Contax T3, Daido-style...

David_Manning

David_Manning

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A couple of Flickr contacts I met up with in London and I were sitting around the pub after a day of shooting and visiting the Photographers Gallery in SoHo. There was a great installation we saw about Japanese photo books, and of course Araki and Daido Moriyama were displayed prominently.

We decided to give ourselves a project, using simple P&S cameras and b&w film. We call it The Daido Project, and we though we'd try to shoot Moriyama-style in the streets (there are some great videos on YouTube about Moriyama and his methods).

Here are a couple of images from my first offering to the project...all were shot on my Contax T3 and Tri-X shot at box speed:

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Daido Moriyama shoots in a very loose style with a Ricoh GR1v (28mm) and b&w film. I found it hard NOT to try to frame everything up exactly. It was hard to break rules and shoot when you're NOT supposed to shoot. The little T3 seemed too insignificant to shoot serious pictures, too (lacking shutter speed controls and ISO controls).

But, there I was. It was fun. I'm enjoying the results. I'll keep going. One terrific side benefit...the kit is small and light! Contax T3 in one pocket, a few rolls of Tri-X in another. When finished, return to hotel for drinks and more film...repeat:D
 
Thanks.

I'm wondering if I'd like RX100 files as much...that camera seems appealing for this kind of work. I love my T3...it feels authentic...but the siren song of digital is strong.
 
David, please keep shooting and share more. Daido has some fantastic work, a lot of which is happenstance. Keep going and bring back more to us!
 
Daido shot the gr21 lots as well. I shoot my gr1v, push neopan 400 to 5000 and develop it for 45 seconds at 45 degrees in rodinal.

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I really haven't been this excited about a self-directed project in a while.

I just returned from Hawaii, and I'll be souping the film tomorrow. I actually had an FE2 and two lenses with me too...but the majority of my shooting was in Waikiki, within a block of the beach, with the T3 and Tri-X. I love the anticipation of waiting to see the negatives...that being said, I think I'm going to pull the trigger on a Sony RX100...it just looks TOO good as a travel/street shooter.

Thanks everyone for your replies and pics. Another couple...

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Nice shots everyone. Both the T2 and T3 have wonderful lenses. Having a little "sellers remorse" after getting rid of my T3 a few months back.

The GR21 was mentioned above, what a camera. Very pricey but I absolutely adored mine. Having a top quality 21mm lens in a camera that size was amazing, not to mention the terrific ergonomics.

Shooting "loose" Daido-style can be very fun and lens to some interesting and surprising results. I look forward to seeing more!
 
More T3 photos please.

Amazing what you can achieve with these little compacts.

Thinking of dumping all my fancy RF gear and getting one of these.
 
You should check out Daido's Hawaii work. Saw an exposition of it recently, really big prints and fantastic grain.

I bought myself a GR1 a few years back to break myself out of too well framed, static photos and to encourage more experimentation and quick, intuitive photography. That and the Yashica t4 have become my favorite cameras.

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Daido's Hawaii stuff is interesting...as is his Buenos Aires work. They both cross the boundary from "documentary" to avant-garde, and as such become art to be interpreted instead of a statement.

This project is making me think more critically about what I want to say, or how I feel. My wife kidded me, saying all I need to do is go get drunk and take snapshots of stray dogs.
 
David_Manning said:
Daido's Hawaii stuff is interesting...as is his Buenos Aires work. They both cross the boundary from "documentary" to avant-garde, and as such become art to be interpreted instead of a statement.

This project is making me think more critically about what I want to say, or how I feel. My wife kidded me, saying all I need to do is go get drunk and take snapshots of stray dogs.
Click to expand...


I've seen the way he shoots as well on the internet - I guess the thing about that process is that he shoots A LOT of film, almost everyday, and the ratio of misses to hits is increased because he doesn't frame a lot of work through the viewfinder. Shooting from the hip, or whatever you want to call it, is going to greatly decrease your chance of getting a good shot.

I really love his earlier work, but I feel now that he's producing books using the same methodology from yesteryear, which feels stale and at a breaking point. When you look through his latest books online, there are just too many ordinary shots. Winogrand was at the end of his tether with his last few years of shooting - and the photos that were culled for his last book that was published after he died, not surprisingly had few hits. He had bought a larger format camera and was going to change formats.

Great photographers will have some good years, and unless they reinvent themselves, they end up a cliche of themselves. Martin Parr is another one. His barrage of photos of discarded food and consumer culture seem now almost disposable as the subject.
 
I think the way for Daido to avoid a cliché of himself is to continue to travel and cover other cities in his style.

Here's a couple more, from Hawaii. Still souping and scanning.

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