Projects

[Bill Pierce]

After a period of watching too much television, I’m trying to think of photographic things to do when relatively isolated by the pandemic. (1) The first one is obvious - print. Rather than print albums, portfolios or exhibition prints, I’m settling on postcards, 5x7 or 4x6 prints with an address, a message and a stamp on the back. It seems a slight way to put dent in social distancing.

(2) Having taken pictures of everybody in the family except yourself, try some self portraits, mirror images, shadows and handheld selfies if you must, but how about a tripod and self timer for something a little higher up on the scale of self aggrandizement.

(3) Here’s the one I’m having fun with. Most of our digital cameras can do stills and motion pictures. I’m working on stills that wiggle. 30 second or one minute clips of things that are essentially static, until they are not. Not all, but certainly the most interesting are really a steal from the German photographer, Thomas Struth. They are portraits. You assume they are conventional still shots until you noice a blink, a slight smile or breathing.

My enthusiasm for my given projects will run out before the pandemic is over; so, can you share what projects you are considering?

 

[JohnWolf]

I'm working on a Holga project on the Illinois prairie, which I explore by bicycle. A completely new direction for me (both bike and Holga), but it's so far been a great way to pass a pandemic. I've got a Blurb book in mind. And though the Holga is exasperating, the project has been fulfilling.

John

 

[Ambro51]

I’ve begun a five part construction project. After finding a Great source of info ( all in Danish) in the early 35mm Cameras of Jens Poal Andersen, I’ve been translating and studying this info. First off the workbench is JPA 311, built in 1917 for journalist Holger Rosenberg. Next is the camera
Number 313 which JPA built using an enclosed Compur 00 shutter. This 1920 original of this camera bo longer exists being burnt up in a Museum fire in 1978. Andersen built two more 35 mm cameras, similar to 311, numbers 305 and 317. All four will be in my little collection soon. •••• current research project is the 35mm sprocketed film still Camera prototype built be Vilhelm Pacht. Built at the turn of the century, it can honestly lay claim to “the first 35”.

I’ve been gathering tiny snips of info on This, hopefully I’ll understand it eventually and be able to replicate it.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Currently servicing a number of 1940/50s Super Ikontas for a friend.

He's giving me nice stuff in trade, but I don't want this turning into a habit.

 

[jsrockit]

Editing, website building, writing articles, etc. However, I`m getting the itch to photograph. I think I`m going to experiment with multiple exposures. So far, I`ve just been photographing the sky from my terrace. There`s been some great clouds lately.

 

[Larry Cloetta]

I’ve begun a five part construction project. After finding a Great source of info ( all in Danish) in the early 35mm Cameras of Jens Poal Andersen, I’ve been translating and studying this info. First off the workbench is JPA 311, built in 1917 for journalist Holger Rosenberg. Next is the camera
Number 313 which JPA built using an enclosed Compur 00 shutter. This 1920 original of this camera bo longer exists being burnt up in a Museum fire in 1978. Andersen built two more 35 mm cameras, similar to 311, numbers 305 and 317. All four will be in my little collection soon. •••• current research project is the 35mm sprocketed film still Camera prototype built be Vilhelm Pacht. Built at the turn of the century, it can honestly lay claim to “the first 35”.

I’ve been gathering tiny snips of info on This, hopefully I’ll understand it eventually and be able to replicate it.

I thought I was industrious, but makes me feel kind of useless. Let us know how this goes, including photos.

 

[Dogman]

Going through old files and deleting duplicates. Also finding Raw files that could be improved on. Procrastinating the identifying and filing of the big stack of prints that's been growing for several months.

Otherwise, getting out sometime and wandering around blindly with a camera. I find more good pictures this way than embarking on a project.

 

[Vince Lupo]

I have two personal projects right now - one that's been put on temporary hold, another which is new and ongoing.

The one that's on hold is my 'Mapping the West' project, which I've been working on for about 8 years. Unfortunately due to the current situation I'm not able to get back out West, but I'm supposed to be in a 5-week 'artist in residence' program starting the beginning of January 2021 in Carrizozo, New Mexico. I haven't heard that it's been postponed, so I'm assuming that it's still a go.

Here's a link to the 'Mapping the West' project as it is at the moment: http://www.directiononeinc.com/mapping-the-west/

The project was supposed to be on exhibit at Smith House Galleries in Harrisonburg, VA from July 3rd until July 31st, but it's now going to be a strictly online exhibit for the same time period.

The one that's new and ongoing is photographing various Civil War battlefields etc in stereo and hopefully making limited edition sets of stereo cards. It's still very much in its infancy and definitely a work in progress - one of the issues is getting some of these old glass plate cameras to work reliably. Right now I have 4 of them out for repair - hoping that one (or more!) will end up being consistently reliable to use.

Here's a link to some of my initial efforts and the cameras being used: https://www.flickr.com/photos/direction-one-inc/albums/72157713409439741

 

[zuiko85]

Yeah, building stuff photographic. From a fixed magnification enlarger to a couple of 4x5 cameras using various found and free lenses.

 

[markjwyatt]

I have been working on my baobab project. In a nutshell, or should I say baobab shell, I have some baobab seed/fruit pods left over from when I was involved in selling baobab products (mainly fruit pulp and seed oil). I am doing still lifes of them in various poses just as a side project. I have been considering doing it for a while, but put it into action during the pandemic. As a side note some of these baobab items were rented to a NYC prop firm to be used by a major cosmetic manufacturer for a photo shoot to promote a baobab seed oil based hair product. This was several years ago. Here is a Flickr album showing some results so far:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/markjwyatt/albums/72157714663602022

Baobab trivia: The baobab tree is the famous tree of Africa. It is mentioned in the Little Prince, and also seen in the Disney film Madagascar (this is specifically the Madagascar baobab, a little different than the African baobab). The seed pod contains the seed, fruit pulp, red fibers, and other things. It is usually harvested dry in Africa, as well as wild (it takes decades to grow a producing tree, and they exist all over the African continent,as well as in northern Australia). The Africans call the baobab the tree of life (its trunk stores water, and can be mixed with the tangy/tasty fruit pulp inside the shell).

 

[Damaso]

Postcards are great! I've been sending them for years 😉

 

[Bob Michaels]

My ongoing project is to compile 6 of my photo stories into a book. They are all stories about Cuban culture. I have an advantage as each was shot with a rough outline of what the story would be including a beginning, a middle, and an end. Plus all the stories are finished.

My big challenge is the differing composition each was originally intended when photographing. Some are textual stories, richly illustrated with interspersed photos, some photo series with necessary 1-2 sentence captions, one was shot with the idea that it would be a MP4 with accompanying music where a large number of photos appearing on the screen for only a few seconds each. None of them are "best of" photos on a related theme. I like the idea of individual stories having different compositions but transitioning some of those stories to chapters in a book is challenging. I am searching now for a good editor to help.

I do have an advantage of no need to worry about marketability or please the general public as this will not be available for purchase. The 100 or maybe 150 copy print run will only be gifts to friends and family as a legacy. I did this with my previous book "Cuba - people" of which I had 200 copies printed and distributed around 150 (have to check the list) I do really like the idea of doing exactly what I think needs to be done without concern about the general public being willing to pay money for it.

 

[charjohncarter]

I like the OPs selfie idea, my kids say I'm never in any picture. They and their kids all have mobile phones with cameras attached so why don't the bug me like I bug them. But I may take your idea and run with it.

Also, I laid down the guitar in late 2007, I decided then I was never going to catch Chet Atkins. But now I'm playing again and transcribing to TAB some music. One of the pieces I've almost conquered is Steven King's (not the writer; THE guitarist) the theme from 'the Andy Griffith Show' I figured it's a good tune from happier times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ9H8Fzyc88

 

[Greg Maslak]

My children and I have embarked on a Camera Obscura project. We are converting my son's room into the "camera". We made a "lens" out of rigid cardboard with an iris that neatly fits into the recessed frame of the window with the view. Door cracks are jammed with removable light blocking strips, so the whole thing can be taken down quite easily. We've done some tests with decent results. The plan is to digitally photographic the projected image. Stay tuned! Unfortunately, it's the rainy season where we live, so all is on hold until the sun shines again and we find a very wide angle lens.

 

[mbisc]

With my access to a darkroom removed, I am starting a project to work with cyanotypes - big learning curve (paper choices, coating choices, developing choices), and working with negatives designed/developed for silver printing -- lots of fun

 

[Brad Bireley]

Vince,
Your "Mapping The West" is wonderful!

I have two personal projects right now - one that's been put on temporary hold, another which is new and ongoing.

The one that's on hold is my 'Mapping the West' project, which I've been working on for about 8 years. Unfortunately due to the current situation I'm not able to get back out West, but I'm supposed to be in a 5-week 'artist in residence' program starting the beginning of January 2021 in Carrizozo, New Mexico. I haven't heard that it's been postponed, so I'm assuming that it's still a go.

Here's a link to the 'Mapping the West' project as it is at the moment: http://www.directiononeinc.com/mapping-the-west/

The project was supposed to be on exhibit at Smith House Galleries in Harrisonburg, VA from July 3rd until July 31st, but it's now going to be a strictly online exhibit for the same time period.

The one that's new and ongoing is photographing various Civil War battlefields etc in stereo and hopefully making limited edition sets of stereo cards. It's still very much in its infancy and definitely a work in progress - one of the issues is getting some of these old glass plate cameras to work reliably. Right now I have 4 of them out for repair - hoping that one (or more!) will end up being consistently reliable to use.

Here's a link to some of my initial efforts and the cameras being used: https://www.flickr.com/photos/direction-one-inc/albums/72157713409439741

 

[Vince Lupo]

Vince,
Your "Mapping The West" is wonderful!

Many thanks Brad - I just hope I’ll be back out there sooner rather than later!

 

[mbisc]

Here is one of the first presentable (sort of 🙂) results from my project:



Cyanotype - Union Station (Phoenix) by Mike, on Flickr

 

[Bob Michaels]

I have been watching some recent videos by Daniel Milnor on YouTube lately. YouTube is sometime new for me but this is the time of quarantining. His videos about photo projects are helping clarifying my thoughts, inspire, and motivate me even though I have been doing photo projects rather than individual images for some 18+ years now. Almost all his video talks are good.

Starting a Photography Project https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok1vq0iCSdU

How to Start a Long Term Photography Project — (part 1 of 2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd0yDNc6JkE

How to do Long Term Projects, Part Two - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHbcWz8o2zo&t=88s

 

[Out to Lunch]

Thanks, Bob. I have learned something from parts 2 and 3. Cheers, OtL