Tunnel, Central Park, Date: Like totally unknown. Let's just say around 1994.
2/15/2006
First Snow
This is the shot I was looking for. I remembered the trees, the pharmacy which is on my right, the corner it was taken on and how the girls mother was behind me watching. I even remembered that this was the last shot on the roll (which it was). But what I couldn't remember was where it was filed.
Rose In Snow
While looking for the other snow picture, I found this one that I had given up on finding. I wanted to put it up for Valentine's Day, but I guess I'll save it for next Valentine's Day.
Dead Photographers Society
Rare photo sets $2.9m sale record
A rare print taken by US photography pioneer Edward Steichen has set a world record for the highest price paid for a photograph auction.
The Pond-Moonlight - taken in New York in 1904 - was sold for $2.9m (£1.6m), more than doubling the previous record.
The 41x48cm photo shows a pond in a wooded area with light coming through the trees and reflected in the water...
Here's more from the BBC.
Thanks Jim T. for the e-mail.
A rare print taken by US photography pioneer Edward Steichen has set a world record for the highest price paid for a photograph auction.
The Pond-Moonlight - taken in New York in 1904 - was sold for $2.9m (£1.6m), more than doubling the previous record.
The 41x48cm photo shows a pond in a wooded area with light coming through the trees and reflected in the water...
Here's more from the BBC.
Thanks Jim T. for the e-mail.
2/14/2006
Filing System
I've been good with everything that is in the Prints for Sale section. If it's a negative, or a digital capture, I've got the source filed. That alone took me something like two months of incremental tedium. Now I get a request for a shot that hasn't been on the site for a long time: a little girl with her tongue out letting snow fall on it.
When did I shoot that? I don't have a clue. I remember where I was standing (the pharmacy was behind me. Corner of 2nd avenue and 80th street). But time is elusive. It couldn't have been this winter? No way. And it wasn't last winter.
So off I go on a merry chase. Did I shoot it digital? Film? I figure it was probably digital, but maybe not. I go through all the digital stuff from 2004 and 2005. Gadzooks, I shot a heck of a lot of digital in that overlapping year from July 2004 to July 2005. And so many shots that I can't figure out why? What in the hell was I thinking shooting the same thing over and over again. Definitely a hit and mostly miss feeling.
So now it's off to negative land. That's going to be an archeological dig for sure. There's no way around this sort of stuff. If the negative has been offered for sale, then I have it handy. But if it's just some bit that someone thinks of a couple of years later --
On the other hand, I almost always find something else worth a test print on these expeditions so it's not a total loss.
Anyway - how long do you think the Cheney stuff will last on the late night shows. I'm giving it a week unless he shoots someone else.
When did I shoot that? I don't have a clue. I remember where I was standing (the pharmacy was behind me. Corner of 2nd avenue and 80th street). But time is elusive. It couldn't have been this winter? No way. And it wasn't last winter.
So off I go on a merry chase. Did I shoot it digital? Film? I figure it was probably digital, but maybe not. I go through all the digital stuff from 2004 and 2005. Gadzooks, I shot a heck of a lot of digital in that overlapping year from July 2004 to July 2005. And so many shots that I can't figure out why? What in the hell was I thinking shooting the same thing over and over again. Definitely a hit and mostly miss feeling.
So now it's off to negative land. That's going to be an archeological dig for sure. There's no way around this sort of stuff. If the negative has been offered for sale, then I have it handy. But if it's just some bit that someone thinks of a couple of years later --
On the other hand, I almost always find something else worth a test print on these expeditions so it's not a total loss.
Anyway - how long do you think the Cheney stuff will last on the late night shows. I'm giving it a week unless he shoots someone else.
Medium Format Epiphany
Ah. That was the cheapest way to get the medium format bug out of my system. I have to thank Matt for loaning me the Pentax 67 because I had an epiphany after using it.
Epiphany 1: only one camera can occupy a place in your heart at any one time.
The converse: if you are using the MF camera, then you are not using another camera (in this case my M3).
If you are out there going back and forth about medium format (ask yourself about your own style) and then borrow or rent the MF camera of your choice. See if that gets it out of your system or draws you in deeper. My own conclusion should have been fortold by the fact that over the years I've sold all my medium format equipment: Not for me. And no, it wasn't the Pentax 67 that pushed the epiphany button. Would have had same result with any MF camera.
And it's not only the camera.
I still get a better scan from a 35mm negative with a dedicated film scanner than from the Epson 4990. With the transparency scanner you've got two pieces of glass to keep clean. You've got problems with Newtons' rings (yes, once in a while even when using the supplied Epson carrier); you've got to keep the film flat. And of course not many shots on a roll which means changing rolls more often and more time developing to get an equivalent number of negatives.
Nah. Not for me.
Disclaimer: Your results may differ.
Anyway - the whole gestalt (did I spell the right?) totally turned me off.
Let's face it, I like the look, in fact I love the look of my Tri-x 35mm negative at 8 x 12 inches or cropped to 11 x 14.
So why does medium format come up at all... ? That is just the restless mind talking when it is bored. That is just (for me) a way of distracting myself. Someday that part of my mind is going to say, "hey wouldn't it be fun to shoot with the view camera again?" Please, keep reading this blog and if you ever see me going in that direction, remind me of my MF epiphany. Please, I beg you.
Epiphany 1: only one camera can occupy a place in your heart at any one time.
The converse: if you are using the MF camera, then you are not using another camera (in this case my M3).
If you are out there going back and forth about medium format (ask yourself about your own style) and then borrow or rent the MF camera of your choice. See if that gets it out of your system or draws you in deeper. My own conclusion should have been fortold by the fact that over the years I've sold all my medium format equipment: Not for me. And no, it wasn't the Pentax 67 that pushed the epiphany button. Would have had same result with any MF camera.
And it's not only the camera.
I still get a better scan from a 35mm negative with a dedicated film scanner than from the Epson 4990. With the transparency scanner you've got two pieces of glass to keep clean. You've got problems with Newtons' rings (yes, once in a while even when using the supplied Epson carrier); you've got to keep the film flat. And of course not many shots on a roll which means changing rolls more often and more time developing to get an equivalent number of negatives.
Nah. Not for me.
Disclaimer: Your results may differ.
Anyway - the whole gestalt (did I spell the right?) totally turned me off.
Let's face it, I like the look, in fact I love the look of my Tri-x 35mm negative at 8 x 12 inches or cropped to 11 x 14.
So why does medium format come up at all... ? That is just the restless mind talking when it is bored. That is just (for me) a way of distracting myself. Someday that part of my mind is going to say, "hey wouldn't it be fun to shoot with the view camera again?" Please, keep reading this blog and if you ever see me going in that direction, remind me of my MF epiphany. Please, I beg you.
2/13/2006
Scenes from a Blizzard
Crossing 86th Street -
with one of those "health" carts that carry your oxygen and other stuff. This guy should definitely not have been out. But it takes a hardy breed to make it in this town.
And the "car cleaners" taking a break. "Lady - we've dug out your car for you - almost! Go ahead, ring her bell again, I don't think she heard us."
That is such a great hydrant - isn't it? Oooh, someone put a happy face in it!
And remember to wear the proper headgear.
And always find one snow covered bike.
You Can't Make This Stuff Up
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 — Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and wounded a prominent Austin, Tex., lawyer on Saturday while the two men were quail hunting in South Texas, firing a shotgun at the man while trying to aim for a bird, a member of the hunting party said.
An unnamed source blamed the accident on poor intelligence. A spokesman for Mr. Cheney insisted that this was just an accident and not an attempt by Mr. Cheney to step up the administrations attack on trial lawyers.
Another witness stated that this was one of the reasons that they don't let you get too close to the vice president.
One witness stated that the wounded lawyer, Mr. Whittington was heard to say, "I'll contribute more next time" before the shooting - but that could not be confirmed.
There is also a rumor that the Democrats have sent an invitation to Justice Alito to go duck hunting with the Vice President.
An unnamed source blamed the accident on poor intelligence. A spokesman for Mr. Cheney insisted that this was just an accident and not an attempt by Mr. Cheney to step up the administrations attack on trial lawyers.
Another witness stated that this was one of the reasons that they don't let you get too close to the vice president.
One witness stated that the wounded lawyer, Mr. Whittington was heard to say, "I'll contribute more next time" before the shooting - but that could not be confirmed.
There is also a rumor that the Democrats have sent an invitation to Justice Alito to go duck hunting with the Vice President.
2/12/2006
Musical Coffee Chairs
When street photographers go out for coffee - there is a mad rush for the "best seat." What exactly the best seat means - is open for interpretation. This time, I think I got the "best seat" because I could pre-focus on the place where people put milk in their coffee. I'm pretty certain that I could spend an entire day photographing one Starbucks, or maybe any coffeeshop. Has anyone done that yet? Probably but we don't know about it because the movie hasn't come out yet: Starbucks - The Movie. Hey, they're producing music already, why not do a story about how they arrived on earth and took over like the pods in Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
Blizzard, 2nd Avenue
Blizzard '06 - 2nd Avenue
I got a little nervous about the shutter speeds on the Pentax 67 not lining up correctly. Still not sure if I underexposed everything by a stop. Anyway, this was done during the height of the storm around 9 a.m. this morning and I have at least one more that I like from the 67. Then I picked up the M3 and wandered around a little bit more freely.
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