...about memory

This is a short post about one of many roles photography has to fulfill. I just thought it is good to point it even if it’s so obvious for many of us.
Yesterday I finished scanning a bunch of an old negatives for a friend of mine. All of them from early 70’s. All taken by her father. It tooks time but what a pleasure it was. Looking at the each scanned image is exactly like traveling in time. I believe lots of those photographs were never seen before. It is something very unique. Rediscovering moments. Live them again...

scan from about 40 years old negative

After that I did a little research in my old archives. Found a portrait of my grandfather. This photograph was taken maybe 50 years ago or even earlier. Author remains unknown. I realized how important it is for me. It shows my grandfather exactly in the way I remember him. Man full of positive energy.
I never took a picture of him myself. Don't know why. Maybe obviously because i wasn’t photographing people back then...

scan from about 50 years old print

All of it reminds me of a two blog posts I read some time ago. They draw my attention in a very special way. Both of them /very personal stories/ were about passage of time.
Both of them raised the question of sense of photography...
Why we are taking photographs?
Whatever we say it usually going to one conclusion  - to memorize...
...and memorize not only people. It concerns everything around us.
Sounds obvious? Yes, definitely. But somehow... I never thought about it in that way.

Photographer holds the role of time machine operator. Each can do it in a very unique and personal way.

'white elephant'

Staying away from concrete for too long I decided to move on again with photographing Irish modernist icons. First request this year has been sent to Busaras - central bus station, one of the most important examples of so called international modern style in architecture. I was really surprised how fast the response was. Just a few hours later I received a phone call from Busaras Press Office (thank you!!!). That was great! We set the time for Saturday afternoon. In fact I got a limited permission - only for a public space as in Liberty Hall case. It was enough anyway to keep me busy for a bit over an hour.

waiting area with typical mosaics on columns (click image for bigger preview)

Busaras (listed as a protected structure) was designed between 1945 and 1953 by Michael Scott , one of the most important architects in Ireland. Building Influenced by le Corbusier, was the first major work of modern architecture in post-war Dublin - RIAI /Royal Institute of Irish Architects/ Gold Medal Winner 1953-1955.
The national bus terminal of Ireland, constructed of reinforced concrete with Portland stone cladding featured also a small newsreel cinema to occupy travelers.
This building is like a machine. It has even integrated ventilation system in office part (upper levels).

corridor with mosaics (click image for bigger preview)

During construction stage, Córas Iompar Éireann (CIÉ) /Irish Transport System/ began to experience serious financial difficulties that's why new Bus station (very expensive project) got an opinion of a 'white elephant' ... Here is a very interesting link where you can read all story of this significant Dublin’s landmark. Please Click here: BUSARAS

At the and I would like to add something... This photo project was intended to be done only with large format cameras to give photographs with the best possible quality. I experienced however some difficulties with access to the most interesting parts of buildings which (usually closed for public) are accessible during Architecture Festival 'Open House' each year. During 2010 edition of 'Open House' I took lots of interesting photographs from Busaras office part and Liberty Hall but on smaller negatives...6x6 and 35mm. Short tours makes impossible to use large format equipment. I am considering to add some of them to the selection at the end to make this series more interesting. It's just an idea for now. Will see how it will goes in next objects I am gonna photograph in the future.

tech: this time just a Graflex Crown Graphic, Schneider-Kreuznach Symmar-S 150mm 5.6 and Fomapan 4x5 100@64 in usual Caffenol-c-m.