May 2, 2015

Welcome to Graintown

Ives & Gilbert with their mama before lunch.
Newly twenty nine and on the road again.
Basking in the light of the Honeymoon suite.
Nikaela and her sweet new new new J Gilbert R.
On the road with Beevis and Butthead.
Beevis beauty.
Butthead beauty.
Three sisters on a family chesterfield, plus Basil the diva dog.
On the road with JJ.
Happy in my happy place. Photo. Iain P
Proof of winter athletics, self timer edition.
In the Mexican suite at Altamont. Photo. Rebecca B
Babs and large waty.
Kit tells a tale and Babs takes it in.
True cowboy love.
Adventures in love.
G feeds the decorative alpacas.
Smelly feeds the mean ones.
Shitmix of film from a shitmix of cameras processed in a shitmix of chemistry and hung to dry. Spring is in, the tales from the photographs tell me so. Life is rich, this I know for sure.

April 28, 2015

Printemps with Tony & Synonym


Tony Chestnut + Synonym Art Consultation = Spring Magic on Bishop Grandin

Pentax K1000 / Olympus 35-SP // Fujicolor 400

April 27, 2015

Sisters of Beaconia Beach


April evening light
Early morning light
Spring break up
Quiet morning fire
Splitting wood
Stuffing the stove
Stuffing our bellies
Walking alone
Walking together
Observing two great women
Amy Z Lisa K Meg K
Beaconia Beach, MB

Kiev 60 / expired Kodak 220 Special 400

April 13, 2015

Scarpa



Yesterday Iain and I sat on Garbage Hill, catching our breath after a good hustle around town. His orange wind breaker wrapped around my waist heating up my trunk like a slow burn. First bicycle ride of the season. I am not used to riding with anyone or having to keep up to anyone when I cycle. It is exhilarating! I can't believe there is no convincing necessary to grab a bike and head for the highest vantage point in the city; the suggestion is made and five minutes later we are off. Tall can right at home in his back pocket. Where is my camera? I think as I ride behind. We pass a motorboat stacked with tired mattresses on Selkirk. Where is my camera? I think as I lead the way.

On the weekends we head to the river to sit and drink coffee early in the morning before the day picks up steam. I like that time of day best. Sitting on a bench with great company, looking at the water move freely. Winter is gone and spring is letting out.

I love this particular series of shots from a recent roll of 220 as old as the hills in the background of the last frame.

Looking westwards toward the Escarpment.
I cannot stop photographing Studio Fannystelle (unable to avoid my own shadow in the process).
Asking cows for portraits.
Golden man at magic hour.

That structure sinking into the deep is magic to me. This is Manitoba in the springtime. Fallow but hopeful.


Pentax 67 / expired Kodak 220 Special 400

March 31, 2015

S M E L S E A


Chelsea N for Tony Chestnut SS15.
Nikon F2 / Fujicolor 400

March 29, 2015

Voigtlander Diaries

Portrait of 28 year old self in 100 year old apartment with 86 year old camera.
Double portrait of Niai in his Sunday best.
Current architectural muse. 
Young Atlas in the yard.
Farm brother I.
Farm brother C.


The photographs in the series above were shot on a Voigtlander Bessa in and around rural Manitoba. Made in Germany in 1929, this 86 year old medium format 6x9 collapsable camera is still in fine form to create great images (so long as the operator remembers to advance each frame). If I take good enough care of it, it will be passed along to the next generation in my family. Hopefully someone will take time to compose photographs in fifty years time. When I think too far into the future about the availability of film, chemistry and paper I get the shakes.

All we have is the here and now.
All we have is the here and now.
All we have is the here and now.

This roll is crying out to be worked with in the darkroom. The home process and professional scan do no favors to the film. This roll is alive. When I hold those double exposures of Iain at the table and young Atlas in the yard up to the light, I am reminded of my great grandpa's negatives shot around the same time the Voigtlander was released in the late 20s. There is a nice mix of sizes and formats in PJB's negative collection (from a variety of long-gone cameras I long to scrutinize), some of which that are doubly or triply exposed. Forgetfulness of the operator tells a great tale. These are the stories I want to explore. What else will I learn from the negative once it is enlarged? What narrative will emerge from the shadows if I sift the light on that heavily exposed right side of young Atlas? As far as I am concerned, these could very well have been shot in the 30s. I think this is the aesthetic I am constantly seeking. Perennial narratives.

As the last push of school looms in the horizon, the procrastinator in me has been taking time to really think about the direction I want to take my photo work once Montessori teacher training is behind me and time will be mine once more to invest in my passion for printmaking. I don't know where my next darkroom will be, but I look forward to finding a new rhythm. The time is near; I can nearly smell the stop bath.

Voigtlander B / Tmax 400

March 25, 2015

Twofold Hop

Early mornings with JJ / Chrismtas tree ready to burn.
JJ's first time in Shelly and he wasn't sure about it / Ollie finds the Melting Place.
My back lane and a favourite wagon / Lisa and O entertain my friend JJ.
Soft looks / Ollie makes a splash
Two souls I quite love: Olive in hearts / Jackson in fox fur
Two more great souls, Lisa and Owen / Olive really goes for it.
HAY / Lisa
Lover BOY / Lover boy
Looking a bit rough at 8am / Olive in bows at the window.

Ran out of film. Rewound. Reloaded. Forgot about it. Shot over it. Then came Spring.

Canon E0S 3 // 400 crapola color

March 23, 2015

Young Spring



First fruit from the Pentax 67. Springtime strolling with Uncle.

67 // very expired 220 something or other