It goes without saying that you MUST print your work! It’s amazing how many people don’t get around to printing their photographs, or if they do the fruits of their efforts often languish in an empty photo paper box.  Sad. So I’m hoping that you will carefully study your proof sheets and print the images that move you.

But printing isn’t the end of the line. Now you must mat the prints. I still dry mount my prints made on 8 X 10 paper (the size of my prints are never that large though) onto 14 X 17 4 ply mat boards.  Some people use hinges. Doesn’t matter. Then I study the prints for a while. The best way to do this is by standing them up on the strip of molding I have attached to one of the walls in my workroom just for this purpose.  This deceptively simple device works wonders!

One of two things will happen.  Either you will come to the decision that the prints you are studying are statements of what you saw in your mind’s eye and deserving of a place in your portfolio, or you will decide that they need more work or aren’t very good after all.  In any case you will have learned a lot and taken a major step to create what speaks to you and is only your best work!

Now 4 ply “picture frame” mats are cut and placed on top of the keepers to protect the image surfaces. I connect them to the bottom mat with archival tape, then a sheet of protective archival paper is placed between the mats for storage in an archival box for safe keeping.

But the ultimate goal is to see the results of all your work placed in a frame (I prefer black Nielson Style 15) and mounted on a wall, so you … and perhaps others … may see and enjoy them! It really doesn’t matter what wall it is. I’m not driven to show my work in galleries anymore.

The key is to get to the finish line and savor what you’ve accomplished … because you’ve accomplished a lot!  Knowing that matters … because it’s much more than what the vast amount of those who photograph will ever do in a lifetimes!

Stay well,

Michael

Well, if the current environment we live in isn’t enough to cause you to be fatigued, there’s more … “digital fatigue”! That’s right and what a great segue to get back into discussing photography! On April 5th, WBZ Radio in Boston did a segment discussing how Gen Z And Millennials are opting for analog life, citing digital fatigue. Going back to everything from film to music. Even analog clocks and written journals! Written journals … can you believe that! And a July 6th New York Times entitled Film Photography Is Making a Comeback. Just Look at All These New Film Cameras stated “A growing wave of digital fatigue is driving photographers back to film, and camera makers are sensing an opportunity. That’s why, for the first time in several decades, we’re seeing new film cameras hit store shelves every year.”

The author notes that while he still uses a digital camera, his photo time is even divided with almost ten film cameras! The article goes on to discuss the test results of three cameras, the Pentax 17, Kodak Snapic A1, and the Lomography Lomo MC-A, and provides a round-up of all the film cameras that have come out since 2020.  And guess what … there are a lot of them!! All the way from $30 super cheapies to the $7000 Leica M6 reissue.

Yes, film is back baby! I am seeing more and more people out there using film cameras … both new and older models. And people come up to me and ask me about my film cameras when they see me making pictures!

As with vinyl, people want to use something they can really identify with, tactilely and otherwise. Something more real … and … truer. Away from the screen, away from the phone.

Digital fatigue … now that’s something you won’t get tired of!

Stay well,

Michael

No one in the regime seemed to care when two innocent US citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good were killed. Certainly not our fearless leader. Now members of the US miliary are continuing to die … and for what?

When asked, here is what President Bone Spurs had to say recently.  “We hate to see it happen. It’s in service to our country.”

WE HATE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN #$%^&)(*&^%$#@$@%^&

Earlier in the war he said “We have three, but we expect casualties, but in the end it’s going to be a great deal for the world.”

BUT IN THE END IT’S GOING TO BE A GREAT DEAL FOR THE WORLD $%#^$%^&#$%^&#$%

Yah, it’s too bad when someone’s life is suddenly gone. It’s too bad for all their hopes and dreams, for their families, friends and all the others they mattered to. Just the way it is. Hate to see it happen, but it will be a great deal.

No empathy, no cares … except for himself, his fellow corrupt cronies and fascist accomplices.  There’s so much I could talk about, but this has really hit hard for me. Harder than a lot of things. Someday he’ll be gone, along with all those that enabled him and benefitted from the toxic cesspool that he formed, but only if we care enough to do something about it!

Start planning on how you will vote now so that when the moment of truth is upon us in November, your vote will count. And tell those you know and care about to do the same.

Stay well,

Michael

On May 28th the New York Times published a wonderful article about Paul McCartney, his life and his music, to coincide with the release of his latest album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane. The title of the article is Paul McCartney Doesn’t Need to Make Music Anymore. He Just Loves To and the opening caption reads:

“On his new album, the ex-Beatle revisits his past and revels in simply continuing to create”. The opening sentences goes on to say “For Paul McCartney, songwriting isn’t only a job, a craft and an emotional outlet. It’s a compulsion and a craving”.

It’s a great read, written by Jon Parele and highly recommended! It made me think about how I feel about my photographs. I just like making them. I’m not as old as Sir Paul and  certainly not famous, but at my age I go out and see what the world has to offer … the journey … and if I find something that excites me I make the picture. Yes, I have projects  I work on, or themes I’m interested in that can focus what I’m looking for, but if I don’t see anything I think will make an interesting picture then no worries. On the other hand, if something catches my eye, there’s nothing that satisfies me more than looking through the viewfinder and pushing the shutter release button on whatever camera I have with me.

This is what happened when I attended the recent D-Day Rally here in Doylestown. Yes I was hoping to make pictures, but the longer I was there the more I got drawn into the event itself. Nevertheless, I couldn’t stop seeing pictures before me and as I began to envision how they might look, the more I wanted to make them. And so I did!

I think my approach is a healthy one … at least it is for me. No pressure, no stress. When I experience and see something that strikes me I do what I love and make the photograph!

Stay well,

Michael

What do you think about spiders? Specifically, very large ones that could be found in 1960s Japanese sci-fi movies and happen to be roaming in your darkroom when the lights are turned off?  When I find the critters in my basement I usually don’t bother and let them carry on with their business. Occasionally if my wife is nearby I will capture them in a small paper cup and gently escort them outside.

After getting back from my visit to Coney Island I had enough 35mm film to develop in one shot, so I finally got around to doing it. The most I will do at one time with my thirty year old Jobo CPE-2 processor is 5 rolls and that’s what I had. Everything was going smoothly. Developing film is pretty mechanical … as it should be … especially with the Jobo. Sort of like watching paint dry. I had finished with the water pre-soak, emptied it out, poured in the Kodak HC 110, hit the foot switch for my Zone VI Compensating Development Timer and stepped back as the tank began to slowly rotate back and forth.

Now just wait 6 minutes … unless you feel something strange crawling down your leg and going under your sock. It’s summer after all. Can’t I wear shorts?

#$@%^&*IO(*&^%!

It’s a gargantuan spider #@$%Y^&$%^.!

Ok, it wasn’t Mothra size, but it definitely was as large as the rubber ones my son used to put in his older sister’s bed!  Now I’m trying to get it out before it starts to eat me and I accidently step on the foot switch that stops the timer! I’m not really thinking about this as I’m dealing with large multi-legged monster. And then I do think about it, look of at the timer’s display and see it says 00.00 on it.

#$%^&*^%$!

Ok, don’t panic! I mean what’s the worst thing that can happen? Oh … five rolls of film shot get ruined.

This is definitely uncharted waters. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. Collect yourself and start the timer again! Now I had to make what we used to call during my government service a wild ass guess and hope for the best. My wild ass guess was that approximately 2 minutes had gone by … I really had no idea since it was too early for me to think about checking. So I decided to go 4 more minutes and keep all my body parts crossed. Turns out that 4 minutes is a lot of time to think about all that can go wrong. And then you have to wait to get through, the stop bath, fixer, first rinse, hypo clear and then final wash.  That’s a lot of time to think about the worst case!

As I removed the film from their reels all seemed to look ok. That’s a relief! I mean it didn’t look under developed. But wet film always looks ok when you first look at it.  I guess I’ll have to wait until I make my proof sheets. After my trauma I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to make them. When I do I’ll know for sure.

So now I wait some more.

I never found the spider and have no idea where he is. But I know he’s around … waiting.

Stay well,

Michael

A couple of Saturday’s ago I went to the annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade. But I almost missed it!  Two days before, I thought, um, maybe I should go on the web and see when it’s happening. I thought late summer. $#%^&*()**&^%  … damn! Thankfully I was able to clear the decks and I was on my way to the Hamilton, New Jersey train station bright and early that Saturday morning.

Everything worked out perfectly and I arrived at the staging area a little after 10am. More than enough time to hang out with the mermaids before the parade started at 1:00.  I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating … if you’re going to photograph events like this … parades, etc. … get there early before things start getting crazy.

As the morning went on more people showed up with their cameras. And as usual, they were very pushy and obnoxious. Nevertheless I think I got a number of keepers, but the later it got the more you had for fight to get them. On thing that was pretty amazing was how many Leicas I saw. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many other than at one of the fancy Leica stores that have been popping up in places like New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC. Most were the latest digital models, buy there were a lot film cameras  too … all M6s.  Not sure if they were originals or the new reissue. No older models like my M2 or M3, but who cares! I also saw a few Rollei TLRs, a Hasselblad, a Minolta and even a view camera!

But here is the really good news. The film users were not just geezers like me, but young people too!

Yes, film and is alive and doing just fine!

Stay well,

Michael