Caged Bird Sings ©William Zuback

Shutters/Dead ends/Lens/Pens

New additions to the collaborative project with David Press is available at our Tumblr blog, Shutters/Dead ends/Lens/Pens. Check it out and insightful comments are always appreciated.

Film, why have I ignored you so long?

It has been about six weeks since I immersed myself completely in shooting film again with my fine art and commission work after over a decade hiatus shooting only digital. I have spent most of my professional life shooting with film but when digital took over, the economics and convenience of it was to much to ignore. Dedicating myself to strictly digital since 2001 has now brought me back full circle. Film; Why have I ignored you so long?

What has the return to film photography meant to me personally and professionally? Film has enlivened a child like enthusiasm to what and how I see again. I am paying closer attention to the details, knowing that I need to get this right, here at the capture stage, because there isn't any fancy post production work that will fix it if I don't.

I have begun capturing my images with a variety of 2 1/4 as well as sheet film camera's. I think I am most enjoying the process of shooting again with a view camera. Dark cloth over the head, loupe on the ground glass, meticulously analyzing all four corners and everything in-between. I have once again fallen in love with the process of photographing people with this large cumbersome piece of equipment. Part of your attention is definitely on the equipment itself because there is so much you need to do prior to capture. I have found though, that this slow methodical process has also  created a real openness and clarity when a person is in front of the lens.

It is because of the slowness of set-up and capture that you need to maintain a genuine and honest dialog with the sitter. A dialog that goes beyond the instruction of pose and one more personal and real. You do shoot less, the client doesn't get 50+ images to choose from but you create a real live experience that is wonderful, challenging and rewarding.

Color Rush: 75 Years of Color Photography in America

I saw the Color Rush exhibit today at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Since my initial interest in photography was in/as a commercial-advertising photographer I really appreciated seeing all of those early ad and magazine references. Other than the beautiful more traditional portraits by both Stieglitz and Steichen, these images are my favorite from the exhibition.

Harlem Number, Anton Bruehl, 1943 carbo print

Roddy McDowall as Ariel, Eliot Elisofon, 1957 dye transfer

Summer Sleep, Irving Penn, 1949

I was also interested in researching Bruce Nauman's series, "Eleven Color Photographs" that depict visuals of common phrases. I wish that the show would have shown a few more of Cindy Sherman's color work but it is a very nice exhibit.

Teaching this fall

I am thrilled to announce that I will be teaching a class this fall at Carroll University on Commercial Photography. I plan to cover both the photographic expectations that can encompass the role of a commercial photographer, as well as, the important business side of commercial photography.

Along with teaching at Carroll University I will also be teaching two online photography coursed for UWM's Continuing Education program. These two courses fall into the sports and recreation department. I am in the process of developing the syllabi for these two courses but they will be part of the UWM Continuing Education catalog of offered classes. The two classes that I am developing to be taught online are Digital Photography - Intermediate and Digital Photography - Advanced.

If you are interested in learning more about photography or want to be inspired to challenge your photographic vision and skills then stay tuned for information to register for one of these two classes.

Model in Repose

This is one of my quick favorites from Saturday's photo shoot. I shot part of the session with a Hasselblad CM with an 80mm lens and part of the session's captures are from a very old field camera that uses 2 1/4 by 3 1/4 sheet film. It is a pretty amazing vintage camera. First image from the field camera is below. Notice the funky ghosting and density changes on this image from some light leaking into the film holder as well as some streaking from hand processing the film in a tray. One of those happy accidents.

Going back to my photographic roots

I have been in photography in some way, shape or form since 1976 when my uncle taught me how to develop and print my first roll of film. I was in 7th grade at the time. Analog photography was  the way of my schooling and profession up until the late 90's and early 2000. By 2001 my studio switched to digital capture and by 2003 we were 100% digital with our photography. Ten years have passed since I shot a roll or a sheet of film but in 2013 I have committed myself to analog photography once again, not in my commercial work but in my fine art work.

To shoot digital or analog is certainly a personal choice for all of those involved in photography today. What was my motivation to go old school again, back to my photographic roots? Personally, I have found over the last ten years that it became easier to be lazier with my photography. I can fix that in Photoshop was the mantra of choice instead of spending the time on set, lighting and composing for the capture. I have fallen in love all over again with the meticulous study through the viewfinder in composing the image. Film forces me to slow down and study the scene in all it's elements of creation. Composition, lighting, depth of field all have to be thought out prior to capture. Ultimately, are my images better than those I captured and created digitally? No. Do I believe that I see with a renewed sense of discipline for the craft of photography? Absolutely.

This statement is not a judgement  for those who find personal enrichment and satisfaction creating images through digital capture and processing. It is my personal journey and rediscovery of what photography means to me as an artist. I am early in my exploration of this new/old process and I look forward to both the successes and the failures that will come with this visual journey.

So as 2013 unfolds in my photographic journal, revisit the blog to see, explore and comment on my visual journey.