A New Year, Another Ride, and Another 3 Prints Project Meeting

Downtown State College, Pennsylvania on New Year's Day.  The ice sculpture remnants from First Night glistening in the morning sun. The first day of the year was mild for the beginning of January.  Almost no snow so far this winter.  A nice way to begin 2012.  Riding, I was thinking about resolutions. About not making any.

Leica M6 in tow and a box of black & white prints on hand Gordon and I started the year with new prints.  Our 3 Prints Project agreement is to show up each week having exposed two rolls of film and three new prints.  It's a tough assignment amidst a busy life.

As part of my avoidance of making resolutions I was reading those of others.  Joe Crivelli, author of No Baffles motorcycle blog, had a good set of resolutions for riders titled New Year's Resolutions -- Motorcycle Related.  Good reminders for the road.

Mandoo is a regular at Starbucks.  He and Junior have met on several occasions and have a genial relationship.  Junior could learn a lot from Mandoo.  On command he will sing, or more specifically, utter a long lonely howl.  Seems like an important part of growing up canine.

On the subject of learning I can across a list of lessons learned during the past year written by Bobbi Newman, author of Librarian by Day.  Her list is a good reminder of some of the important things in life and is titled "Looking Back: The 5 Most Valuable Lessons I Learned (or Re-Learned) in 2011".

3 Prints Project: January 1, 2012

Last week on a morning walk through town.  Shadows and road markings always catch my attention.

Kim makes a lot of photographs with her digital camera with an intensity that I admire and wish I had.  She sees things I miss because I am hurrying on to the next subject.

The front window at Saint's.  People seem to get lost in things within those walls.

I'm carrying the Leica M6, there's a roll of film in my pocket, and have a few project ideas in my head.  A good start to a new year.  

Happy New Year!

3 Prints Project: September 16, 2011

After months of neglect I returned to the darkroom.  Ritual film development, printing and processing were an unexpected high in an otherwise hectic life.  I'm not certain what changed but I found myself carrying the Leica M6 again, one lens, and an extra roll of film in my pocket.  The familiar actions related to using that camera surged into an excitement that bordered on giddy.  Thankfully I didn't question my sanity or state of mind and just went with the flow, a re-acquaintance with the 3 Prints Project.

That's my friend Paul Ruby floating in the tray.  I made a picture of a piece he had in a local exhibit, a large self portrait made while he was in India.  He works and prints digitally since he no longer has a darkroom.  

Anyone who's spent intermittant periods in a darkroom knows the early frustration of finding chemicals out of date, materials expired and other victims of neglect.  A ride into town to visit the local camera shop solved the problem and I was soon ready to go.  Camera stores are fast disappearing from the landscape.  My sentimental feelings for them run deep and I never pass up an opportunity to visit one.  I suspect in another five to ten years they'll all be gone.

I still remember the first can of Dektol developer I purchased in the 1960s at a small drugstore.  Photographic supplies were far more common then.  Nearly 50 years later I am still a faithful user of Kodak's stalwart paper developer.  At least until the big yellow box makes it all go away.

 

The ride into town last Sunday morning to meet my 3 Prints Project partner Gordon Harkins offered the first fall-like weather of the season complete with just a bit of fog on the hillsides.  Mornings like these have me thinking of riding more than photography.

State College is quiet in the morning.  The streets are usually empty and I don't mind being in town.  Making this photograph I am reminded of how many years I have been using these parking spaces.  Time is flying by.

Here are the prints I made this past week.  Proof prints, nothing special, just a quick enlargement on an 11x14 sheet of Ilford Multigrade IV fiber paper.

Mr. Ruby as seen at the Art Alliance Gallery in Lemont, Pennsylvania.  How would you like that image staring at you from your living room wall?

Junior and I at home. In low light I decided I had to see how slow I could shoot with the Leica. This one was made at 1/4 of a second. I'm not as steady as I used to be, at least not crouched down like that.

Kim flying out of the car, camera in hand.  She tells me she doesn't get excited about much.  I know different and witness her focus and energy on a daily basis.  I try not to lead on how much I envy her energy and concentration. 

  

A portrait of Gordon Harkins at Saint's Cafe, frequent site of our 3 Prints Project meetings.  Captured here listening to some inane chatter pouring forth from my mouth.

Junior watching over his domain which includes Kim pulling weeds.  Gordon and I discussed conversations about this image that might have ensued when we were in graduate school.  Politics is everywhere.

I finished two more rolls about an hour ago and after dinner may head again to the darkroom to work under the amber lights...

3 Prints Project: March 2, 2008

Another week and two more rolls of Ilford HP5 35mm black and white film shot, processed, contacted, and three more prints. At one point I thought I lost the first roll of film in the trash until I pulled the negatives from the developer and saw what I thought were the lost images. If nothing else I will be more careful where I store my exposed film.

The coming week promises a bit milder weather so I expect to see more time on the Vespa and perhaps some different pictures. Regardless I will continue to expose two rolls of film...

Reflection in window of Glennland Building

View along Brush Valley Road

Eggs in store window display

Still Cold, Scooter Still Starts, Still Riding

Clear skies on Wednesday night allowed for excellent viewing of the lunar eclipse. And it meant I would be able to ride to work the next day despite temperatures in the single digits by daybreak. Before the eclipse I picked up a few things at Barnes and Noble (by car -- it's dark and cold and still slippery in places) and while the goodies are always good, they don't possess the same magic when you sample them chilled to the bone from riding. Kim and I shared them at home.

The ride to work was lovely under clear blue skies and bright sun. No matter how cold it is sunshine always makes it more tolerable.

The ride home was uneventful despite taking a few twists and turns looking for mini-adventure. Almost all the snow was gone. A stop at the dairy store for a bottle of milk, a detour along a gravel road, a stop at an old barn. It only added a few minutes to the commute but nicely unwound a hectic day.

Snowing again this morning with predictions of sleet and freezing rain later in the day. I'm taking the bus. It will give me a change to finish up my second roll of black and white film for this week. The frame counter on the Leica is broken -- has been for a couple years now so I never really know how many pictures are left. Another mystery in life...

3 Prints Project -- February 3, 2008

Another week has passed and I managed to shoot two more rolls and make prints. It is becoming easier to get myself into the darkroom and exposing the film is becoming more transparent in my life. It definitely helps that I carry my Leica M6 with me everywhere.

Here are the pictures...

Early last Sunday morning at local cafe

Kim in parking lot

Farm along long route to work

The Three Prints a Week Project

For the past couple months I've been tackling a goal I set for myself to shoot two rolls of film every week. And then process, contact, and make three gelatin silver prints. Work prints. Every week, rain or shine, no excuses. And so far I have been pretty successful. And to add another motivational stick I am going to begin posting those prints here every Sunday night/Monday morning.

I've undertaken this work because I have been searching for my next creative direction. I have never planned out my projects. They just appear, find me in some mystical fashion. And they only appear when I'm working, while I'm pressing the shutter in response to something that interests me personally. And when I am engaged like that something will happen. It always does if I am patient.

To keep things simple I've decided to use simple tools. My Leica M6 rangefinder camera, black and white film, D-76 developer for film, Dektol for prints, and Forte Elegance Polywarmtone Plus paper. If something appears and I want to pursue it outside this print project I can use other cameras of materials but for now I don't want any mental distractions.

Professionally I work exclusively with digital tools. To help separate my professional and personal work I am using film. It is an elegant way to work. The Vespa may find it's way into some of the pictures but it's anyone's guess where things will go. So here are this week's pictures.

My dog Essa exploring the garden during her morning walk.


Kim stretching

My Vespa in an underground loading dock