I am not really into the traditional landscape type photography but I thought I would include this 5x7 shot for fun. I find most landscape photography beautiful but also oh so trite and commonplace. Everyone one and their sister that has a view camera does black and white landscape, boring!
The best part about landscape photography for me is the getting out and making the pictures. Its a great feeling to be outdoors, walking and creating in that world. Its so relaxing, so calming etc. The problem is later on in the darkroom when you try to print the photographs you fall asleep out of sheer boredom of the imagery.
I am going to take my 5x7 camera and a load of Tri-x film with me next trip. I want to try to do documentary style landscapes. I will call them slumscapes or dumpscapes or whatever. I feel I can make the photos more interesting for myself and hopefully others if I include a human documentary element to the story. It would not be just pretty pictures of trees, mountain, flowing streams but would have a human connection to it all. That extra element should allow me to keep my interest in the negative through the darkroom printing process.
I want to make more than pretty pictures, I want to make pictures that of a social context, a deeper underlying message. Beauty is all fine and good and a worthy thing, but in my work I want to try to do more than that. I do not want people to simply say "That is beautiful" I want them to think in a larger human context way. Photography can be so so so much more than just a conveyor of beauty.
I want to make more than pretty pictures, I want to make pictures that of a social context, a deeper underlying message. Beauty is all fine and good and a worthy thing, but in my work I want to try to do more than that. I do not want people to simply say "That is beautiful" I want them to think in a larger human context way. Photography can be so so so much more than just a conveyor of beauty.
Some tech details on this photo. I went out shooting with a friend, we stopped on the road and did some frost on trees and grass photos. I made this I with my 5x7 Linhof, Tri-x and I believe my wider angle lens my 120mm. I only use 2 lens with this camera, it simplifies and focuses the creative process. I learned that from Jock Sturges who told me to only use one lens. He told me to get rid of all my other gear and focus on one camera, one lens, one film. I have not been able to do that, thou through the years I have simplified bit by bit. I am closer to the ideal now of simple tools leading to better photographs. Anyway this neg was fun to make, a beautiful crisp morning, but I still have not printed it. Maybe I should try printing it in the Durst 5x7 condensor enlarger with the new cool tone Ilford paper. I could print it high contrast like in the scan below.
One thing I really like about 5x7 negs is that they have the same longer horizontal dimension of 35mm. I think I will be able to use that longer horizontal (or vertical) in a positive compositional way. It should work great in portraiture with the 120mm, a bit of distortion, a close up camera position and a full body plus background vertical composition. I can see the portraits now in my minds eye, they will be a joy to make!
"Ain't Photography Grand!"
One thing I really like about 5x7 negs is that they have the same longer horizontal dimension of 35mm. I think I will be able to use that longer horizontal (or vertical) in a positive compositional way. It should work great in portraiture with the 120mm, a bit of distortion, a close up camera position and a full body plus background vertical composition. I can see the portraits now in my minds eye, they will be a joy to make!
"Ain't Photography Grand!"
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| Winter landscape, 2010? Canada |
