I ordered a Yashicamat 12 off of Ebay a few days ago. It’s much like the fabled Yashicamat 124 but this model won’t allow 220 film (which is non-existent now anyways) and that’s about it. It’s a hard to find model and I got it for much cheaper than any 124’s available. I couldn’t believe how much people were willing to pay for those. Prices went from $300 up to $400. That’s a little bit much.
My kids were asking me about my new purchase. I already own a Rolleicord so that would make a total of two TLR’s that I own but my daughter Alexa, couldn’t believe it.
“What! That’s so wierd. Why do you need two of them?”
I tried to explain it to her with a list of my ideas but they didn’t make to much sense to her. As I listed them off, she gave me the final reason…
“…and so it won’t flash in my face.”
She’s talking about my digital camera. If I use automatic focusing it will “flash in her face” in dim lighting so it can focus on her more easily. She hates it when the camera flashes in her face.
I’ve been using my digital camera a lot lately yet I’ll always miss the heavy clank of the mirrors, the smell of those 35+ year old cameras, the weight in my hand; just the feel of it. How I kind of feel like an outcast with a film camera in my hand among all of the digital hoopla going on around me. So every now and then I’ll turn back into an “artist” and start using film again. Film does change me, it allows me to see things differently. It’s strange, and I’m sure this isn’t the way it is with everyone, but it evokes different emotions from me than what a digital camera does. Maybe I should just grow up and get past all that, I mean, they are two cameras that do essentially the same thing, right? It doesn’t work that way for me.
I really think the future of photography is loosing it’s focus on in-camera control. I’ve always thought that having the power to control your image in-camera was an important thing. It slows you down, it allows you to experience things. As an artist, you have to experience things. Whenever I use a digital camera I can’t help but do everything after I take the image. Sooner or later, you won’t even have to worry about focusing on your image anymore.
Digital is good for commercial work. But for true art, I think I should have to experience what I photograph rather than spend more time with my computer. Besides, those film cameras won’t flash in my daughter’s face.
First, a little about the story that it came from called Blow-up. I like Cortazar because of his use of words, they flow; he is simply a unique writer. However, his words can be confusing to me and quite a few others who’ve read his work. I had to look online and find out a little more about this story to help me come to some kind of resolution. Here’s the jist.
The narrator thinks the picture he took is of a young boy who will have sex for the first time with a hooker. He wonders more on this belief, so he starts to blow up the image more and more. As he blows it up he begins to see other things happen within the image and different ideas form in his head. That’s the basic story line as I don’t want to give away any more of it.
Now, where did the title come from. There are two sentences that develop early in the story and it has the words Contesting Level-Zero in it. The words will follow, and then I’ll explain what the title to my blog means.
This is from Julio Cortazar’s short story Blow-up:
“One of the many ways of contesting level-zero, and one of the best, is to take photographs, an activity in which one should start becoming an adept very early in life, teach it to children since it requires discipline, aesthetic education, a good eye and steady fingers. I’m not talking about waylaying the lie like any old reporter, snapping the stupid silhouette of the VIP leaving number 10 Downing Street, but in all ways when one is walking about with a camera, one has almost a duty to be attentive, to not lose that abrupt and happy rebound of sun’s rays off an old stone, or the pigtails-flying run of a small girl going home with a loaf of bread or a bottle of milk.”
Contesting level-zero, to me, means a constant struggle or test with getting above level-zero. It’s a metaphor and whatever level-zero is for you, exploring something positive like taking pictures, is a sure way of getting over it.
The Art House is run by two guys who love the idea of bringing a community of artists together. So that’s what they do and they create massive, nationwide art projects. Their recent project is something called the Sketchbook Project (volume 3) where they send you a Moleskine sketchbook and you are required to do the art. And this means any kind of art… not just sketches. You can write, paint, draw or paste and after you send it back, the Art House will take all of them on a six city tour to various galleries and museums within the U.S.
The theme; “everyone we know”.
I think this kind of freedom is something I need right now. I feel that I’m trapping myself and doing things the way others would expect them to be done. I’ve got some good ideas and I like the theme of this project so I’m trying this one, and whatever kind of artist you say you are (or even if you consider yourself an artist) you should try it too.
Over at Magnum Photos there is some great advice for photographers, from photographers. They are asked what got them excited about photography and what advice they would give to young photographers. I really enjoyed most of the advice like this from Alex Webb.
“Photograph because you love doing it, because you absolutely have to do it, because the chief reward is going to be the process of doing it. Other rewards — recognition, financial remuneration — come to so few and are so fleeting. And even if you are somewhat successful, there will almost inevitably be stretches of time when you will be ignored, have little income, or — often — both. Certainly there are many other easier ways to make a living in this society. Take photography on as a passion, not a career.”
“Avoid all photo schools and courses. Most will give you lofty ideas and twist your mind in one direction. Find your own way to photography, nobody will ask you later if you have a diploma. Visit as many museums as you possibly can. The images you see (painted, drawn, etched or photographed) will stay with you for the rest of your life. They will help you to discover good pictures in real life. Suppress any silly ambitions of becoming a great artist. Being a good photographer is difficult enough.”
This site has some really outstanding images, along with very unique shots of children. My favorites are the projects entitled Hero, Creep, X and Veil. I usually don’t like sites that have music with there images but it really seems to work here… check it out.
If you’re a photographer and pride yourself in what you do, then please watch all 20 minutes of this video. Photojournalist David Burnett shows us what it actually was like to photograph the games of the 2008 Olympics.
A few years back the Pistons head coach Larry Brown would keep the diffident Darko from doing anything on the basketball court. But the fans wanted to see him play, they needed to see him play. They put out petitions… I mean, these people were serious. But he never saw any real playtime and he was eventually traded away to some team I can’t even remember. Ah well…
I’m a pretty big NBA fan. I love the Pistons… and I hate them too. It’s a fast paced, exciting game. It’s a game that frustrates me one day and by the next I’m a fan all over again.
Does anyone recognize this little ad? Apparentaly this is for the Adobe CS4 product that is now available. Pretty nice job for an advertisement. Found this here.
I ordered a Yashicamat 12 off of Ebay a few days ago. It’s much like the fabled Yashicamat 124 but this model won’t allow 220 film (which is non-existent now anyways) and that’s about it. It’s a hard to find model and I got it for much cheaper than any 124’s available. I couldn’t believe how much people were willing to pay for those. Prices went from $300 up to $400. That’s a little bit much.
