While meandering around the Internet last week I accidentally stumbled across a reference to a new photography exhibit at National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Since I still have a few reasons left to go back and forth to our Nation’s capital I decided to take a drive down to see the show and take care of a few errands.

The show celebrated the merging of the NGA’s collection with that of the Corcoran Gallery of Art, which sadly ceased operations in 2014. As such, there was a good amount of Stieglitz (from the NGA) and Eadweard Muybridge (from the Corcoran) to be seen, as they formed the original foundations of the two institution’s holdings. The idea was to explore the connections between the collections, focusing on five common themes that the NGA identified in the work of the two greats — movement, sequence, narrative, studio, and identity. Works by other well-known photographers were also included.

I can’t say that it was one of my all time favorite shows – I’m sure my sadness over the now departed Corcoran had something to do with this – nevertheless it was well worth the trip from Pennsylvania to see it, as I left with several valuable takeaways.

An especially interesting theme of the show was that of narrative, where photographers combined words with their images – either hand written on the picture itself, underneath the picture area on a deliberately large white border, or completely outside of the framed picture but adjacent to it. This struck me, as I have long been a fan of photographs with accompanied text, such those by Wright Morris. The picture needs to be able to stand on its own, but some words can add useful and interesting insight into the photographer’s thought process and worldview.

Perhaps the single most stunning feature of the show for me were twenty-five black and white 4×5 contact prints by Minor White included in the sequence collection. These little jewels were portraits of two of his close friends coupled with pictures of favorite landscapes they had visited. Again, this strengthened my feeling about the power and ability of smaller prints to draw in the viewer – if, of course the images are powerful themselves.

So if you happen to be visiting our Nation’s capital, or need an excuse to do so, go ahead and make a stop at the National Gallery of Art. It’s free and a good example of our tax dollars well spent!

In my last entry, I mentioned what Michael A. Smith said at a recent lecture about the importance of using the entire space contained in the negative to good effect. Another significant point he made was the difference in how one sees vs. what one sees. This is an essential element in his working method, and it should be part of ours as well!

In a way, I touched on this a while back in my entry “More on Projects, Discovery and Not Getting Locked Into the Expected”. I talked about how much there is to see and capture if only we are open to it! That we often have something specific in mind when we go out to make pictures and how this can lock us into the expected and prevent us from unexpectedly making happy discoveries.

I believe Michael was referring to the mindset or philosophy one has to have when making a picture, because many of his images are about the nature of spatial and tonal relationships that are so important in black and white photography. In other words, how one sees vs. what one sees.

I am going to go out onto a limb and say that I think this fits into what I was talking about concerning being open to things, and so I am glad Michael and I are in agreement!!!!

Actually, what he says is a critical refinement. His is a thought process that seeks discovery of the elements that together make a great picture. Think composition. Think light. Think different tones from deepest black to glaring white. This is a vastly different approach than merely looking at something interesting and snapping the picture. While that may produce a good record of something, it is unlikely to satisfy.

In my opinion, this applies to whatever format you are using and whatever type of photography you are doing, including street, which can be pretty fast moving. Don’t believe me — go ahead and study the pictures of the great street and documentary photographers and compare them to the countless number posted daily on flickr, etc. I think you will see what I mean.

I recently attended a lecture and photo presentation by several fine photographers at the Michener Art Museum, supporting an excellent exhibit called Tête-à-Tête: Conversations in Photography. What really struck me was the talk given by the well-known photographer Michael A. Smith.

Smith has successfully used both 35mm and large format cameras, including 8×10, 8×20 and 18×22-inch view cameras. Interestingly enough, he says he often uses the large cameras as if they were 35mm! And you can see it in many of the fine portraits and some of other photographs he has made with them. But most importantly, what he stressed was the importance of using the entire space contained in the negative to good effect, including the edges and the corners. In short, everything counts!

This is incredibly important. The point is that the photograph should be well thought out in the first place. Sloppy vision yields equally disappointing results! Believe me, I know!

Even when photographing on the street there is much to be said about framing the subject to the best of your ability, instead of just firing away with the hope that there will be a nugget in there somewhere. We all get lucky once in awhile, but this is a recipe that will yield few real keepers. Look at the greats and see what Smith is talking about. Paul Strand is a good example. Every centimeter of negative real estate was important, right down to the corners, and his prints show it!

So I guess it comes down to making your best effort rather than just going through the motions. Yes, you can go out and “shoot” a couple of rolls – or take a couple of hundred “shots” if you are using digital — and feel good about yourself, or you can really work to make the best composition you can for every picture you make. Try it. You may find that you are tripping the shutter less, but making a higher percentage of meaningful images!

July is turning out to be an action packed month for me! I am excited to announce that I will be having a one-person show at the Manu Propria Photographic Studio, 13 W Beverley Street, Second Floor, Staunton Virginia. The exhibit will be on display from Saturday, July 16^th through Sunday July 31^st and will focus on some of my favorite photographs of people.

An open house will take place on Saturday, July 16^th from 7:00pm – 9:00pm hosted by photographer and Manu Propria Studio owner and Richard Pippin.

I hope to see you there!

Two weeks later I will be back in Virginia conducting the Shenandoah Valley Workshop, together with Richard Pippin on July 29^th-31st. Richard is a fine black and white film photographer; expert practitioner of black and white alternative processes, and runs Manu Propria Photographic Studio, located in historic Staunton Virginia, in the heart of beautiful Shenandoah Valley.

The workshop will provide a unique experience in a friendly environment for photographers who wish to make satisfying images using black and white film, printed to the highest archival standards using traditional wet processes. Participants will get first hand experience shooting black and white film using 35mm cameras that are inexpensive and accessible, as well as a unique experience of making beautiful hand crafted archival contact prints from large digital negatives derived from original 35mm negatives.

We know that many people interested in black and white film photography and the artistry of making traditional wet prints do not have access to a darkroom or are intimidated by the concept.

This introductory workshop is designed to quickly make you familiar with using 35mm film cameras, proper exposure technique, film development and how to use composition to create compelling images. We will demonstrate how to create handcrafted prints with a minimal amount of equipment and no darkroom requirements whatsoever. This can be accomplished using digital negatives that can be easily produced and then printed to the size of the final print, working with either Platinum/Palladium or Kallitype emulsions that are hand coated on paper and then exposed with either the sun or a UV light source for exquisite results.

Participants will be able to leave with a finished 8×10 contact print they have made, as well as the confidence to be able to make and print meaningful personal images back at home.

For complete details please check out my Workshops/Events page!

I have spoken to a lot of people about my work setup and have even shown it to some who are interested in constructing their own darkrooms — it’s now time to describe it here!

So when we moved to Pennsylvania I needed to build a new darkroom. This time around I wanted to construct an adjacent workroom so I could carry out non-darkroom activities outside the darkroom. Less crowded. I know not everyone has this luxury, but I looked for a house that would enable me to do this. We settled on a ranch style that had very large unfinished basement!

Both the darkroom and the workroom are about the same size – approximately 14×10 feet. This is my third — and hopefully last — darkroom I’ve built (I never had a separate workroom before), so I was able to learn from my previous experiences. Both rooms are really perfect in size for what I wanted to do. Of course you may have different requirements, and as the like to say on the Internet, YMMV.

So here’s the layout.

Workroom

You first enter the workroom. It contains a nice table that serves as a desk holding a flat screen computer monitor, or a large surface to cut mats, trim prints prior to dry mounting them, spot prints after dry mounting and view prints for spotting as necessary. Next to the table sits a small matching file cabinet, on top of which rests the Epson scanner used to scan prints for uploading to this very fine (sorry just kidding, but I couldn’t help myself!) website. Also located in the workroom is a Seal dry mount press. It sits on a stand constructed from left overs of my wooden sink project (see my previous entry about my beloved sink). There are also several bookcases to store technical books, negatives and proof sheets in binders, printing paper, mounting boards, dry mount tissue, etc. Finally, there is a cabinet to store cameras and lenses.

Most important, there’s a thin strip of wood mounted on one of the short walls. It allows me to look at mounted prints at a normal viewing height. Illumination from focused eyeballs using 150W bulbs lets me see them with good lighting. As discussed in a previous entry, this simple setup enables you sit back over a period of time and truly decide if your prints are keepers or material for the circular file. This can be painful, but valuable for several reasons: (1) you can actually see your prints as they would look when hung on a wall; most gratifying if you have never done this before; and (2) you can determine if a print needs to be improved, or whether it is better to cut your losses and toss it because it really isn’t that good after all.

Darkroom

Now let’s walk into the darkroom through the doorway on the shared wall with the workroom. As you enter, to the left is a long enlarger bench is built into the wall, complete with drawers to hold printing paper, enlarging lenses, easels, print recipe sheets, dodging and burning accouterments, etc., as well as a large storage base shelf for enlarger power supplies and other items as appropriate. Because it is securely connected to the wall and has legs resting on the floor, it is VERY sturdy, and of course LEVEL! It is painted the same black, as is the wall it is connected to.

On top of the bench sits a Leitz Focomat V35 enlarger for 35mm negatives, a Devere 504 enlarger for 35mm to 4×5 negatives, Zone VI Compensating Enlarging Timers, a print focusing device and Zone VI electronic static removal device/brush.

My 10-foot wooden sink is attached to the opposite wall. It is large enough to accommodate a number of 16×20 trays (which I have only used once!) when printing, a Zone VI washing machine for print holding at various times, and a Jobo CPP-2 processor when developing film. Attached to the sink is a Zone VI temperature-compensating timer — one of most brilliant darkroom tools ever created! The large base shelf has a built in frame with a series of slots that holds four large print drying screens that slide in and out; the base shelf also stores the Jobo when it’s not being used, as well as trays, mixing beakers, and other related items.

Next to the sink and connected to it is a wall-mounted panel with a temperature control unit and hot and cold-water filters. The panel connects on the adjacent short wall to a small utility sink used for washing trays and beakers and a 20×24 Zone VI print washer that sits on another stand constructed from the same left over wood as the dry mount press stand. Also connected to that wall is a Jobo Mistral Film Dryer. Finally, on the opposite short wall is metal bookcase containing mixed and unmixed chemicals.

A few other items of importance! Zone VI LED safelights are mounted to the ceiling, as is a 150W bulb (same as the one used in the Workroom for finished print viewing) that’s angled so I can examine print test strips, pilot prints and prints during various steps of the printing process while wet.

A vent is built into the enlarger wall that draws in fresh air from the workroom for proper ventilation when using chemicals. Above the sink on the ceiling is a powerful built in fan that draws out air and channels it outside of the house. While the enlarging wall is black, the other three walls are white. The flooring is laminate that looks like wood.

All in all, a very pleasant and useful environment to do creative work!

I hope this was helpful and perhaps interesting. Please don’t hesitate to comment or contact me by email if you would like any other information!