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Sense of richness of the "Commonly Overlooked!"

Tramping around the campus one with a cigarette in my mouth, I passed by an obscure statue raised to WW2 vets from an old defunct fraternity. The lighting was just right, so I sprinted back for Big Bertha (my 8x10). Focussed, composed, and realised what I was doing was stupid. Pulled out my #2and #4 Close up filter, stacked them together, and faced the statue with the sun behind the statue. Capture, lather rinse and repeat, because I am paranoid. this came out.

 

Michael Nagel

Well-known member
Michael,

I missed this and it's a clear beauty that most would simply walk under and not take notice. I try to look around. Unfortunately, it's not good when with family as they get annoyed as I find so many interesting things we just simply have no time for. Thanks for bringing this to us!

Asher
Asher,

Thank you. I can feel you pain. Usually I get some (very little) time to shoot, basically walking there time for very few shots and walking back. If I do not want to abuse the patience too much, I have to get it right first time. A great motivation to do so.

Best regards,
Michael
 

Michael Nagel

Well-known member
Rahul,

an interesting result - details yield often the most unexpected views. I like this one for its simplicity.

Best regards,
Michael
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Tramping around the campus one with a cigarette in my mouth, I passed by an obscure statue raised to WW2 vets from an old defunct fraternity. The lighting was just right, so I sprinted back for Big Bertha (my 8x10). Focussed, composed, and realised what I was doing was stupid. Pulled out my #2and #4 Close up filter, stacked them together, and faced the statue with the sun behind the statue. Capture, lather rinse and repeat, because I am paranoid. this came out.


Rahul,

This is impressive. What film did you use and how was it processed? Also what lens? Do you have a wide angle image of the entire sculpture with the surroundings so as to get context. I tried to find more about this sculpture but so far all I discovered are the numerous deaths of students from hazing these clubs put initiates through!!! Also what are these close up filters you use?

Asher
 

I tried to find more about this sculpture but so far all I discovered are the numerous deaths of students from hazing these clubs put initiates through!!!

As far as I am aware, the frat died in the early 70's. They did some pretty interesting things, like electing their president by putting the entire chapter in a ring and having a last man standing match.

No, the sculpture is on the grounds of College of Idaho in Caldwell, Id.
Here is a photo I took of it a bit back.


I use paper negatives, and for this shot, I used Gekko paper, manufactured by Mitsubishi. Processing in Dektol 1:5 in tray. Developed till it looks just right. I use a old barrel lens that has no discernible name or inscription on it. Focal length comes out to roughly 6 inches.
The close up filters are from a set of vivitar filters. They are just dignified magnifying glasses. I just stack them to get the depth of field to be as flat as it can be.
 
Looking down again, this is what I almost walked by (on?):




Best regards,
Michael

I like the imprint of the leaf that was left on the ground.
Kind of reminds me of dried out leaves, in which the green stuff dries out. All that is left is a network of lines.
I kind of want to find a similar leaves in my college. I use ortho papernegatives for my 8x10, and the tonal result of this would be interesting.

Best
Rahul Sharma
 

Tom dinning

Registrant*
....to notice the beauty most people pass without appreciation.


This goes for a lot of things, Asher, not just a nut on the road.

Meet Graham.



_D302197 by tom.dinning, on Flickr​


Graham is an alcoholic vagrant living on the streets of Darwin who most people except the police would pass without appreciation. He stinks, he is always drunk, he is considered antisocial. He's a green nut on the road.

My camera thinks otherwise. I should listen to my camera more often. Graham and I spoke at length that evening. I'm a better person for having met him. He won't remember the meeting but I will.

I find Tom's striving for photographing the mundane commendable. Added to that is the seeking of value in all things. Staring through the lens possibly enables some of us to change our value base somewhat and re-establish connection with the mundane and forgotten. I would plead you to take the time to do that with other people as well, even the ones you might normally avoid. When you have the shot you want , spend some time listening to them. Their lives are never mundane.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
....to notice the beauty most people pass without appreciation.


This goes for a lot of things, Asher, not just a nut on the road.

Meet Graham.



_D302197 by tom.dinning, on Flickr​


Graham is an alcoholic vagrant living on the streets of Darwin who most people except the police would pass without appreciation. He stinks, he is always drunk, he is considered antisocial. He's a green nut on the road.

My camera thinks otherwise. I should listen to my camera more often. Graham and I spoke at length that evening. I'm a better person for having met him. He won't remember the meeting but I will....

Tom D,

I accept the sincerity of your admonition to find the inherent value in humans we pass by, not just inanimate nuts along the our paths. However, it's been the fashion among photographers to photograph those that are out of work, the derelicts and their shabby cabins. This is especially so when we are tourists. In Dubai, folk will seek out the shanties of the underpaid and underserved Bangladeshi workers but never step into a mall or modern hospital. That's our way of being socially empathetic with the underdog, the less privileged. Still we fly home to our comfortable lives and the poor folk in our cameras, can unfortunately become merely "trophies" to show how caring we are. We may not intend that cynical result, but it's hard to avoid

However, the objects noticed here are just as important in describing our complex societies and how we manage our resources. There's value in showing compositions made by chance and given a possible extension of life in the form of a photograph.

I take your message on the vagrants to heart. We can see and photograph them too, but it's a complex topic. do we pay them? Are they trophy pictures or what. So lets make a separate thread for these people. Yes we can learn more, empathize and understand better, but they deserve their own place to add a social context and not merely be collecting trophies representing our own worth.

Asher
 

Tom dinning

Registrant*
Graham asked me to take his photo. I obliged with pleasure. His mate was with him, who also asked. I obliged. 'Long Grassers' as they are called in Darwin are part of the furniture. They have their local handouts. They are generally disliked and considered anti social. They fight among themselves, drink a great deal, live on the street, annoy the locals and keep,the police busy. People try to ignore them but they, like the nut on the road, are something of interest to photograph. I don't consider them as 'trophies'. They are people. They interest me. Some want to chat, some tell me to **** off, some I know, some have common friends, all have interesting stories. Many are from places out bush where I worked for many years.
I know such photography can be controversial. I don't like it when the tourists come to town and take shots to show their relatives back home. That's trophyism. But it's just another way of viewing the world, so I tolerate it, just as the Long Grassers do. They don't beg, by the way. It's not cool. They might busk but most live off benefits or family help.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Graham asked me to take his photo. I obliged with pleasure. His mate was with him, who also asked. I obliged. 'Long Grassers' as they are called in Darwin are part of the furniture. They have their local handouts. They are generally disliked and considered anti social. They fight among themselves, drink a great deal, live on the street, annoy the locals and keep,the police busy. People try to ignore them but they, like the nut on the road, are something of interest to photograph. I don't consider them as 'trophies'. They are people. They interest me. Some want to chat, some tell me to **** off, some I know, some have common friends, all have interesting stories. Many are from places out bush where I worked for many years.
I know such photography can be controversial. I don't like it when the tourists come to town and take shots to show their relatives back home. That's trophyism. But it's just another way of viewing the world, so I tolerate it, just as the Long Grassers do. They don't beg, by the way. It's not cool. They might busk but most live off benefits or family help.

Thanks for your interesting disclosure. Interesting guys these outback Aussies. A lot of dignity and ****ing class!

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief


118990740.jpg


Maple Leaf and Muddy Water​

Note the contrast between the b.g. of wet compressed dead leaves and the newcomer and the rendering of the leaves in three dimensional solid space! This contrasts with the far more flat page of Michaels leaf print. Both express an idea of time. This picture is of the present past and future while perhaps, Michael's picture is just evidence of the past discovered now.

This has a sense of movement and something ephemeral, like some amber-colored agent of magic, rests for a moment to then pick up and continue on an errand.

Both of these works are expressive and worthy of our attention, separately and together.

Asher
 
Thank you for your thoughtful comments, Asher! There is something about the interface of water and air that is fun to explore, especially close up. This view of gravel under a canyon stream is a recent example.

original.jpg

Downstream Turbulence​

Canon 90m tilt/shift lens at f/3.5 for 1/30s shutter speed at ISO 400.
 
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