FYI ~ I feel like I just met the Pope and the President

Yesterday, with one single objective in mind, I left home and drove into the teeth of a pretty severe Nor'easter. A Nor'easter that continues to this hour (10AM) as I sit here in NYC typing this entry.

The sledding, er, I mean the driving got pretty dicey for the last 100 miles. Vehicles were pirouetting into the ditches at a remarkable rate and I was L(ing)OL at the fact that about every 3rd ditch digger was in one BMX x-drive (AWD) vehicle or another. Just as in picture making, money might get you very nice equipment, but it doesn't make you a good picture maker. Or, as in the case of BMW X-drive vehicles, it doesn't make you a good driver.

In any event, speaking of picture making, the single objective that drove from the safety and warmth of my home was an invitation to the opening reception for the exhibit, Pioneers of Color: Stephen Shore ~ Joel Meyerowitz ~ William Eggleston. As the saying says, wild horses wouldn't / couldn't have kept me away, and the wild-horses encumbrance in this case was the aforementioned Nor'easter. I even had my winter hiking gear in the car just in case I had to walk to get there.

As it turned out, our little Suzuki SX4 AWD handled the driving challenge with remarkable aplomb so I didn't need the winter gear until I got out on the sidewalks after I arrived in NYC. Which I did with just enough time to arrive at my friend's place in the East Village, have a beer, freshen up, put on my gallery gear, hop in cab, and, $15 later, arrive ever-so-slightly fashionably-late at the Edwynn Houk Gallery.

Was it worth it? Oh, yeah - absolutely no doubt about it. The exhibit itself was stunning in an indexical kind of way. I know that because that's what Joel Meyerowitz, in a one-on-one conversation with me, said it was. He and Stephen Shore (again, one-on-one with little old me) also told me a bunch of other stuff that I will share with you - along with some pictures of the reception / gallery - when I return home after, once again, driving into the teeth of the same Nor'easter which is "stuck" over NYC and the Hudson Valley - it's not going to drift away, it's gonna stay put until it blows/snows itself out.

FYI

Since I am still in Montreal - since Saturday's Pens v Canadians - there will not be a picture entry until much later today / this evening.

So far, I have managed to make a couple life in pictures, relationship, and misc round-about-town pictures. There are no specific picture-making plans for today, but, as always, a camera will be hanging from my body.

FYI ~ a m4/3rds update

Salt 'n pepper x 2 - 4/3rds lens on m4/3rds camera • click to embiggenWhile in NYC this past weekend I made it to the corner of 9th and W34th for the sole purpose of purchasing the Olympus lens mount adapter that allows me to use all of my 4/3rds lenses on my m4/3rds camera. That, and a mCamerabag for the m4/3rds stuff that is fast accumulating; 3 "pancake" primes - 17mm, 20mm, 25mm (4/3rds lens) - and a 2nd body to come. I am pleased as bunch to report that all the 4/3rds lenses work quite nicely on the EP-1.

I am also pleased as punch to report that, after my experience with the EP-1 to date, the camera has become my go-to camera of choice for all of my picture making needs - with the exceptions of: 1) long-lens / fast-focus action picture making requirements, and, 2) syncing to my studio strobe equipment.

After 40+ years of professional picture making experience, during which I have used (extensively) just about every camera format known to picture making humankind - 110, 1/2-frame, 35mm, 120, 4×5, 8×10, panoramic, polaroid, et al (all of which I still own), I can state without reservation that the EP-1 is the best all-around picture making machine that I have ever used. In fact, if I were starting my pro picture making career again today and repeated all the same assignments, I could use the EP-1, without comprimise, for 90% of my picture making needs.

Prints up to 24×32 inches - I haven't yet gone bigger - from the EP-1 rival, IQ-wise, those from from my 8×10 Acra Swiss view camera. The picture results are nothing short of amazing and I am not alone in thinking so.

That said, I believe that Olympus and, by extension, Panasonic have shattered the dslr-as-the-only-means-to-high-IQ mold. IMO, in the very near future, one of the only reasons for "serious" amateurs (and perhaps a segment of the pro market) to consider a dslr will be their desire to have a high-profile lifestyle status symbol hanging from their bodies / sitting on their tripods.

The sooner you get a m4/3rds camera in your hands / on your tripod, the sooner you will be introduced to the delights of picture making without a boat anchor as part of your kit - not to mention the sheer delight of shooting with compact "pancake" primes. And, the sooner your dslr will get to spend some quality quiet time with itself as it sits on the shelf waiting for those occasional picture making situations where the current state of 4/3rds does met a very particular demand.

If the current "out-of-stock" situation that effects some m4/3rds equipment is any indicator, Nikon, Canon, Pentax, et al ignore this mold-breaking paradigm at their peril.

civilized ku # 347 ~ connections

Painted gourd vase and dried flowers • click to embiggenCONNECTION # 1 - While perusing some of the Refrigerator Art picture maker's pictures, I came across this entry, titled Profligatography, in which the Refrigerator Art picture maker reflects upon the notion that:

Compared to the older, chemical-based process, digital photography places no rational limit on the number of pictures that may be taken.

A notion that I have addressed on more than one occasion - see Here and Here - and have, in my worlds, named as discursive promiscuity. However, the Refrigerator Art picture maker, in his entry, goes me one better by giving a name to those engaged in discursive promiscuity / profligatography - the profligatographers.

Good stuff, that.

That said, I am wondering how many of you consider yourself to be profligatographers who are engaged in discursive promiscuity.

CONNECTION # 2 - As a result of my recommendation, re: the work of the Refrigerator Art picture maker, now known to us as Tyler Monson (thanks to Martin Doonan), I was checking out Martin's blog where on I came across his Hyporeality entry which was spawned by my Landscapist entry, the hyperreal / over-sharpened digital pictures which gave him "an idea for a something of an exercise in the opposite direction. At the weekend I went out to take photos that aren't sharp, in fact decidedly out of focus."

To date, Martin has posted a number of interesting hyporeality pictures. Check them out - they're kinda neat.

FYI ~ some more recommendations

from - Original Refrigerator ArtAnn Mitchell ~ American Triptych projectAnn Mitchell ~ American Triptych projectAnn Mitchell ~ American Triptych projectAnn Mitchell ~ American Triptych projectOver the past few days, 2 picture makers have come to my attention - Ann Mitchell via an email submission, and, the 2nd picture maker who has a number of blogs - none of which identify him by name, all of which give ample evidence of his very fine picture making abilities.

Ann Mitchell, whose work has appeared in LensWork and View Camera (amongst others), is a picture maker after my own heart. She works with vintage cameras (as she states, "for their unique visual voice"), alternative materials - in the case of her American Triptych project, Polaroid Type 55, and, quite obviously, she creates triptychs. Hey, IMO, what's not to like?

The fact that her pictures are drop-dead beautiful only adds to the aforementioned MO. And, in her words, while her picture making referents "may shift as I work, there is a common set of interests at the core of each series. Central to all is my interest in our use of the land and the structures we create."

You can (and should) see more of her work HERE.

Nameless picture maker # 2 - who I suspect is pictured here because the shadow of the picture maker seen here has the same rather hirsute features as the subject in the preceding picture - certainly must have a name, but I can't find it. What I can find are a lot of his interesting pictures, here, here, and here.

The only things I know about him and his picture making are (in his words): a. "Having worked almost exclusively in conventional black & white photography for forty years, the advent of digital photography and the virtual darkroom (e.g., Photoshop) has provided me with so many new avenues for expression, with color being chief among them,"; b. that at least some of his pictures "were made with Pentax K10D camera and 21mm moderate wide-angle lens, and fifty years of practice."; and, that he thinks that "if I knew what I was doing, this would be so much nicer" (although I am not certain what the word "this" refers to).

In any event, his pictures are what matters and, on that score, he is batting .999 or better. IMO, his use of color is on the "real" side of the picturing making equation. His eye is honest and direct. And, his presentation is consistent and gives his pictures a unified body of work look and feel.

IMO, there is much to be seen in and much to be learned about good/great picture making from spending some time with the work of both of these very fine picture makers.

Update on Friday, January 15, 2010 at 10:09AM by gravitas et nugalis

Featured Comment: Martin Doonan wrote: "The second photographer, of Original Refrigerator Art, is called Tyler Monson (I hope he doesn't mind being exposed). I've been following his stuff for some time."

my response: Martin, thanks for that outing.

FYI, I seem to remember getting a picture, via email, in the not too distant past of a photographer making a picture of himself as reflected in a window. I'm thinking now, if my memory is correct, that it might have come from Mr. Monson.

Maybe he'll get wind of this entry - I left him an invitation - and stop by to say "hello" or "fuck off" or something.

FYI ~ some recommendations

Good reads / looks • click to embiggenOver the holidays, while book shopping for gifts, I acquired a few for myself, two of which are shown above. Each book - Ansel Adams In Color and PHOTO:BOX - are worthy additions to interested people's photo libraries.

The Adams' book is an interesting collection of his color work - selected/edited by noted photographer, Harry Callahan - and of his writings on the subject of his personal, not commercial, color picture making. Color picture making was a bit of a sticky wicket for Sir Ansel, primarily because of the medium's inability to submit itself to the high degree of user control that Adams wanted in his picture making endeavors.

Nevertheless, the man did manage to make some very interesting color pictures (especially so considering the technical state of the medium / films with which he worked) - many of which are much more to my liking than most of his tour-de-force BW work.

FYI, this book is an updated / expanded edition - much improved, IMO - of previous editions of the same name.

PHOTO:BOX is billed as "a collection of 250 photographs by 200 of the world's most prominent photographers, ranging from legendary masters to contemporary stars, in an appealing format with a portfolio binding ... Each image is accompanied by an engaging commentary and a brief biography of the photographer ... The book is organized by subject and theme, offering a fresh perspective on the medium: from reportage to nature, and also covering war, portraits, still lifes, women, travel, cities, art, fashion, the nude, and sports. PHOTO:BOX is an irresistible and amazingly affordable survey of photography."

That said, it's not often that a 512 page photo book with first-rate reproduction, paper, and a kinda cool portfolio box binding / enclosure is on offer for the retail price of $29.95US. In fact, if you pay that price, you've been had because it is widely available at prices as low as $19.95US. IMO, it's worth purchasing based on just price alone.

That said, "many of the world's most prominent photographers" doesn't include all of the world's most prominent photographers. I could run down a list of many that are not included in this collection. And, in addition to some notable (and, IMO, very obvious) omissions, there is some repetition of photographers in different subject/theme categories - it's almost as if they couldn't come with enough picture makers to fill the book without spreading some them over multiple categories.

That said, the book is still a worthy addition to any photo book collection. The text that accompanies each and every picture is worth the price of admission, which as mentioned, is simply irresistible.

FYI ~ a request

A mouse • click to embiggenI am in desperate need of 20 or more comments stating what an incredible improvement this picture is over those made with my crappy old E-3. Then, even the wife might come to like the EP-1 w 17mm f2.8 pancake lens and optical viewfinder.

FYI ~ Peace on Earth and Good Shopping to Men

I'm in south Jersey, mostly likely as punishment for something I did when I was 8 years old, but, come Monday and a visit to the biggest camera store in the world, I am reasonably certain that order will be restored to the universe and all will be right with the world.