Much is said about communication in Social Media circles, specifically in the context of audience. When I use old film gear, like I did for this image of Rebecca below, I feel in a way that I am also communicating with photographers who have gone before me; holding an old film camera, I feel a connection to the history of photography that I just don’t feel with a digital camera, almost a ghost in the machine kind of thing.
Canon 7 Rangefinder camera, 50mm/f2 Summitar len, Ilford Pan F film)
With the ubiquity of cell phones, we are seeing fewer and fewer pay phones; they are increasingly seen as obsolete, and the ones that are still around tend to be in pretty rough shape. These two outside the Bathurst subway station seem different; they are both in decent condition, and seem determined to maintain dignity and a sense of purpose. In a sense, they remind me of an old married couple: not flashy, but dedicated and devoted.
(Canon 7 35mm rangefinder, 50mm/f2 Jupiter 8 lens,
Fomapan 100 film,
developed in Tmax developer for 9 minute)
As I’ve said before, I am not a film-only purist, and there are times when digital technology s what is needed to get the shot. Last night was one of those occasions. I was shooting Angela Saini at the Free Times Cafe here in Toronto. A great location to hear great music, but the stage is very dimly lit. I had to crank up the ISO on my Nikon D7100 to 6400, just to get a decent shot in available light. 6400 is a speed that takes drastic chemical steps to achieve in a film camera, and I wold likely have ended up with golf-ball sized grain. I like this look better.
I noticed this young photographer on the subway yesterday. He was equipped with a Canon SLR and what appeared to be a manual focus lens, likely a 50mm or 35mm. What I noticed more than the camera and though was his eyes: he was looking at everything, noticing everything, and in his mind framing every possible shot. Without ever seeing an image of his, I am quite confident that his photography would be good.
He had the right gear; and I don’t mean his camera, I mean his eyes and awareness which transcend whatever camera he had in his hands.
Over the last few years I’ve noticed more and more “human statues” at Yonge and Dundas in downtown Toronto. I’d say this is a pretty tough way to make a living: it requires a lot of concentration, and I am sure some passersby will do their best to break their pose.
(Nikon F2, 105mm/f2.5, Tri-X developed in Xtol 1:1)
I thought this citizen of Toronto had an interesting look, and the Nikon 105mm/2.5 allowed for just the right degree of isolation in the framing.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of doing a photo shoot with Michael James. I first met Michael last year when we were both in The Alexander Showcase Theatre’s production of Man of La Mancha. Michael is a fun guy to work with: a great sense of humour, and also a lot of depth and thoughtfulness. My job as a photographer is to capture that, and I’d like to think I did.
I used the Nikkor 85mm/1.8 lens on my Nikon F2, using Kodak Tri-X film; I can see myself coming back to this combo again, especially for male portraits!
The last few days I have been trying my Nikkor 85/1.8 lens on my Nikon F2 for street shooting, and I am really liking the this focal length; so many images just seem to present themselves, like today’s image of a dog owner coming back to collect his dog. (I was originally trying to get a shot of the dog alone, but the owner came back just as I was about to shoot).
(Nikon F2 with 85mm/1.8 Nikkor lens, Tri-X film at E.I. 400 developed in Xtol 1:1 for 9 minutes)
I’ve always found this type of bike post fascinating, like a modern art sculpture. They lend themselves to any number of angles and compositions.
(Canon 7 35mm Rangefinder with 50mm/f2 Jupiter 8 lens,
Fomapan 100 developed in TMax developer 1:9)
Some numbers came together to make this image: the lens, a Soviet era Jupiter 8 50mm lens, on a Canon 7 rangefinder body. The film was Fomapan 100, developed in Tmax developer at a 9:1 dilution. This combo works for me!
My Third Eye 