I wasn’t really looking forward to this past Friday. It was my last class of my first semester of teaching at Delaware Valley University’s Center for Living in Retirement (CLR). As previously mentioned, they foolishly asked me if I would like to teach a photography class based on an early entry I posted here called Living a Photographic Life. 

I had never taught in a formal class setting before so I was a little nervous. A nice amount of students had signed up, but what if no one returned after attending the first class?  Well I was pleasantly surprised that they kept on coming!

The challenge was to teach a course to a diverse range of retired students that had no interests in film photography, let along darkroom work. Most used cell phones or point and shoot cameras with little experience outside of taking family or vacation snapshots. A couple had more sophisticated DSLRs. All were color shooters.

I had a two-track approach and dual objective. Show them the many ways they could “keep there heads in the game” when there was no time to make photographs, and get them to produce a ten photograph portfolio with an accompanied written essay that they would present to the class. Throughout the semester they had a variety of assignments, such as loaning out monographs from the library and making photographs for discussion and constructive critique. We also had a few field trips, including one to my home for a darkroom printing demonstration (sorry, but I couldn’t help myself!). I tried to open their minds to new ways to thinking about the unlimited range of opportunities available to them. In the end they learned about a wide range of interesting and educational activities that would keep them interested in photography and they created a meaningful body of printed work to hold in their hands and be proud of displaying.

So how did it turn out? Great! They worked hard and put a lot of thought into their portfolios. It didn’t matter that they were printed at Costco. And their essays helped them to crystalize their ideas and focus on what their efforts meant to them. Most had rarely printed their work. And one had never printed his personal photographs before, but proudly displayed his work to the class. A few put together hand made books containing their photographs. Several included black and white photos and one produced a very fine portfolio composed entirely of black and white prints!!!

For me it was incredibly gratifying to see their interest in photography grow, their fears subside and their skills improve over twelve weeks.

Yet when all was said and done I realized I received so much more than I gave.

I have a serious problem. My wife is a wonderful cook! You would think that after almost 40 years of marriage I would know better, but I never learn. Everything is made from scratch; right down to the three pies she made this year. Usually there are four pies, but we weren’t able to find any rhubarb to make the strawberry rhubarb. Won’t make that mistake next year … get the rhubarb this coming summer and freeze it. Then we will be set in November.

I was saying I never learn. The problem is with all that great food … the stuffing is my favorite … I have to try everything … usually several times. It happens every year. My son-in-law’s mother asked how I stay so thin; being married to my lovely wife, the wonderful cook. 30 miles of serious walking per week and good genes I guess.

So I made a toast like I always do after we sit down to eat. This time it was a little longer than normal. I wanted to speak about being thankful on several levels. I ended with the thought that while there are many problems we face I don’t want to think in terms of problems anymore. Rather I wish to think about solutions.

So what does this have to do with photography in general and black and white film photography and darkroom work in particular? After everyone left I started to think about that as I was drying the dishes.

First of all, I am thankful to live in America and enjoy the freedom I have. I do my best to try not to take that for granted and I think about it on Thanksgiving. On another level, I am grateful for the life I have had thus far. I’ve lived it on my own terms and hope to be able to continue to do so. I’ve had a nice professional career and yet I’ve made the time for a creative outlet that is just as important to me and has given me so much enjoyment. Drilling down another level, I am also thankful that the tools I get so much pleasure from. They are still available and in some cases better than ever, despite all things digital.

But back to the issue of problems and solutions … focusing on our individual lives, it seems most people are not all that happy. Anxiety, stress, frustration of one kind or another seems to be a constant. I think we can find a lot of this when it comes to our photography. Think about it. I never have time. I don’t have the right camera(s). I don’t have the right lens(s). I ran out of film. I ran out of paper. I ran out of chemicals. I’m too tired. I can’t come up with a new idea. I can’t get motivated.

These are all problems. Don’t worry, I know about most of them. Now it’s time to forget about them!  Just stop thinking about them as the cause of your inactivity. Rather, start thinking about solutions!

Get out a legal pad (for those that still enjoy the pleasure of writing on paper) and start making a plan … what are the steps necessary to go forward in your photographic life — from the tactical to the strategic. Buy film. Buy chemicals. Buy paper. Take advantage of the strengths of the equipment you own.  But if your gear is not right for the work you want to do then get rid of it and buy the right tool(s) for the job. Plan a project or two. Independent of the project(s), start taking pictures because it is what you should be doing if you are a photographer. Develop your film, make your proof sheet and print the keepers.

That’s a pretty good list for starters. Now go do it.

That’s a solution!

Recently I had a requirement that forced me to make a large number of prints in a somewhat quick amount of time. The reason … what else … I had put off getting the work done! I just had a lot of other things to do … thankfully, many of them photographic. Eventually, I had to place a self-imposed deadline on myself, lest the entire effort become irrelevant.

It reminded me a little of the action packed weekend I once spent assisting Michael A. Smith print some 100 photographs for a book and show on the city of Chicago. Now that was intense, but I did learn a lot. Nevertheless, I always wondered how Michael felt about doing such marathon efforts.

In any case, my situation was not about working with a Master. It was about catching up.

So here I was, printing for several days in a row, barely coming up for air, when I could have performed the same task at a much more leisurely pace over time. I don’t think that the final prints would have looked any different, as I always want to do the best I can, but it might have been a more enjoyable experience. Certainly much less stressful too!

All of this having been said, I’m glad I was able to do it, and that I did do it. So what’s the point? Well many of us are guilty of making images and never printing them. I’m sure there are also a lot of undeveloped rolls of film out there too. That’s even worse!

The issue is we all love to photograph, but we sometimes get lazy when it comes to bringing our vision to creative fruition with the final print! Yes, I didn’t enjoy that self-imposed experience so much, but I was still getting the satisfaction of seeing the work completed. And I was still a little happy that I was able to be in my darkroom that I love so much!

So don’t put off printing the images you thought important enough to photograph in the first place. There’s always a reason to not get into the darkroom. It’s cold down there. It’s football season. I don’t have the time.

Here’s a first step that will help. Assuming you at least get your film developed, make sure to do your proof sheets to determine whether there is anything worth printing! You don’t have to print right away. Some people wait a certain amount of time and then print only what they consider the very best of what they have accomplished. It doesn’t matter. Just make sure you do it.

So this has been an entertaining year for me. I taught my first workshop, am in the middle of teaching a photography class at Delaware Valley University’s Center for Learning in Retirement (CLR), had a couple of exhibits and became a member of an Artist gallery coop. But I had never stood before a group to discuss my photography. Well, last week I got the chance to do just that and enjoyed every minute!

One of the courses given every semester at the CLR is the “Artist Lecture Series” and it has been offered for 19^th years. In fact it’s so popular that there is always a waiting list of people wishing to sign up. The reason is that truly outstanding and well known artists (such as photographers Michael Smith and Paula Chamlee), as well as museum directors and others from the nearby art world have lectured. Usually one photographer is invited to participate per semester, so I was truly honored and humbled to have this wonderful opportunity!

For 90 minutes I discussed my photographs, the motivations behind making them, composition, lighting and other esthetic considerations … and perhaps most importantly … what they meant to me. This was done by means of a PowerPoint presentation and it was interesting for me to see 45 of my photographs projected so incredibly large on a screen in that darkened room! But don’t worry, I still favor the intimacy of my small prints, and I brought a few so the class could take a look at the real thing.

The worst fear when doing one of these things is that no one will connect with what you are saying … and showing, so I was grateful that questions were asked throughout the session.

It’s one thing to have an exhibit or have your work seen at a gallery. But there’s an entirely different experience you have when given the chance to interact with others regarding your work. I find it incredibly stimulating and most rewarding. I have been able to get this experience with others through my monthly “Photo Chat Get Togethers” I’ve been hosting here in Doylestown. My lecture gave me the final proof of how important this can be in terms of the kind of feedback that can encourage you to keep on going or maintain a particular direction or path you are following.

For these reasons, I will continue to hold my “Photo Chat Get Togethers” and hope some day to get another opportunity to give another lecture. In the meantime I will also continue down the teaching road I have started. Doing these things returns to me as much I give to others … and that makes me happy.