MA Done!!! & New Projects

History Of Photo Logo Social 02.jpg

I found out today that I have completed my MA in Visual Communication. It has been two years of hard work and I am happy it is over but a little sad to see it go too. My daughter was starting pre-school when I began and now she is in junior kindergarten, so weird.

Now that my studies are over I am dusting off a project idea from two years ago, the History of Photo Podcast. Researching and interviewing subjects for my MA studies was one fo the highlight of my studies, a good skill set to apply to podcasting. Currently, I am unsure what the focus of the podcast’s first season will be, I was thinking about the history of New York photography or the birth of photography. I am starting to research first by reading and rereading some books that will give me an overview of the history of photography. A little nugget of history might jump out at me and give me something else to run with, here is my list:

  1. Photography: A Cultural History: A Cultural History

  2. The History of Photography

  3. A New History of Photography

  4. Photography: A Concise History

  5. A World History of Photography

  6. A History of Photography. From 1839 to the Present

  7. A History of Photography in 50 Cameras

These are some awesome reads, the first five I use in the History of Photography course I teach. They are excellent reads and great bookshelf ornaments to flip though every now and again. The last two are great coffee-table books and great gifts for those in your life who love photography.

I will be posting some highlights, research and deets on the podcast as things unfold. This is not going to be a short project but I am definitely looking forward to the challenge and what I will learn along the way.

There is also a new photo project I am kicking about but for now I am keeping it under wraps. This will be another long term interview and photo project. I like the format and enjoy how longer projects develop and I am looking forward to not having the constraints and deadlines of the MA to content with. This project, like the Migrant Narrative book will examine migration, but from a different angle.

Reflection

Why you work in the way that you do? 

These last two modules for my MA, Research and Practice and Practice 1: Art and Design, has really given me the courage to explore my own personal work and change the way I work.  For although I teach for a living and have photographed professionally something has always stopped me from pursuing personal work.  Reflecting on why I think it steams from my personality, as a child I was an observer, great listener, introvert, a shy child, reserved in large groups of kids, fearful of public speaking.  At least this is how my teachers would describe me to my parents and it was always a concern to them, I saw it on their faces, my introversion was a problem.  My mother was outgoing and gregarious my father, I believed, was naturally so too and their extroversion was for them a healthy trait.  As a kid I had always longed to connect with others, I have always enjoyed listening to people’s stories and people watching.  In high school I found a way to become an extrovert, to engage with others which I was desperate to do, I drank and became outgoing and could “be myself”, the life of the party.  Drinking silenced that little voice in my head that kept me from speaking up and talking easily with others.  Although it was fun to drink and be outgoing it was a crutch, and it was something I noticed that my father suffered from too.  Seeing your parents reflected in yourself can be a great comfort or a great motivator for change, this is something I did not want to be my crutch for the rest of my life.  

Growing up I was interested in photography but it was not until I saw a silver gelatin print develop in a darkroom that I really became hooked, the process was magical.  So I threw myself into photography and it became a healthy obsession.  Then photography became my business, photographing for weddings, portraits and commercial clients and it eventually led me to teaching.  Photographing for clients was easy for me as I was commissioned and although the work was creative, I did not fully put myself out there and I always admired the artistic work of photographers like Diane Arbus who engaged with her subjects and produced the most amazing portrait work of strangers.  Researching Arbus I came across these two quotes that really resonated with me:

“Photography was a licence to go whenever I wanted and to do what I wanted to do.” Diane Arbus (Scala, 2014:p.10) 

From this quotes I think would think that Arbus might have been an introvert who used photography to help her connect with others.  I do know about her death by suicide so perhaps for her photography was not enough of a connection to others, why she killed herself we will of course never know for certain.

Has photography become a crutch for me?  No, as I now understand what a crutch really is, it is an aid something to help you cope with pain on the road to becoming a better person, it is not something you rely on for the rest of your life.  Photograph for me now has become an artistic outlet, something that enables me to connect with others and express myself.  For my last Research and Practice post I am including  an image inspired by Diane Arbus.

Steve

Fig. 1. Steve: Street Portrait 001 (Source: Machinski, 2018)

I have passed by Steve several times dropping off film for processing. One day camera in hand I got up the courage to ask him if I could take his portrait. He instantly said yes and we connected immediately over photography.  We talked about Kodachrome slides he used to shoot, our love for film and old cameras, sharing the photographs with friends via projectors and slideshows.

How do you develop solutions to creative problems?

For me I develop solutions to creative problems by trying out different techniques and processes until I come upon a solution that works.  I really like iterating ideas to come up with a solution, I also find that I work best when I have time to reflect and not think about the problem.  Letting an unfinished problem float around in my mind makes me go back to it often and it allows me to be open to possibilities that I might not have otherwise thought of. 

How does your work relate to other, current activity in your field?

At this stage of my professional career I am really open to looking at and experimenting with any process, style or genre.  I have realized through-out these last two modules that I am moving toward a more film based practice something, akin to the work of August Sanders or Judith Joy Ross.  I like the older techniques and film in general as they slow you down and give you time to reflect. 

Citations 

Machinski, J. (2018) Steve: Street Portrait 001. June 2018. Unpublished.

Scala, A. A. (2014) About Photography. Lulu.com

8x10 Portraits

I start my History of Photography classes by building a camera obscura room.  The windows of the room are blacked out and through a single small hole in the window covering an image is projected onto the opposite wall, it is reversed and upside down.  For me this is the camera at its most fundamental level and it is quite amazing to witness.  When a car or bus goes by and is projected onto the back wall the room erupts in gasps, my students are amazed at this phenomena. 

The same is true when I show my students the large wooden Deardorff 8x10 view cameras, they are always amazed that they still work and produce photographs.  For many of my students the cameras, most likely produced after the 1950s, appear to be from the dawn of photography.  The size of the camera is also astounding to most and as one student put it “almost magical” when the world is projected on the ground glass at the back of the camera, reversed and upside down.  Encouraged to try different photographic process by my MA tutor and curious to see what kind of reaction and interaction I would get if I used the 8x10 camera, I decided to go out and photograph random people on the street. Would the sense of amazement elicited by my students be duplicated by people in the street and how would this effect the photographic process.

After setting up the camera on the street I quickly realized that it would elicit that sense of amazement; people did a double take and stopped to ask questions, wanted to see the projected image, know the camera’s age and what I was doing. For most people I engaged with the camera was a little surreal to see in use, and this hook did make it easy to get people to pose for a portrait.  Another thing I noticed was that the rather rigid and laborious process of taking a photograph, with an 8x10 view camera, created a more intimate interaction with the subject.  My initial assumption was to rush the picture taking process so as not to bore or loose the interest of the subjects, however, slowing down and explaining the process while doing it increased the engagement. The subjects continued to be very curious about the process, the film itself, and the project.  The more care and thoroughness I displayed equaled an increase in reverence for the process and the experience by the subject.  It also gave me and the subject more time to talk which was very enjoyable.

Figure 1: Mr. Ulrich  (Source: Machinski, 2018).

To get a sense of the exposure process with an 8x10 view camera here are my steps, I firmly hold true to the carpentry adage, measure twice and cut once to get a desired result. 

  1. Pre-focus on marked spot in frame before subject is there. 
  2. Take a meter reading. 
  3. Measure bellows to account for any exposure compensation. 
  4. If compensation is needed perform calculation and adjust exposure. 
  5. Take notes of exposure and any compensation. 
  6. Ask subject(s) to stand in marked spot and not to move to much. 
  7. Open up the lens to focus.
  8. Under the dark cloth re-focus.
  9. Quickly re-measure bellows to see if any further exposure compensation is needed after focusing. 
  10. Close down the lens.
  11. Set exposure.
  12. Insert the film.
  13. Re-meter.
  14. Adjust exposure if needed.
  15. Pull film slide. 
  16. Click shutter to expose.
  17. Re-insert film slide, black side out. 
  18. Tape down film holder top, label and put inside camera bag. 

The 8x10 view camera is a very interesting photographic tool it definitely has a certain presence, the process of taking an image with it slows you down and elicits a unique interaction with a subject. The large negative produces a lot of detail and has an amazing exposure latitude. The drawbacks are it is a slower process to meter and confirm exposure, you need a lot of light because the depth of field even at high apertures is very shallow, and the cost of film and processing, while not excessive is still something to consider. The cost of one photograph including film processing is $9.80 CAD. This does not include scanning or printing the negative, scanning from a lab can cost $5 CAD for a flatbed scan and $40 CAD for a higher resolution drum scan.  The technical drawbacks are easy to work around by pre-scouting locations and using lighting and/or reflectors and to confirm exposure and depth of field is a lot easier to do now using an iPhone app, PhotoBuddy.  

For me the drawbacks are interesting challenges and with a little pre-planning and research are easily overcome, which then makes taking photographs with an 8x10 quite enjoyable, it also reaffirmed many things about the craft of photography for me.  First, that no matter what tool a photographer uses the act of photography is really about a relationship between the photographer and the subject.  Second, whether it is a landscape, product or a person a photographer should actively engage with and/or understand something about the subject.  Lastly, slow down and get the portrait subject to participate in the process, this gives ownership to the subject and gets them more excited about the photographic process.  This excitement and reverence for photography is something I think can get lost in this age of digital photography and Instagram. 

Thanks to all those who stopped for a portrait, there is more to come. 

Figure 2: Marie-Éve & Ian (Source: Machinski, 2018).

Process

Figure 3: 8x10 Camera Setup (Source: Machinski, 2018).

Figure 3: Camera setup and focused to the maximum distance based on the 360mm lens, without need for exposure compensation. 360mm lens is about the equivalent of a 50mm lens on a full frame DSLR. The large reflective building to the left of the camera fills in some light, lightening the area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 4: Perspective (Source: Machinski, 2018).

Figure 4: I like photographing with a background that has a lot of linear perspective. It focuses the viewer’s attention attention on the subject if placed at the vanishing point and I like that it enhances the shallow depth of field.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 5: Gear Marie-Éve & Ian (Source: Machinski, 2018).

 

Figure 5: Traveling with a rolling bag helps as the gear is very large and heavy, and a lot of accessories are needed to make the photography go smoothly i.e. a clamps, dark cloth, meter, tape, measuring tape, etc..

 

 

 

 

 

Citations

Machinski, J. (2018) Mr. Ulrich. June 2018. Unpublished.

Machinski, J. (2018) Marie-Éve & Ian. June 2018. Unpublished.

Machinski, J. (2018) Camera Setup. June 2018. Unpublished.

Machinski, J. (2018) Perspective. June 2018. Unpublished.

Machinski, J. (2018) Gear. June 2018. Unpublished.

Couple

Couple, a noun, is defined by the English Oxford Living Dictionaries (2018) as:

1. two individuals of the same sort considered together. "a couple of girls were playing marbles"

synonyms: pair, duo, twosome, two;

2. two people who are married, engaged, or otherwise closely associated romantically or sexually.

synonyms: husband and wife, twosome, partners, lovers; 

What is a couple?  Why do two people form a union? This ongoing series is a visual exploration of couples I meet by chance on the street and who agree to be photographed.  We make some small talk, I briefly explain the project, and ask them three questions: 

1. Can I take a photograph of you both?

2. What are your first names?

3. How long have you been a couple or married?

I take two photographs, a couple, and use film so the subjects can not see the images immediately after. No posing is done besides having them stand in front of the camera, they can simply be themselves together.

For this series I am exploring the use of spontaneous unplanned portraits and looking at the dynamics of couples.  Will the awkwardness of doing something quick and unexpected reveal something more about a subject?  Can we really come to know anything more about these couples, or couples in general, from looking at the individual images?  Or will examining the body of work as a whole reveal something about why we couple or why we don’t? 

Black and white film is used as a metaphor for the dynamics of a couple, as film is not just made up of black and white but shade of grey.  Just like things are not always black and white in a couple’s relationship, they are more often than not shades of grey, versions of the truth, rights and wrongs, and perspectives.  

Figure 1: Mamiya C330 (Source: Machinski, 2018).

The choice of camera, a Mamiya C330 twin lens, is also intentional as it employs one lens to view and another lens to record the subject on film.  I like this coupling as it speaks to the subjective and objective duality of photography.  What can we trust about an image?  What really can we glean from a photograph as they are split seconds plucked from reality and frozen in time.   Do the images say more about the photographer, or does the viewer completely author their own meaning? 

We all long to connect, to bridge a distance between others, one way we do this is to form relationships and one of the closest ones we can make is with a partner, a coupling.  How much we give and take in that relationship is truly a reflection of who we are as people.  A couple’s relationship is complicated and beautiful, thank you to all those who share a few split seconds of theirs with me.

Citations

English Oxford Living Dictionaries (2018) Definition of couple in English. Available at:  https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/couple. [Accessed 05 June 2018]

Machinski, J. (2018) Photograph of Mamiya C330. June 2018. Unpublished.

Machinski, J. (2018) Susan & Geoff 45 Years. June 2018. Unpublished. 

Machinski, J. (2018) Vicki & Sean 2 1/2 Years. June 2018. Unpublished.  

Machinski, J. (2018) Dany & Mike 32 Years. June 2018. Unpublished.

Machinski, J. (2018) Kate & Eamon 45 Years. June 2018. Unpublished.

Machinski, J. (2018) Conseulo & Laureano 34 Years. June 2018. Unpublished.

Mamiyaleaf.com (2010) Mamiya C330 Instructions. [Online image] Available at http://www.mamiyaleaf.com/assets/files/documentation/C330_Instructions.pdf [Accessed 15 June 2018]

 

Expired

Working on a long-term project, Expired.  Using expired film this series explores spaces and places that are close to expiring or are very well worn.  I am using a Graflex: Super Graphic 4x5 for the series, the last model of the expired large format Graflex camera line.  This series is a look at the beauty and usefulness of the things we discard.  

Figure 1: Expired 0001: Walter Baker Skate Park (Source: Machinski, 2018).  A well worn space where new graffiti is constantly being added, layered like an onion and at its centre this quote about evolution and change.  

Figure 2: Graflex Super Graphic (Source: Machinski, 2018).

The Graflex: Super Graphic was the inspiration for this series I found it in the bottom of a tattered cardboard box full of well used cameras and lenses.  This camera is the last of the line of handheld 4x5 press cameras made by Graflex.  This model was produced from 1958-1973 Graflex.Org (2005) and was one of the first cameras to have an electronic shutter release Gandy (2003).  This model was also a refinement of the line it was smaller and easier to use incorporating a range finder, sports frame finder, built in focusing hood and focusing and flash scales meidajoy (2002).  This style of camera fell out of use for press photographers in favour of more convenient roll film cameras like the 35mm and medium format systems.  

Having used 8x10 field cameras and 4x5 studio cameras I really appreciate the thought and engineering that went into the design of this camera.  It is more portable and easier to use, a good re-introduction to large format photography.  It allows me to easily explore the places I am photographing but still provides the majority of the camera movements of a 4x5 and also a large negative/positive.  The large film size provides a wide exposure latitude and renders fine details very well, excellent for large format printing.  I will be using the camera movements to help isolate elements within the frame and create images that are more dreamlike.  For me this is a reflection of the large format process itself as it is very surreal composing an image on the ground glass, it is reversed and upside down.  This is also a technique I am thinking using for my MA project, Migration Narratives. Metering with a one degree spot meter for the zone system really slows down the process of taking a photograph.  This time makes me focus more on the quality of light and the composition of the image. 

Figure 3: Expired 0002: Canadian Tire Centre Parking Lot Tunnel (Source: Machinski, 2018).  The future of this stadium is uncertain as the hockey team is relocating.  The sheer size of the stadium complex makes its expiry almost unthinkable although inevitable due to commerce and the march of “progress”.

Using film removes the immediacy of seeing the image on the back of the camera also accidents can happen in the handling and processing of the film, I really like this uncertainty.  When the film is away at the lab for processing it allows me further time to reflect on the image, there is also the anticipation of waiting which is exciting and adds to the process.  Using expired film adds a further element of chance and anticipation as the film reacts differently to light given its age and how it was stored.  It also reinforces my theme for although the film is expired it is still useful, it renders an image, and its supposed flaws, due to its age, can be beautiful.  Currently I am using expired Kodak Portra NC 160, the colours are a little muted and the images have a magenta colour shift in areas that I tone down in Photoshop.  The negatives still maintain detail in the highlights and shadows if exposed correctly, leading me to surmise that the expiration date and how this box of film was stored really only affected the colour forming chemicals rather than the silver halides in the film.  For me this uncertainty makes each negative unique and it will be interesting to try other expired film types and manufacturers to see what results will be achieved. 

Expired 0003: Parking Lot under the Montreal Train Station (Source: Machinski, 2018).  An abandoned mat perhaps used for sleeping.  The area around this parking lot is worn and weathered with weeds growing out of small cracks in the concrete.  

Citations

Gandy, S. (2003) It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Super Graphic! Available at: https://www.cameraquest.com/supergrp.htm [Accessed: 4 June, 2018].

Graflex.Org (2005) Graflex Graphic Model History. Availbale at: https://www.graflex.org/speed-graphic/graphic-models.html [Accessed: 3 June, 2018].

Inman, W.E. (2010) The Graflex 4x5 Super Graphic and Super Speed Graphic. Blog. http://wphs-tucson.blogspot.com/2010/02/graflex-4x5-super-graphic-and-super.html [Accessed: 6 June, 2018].

Machinski, J. (2018) Expired 0001: Walter Baker Skate Park. June 2018. Unpublished.

Machinski, J. (2018) Photograph of Graflex Super Graphic. June 2018. Unpublished.

Machinski, J. (2018) Expired 0002: Canadian Tire Centre Parking Lot Tunnel. June 2018. Unpublished.

Machinski, J. (2018) Parking Lot under the Montreal Train Station. June 2018. Unpublished.

meidajoy (2002) Camera Shopper Classic Camea Guide. Available at: http://www.mediajoy.com/en/cla_came/Super_Speed_graphic2/4.html [Accessed: 3 June, 2018].