Good day to you, my fellow shooters!
I have been asked by Ph.Art to write a weekly blog entry documenting my Photographic exploits adventures and mishaps over the weekend, in the hope to do some or all of the following:
- Inspire you to try something different as a photographer and an artist
- Create conversation and comments from those who have experienced, would like to experience, agree, disagree or generally just enjoy what im saying
- And finally to maybe even just laugh at my expense........
Some of you may already be participating in the weekend shots section of the phorum which is great, if your not and have no Idea what im talking about, check them out here. Your weekend images
But in essence that's basically what ill be doing here, telling you what I did in the world of photography over the weekend and then asking you to tell me, and everyone else that is listening, what you did and show us some images that you captured!
So what did I photograph over the week end?? well....nothing! whoops! that is, nothing I can show you. Because this weekend I finally realised a photographic dream of mine, that has existed for some time now. I purchased a Medium format film camera. A Kiev 88 to be specific, for those who know what a Kiev 88 is DON'T WORRY I have my reasons for purchasing this. For those who don't know what a Kiev 88 is, the single word I would use to sum up this camera is "absolute DOG!" ....did I say single word?? Its basically a Russian knock off of the Hasselblad 500 CM, and no where near as good, the shutter is not reliable the crank does not always work and its incredibly hard to use.
So why? I hear you all shout? would I purchase such a relic in today's digital age? well the answer, funnily enough is the same reason no one likes them, because they are so hard to use. Photography, with the introduction of digital is becoming more and more apart of a throw away society, and the ability to use the screen on the back of your camera as a "safety net" is becoming more apparent in photography now days. This is where a problem occurs, I found myself continually relying on the screen and the histogram instead of exercising the knowledge I know I have, and so my photographic ability begins to plateau.
As photographers we MUST continue to drive ourselves to new creative heights, continue to look for new ideas, new ways to express ourselves and most of all continue to use our brains and learn! The only way to become a better photographer is to try something you haven't tried before, get out of your comfort zone, shoot for the stars people!!!
After I purchased and started using my Kiev I started to remember and recall all kinds of things from dynamic range to characteristic curves and thinking how I wanted certain shades of colour to appear on my B+W film. After using my digital camera for so long and filling 4, 8 or 16GB cards up with utter crap that I knew I could delete later, I was facing a new type of photography. One that forced me to painstakingly load my 120 film into an uncooperative film back for about 30 minutes then try to deal with that fact that each photograph I took would cost me around $2.60! So after about 80 minutes, I had taken my 3 and only shots of the day!
I felt I had grew and learnt more in that 80 minutes as a photographer then I have in a long while. Simply because I forced myself to try something different, take myself away from the familiar, and commit to the art that was, and still should be "Real" Photography.
The next day I was shooting with my trusty 5D again, and found myself feeling like I just "had" certain shots without ever checking the screen, and as a photographer and a semi-professional that's a very gratifying feeling.
Of course im not suggesting each one of you go out and purchase your own medium format camera, as I said above it can be very expensive and heartbreaking when it goes wrong. But The next time you go out shooting, like this weekend, try something different, push your limits, if you shoot flowers all the time, try some people, if you have always wanted to try a certain shot, or light set up, get out and do it! If you feel like you rely on your screen to much, try shooting a whole day with it off, see what you get, then ask yourself Why you got what you did, then try and improve.
Who knows you may realise you actually like this "old School" way of shooting a bit better the shoot and scoot approach so many have these days!
Till next time, Keep Shooting!
Glen.
Next Week: I go to the zoo, but with a twist, A Kiev 88 very similar to the one I purchased.
A Kiev 88 Very similar to the one I purcahsed
