Windows – Piano, Dog, Cat and Abstract

Abstract, Alaska, Black & White, Film, Photography, Portraits, Street, Travel

Above: Piano lessons at night through a window in the University of Washington district. Shot on a Kodak Retine IIIc, 35mm film.

Windows, the current weekly photo challenge, can mean many things. Look in or out a window to see opposites. Eyes are windows. A window of time carries heavy implications. Windows are simultaneous openings and reflections. Insight into others and self.

Throughmylens posted two wonderful windows to look through – one in British Columbia and one in Italy.

Im excited to feature film frames this post. I have been neglecting film recently, so it’s good stimulant to shoot and process more. Two are film, the abstract black and white and the color frames are film.

Abstract frost patterns in a window at Creamers Field – 120mm Illford film.

Cat watches world.

Dog watches world.

Black and White, 35mm Moss Studies

Abstract, Alaska, Black & White, Film, Landscapes, Photography

My passion for photography began when I took a darkroom class in high school. To this day I continue to shoot film and make fiber prints, admittedly, not as much I would like.

I have long been working on a portfolio titled Creamers Field on Film. Creamers Field is an old dairy farm turned migratory waterfowl refuge. The criteria for the portfolio is simple: shot on film, at Creamers Field. Right on the northern edge of Fairbanks, with beautiful historic buildings and an incredible range of landscapes, I highly recommend a trip there for anyone visiting Fairbanks.

The three images today were shot on B&W 35mm Illford Delta 100, the digital files are scans from 8×10 fiber prints.

Shot just one day before the first snowfall, the moss was all but dead, resembling skin draped over bones.

Music Monday: TIm Robb at Creamers Field.

Alaska, Black & White, Film, Music, Photography, Portraits, Street

First things first: My condolences go out to all those affected by today’s Boston Marathon tragedy. I have spent some time viewing photos and watching videos, it truly is horrific. I can’t imagine the utter shock and chaos felt during what should have been a time of jubilation.

I was riding my bike to school, just about this time in 2012, and stopped by Creamers Field to shoot some 35mm, B&W film. I happened upon an unexpected scene.

Fairbanks musician Tim Robb watched the arrival of Canada goose while practicing guitar, his dog in attendance. Robb is a very enjoyable, mellow yet enthusiastic musician. The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner correctly critiques his work: “Robb… typically blurs the style lines through free-form interpretation and improvisation.”

I was worried I didn’t have anything for Music Monday, then I found these gems in my archives. The first image is a lesson in micro-composition. A few extra seconds in the viewfinder and I may have panned up and to the right, eliminating the rear-door handle and “Outback” emblem, at the same time getting all the lettering on the barn and the vents on the roof.

Tim Robb practices guitar while his dog hangs out at Creamers Field, April 2012.

Tim Robb practices guitar while his dog hangs out, Creamers Field, April 2012.

Bright morning light causes squinty eyes, but doesn’t diminish smiles.

Can I use that picture? No. Well… I’m going to. Street photography and copyright infringement.

Film, Photography, Portraits, Street, Travel

An issue every photographer struggles with, sharing their work with the world while protecting intellectual property, has a new high-profile case.

Humans of New York, the blog of street photographer Brandon Stanton, is a hugely popular blog featuring posed and candid images of the many unique citizens in America’s most populous city. According to The Guardian, clothing company DKNY offered Stanton $15,000 to use 300 of his photos. Feeling $50 per photo was inadequate compensation from a wealthy company Stanton requested more, which DKNY denied.

A fan of Stanton later brought to his attention that DKNY had in fact used many of his images in a window advertisement in Bangkok. Taking a very admirable path, Stanton asked DKNY donate $100,000 to his local YMCA, in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. In what was a simultaneous act-of-kindness and backhanded swipe, DKNY donated $25,000 in Stanton’s name.

So how do photographers, and artists as a whole, attempting to establish their name protect it at the same time? There’s no fool-proof way. Watermarks, finding websites that don’t allow downloading of images and small file sizes are all techniques.

Personally, I size my images small enough they wouldn’t make a decent print and hope people will at least ask if they want to use it. I have found out this isn’t an adequate approach.

The topic will only continue to brew confusion and controversy, as popular image-sharing software Instagram has recently been sued over inadequate protection of users photos.

Today I will share some of my street photography from Seattle.

I didn’t have much reaction time when I saw how the orange of the man’s shirt and child’s stroller complemented the orange accents on the posters.

Here I was simply interested in the smooth curvature of the drinking fountain and the bike-lane indicator in the street when a pedestrian came to quench his thirst. Again I had to quickly step back to get a more inclusive image before he continued on his way.

I dig his tall, white socks with black shoes.

Weekly photo challenge: Solitary

Alaska, Black & White, Film, Landscapes, Photography, Portraits, Travel, Weekly Photo Post

Solitary: being, living or going alone or without companions. The word instantly conjurs images of some distant wayfarer or contemplative individual. For this installment of the Weekly Photo Challenge, I will show you three of my interpretations of solitary, images I believe convey the mood through subject matter and compositional elements.

First: a very literal interpretation of solitary. In Denali National Park, a lone-grazing caribou is seen in vast tundra. I wont even begin to speculate on the distances, however it was shot with a 300MM telephoto lens on a Canon 7D. The importance of the 7D is the smaller APS-C sized sensor increases the 300MM lens to an effective focal length of 480MM! As focal length increases, the depth of a picture is flattened, making the relationships of everything seem closer.

In short, this caribou is very alone.

Please click on the images to view full size.

Lone caribou in Denali National Park, Sept. 16, 2012

My second image is more metaphorically solitary. The model and her shadow are all the viewer has to dwell on. I think her gaze off the edge of the frame, often deemed poor composition because the viewer wonders what the subject is looking at, gives the feeling that there is nothing besides more wall, adding to the solitary feeling. Also helping is the edge of the 4×5 film, terminating any curiosity about what else there may be.

Crystal at Creamers Field

Finally a somber event that would leave anyone feeling solitary. A woman walks past a cutout to honor a victim of domestic violence. The plaque reads,

“Nancy Tegoseak, Age 40, April, 2004. Nancy was born in Tanana and the loving mother of five children. She was beaten to death by her boyfriend. She leaves behind three children.”

Kodak Retina double exposure

Abstract, Alaska, Film, Photography

I read an ad for a garage sale that specifically said antique cameras, needless to say I couldn’t resist. To my delight I found a Kodak Retina IIIc. Based off the serial number from this 35MM camera it was made between 1954 and 1957 in Stuttgart, Germany. This awesome camera can be slow to use, but features a qreat 50mm, Schneider 2.0 lens. It is also has a solid feel, and at $25 price tag, with a $50 cleaning at a local shop, I couldn’t be happier with the cost.

It always fun to imagine the pictures an old camera has taken, and equally fun to image the ones it has left.

Please click on the image to view full size.

Dog sign double exposure

One of the rolls I shot was old 400 ASA film, and somehow got double exposed. No complaints here as the contrast between neon pink hotel sign and the curious gaze of the dog in the woods mimics a feeling I often have when looking at some of todays buildings.

Suvi and her Lynx transformation mask.

Alaska, Arts, Film, Photography, Portraits

As part of my art minor I’m taking a Native Arts of Alaska class. It’s emphasis is in wood carving, and masks are a very popular form of Native art. A friend of mine and Finnish exchange student made a Lynx transformation mask out of Birch. I had to do a shoot, a transformation shoot if you will, with Suvi and her mask. You will likely instantly understand why I wanted to, but her long, red dreads offered the perfect gateway between mask and creator.

Please click on the images to view full size.

Pre- and mid-yawn cat diptych

Alaska, Black & White, Film, Photography, Portraits

The title pretty much says it all. I was just shooting a few frames of my cat Carlos sitting in the sun when he opened wide for a yawn. The two frames were mere seconds apart. I feel it’s hard taking pictures of pets that are not simply snapshots. One way to change the aesthetic could be trying different gear, editing or processing techniques. Much of my aesthetic comes from shooting film. Another way is to turn it into a study with multiple images. In this case a study of a cat yawning. Of course I couldn’t have anticipated his sudden inhale, but also would’t have caught it had I not just taken the preceding picture. It could be argued only one picture is needed, but I think the combination of the two paints a more complete picture, allowing the viewer to get an idea of the cats appearance.

Spring, snow melt and cattle

Abstract, Alaska, Black & White, Film, Photography, Portraits

Record temperatures in Fairbanks means snow’s melting, fast. I’ve been photographing the farmer who is raising Black Angus cows some more. Here water drips off a fence highlighted by sun with a cow in the background. 100 speed film means not a lot of grain, but on 35MM it still comes standard, shallow depth of field just because I can.

Please click on the image to view full size.

Found: Love at the bottom of a martini glass

Abstract, Alaska, Arts, Black & White, Film, Photography

Went out for drinks after my show last Friday. I noticed a neat reflection being projected onto our table at Lavelle’s Bistro. It’s very rewarding after such a hectic week in a very crowded and noisy restaurant to notice the elegance of still life. In the low light shallow depth of field and grain come standard on the 35MM 400 ISO film.

Please click on the image to view full size.