Light Reading

Real world digital photography

1 Comment

I have just come across a news article stating that Iraq is probably the most photographically documented war ever.

OK, you think, that is probably a good thing. Well, there’s more. What they actually refer to is the widespread personal use of digital cameras by the troops. We have already seen the torture images from places like Abu Ghuraieb prison and this phenomenon seems quite similar. It is about people picturing themselves with what can only be viewed as some sort of trophy: burnt bodies of enemy combatants, splattered bodies after suicide bomb attacks, human bodies literally shot into pieces. Next to them smiling soldiers, cracking jokes, thumbs up and all, as if we have gone hunting or fishing.

Then someone creates some sort of online forum or gallery web site, where you can submit your pictures under categories like “clean head shots” or “guess the body part”. I don’t have a link as it was not provided, and I am not keen to research, as you will appreciate.

In a way I can grasp the phenomenon, and the strange need having to photograph oneself in the most extraordinary and violent of circumstances. On the other hand, this is clearly a case of mental derailment and seriously unhealthy.

Whenever we have seen a breakdown of respect towards human dignity and life, bad things followed. Photography is an interesting medium. One reason is that all we keep looking at is an image of ourselves, the beings behind the cameras.

Light Reading

Kashiwa Station Plaza mon amour

1 Comment

On my way home on Friday night, this poster caught my eye. It shows a model reconstruction of the Kashiwa station plaza from a bird’s eye view. Sheer brilliance, I thought. I wonder who had this idea and who went through the pain of building this. I spent a lot of time last year taking picture on the station plaza. It is a great place to photograph. I have never really published the results, because I have not had the time to edit them yet. It was supposed to be my major output for 2004, but I never got round to it. I could photograph Kashiwa station plaza endlessly I think. The concentration of suburban Japanese life there is unbelievable and when I cross it without a camera I am feeling pain for not being able to capture it. I have to get back on the job to finish this series!

The poster is advertising the Tokatsu Film Festival in Abiko/Kashiwa/Matsudo in October. Seems to be the first time they do it, and if the poster is anything to go by, a must-see this autumn.

Light Reading

Time reclaimed

1 Comment

The lack of postings here and a general unresponsiveness to email is what several people have pointed out to me recently. Well, needless to say there is only one person to blame: our little Theobald. In a nice way of course. Add to that being busy at work, my endless first-class business travels (not) and it is easy to see that there seems absolutely no time to sit in front of the computer and write emails and blog entries. In fact, it seems the wrong priority.

After a fair amount of thinking I am starting a “reclaim the time” project. I think it would be a shame to miss out on certain things like staying in touch with people and I need to explore whether or not there is a potential solution to reclaim this somehow, even at some monetary cost.

As a first step I bought an iBook. Absolutely gorgeous piece of equipment it is! My plan is to use it on train journeys into work. Two potential hours waiting to be reclaimed. Since I have changed my commuting route, I have a seat on the train every morning. So I thought I could use a laptop to catch up with emails and other things. In fact, I am typing this on the train right now.

What will be a lot harder is to reclaim time for photography. I haven’t had time to do anything for months, again it is all related to Mr T. While I get around to some shooting and have a dozen of films waiting to be processed, I simply cannot imagine sitting in front of the computer and scanning, editing them as I used to do. I even found my thoughts straying into the land of digital the other day. Let’s see how I can tackle this, but I don’t want to wait to continue picture-taking when I am retired. That would be a real shame.

Light Reading

From London

2 Comments

After moving away from London three years ago, I am back in “the capital”. I enjoyed the trip, not least due to the fact that for the first time in my life, travelled first class with British Airways. A pleasant surprise! On my arrival it poured down with rain and generally the weather is very cool. It must be around 20 degrees, quite a shock compared to Japan. I was picked up from the airport and the long way to the hotel along congested roads took me past all the sights of London. As can be expected, not much has changed. Surprised to be asked for the way, even though I have just arrived here myself – no longer an obvious foreigner! I am heading out this morning for a nice walk along the river Thames with an old friend, looking forward to a nice pub lunch and a pint!

Light Reading

Mother & Child

2 Comments
Mother & Child

Fuji Acros, rated EI 50 in my new Jobo sheet film drum, 18min in Rodinal

One of the reasons I love large format photography more and more. Hard work, but when it all works out it can really take your breath away. First time I used Rodinal on Acros from my usual Xtol. It seems to work very well. I must try again. I have also finally bought a motor base for the drum which should arrive soon, so there is no longer a need to rotate the drum myself for almost 20 minutes.

Posting is getting a little sparse here, I know. But in a way there is so much and so little to say at the moment. I am still working on photo matters, but time seems scarce right now and priorities prevail.

Future plans include a business trip to London next week and acquiring an iBook once the new models are out (any day now), so I can write on the train. I have changed commuting route last week, so I have a seat every morning and don’t need to change trains. This gives me an extra hour to answer email, maintain the shop etc. Talking of the web shop, it is very quiet in July, after a record month in June. I suppose people purchased for their holidays and now they are gone.

Enjoy the summer everybody!

Shop News

Summer is here

June was a record-breaking month for the web shop. Thanks to everyone who ordered and gave their comments. July is very slow, so I suppose all of you are on holiday and snapping away.

Enjoy the summer everybody!

I will be travelling myself from end of July and the first week of August, so expect a slight delay when placing your order.