20 on a camera and all you need is technique and skill to produce a phenomenal image. You can make a pinhole camera from a cereal box and produce a great photograph. Also, you can make a film camera out of anything – a car, or even your mouth. You can’t say the same for digital. Sure, I’m sure it can be done, but the average person can’t construct that or necessarily afford the material needed.
The day will come when I’ll have to go digital, and I’ll cry. It’s slowly happening. Little by little manufacturers of film and darkroom materials are pulling items from being made. Kodak discontinued their printing paper years ago, and only recently Polaroid has announced the discontinuation of their instant films, which I love as much I love breathing. More and more stuff will be pulled from the shelves as the market for it continues to dwindle. Digital is the future and I hate it. Regardless of any of my views on digital, I certainly can’t help but hate something that is making what I love slowly become extinct.
I am more of a hobbyist - and fascinated by all you have said. I got a (sorry) digital Canon Rebel last year and I love it because it has the speed of a film camera. EXCEPT that I am still so slow in learning to set aperture, etc that I have to leave it on Auto too often.
*sigh* So much to learn!
I love Canon!
Aperture can get complicated, but basically a smaller aperture (the larger number) = a greater depth of field, and a larger aperture (the smaller number) = a shallow depth of field.
Pinhole cameras have literally a pinhole size aperture which gives them extremely great depth of field.
A fast shutter will freeze an object in motion, while a slow shutter will blur. This image of JPX, for example, was taken using a very slow shutter. I did this to allow light to expose the film for a longer length of time, but also to blur his movement, creating a kind of ghostly, eerie image.
Rule to remember: The aperture controls the amount of light that comes in, while the shutter controls for how long.
The shutter and aperture can be changed for your purposes - freezing an image, greater or shallow depth of field, etc, but you just need to make sure they are in balance with one another for the correct exposure. Although, soemtimes you may want to over or underexpose by a stop or two. You may want to do this for backlighting issues, snow, shadows, but that's not something to worry about when your first learning.
Your best bet is to practice. Take an image of soemone running past the lens with a slow shutter, and then with a fast. Also, practice using a small and large aperture.
Yeah, I just need to let go and experiment more. I also need to start carrying my camera on a daily basis. Although it's damn heavy w/my favorite lens. But there are too many times in a day when I'm doing the head-slap, "D'oh" that I don't have it with me.
Thanks for the advice. Next time, instead of a movie we should get together and go take pictures!
That is an awesome plan. I am always up for taking pictures.
I find myself doing the head-slap a lot too.
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