Phat Cameras
One of the blowback pitfalls of 9-11 has been how difficult is to fly as a large format photographer. Part of my commercial career was on site work with 4x5 and 8x10 format cameras. Often on site shoots required flying to whatever location, schlepping camera cases and forking over overweight and extra luggage charges to the airlines. Sheet film was always encased in x-ray proof pouches, and it was a simple matter of telling airport security that there was unopened boxes of film in the film case. It wasn’t particularly easy to deal with, but it was manageable.
No longer. Traveling with large cameras, film, tripod and lights on an airplane is a nightmare beyond imagination. I finally gave up. I’ve even given up traveling with a Hassleblad and film (my point and shoot camera of choice). So, I’m like ever other digital photographic slob out there, which may not be such a bad thing. But I still miss making 8x10 images on location.
The image below was taken of my son, Alex, on the southern tip of the Osa peninsula in Costa Rica with an 8x10 Sinar P2. I miss traveling with big cameras, and I’m glad I took the time to make this image of him.
Time out at the Taj Mahal
During my first trip to India, I made the obligatory visit to Agra to hang out at the Taj Mahal. And yes, it is worth the trouble to make a side trip to see it. Like most Indian cities, Agra takes some getting use to: especially the closer you get to the Taj Mahal. It's much easier to hire a bicycle rickshaw for the day than dealing with taxis. My rickshaw walla kept trying to take me to different shops so that some shop owner could try and palm some useless touristy crap off on to me, and my walla could make a couple rupees' commission. Outside the Taj Mahal compound, the streets were clogged with the usual armies of begging children, crippled beggars, sadhus, and interestingly, wandering bull-whip vendors all surrounded in a ubiquitous cloud mixture of dirt, cow dung and flies.
Once inside the compound walls, things were more serene. After spending an hour or so inside the Taj Mahal, I was hanging out, and I noticed a lot of Indians came to just sit and enjoy the setting. This particular crew grabbped my attention, and when I asked if I could take their photograph, the man with the glasses replied in excellent English that they would be delighted. When he asked me where I as from, and I told him, he was over joyed to have finally met someone who lived in New York City. Of course, that led to a half hour or so conversation about the United States, and the English speaking guy translating for the other two. But all in all, it was a very pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.
So the photograph was a black & white image that I colored in photshop much the same way one would have hand colored a silver gelatin print back in the day. The color quality of the woman's sari has always fascinated me. I wish I had gotten their address, I would have loved to send them a print.
Phish For Lunch
A while back, I was driving my father over to Boca Grande in southwest Florida. On the way I was looking for a seafood market where I could purvey some local fish or shrimp. We were passing through Gasparilla Island, and my Dad pointed towards a dusty dirt road, and suggested I try "down there". After about a quarter of mile I came to grinding halt amidst a cloud dust in front of a small building on the water with a couple of shrimpers tied up out back. I saw through an open door a couple of men cleaning fish, so I figured I could find some fish for dinner. On my way around to the front of building, I spotted this guy having lunch. He didn't seem to be in a hurry, nor was he particularly concerned about my presence. I quickly returned to the car, got my camera, and I half expected for the bird to be gone by the time I returned. He wasn't. In fact, he turned this was and that, posing. He swallowed the fish and returned to standing under the conveyor belt, waiting for another fish to fall off. Once inside, I commented upon the bird outside, and one old fellow with a cigarette stub hanging from his lip, filleting fish , coughed out, "oh, hell, son, he's here everyday for lunch".
What I particularly like about this image is the quality of the light. Clearly it was about noon with the sun directly overhead. There's something about the bird's feathers that I love. I also like the juxtaposition of the bird amongst all the geometric shapes of the building and the conveyor belt behind him/her.
Cover Image for my Polaroid Book
I thought I'd show you the cover image for my book A Couple of Stops Down at the Speed of Light. It's a book containing 160 Polaroid images taken over a twenty year period and carefully sequenced based upon image as opposed to chronology.
Also, to view the portfolios included in my blog, simply click on a tab above and follow the navigation button in the lower right hand corner.
Phinally Phat
You know what they say....if you want something done right (in this case, just simply done) do it yourself. I' ve been waiting and working with website developers for a long time trying to get just the right website designed: you know the kind, lots of flash elements, images flying around, type crusing in and around. Maybe somerday. But, I can't wait any longer, so I ponied up with a Thesis blog download, and designed my photoblog in a couple of days.
The image below was taken right after New Year's Eve, on an overnight trip on Ha Long Bay, in northern Vietnam.
