Last Sunday I had two photo shoots: one for the Women and Cameras series (more on that shoot later this week), and one just a straight shoot with a young model looking to build her portfolio. Today’s picture is from that second photo shoot. Like I said in the flick image comment, I’ve shot more than a few smiles this year, but I think this is the favourite smile I’ve captured so far.
Today, another picture in my Women and Cameras series, but with a difference: up until now my subjects have all been either models or friends/acquaintances. Today’s subject Natalie not only is a photographer in her own right, but also collects and uses vintage cameras (as does her fiancé!) The camera featured in the image below, a Yashica 124G Twin Lens Reflex is one of three of her own she brought to the shoot.
Just by the way she is holding it, and looking at it, she is clearly showing that she understands the image-making potential of this fine camera, and the magic of film.
Today’s image is from my first photo shoot involving a nude model a few days ago. I used my Mamiya M645J medium format camera and Delta 400 black and white film, with some post processing in Aperture. I’ll have to admit I was a bit nervous but once the session started, it was like any other photo shoot; getting the image via a fruitful collaboration was the goal. The model was an artist herself, who works in sculpture using bronze and the “lost wax” technique, and it was fascinating to hear her talk about her process and artistic vision.
The latest image from my Women and Cameras series features Memento Mori, an example of a model who understands the important of having a story behind the image, On our shoot in High Park last week, one character after another appeared, as a story out of a Lewis Carroll type fairy tail appeared. In the image below, we have a puppet without strings.
The only response I have to the hatred that led to the massacres in Norway is to post a picture about love.
Another image in my Women and Cameras series, and the second to feature a friend who is not a model. My friend Jo-Anne is holding a Kodak Duoflex, a simple camera made from the mid 1940’s to mid 1950’s. To me it seems like a “friendly” camera, and I think Jo-Anne’s warm expression suits it to a T.
This image is from my antique lens 4×5 portrait series, but is definitely different from most of the others in the series so far. Instead of a dreamy soft focus look, I felt that for Lauren (a bass player in a Goth band) a grittier, tougher look would be a more honest portrayal, so in post processing of the negative scan that is what I emphasized.
Typically, photographs that are noted for texture tend to be sharp, with a lot of detail. The image in this post is from my brass lens portrait series: the combination of the old lens, long (4-5 second!) exposure ensure that these images will not be sharp. Also, the photo paper that I use for the negatives in this process tends to emphasize skin blemishes, so in post I need to further smooth things out a bit, further reducing detail.
However, I still like the texture in this image, particularly in the hair, and the way the light plays on it.
In a perverse sense, it is refreshing to get a sense of adventure with this film project, not being sure if images will even turn out. Such a change from the bland perfection of digital. Another session where I got one barely usable image, requiring a lot of work in post. Still very happy with the image; amazing eyes!
When I was in Ottawa for PAB2011 in June one evening I walked by a store called The Camera Trading Company one evening, after closing time. The store looked fascinating, and I resolved to visit the next morning. What a store! Focussing on film/vintage photography gear, it is the kind of place I could spend many hours (and many $$$). Today’s image is of the proprietor, in front of a wall of classic cameras.
What I found encouraging was that the store was busy when I went in, and while I was there a women in her late teens/early 20’s came in and bought a film camera. It’s great to see the next generation picking up film 🙂
My Third Eye 