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1/26/2011

Wordy Wednesday - Slightly



I find myself ... enthused. No. Maybe RE-ENTHUSED. Allow me to explain.

I have many things that interest me. Like pain, interest in these various things comes in waves. (Most of the time, the waves come pretty much one at a time)(Most of the time) Like an orgasm. Interest in one thing peaks, and fades, and the next one comes rolling in (no pun intended). Of course, there is a limit to the number of different interests, so they recycle. Take turns, sort of. And so, an old interest - a life long interest - has returned to prominence in my heart and mind.

Last Saturday, I went to the exhibition of Vivian Maier Photographs at the Chicago Cultural Center. I was impressed. I was stunned. I was mobilized.

I realized that the 8x8 format of the prints I was looking at, in black and white, spoke to me. I realized that the large format negatives which gave birth to those prints "fit my eye". I knew, and know, that I MUST do some work in this format to 'experiment' - to see if this really is the format that would work best for me. I feel driven, and I just HAVE to know.

To that end, I have rescued an old Kiev 6C from the basement. The Kiev looks like an oversize SLR - a roll film camera (120 film) that will give me the larger negatives and the square format I'm looking for.

The camera has a waist level view finder - similar to the type of view finder Vivian had on her Rollei TLR. Just a single lens - what I see will be what the 'taking' lens will see - so I don't need to concern myself with parallax.

The camera is unmetered. So I have to either hand meter or guess, based on experience, what the exposure should be. I DO have some old GE light meters I haven't used in years - but they still work.

There is no autofocus. I have to use the viewfinder. I have to use the focus scale on the lens - something missing on almost every digital camera I've seen. I have to use what I know.

I guess this is going to be a test. Of me and my skill - my 'eye', if you will. I have learned a lot about photography in the last 4 years or so - since I've had my Canon 30D. It's time to see if I've REALLY learned.

As my friend Fred would say, "Stay Tuned".

Ndinombethe.

5 comments:

Shadow said...

enthusiasm is practically bouncing off the page right at me! enjoy!!!

Nan Sheppard said...

That sounds like such a fun project! I'm looking forward to seeing the results.

Tara R. said...

I love that you're going 'old school.' Being so much more hands-on in your photography will produce a much more intimate image. I look forward to seeing your photos.

Jientje said...

So do I! Can't wait to see where this journey is going to take you.

Nevine Sultan said...

Oh, the digital camera saved all of us. But I'm sure you can maneuver one of those older cameras, especially if you're familiar with how they work. I just think... shutter speed, lighting, timing, focus, aaargh! Digital for me!!!

Nevine