Yes, I finally got it! Covid-19. And here’s the thing … I’m not sure what makes me feel worse about it, that I have it and am dealing with the symptoms, or the fact that despite my best efforts for nearly three years I got it and was diagnosed the morning I was to bring my wife home from the hospital after a knee replacement. Thank goodness for my daughter and friends that cared and offered to help, as I have been in quarantine. My doctor proscribed Paxlovid for me. The good news is that it is supposed to make things go better and faster. The bad news is the side effects, including the possibility of “rebound Covid”. Oh, that’s something to look forward to! Not sure what’s been worse, the loss the of taste from the virus or non-stop metallic taste in my mouth from the medicine. I’m almost back to normal but can nod off at any time… just like I did for the last five minutes!

Ok, enough whining. Is there a silver lining here? I think there is. All this down time has allowed me to think a bit. Hey, I turned sixty-eight two months ago and it’s time to set or reset priorities … focus only on the things that really matter, that provide great meaning and purpose in life. Simplify and really drill down. Revise the gameplan, make adjustments, and change day to day SOPs if necessary. Sounds like I know what I’m talking about doesn’t it!

Look, it’s been a charming little career. I’ve been lucky to work for myself for most of the last thirty years and only work on things I view as important or entertaining. And when I worked for others, every job was created for me. No bad. While I’ll continue to work for at least a little bit longer I’ll do my best to focus on maximizing the effort in as time efficient manner as possible. Work less and have more time for family (including Sparky), friends, my photography, my serious music/audiophile hobby and discovery of other things that will enrich my life or make me a better person. Now that’s a plan! But here’s the thing. it’s great to rededicate myself. Congratulations. Now I’ve got to deliver!  That means real life goals and objectives worth striving for that are hopefully obtainable and measurable in some meaningful way. Some may be easy and take only a short time, others may take years. That’s all right, I’ll have the time if it’s used wisely. Note to self: It better be; the older I get the faster time seems go by!

Here’s some things I want to do. One thing I’ve recently reconfirmed is how much I enjoy teaching. I’ll continue to try to find opportunities to pay forward my photographic knowledge, especially to young people. Another is to build and make the most of friendships I’ve made from writing these weekly entries and through the Monalog Collective. And here’s something else! I’m going to seriously reduce receiving and sending text messages, especially where it concerns family or friends!  In other words, those I care about. Hey, I know this isn’t quite at the cosmic level, but I am convinced as I march on towards the finish line that it’s increasingly important to actually speak to the people you love and care about instead of merely communicating via disembodied snippets on your phone. Go ahead … call me a luddite. I can take it!

There, I think this is a good start. I’m going to give it my all. Is there really any other choice?

There, I feel better already!

Stay well,

Michael

As you know I don’t print large; I’ve only made one or two 11 x14 size prints in my entire photographic life! I’ve gone on and on about what seems to be more and more in vogue at galleries and even museums … large prints of mediocre subject matter. But then I recently saw and wrote about the fantastic William Klein show at the International Center for Photography in New York and Klein’s quite large prints. His oversized and grainy images didn’t seem to bother me … probably because of their incredible content!

What’s the story here … what’s going on? Nothing actually. I really haven’t changed my mind about how I feel about obnoxiously large prints of junk pictures. It continues to bother me when I come across them, except on those rare occasions when it works. Think Klein and Ansel Adams … two styles and subject focus that couldn’t be more worlds apart, yet it works well for both of them.

So, what got me on this latest rant against large size junk?  I was reading an entry from Tim Vanderweert’s outrageously stupendous Leicaphilia website and came across this:

“Just because you can make a print big doesn’t mean it gains anything in the process; in fact, more often smaller prints have a more pronounced effect. Georges Fevre, HCB’s printer, used to say “if you can’t make them good, make them big!” George rarely printed larger than 8×12. That seemed to work out alright.”

Damn, I couldn’t say it any better! Tim’s a great photographer and a wonderfully amusing writer. When you finish reading this do yourself a favor and check out Leicaphilia at www.leicaphilia.com!!! Not only are big prints of bad stuff bad, but big prints of good stuff don’t necessarily benefit from the extra real estate either … again, unless they happen to be made by someone like Klein or Adams.

All the above caused me to think again about a show I saw a number of years ago at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Featuring the work of a number of photographers, its single most stunning feature were twenty-five black and white 4×5 contact prints by Minor White.  These little jewels were portraits of two of his close friends coupled with pictures of favorite landscapes they had visited. Seeing these beauties convinced me of the power and ability of smaller prints to draw in the viewer – if, of course the images are powerful themselves.

So, there you have it. Small prints of good subject matter. Enough said.

Stay well,

Michael

Sitting down on Thanksgiving and waiting for the family to arrive, I started to think about a day several months ago, when I visited Curt Rowell in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, about an hour or so from where I live.  Curt had signed up to attend Monalogfest earlier in the year. When we had to cancel the event due to some unforeseen circumstances Curt and I agreed that we would get together at his place. One of the reasons I wanted to go, beyond that it was nearby a county fair I wanted to photograph was that Curt told me he was converting his newly purchased home into a living and working spaced dedicated completely to fine art photography. This I had to see!  The only other residence I have ever seen like this is owned by Monalog member, fine are photographer and printer extraordinaire, David Haas, who lives in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Curt has had an interesting life to say the least. After a long career in photography, notably as a professional printer for top photographers in New York he became heavily involved in environmental issues and moved to the Easton, Pennsylvania, where he assumed management of the Easton Urban Farm. Now retired, his life is fully dedicated to his large format black and white … and yes … color dye transfer photography. No matter to me, his work is amazing!

While the house was still a work in progress when I visited, it was exciting to see and hear from Curt what his plans were. A wonderful dark room outfitted with 4 X 5 and 8 X 10 enlargers, a fully outfitted work room for mounting and matting prints, several studio areas and the pièce de resistance … an in-home gallery to show his work!!  Damn!

So, here is a person who lives a photographic life to the nth degree! So does David Haas. When David walks out of his bedroom, he just strolls into his very large and incredibly equipped darkroom! David earns his living from that darkroom, sales of his prints and his teaching of photography at Moravian College.  His avocation is his vocation … lucky man indeed! As best I can tell, Curt is pretty much “retired”. He just happens to be obsessed with his photography.

Can most people live in homes completely dedicated to their obsession and craft? Not likely. But we can look at Curt and David and be inspired by their dedication to what they love so much and apply it to our own lives and work. That’s my takeaway and it contributes to what I aspire to in my photographic life. To have such a photographic life is a special thing to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day!

Stay well and best wishes to you and yours,

Michael

When I founded the Monalog Collective with five other photographers we agreed that an important part of our mission would be to work with or mentor young people interested in black and white analog photography, materials and processes. We had been on the lookout for a good opportunity, and a really great one recently presented itself. At the end of January, we will be having a show at the beautiful gallery located on the Penn State Lehigh Valley campus. In my conversations with Ann Lalik, Gallery Director and Arts Coordinator we discussed her relationship with Nazareth Area High School and the strong photography program they have. Well, all right! Now you’re talking!  I was immediately put in touch with Nicole Stager, Photography and Design Teacher who runs the program. Both Ann and Nicole are highly talented dedicated artists and educators.  Their students are very lucky!

Nicki and I quickly agreed that Monalog members would provide some special classes and demonstrations for her students. So, I have now participated in two events at the high school, assisting other Monalog members and providing a little “color commentary” when appropriate. Other events will take place at the end of this month, December and into the new year, and I hope to teach an ongoing course during the spring. I can’t wait!!!

A couple of amazing things … first how dedicated Nicki is. Second how interested the students are in analog and third, how wonderful the photography space at Nazareth is!  I’m sure Nazareth is not a typical public high school; it has three darkrooms, a bunch of enlargers, camera equipment and a very good stock of supplies. How wonderful is that! More high schools need to do what Nazareth is doing. Darkroom equipment can be had for nothing, or for a song if need be.

It’s amazing just how rewarding and enjoyable an experience this has been and will most certainly continue to be.  I feel very lucky to have this chance and look for to other opportunities for Monalog and myself individually.

When I was a teenager, I didn’t have anyone to help me as I was getting started on my photographic journey. There was no high school program, no Internet. I mainly saw copies of Popular Photography and Modern Photography in the drugstore and finally subscribed to them after I realized I couldn’t retain all the information I wanted by just sneaking around and browsing them in the aisles. No wonder my skills weren’t that great for a while! Even though I had a darkroom in my parent’s basement by the time I was fifteen I didn’t get to take my first photography class until freshman year in college. These kids don’t have to wait that long. And here’s the thing … just a few pointers or constructive critiques can from someone(s) that know a thing or two can make a huge difference in a young person’s learning process and interest in analog photography.

So, what’s the point of all this? I feel privileged to be able to help, mentor and encourage students and am grateful for the opportunity to do so. I certainly wish I had someone(s) that had been there for me!

Is there an opportunity for you to be a mentor? Trust me, you will love it and the satisfaction is immense.

And think about this … the more people that take up black and white analog photography, the greater the chance the materials we all rely will continue to exist!  So how about paying what you know forward. You might just be helping a future Ansel Adams or Henri Cartier-Bresson!

Stay well,

Michael

This past week I was contacted by someone that happened across this very website while doing a search regarding enlargers I had discussed.  After several email exchanges and the discovery that we live on opposite sides of the Atlantic … we decided to meet via Zoom on Sunday … and I am happy we did! As I’ve said before, I am convinced that it’s the personal relationships I make along the way that make things so special, and this experience becomes another part of my photographic life journey that keeps on growing.

Turns out we have a tremendous amount in common, from interest in photographic subjects to the choice of camera equipment and enlargers. Almost two and a half hours after we logged-on it was time to say goodbye, but honestly, I could have spent another two and a half hours talking since I was enjoying myself so much and learning a good bit too. We agreed to exchange more information by email and to get together again soon.

So, how good is that! A real high point of my week! And I see the opportunity for a new friendship, albeit a long distance one.  No matter.  Damn, purchasing the yearly Zoom membership just might be one of the best $139 I’ve spent!

Hey, an hour or so outside of London isn’t that far from Doylestown after all!

Stay safe,

Michael

What is the relationship between the for-profit gallery owner and the exhibitor? It’s a question that’s been bugging me for a while and my conclusion is that for most of us the answer is not much. I’ve had several experiences with gallery owners who’ve exhibited my work where things went from enthusiastic conversations prior to and during the shows, to aloofness or not being interested in talking at all shortly after the shows had come and gone.  It’s all right, as my interest in pushing to exhibit my work has been on the wane for some time, although I’ve been in three shows during the past year and am scheduled to be in several more during 2023. All of these have been with the Monalog Collective, and we are now working on a group project that hopefully will find its way into an institution’s holding and get a show.

Nevertheless, my gallery experiences over the last few years have been somewhat discouraging, if not unexpected. Why? Because, gallery owners are not photographers, and in most cases not artists/creatives at all. They’re business people and their biggest concern is to keep the lights on and make a profit. And that’s fine, but the problem is in the end unless you’re seen as someone that will be a revenue stream, then you’re yesterday’s news. And if they don’t “get” your work then you will never get the time of day to begin with.

So, what does this all mean for me at least?  Well, increasingly I’m becoming more and more convinced that the whole gallery thing isn’t very important anymore, unless of course art is your livelihood and you must exhibit. Look, most gallery owners could care less about you or your art and the likelihood of getting your work on their sacred walls is low.

What do you do then?

Keep making photographs that are meaningful to you and become the best you can be!  Improve your vision and your craft. What else? Get a website up and running and maybe write a blog. How about self-publishing your work? That’s the direction I think I’m eventually going to be headed. But even if I don’t, the older I get and the more I do, I really care more about self-directed projects and just being out there as part of living my photographic life.

The friends I’ve made are not the for-profit gallery owners, but other like-minded photographers, students I’ve taught and those I’ve met along the way when photographing. These are the relationships that truly matter.

Maybe I just haven’t met the right ones, but time is too short and I guess certain things don’t seem as important anymore compared to those that really matter.

Stay safe,

Michael

At the end of my list in a recent entry entitled To Become What We Can Be I wrote “Identifying and removing what is distracting and preventing me from becoming what I can be”. Just so you know I’m not saying that I plan to quit my day job … not yet anyway … and I am not suggesting you do either.

So, what can we do to address what I believe is a major problem we all face from time to time? News flash: 1) While getting that new camera or lens may make things a little more pleasant or even easier, they will not make you become a better photographer; and 2) Obsessing over this is one of the greatest distractions and time wasters there is. Trust me, I know of what I speak!

Here’s what to do. Sit down and think hard about what really is preventing and/or distracting you from becoming what you could be in your photographic life. I’ll bet items 1 and 2 above are major contributors for many of you. Hell, they consumed a lot of my time and money over the years.

So, what about all the underbrush in your life that’s been getting in the way but can be cleared out by simply identifying what it is and dedicating yourself to getting rid of it?

I’m sure it will be different for everyone but do take the time to think about this. Get a pad of paper and start writing things down. The answer may be more complicated than you think and not be as easy to solve as you’d like.  It may also take a little bit of time. After you have jotted down your thoughts let things percolate for a while. Don’t stress it, and be prepared for an epiphany or two if you’re patient!

So. while I can’t figure out what is preventing and distracting you from becoming what you could be I am confident if you commit yourself to identifying the problem(s) and doing all you can within reason to solve it/them you will be well on your way to fulfilling your photographic dreams.

Oh, and one other thing … don’t think too much about when and how to do what I suggest. Just go ahead and do it. It will take a lot less time than scouring the forums and YouTube for true the answer, and cost a lot less money than paying for an expensive workshop to try to discover yourself.

Good luck and stay safe,

Michael