A Field of Sunflowers

Many years ago farmers in the Hampton Roads market tried their hands at growing sunflowers. Seems that everything about a sunflower was good; you could sell the seeds to people for snacks, birds as feed and gardeners as seed.The stalks and leaves were high in nutrition and could be fed to hogs. And you could plant and harvest sunflowers twice a year.Unfortunately the trend only lasted about two years. But during that period I was fortunate enough to be chasing the light one day out in the country and came across this field. I've always been fascinated by sunflowers and was really blown away by the portfolio that Paul Caponigro published in 1974 entitled "Sunflower".

This image was created using Kodak 400 4x5 sheet film, a Calumet monorail view camera with a Copal 210mm lens at f/45. Of all my images this is probably my favorite and will be the cover image for the book.

Farm and Silos circa 1982

Back in the early 1980s my goal as a photographer was to become Ansel Adams or Paul Strand. To pursue this goal I purchased a 4x5 View Camera. I was so ignorant of the types of equipment that was available that I ended up acquiring a 20 inch monorail studio camera from Calumet instead of a field camera. That thing was, and still is, a monster. I would take it backpacking to the mountains, the Back Bay Wildlife Refuge, the farm and downtown.

The days I preferred to shoot on were days that were overcast or had a storm front moving through. They would give me skies filled with clouds. Paul Strand once quipped that he disliked “bald headed days”, days in which the sun shone bright and clear. You have to remember that back then there was no Photoshop; what you shot was what you got. While he may not have been the only photographer working with multiple images Jerry Uelsmann was and still is the master of combining several disparate ideas into a unique and seamless whole. If you’ve never seen his work go to: http://www.uelsmann.net/ . However I had neither the talent nor desire to work in that genre at this point in my life. For me it had to be “the decisive moment” as Henri Cartier-Bresson had described the moment a photographer pushed the shutter. It still is whether you’re working on a portrait, being a photojournalist or working with a landscape.

I would drive around in my green Pinto and when I saw that moment I would pull over, pop open the hatchback and set up. Fortunately most of the time I was out on country roads so traffic wasn’t an issue but I would carry an A Frame sign that read “Photographer at work. I drive slow and stop a lot. Just pass me.” On the day that Farm and Silos was shot I was driving around watching an approaching summer storm coming in. When I saw the farm I knew I had my shot if I could set up and capture it before it started to pour.

There were two sets of “ideas” that attracted me to this scene. First was the disparity between the pastoral image of the farmhouse with the silos behind it. The contrast of the clapboard farmhouse, an iconic image ingrained in the mythology of the American story, against the modern and imposing metal silos looming behind it. Add to this tension the storm clouds building overhead. The second concept was the juxtaposition or chiaroscuro in the house itself. I metered for the asphalt shingles on the roof as being at Zone III or textured black and the white clapboard on the house as being a Zone VII, white with texture. The light is coming from behind me and to my right (you can look at the shadow on the house and see how it is falling). I cannot remember what the sky was metered for but when printed it did require some burning in to bring it out. I do know that a split Neutral Density Filter would have helped but I did not use one at that time. If I used any filtration at all it would probably have been a Yellow Filter to enhance the sky. I would have shot Kodak 400 ASA 4x5 sheet film, developed in a metol – sodium sulfite solution and used selenium toner to intensify the negative. This image would have been printed on a grade 3 Paper; at that time Agfa and Brilliant made some wonderful papers.

This image ad others will be included in a coffee table book I’m self publishing this spring. Fine art prints, matted and framed are available as well.

Frankencamera?

Okay, it's winter and things are slow. Years ago I heard a prominent photographer from the mid-west say they actually closed down from December 24th to the end of February. At this time of the year I'm working on wedding albums and videos for clients. Today one of my friends sent me this article from National Public Radio. The Ultimate Camera. It's...strange but interesting. Here's the link, hope you enjoy!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113692571&sc=emaf

I just am trying to imagine bringing this to a wedding...

Oh BABY but it's cold on the beach!

I have a new project I'm working on which is bringing me to the beach for the pre-dawn light which in January is a very, very invigorating experience! These were all captured digitally but as I play with this I'm thinking this may be the perfect excuse to return to the 4x5 or RB67 and shoot film again.

Photography Lessons

I heard a story, a parable, the other day. It went like this: A carpenter hired a young apprentice. The apprentice was eager to get busy with building houses, too eager to take the time to learn the carpentry trade. "Very well," said the carpenter, "if you are so certain of yourself, go ahead and build." Halfway through the construction project, the lopsided frame he was erecting collapsed. The young apprentice turned in his tools and shamefacedly said, "I have to quit. I'm not a carpenter. I can't build anything." "Excellent," the carpenter replied. "Now you are ready to learn how to build."

Probably about 30 years ago I took a photography class that was being offered through a local camera store. I was still a dedicated hobbyist, I loved taking pictures but was frustrated that so much of what I saw I could not convey into becoming a printed image. The guy teaching the class was a structural engineer but an avid amateur photographer - Don Maccubbin. Don didn't teach me to be a professional photographer. What he did teach me was how the camera worked and how to "see light". And that was enough to put me on a path of spending hours and hours in my spare time learning the art and craft of photography.

And, yes, eventually I did make that huge leap of faith and stepped off the cliff of a sure thing, a 40 hour a week job with a paycheck and benefits to pursue what my gift. Now I make no one that promise, Don was a very special man and I was a very determined student and it took years of time, tears and toil to become a professional. But not everyone has the goal of working on the edge like this, for many people they just want to take better pictures of their families and the life they see swirling around them.

And that I can help you do. If you'd like to enroll for my winter class please use the contact form on my web site: http://www.wadestudio.com/.

You do need a camera that you use in a manual mode, it doesn't matter if it's film or digital. I'm looking for a class size of no more than 10 students so once I reach that goal the classes will begin. And currently I have 6 students signed up.

I will say this also, if you're like the carpenter's apprentice in the parable you won't be ready for this class until you're ready to learn. I'm not looking for hot shot photographers who think they're already pretty good. I'm looking for people with a teachable spirit.

Photography Lessons

Did you get a camera for Christmas? Interested in taking some lessons on how to work that thing? I won't make you a professional but I can show you how to have more fun and less frustration when creating images. This course is designed for the beginner or amateur photographer in mind. If I can generate enough interest I'll start classes in January.

We'll go over:

1. How your camera works - where are your controls, what do they do
   
2. f/stops and shutter speeds - what they do, how to use them creatively
   
3. flash -how and when to use it
   
4. how to "see the light"
   
5. how to use window light
   
6. looking at the work of great photographers, a visit to the Chrysler Museum
   
7. accessories, what else do you need?
8. an introduction to using studio lighting
9. an introduction to Photoshop and other software programs

The classes will be on Saturdays, there will be 4 classes lasting for about 4 hours each, classes will be limited to approximately 10 people. Cost for the classes is $150.00 per person. Again, I'll only start the classes if I can generate enough interest.


Go to the web site: www.wadestudio.com and use the contact form to register.

Other Stuff For Christmas

Still stumped about what to get that "oh, I love photography" person? Well try some books. In an age where most of us are seeing images on a monitor having a book in your lap and slowly "reading", examining an image can be an excellent learning experience. I'd suggest artists like Ansel Adams, John Sexton, Alfred Stieglitz, Paul Strand, Anne Geddes, and Edward Weston for starters. Their books are typically portfolio collections with very high printing standards. These books would ground your photographer in the history and art of the fine print. If you'd like to see a master of creative imagining who was around long before Photoshop and whose work has had a great influence on creative manipulative images check out Jerry Ulsman.

For someone who actually likes to read there are very good biographies available on Stieglitz, Adams and Weston. Back in the 90s Ted Turner made an excellent documentary on the late George Hurrell. At one time I think I gave a copy of this to all my associate photographers as a gift. Sadly, is only available on VHS but if you'd like to get a copy - it's well worth it - go to: http://www.hurrellphotography.com/ .

Aperture also has a collection titled The History of Photography which would allow you to build a collection o the works of the great masters of photography a book at a time. For those with more contemporary and commercial tastes (if you want to shoot brides weddings, babies and families that would be you) check out the annual PP of A Loan Collections published by Marathon Press: http://www.marathonpress.com/education/publications/image-collections/ppa-loan-collection/Loan08

Many links to these artists and organizations can be found on the left side of my Blog under the heading Photography Sites of Interest.

Books can be found on line or at a local Barnes and Nobles or book store.

Hope this helps you last minute Santas!