I completed a commercial photography program at the Center for the Media Arts in NYC (formerly the Germaine School of Photography, not sure what or if it is any longer). It was a one year very intensive program working in small, medium and large formats, color and B&W. This was in the late 80's so it was all film, digital was never once mentioned. In 1994 I completed my B.A. in photography at University of Maryland Baltimore County. Digital imaging was just coming into play but was prohibitively expensive; my printing paper and other supplies were pricey enough. I think Photoshop cost around $600 and few of us had our own personal computers. I preferred alternative methods of printmaking, using a variety of processes that were used around the turn of the 20th century (like gum bichromate printing). I also liked staight up B&W documentary photography/street portraits. I used a beat up Nikkormat (steel body Nikon from the 60's) with a variety of schlock lenses and a hand held light meter. Sharp focus was never a priority it my work. I always developed and printed all my own work-getting my hands dirty was the fun of it for me.
Enter the new millenium, where it's hard to find old school supplies and though I still have all my equipment, time and space are in short supply. I'd love to get back into any of my art. Two years ago, I got a 4 x 5 view camera and a big ol' color enlarger that could accomodate the large film, though I had no interest in the hassle of color. I wasn't interested in the "phography" of digital, because toying at a computer, while it could give all manner of effects that would cost me tons with film (as well as the time/space issue), it just wasn't my idea of fun. Again, the dirty hands and physicality of it were what I enjoyed.
But my boyfriend never listeded to me anyway and gave me a Canon EOS 10D for my birthday a few weeks later. Alas, the instructions manual is in Spanish and I never got around to getting one in English. So all those things I'm used to doing manually are done for me. I have to say, I've taken tons and tons of photos, snapshots really, many of them not half bad. I love that I can shoot gazillions of frames without all the space and money consumption. But for me, it's a very very different thing from what I consider my photography, my art. These are my pictures, and indeed while I love my portraits of my birds, printmaking was my art.
Much of my old work is on special papers and some of my old portfolio is in slides. None of it has been saved digitally yet so I can't even post it here. My digital stuff is nothing special to anyone but me. No matter the quality, if it's got a picture of my bird in it, I love it.
Enter the new millenium, where it's hard to find old school supplies and though I still have all my equipment, time and space are in short supply. I'd love to get back into any of my art. Two years ago, I got a 4 x 5 view camera and a big ol' color enlarger that could accomodate the large film, though I had no interest in the hassle of color. I wasn't interested in the "phography" of digital, because toying at a computer, while it could give all manner of effects that would cost me tons with film (as well as the time/space issue), it just wasn't my idea of fun. Again, the dirty hands and physicality of it were what I enjoyed.
But my boyfriend never listeded to me anyway and gave me a Canon EOS 10D for my birthday a few weeks later. Alas, the instructions manual is in Spanish and I never got around to getting one in English. So all those things I'm used to doing manually are done for me. I have to say, I've taken tons and tons of photos, snapshots really, many of them not half bad. I love that I can shoot gazillions of frames without all the space and money consumption. But for me, it's a very very different thing from what I consider my photography, my art. These are my pictures, and indeed while I love my portraits of my birds, printmaking was my art.
Much of my old work is on special papers and some of my old portfolio is in slides. None of it has been saved digitally yet so I can't even post it here. My digital stuff is nothing special to anyone but me. No matter the quality, if it's got a picture of my bird in it, I love it.
