Author: Nicolai Grossman

Most of my art sucks. Yours, too.

Nicolai Grossman 2 Comments

Thought for the weekend:

To be honest, most of my pictures suck. The saving grace of that admission is that most of your pictures suck, too. How could I possibly know such a thing? Because most of everybody’s pictures suck, that’s how. I’ve seen Cartier-Bresson’s contact sheets, and most of his pictures sucked. One of my teachers said that it was an epiphany for him when he took a class from Garry Winogrand and learned that most of Winogrand’s exposures sucked. It’s the way it is.

— Mike Johnston, of 37th Frame, The Online Photographer, etc. fame, in his essay,The Magic Bullet

So how do you deal with most of your art sucking? The insanely excellent book, Art & Fear: Observations on the Peril (and Rewards) of Artmaking, by David Bayles and Ted Orland, has some outstanding thoughts on the subject. If you like that one, chase it with Orland’s follow-up, The View From The Studio Door: How Artists Find Their Way In An Uncertain World. I keep meaning to write reviews of both of them but never seem to find the time to do it properly. For now I’ll just say that they’re the best investments in artmaking I’ve ever made.

Pinhole photography crash course workshop, DC, US

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This workshop is a crash course in pinhole photography. Students will make a pinhole camera, make exposures, process the negatives, contact print the negatives. In addition, a presentation of historical and contemporary works will expand student awareness of the vast potential pinhole offers. The current resurgence of pinhole photography in contemporary art makes this class a good choice for all, from the mildly curious to the highly adventurous.

The workshop, run by photographer Bruce McKaig, is on Saturday, 16 September, 2006 from 10:00am–1:00pm at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th Street, S.E., Washington, DC, US. Cost is $65.

The Capitol Hill Arts Workshop has several other photography classes available.

Via Pinhole Visions

San Antonio, TX, US alt-process and pinhole bonanza

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"Exploring Alternative Processes: Photography Exhibits, Installations, Events and Classes" at the Southwest School of Art & Craft, 300 Augusta St., San Antonio, Texas, United States

DATES: Thursday, 24 August – Sunday, 22 October, 2006

RECEPTION: Thursday, 24 August, 2006 at 5:30pm

Loads of alt-process and pinhole exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and classes: rawk! See the Pinhole Visions event page for details.

Justin Quinnell’s Mouthpiece pinhole book release and lecture

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Justin Quinnell has put his foot camera into his mouth again and this time we can share his wonderfully inventive and and humorous pinhole photos with friends around the coffee table. In the words of his publisher, "Mouthpiece" is a surprising and extremely unusual book.

Justin Quinnell is one of the world’s leading pinhole photographers, and in this series he has used his mouth as the camera. The results are surreal, revealing and hilarious. He captures on film his visit to the dentist; portraits of friends and family; snakes, tortoises, alligators and angry cats; the everyday acts of having a bath, cleaning his teeth and eating his dinner.

Perhaps even more surreal though are his landscape photographs – icons of world travel, they include Sydney Opera House, Hong Kong, St. Marks Square in Venice, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, and the Lincoln Memorial in Washington.

Mouthpiece
Hardcover: 96 pages
Publisher: Dewi Lewis Publishing.
Language: English
ISBN: 190458733X
Price: £9-99

You can order the book from Amazon UK or Dewi Lewis Publishing. It will be available from Amazon on 2 September, 2006.

He’s also giving a lecture on pinhole photography called "New Light Through An Old Hole" at Arnolfini, 16 Narrow Quay, Bristol, United Kingdom on Thursday, 21 September, 2006 at 7:00pm:

In this public lecture to celebrate the publication of his new book "Mouthpiece" (Dewi Lewis Publishing) pinhole photography expert Justin Quinnell will discuss the science, history and contemporary approaches to this ancient imaging device.

The lecture will also include:

  • a replication of a classic Isaac Newton experiment,
  • an unnervingly scary demonstration of ‘Power drill portraiture;
  • and the use of a camera as a golf ball.

The evening will conclude with a demonstration on making pinhole cameras as well as the chance to have your portrait taken from inside the mouth of the artist himself, (For a donation to charity).

More info on here on Quinnell’s site.

Via Pinhole Visions

mooncruise* August 2006 issue 2.03 is up

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Cover of mooncruise issue 2.03, August 2006

The August 2006 issue (Vol 2, Issue 3) of mooncruise*, an online magazine featuring photography and music by international artists, is now up and ready for viewing.

In this issue

PHOTOGRAPHY by: Christopher Wilson, Darek Siatkowski, David Cunningham, Ernesto Timor, Lok Jansen, Mark Craemer, Marko Schiefelbein, Megan Pinch, Nico Stinghe, Rick Stolk, Roman Caesar, Sophie Etchart, Tara Fallaux, and Tobias Slater-Hunt.

MUSIC by: In-Flight : Safety

mooncruise.com (requires Flash 8)

Zeiss Ikon SW superwide 35mm viewfinder camera

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Carl Zeiss AG Press Release:

Oberkochen, August 15, 2006. The Zeiss Ikon SW is the 35mm precision camera for uncompromising superwide photographers. Its lens mount takes any lens with M bayonet, in particular the ZEISS high performance superwide-angle lenses Distagon T* 2,8/15mm ZM and the Biogon T* types from the ZEISS ZM range. An accessory shoe directly above the lens takes the corresponding superwide Viewfinder. A second shoe is built in to take a flash, a bubble level or other accessory. The electronically controlled metal focal plane shutter offers speeds ranging from 1/2000 sec. – 8 sec. in automatic mode (AE-lock is available) and 1/2000 – 1 sec. + B in manual mode. Fastest flash synchro speed is 1/125 sec.

The Zeiss Ikon SW offers the same extremely high image quality as the known Zeiss Ikon rangefinder camera: far above today’s digital cameras. It is fully integrated into the Zeiss Ikon system. The Zeiss Ikon SW comes without the complex rangefinder and is therefore considerably more affordable than the rangefinder camera.

The Zeiss Ikon SW will be available as of October 2006. List price is 799,00 € (without VAT)

Technical Data

Camera type: 35mm camera with focal plane shutter and TTL light metering.

Film format: 24 x 36mm on 35mm film

Lenses: Intended to be used with short focal length types of the Carl Zeiss T* ZM-mount lens family in combination with an external viewfinder. Other M-mount lenses, including M39 screw mount lenses with an M – mount adapter can be used.

Exposure metering: TTL center-weighted metering at working aperture.

Metering range at ISO 100 and f/2: EV0-EV19 (f/2-4 sec., f/16-1/2000 sec.)

Film speed range: ISO 25-3200 manually set in 1/3 f-stop increments.

Exposure modes: AE with aperture priority or manual; AE lock option for a single exposure or for a sequence of exposures; exposure compensation +/-2 f-stops in 1/3 stops set at shutter speed dial.

LED display: Combination of 3 LED indicates shutter speed setting situation.
Shutter and shutter speed: Vertical-travel metal focal-plane shutter with electronically controlled speeds accurate to 1/12 f-stop.

Range in Automatic mode: 8 sec. to 1/2000 sec.

Range in Manual mode: 1 sec. to 1/2000 sec. in 1-stop increments; B.

Flash synch: Synchronization at 1/125 sec. and longer shutter speeds

Film transport: Rapid-wind manual advance lever, with ratcheted partial advance

Camera body: One-piece aluminum base structure, external magnesium covers, tripod thread 1/4 inch in base, two accessory shoes for external viewfinder and flash

Batteries: One CR 1/3 Lithium or two 1.5 V cells type LR44 or SR44

Dimensions: 138mm W x 72.5mm H x 32mm D (5.4” W x 2.9” H x 1.3” D).

Weight: 395g (13.9 oz.)

Carl Zeiss is a leading international group of companies operating worldwide in the optical and opto-electronic industry. Carl Zeiss AG is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. The business groups, which each operate with sole responsibility, are generally ranked first or second in the strategic markets of biosciences and medical technology, system solutions for industry and optical consumer goods. They offer products and services for biomedical research and medical technology, system solutions for the semiconductor, automotive and mechanical engineering industries, as well as high-quality consumer goods such as camera lenses and binoculars. In fiscal year 2004/05 (ended 30 September) the Carl Zeiss Group generated sales totaling EUR 2,222 million. Carl Zeiss has 11,500 members of staff, including 3,300 outside Germany. The Carl Zeiss Group is directly represented in more than 30 countries and operates production facilities in Europe, America and Asia.

The eyeglass business now operates as Carl Zeiss Vision International GmbH and is the number two eyeglass provider in the world. This company is owned 50:50 by Carl Zeiss AG and a private equity company.

Via PhotographyBLOG

Ilford Galerie FB digital paper

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Ilford Photo press release:

Having long established its reputation for the production of market-leading black-and-white photographic paper, ILFORD Photo has now taken the whole genre onto a new level of archival and presentational excellence with the fusion of modern digital technology and true silver gelatine printing.

ILFORD Photo has announced the addition of a new paper to its range of specialist black-and-white photo products, which not only represents a major step forward in the production of high quality images, but also utilises the latest advances in digital processing. Called ILFORD GALERIE FB DIGITAL, this 315gsm fibre base baryta paper has been created for printing with digital laser printers, and is compatible with digital printers such as the Durst Lambda and Océ Lightjet models. This is the only paper in the world which utilises ILFORD Photo’s renowned fibre base baryta material, made famous by such products as Ilfobrom Galerie FB and Multigrade IV FB papers, with the ability to be exposed in digital laser printers (Lightjet and Lambda) writing directly from digital files. 

The optimised spectral sensitivity of ILFORD GALERIE FB DIGITAL, combined with the proven long term archival benefits of traditional fibre base black-and-white papers, provides the opportunity to create genuine silver gelatine prints from digital images. This unique combination makes ILFORD GALERIE FB DIGITAL the ideal choice for exhibition and fine art prints.

Initially being supplied in 100ft (30.5m) rolls in 20, 30, 40 and 50ins (51, 77, 102 and 127cm) widths for high-end prolab use, ILFORD GALERIE FB DIGITAL has been undergoing rigorous testing by a select handful of labs in North America and Europe.

Each lab has been extremely impressed at the quality prints which have been achieved, and is already recommending this paper for clients such as fine art collectors, museums, art galleries, photographers producing limited edition prints, and graphic design agencies.

"For the first time, fine art photographers can benefit from the best of both worlds," says ILFORD Photo chairman Phil Harris. "This unique product brings together the added creative benefits offered by digital manipulation, with the long established aesthetic and archival properties of true baryta base black-and-white silver gelatin prints."

Being launched at Photokina, ILFORD GALERIE FB DIGITAL will also be demonstrated via a series of exhibitions in the UK, Europe and the USA later in the year through to early 2007.

For more detailed information on ILFORD GALERIE FB DIGITAL paper and other fine black-and-white products from ILFORD Photo, visit www.ilfordphoto.com

Via PhotographyBLOG