Goodbye Kodachrome Retro Photo-walk 16 October, 2010

· 2 Comments ·

I’ve decided to take the plunge and organize a photo-walk in Kleinburgh to mark the passing of Kodachrome once it can no longer be developed after Dec/2010.

I have set up a Facebook event for it, but if you are not on Facebook, the info is reproduced below. Please let me know if you would like to attend and whether or not you wish to reserve a roll of film!

Goodbye Kodachrome Retro Photo-walk LOCATION CHANGE!!!

Date/Time October 16 · 10:00am – 5:00pm
Location Morningside Park, Scarborough Ontario.

We’ll meet at 2nd last parking lot (beside a playground), shoot for a while, then how about a late lunch?

More Info What better way to mark the passing of this legendary film than to shoot it one last time, a photo-walk capturing the beautiful fall colours in Kleinburg, Ontario (home to the McMichael Gallery and its renowned collection of Group of Seven art).

As of December, 2010 the one lab that still processes Kodachrome slide film will stop this service, and the glorious era of Kodachrome will end. While Kodak no longer sells Kodachrome, it is still available on eBay.

Depending on numbers, I can provide some Kodachrome at my cost, and provide instructions on how to get it processed. I have bought 14 rolls online so far, at an average cost of $6.33. I will buy more if numbers warrant. One roll per person, and people who confirm attendance with me will get priority.

You’re responsible for providing a 35mm camera. If you want to reserve a roll, let me know ASAP either here, or via email jgmeadows@gmail.com

Note: Digital photographers also welcome!

Edge Cases

· Leave a comment ·

I made this image of the Thames, London, while standing on the Millennium bridge about 2 weeks ago.

DSC_0332

Exposure was a 1/4 second, handheld. While I love old film cameras, without the VR technology on my D90, there is no way I could have created this image in a film camera, without a tripod,

Celebrating the CommonPlace

· 1 Comment ·

Museum photography can be tough; images of art and artifacts seem to end up being mere record-keeping, like a receipt of what was seen, rather than interesting photographs in their own right.

Last week we visited the British Museum in London. This museum contains the Rosetta Stone, the Elgin Marbles, etc. but here is a commonplace image I took, which I rather like. I saw this at a cafe in the gallery portion of the museum and was struck by the presentation of the fruit.

DSC_0203
The irony is of course travelling thousands of miles for an image I could likely have found in Toronto.

Details

· Leave a comment ·

DSC_0220

I am currently on vacation in Salisbury, England and in a town like this, it is certainly easy to feel overwhelmed photographically speaking. The Salisbury Cathedral is certainly the most iconic object to make pictures of, and therein lies the challenge.

How do you find a way to take a photograph of something that has been photographed many times before, and be original (instead of just saving money on postcards)?

I think the answer lies in looking for a detail, perhaps even macro images. Each detail holds a story, waiting to be explored and communicated

Paying the Price

· Leave a comment ·

Since 1977, when I took today’s picture of a close-up of iris petals, I have moved about 6 times, and sadly I have lost the original slide. This is one of my favourite pictures, but all I have left is a slightly damaged Cibachrome print I made of it in the early 1980’s. I have always been somewhat disorganized when it comes to slides, negatives, etc. and this time it bit me!

An object lesson to take care of ones pictures, whether analog or digital.

Yellow Flower 1977

Social Media Has Changed My Photography

· 1 Comment ·

It has been some time since I was seriously into photography, and in that time, I have become involved a lot in social media, and it has had an interesting effect on my images. I am an introvert by nature, and in the past, taking pictures of people I didn’t know was difficult. Since getting into social media however, it’s been easier for me to meet new people, and now taking pictures of people I don’t know is getting easier.

A few weeks ago, along with my daughters I was involved in a video shoot for local Ontario singer/songwriter Andrea Gauster. I was playing a photographer in the video, and also took the chance to take a lot of pictures of the video shoot. While in position, waiting for the camera to roll, I saw another cast member perfectly posed, in great diffused light, so I went up and asked to take a picture (seen below).

I couldn’t have done that five years ago.

DSC_0032

Lo-Fi iPhone Photography

· 2 Comments ·

I’m having fun working on one project right now, a lo-fi iPhone project capturing the experience of my daily commute to and from work on the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission). I go the work early, and am normally on the subway by about 6:20 a.m. At that time of day, one does not see the rich latte drinkers, or other privileged classes of Toronto that for so many people form their only impression of the city. One sees the working class, an awful lot of diversity, and often, sheer fatigue, which I tried to capture in the photo below, taken with the iPhone 3GS camera, then given a vintage, lo-fi effect which I feel was ideally suited for the mood.

TTC Monday Morning

Can We Still Make These Pictures?

· 1 Comment ·

It’s about time I started a Photography blog, but instead of a new picture, I will start with an old one, a picture I took in the early 1980’s at a fountain in Toronto’s Eaton Centre:

Scan-100912-0002

This is one of my favourite older photographs, but I wonder, what would happen if I tried to take this picture today?

Shooting pictures of kids in public has become a suspicious activity at best, and it saddens me that one of the best subjects is verging on becoming taboo, unless the parents know the photographer.