When it comes to B&W film choices we are blessed with an abundance of choice, from small companies and creative stocks, to stalwarts of the film industry. I knew of Kodak’s T-Max range for a while, and that it had been used for many celebrity portraits and studio work for years, however I’d avoided it because it said ‘professional’ on the side – and I am very much an enthusiastic amateur!
Photographs can be a bit like poems. There are those that speak to you in such a personal way and evoke such strong feelings, and yet you might be unable to put into words just what exactly it is about them that sparks all those emotions. That is the case for me, at least. Whenever I am out and about in nature, trying to capture a scenery on film, I have to think of W S Graham’s poetry. And whenever I read or listen to one of his poems while sitting at home, I am transported to those settings that are closest to my heart: the Hebrides, including the Isle of Skye, and Assynt, the northwesternmost ridges of the Highlands. His poetry creates a certain pull: a strange and phantastic wish to pack my bags and travel to the far reaches of Scotland.
I’ve been trying to improve my black and white photo taking skills. I learned to take photos with slide film and digital cameras, and in general it was for composite purposes. Basically photo-adjacent art pieces. Working with what I have, and adjusting what I’m looking for, along with finding dramatic light has been a very enjoyable learning process.
It is common today that women are photographed sexy and slightly undressed to attract attention to the subject, photographer or both. There is so much of this sort of photography that it has almost become kind of disposable art, with a viewing time of only 1-3 seconds. In the best-case scenario, the model gets a like, and is then replaced with a new photo on the screen with just one swipe.
As a kid, my family was transferred to Sao Paulo, Brazil, Dad was working on a project for Caterpillar Inc. During that stay, my father let me use the much-valued Pentax ME Super, taking Koda-and-Ektachromes, and a whole new world opened up. I didn’t really know what I was doing then; much less than half turned OK. I really had no idea – being 8 years old – of film formats, or all the camera tech. I just knew that – was taken to a camera store by a friend – the featured Pentax 645 seemed like this awesome super-monster robot of a camera. And recently, by random happenstance, when a good deal with 4 lenses came up—without hesitation, took a 250 mile road trip to obtain, rekindling my childhood fascination
