Convert – world of photography and ... cameras

There was a long time with no posts. To be honest not sure if people still read blogs… They probably do but whole attention has shifted to fast changing images rather than anything else. 

I also have to admit that I had not much time to write about anything for the last half a year or so. All my projects are on hold due to work and family related duties. One can say that there is always a moment for casual photography… well, that really depends on circumstances .

So ... first post after over 6 months will be mostly about cameras for a change rather than photographed subjects ;) but there are a few photographs to look at as well.

Let’s start from the beginning. Couple of years ago I decided to switch my photographic equipment which I am using for professional purposes to mirrorless system. It was all about weight,  outcome quality and other features unavailable in DSLR world (at least at the time when change has come).

This move took a while but I enjoy every single minute with it. My backpack lost about 40% of its weight and technical quality of work at the same time went up incomparably.

Weight was the main factor when I started to consider similar change with my film cameras I am using for personal purposes… personal projects and rather rare negative film based commercial assignments. 

It was especially important due to my recurrent back problems and the fact that I cycle and walk most of the time. I definitely had to get portable analogue equipment .

I sold my Hasselblad 500cm with its two lenses at the beginning of this year. 10 years with  this wonderful but relatively heavy system came to its end. Shooting hand held, which is the way I work a lot when photographing for personal purposes, was limited rather to 1/125 with Hasselblad. Even 1/60 was very risky with its large mirror. It was also a bit awkward to carry around.

I needed more flexibility.

I decided to go for Rolleiflex T with 75mm f3.5 Tessar lens.

Very small and light camera. At the moment even 1/30 of a second is easily doable handheld. Completely different experience. Now this camera is often in my bag or over my shoulder and it is not a burden anymore. I could come back to my long forgotten routine of photographing Dublin. Of course as long as weather is good. Also thanks to easily accessible and affordable filters I could rediscover my way of photographing and getting stronger contrast which I love. 

© Artur Sikora 

When sun is up which happens more and more often these days - Dublin is beautifully illuminated. I can see places I am passing by almost every day in completely different way. New perception, new way of seeing and completely new way of transferring this vision into celluloid material. 

Chancery House designed by Herbert Simms in 1934 © Artur Sikora

Kiosk designed in 1934-35 by Herbert Simms
 as part of the development of Chancery House housing scheme
© Artur Sikora

That wasn’t the end. I needed wider angle. Equivalent of Hasselblad 50mm lens.

Long research and I ended up with Fujica GS645w Professional equipped with 45mm f5,6 lens.

Extremely light camera, perfect ergonomic design and incredible optics. Also scale focusing system made it obviously point and shoot medium format camera created to photograph architecture or landscape :) 

Berkeley Library designed by ABK Architects in 1967
© Artur Sikora

Miesian Plaza, Recently renovated building 

originally designed by Ronnie Tallon of Scott Tallon Walker Architects 

and constructed in two phases during the 1960s and 1970s

© Artur Sikora

Glandalough © Artur Sikora

I am using both interchangeably and looking forward to get back at some stage to expand my ‘Unfulfilled Dreams’ project. I miss visiting modernist classics for pure photography and education purposes. I just need a time for it…

This is not the end of course. My very reliable and also heavy large format camera Sinar F2 has also gone. This was a camera which I wasn’t using anymore due to its weight and complexity of setting it up on site along with very heavy tripod needed for it.

I ended up with two excellent super light custom made 4x5 pinhole cameras with perspective correction. 

Well, I am thinking about getting proper, small and portable 4x5 camera at some stage as well but that’s the future…

Arts Building designed by ABK Architects in 1978
© Artur Sikora

Former Saint Nicholas of Myra National School,
Carman’s Hall, Dublin (1936-39)
Building designed by John Joseph Robinson and Richard Cyril Keefe
© Artur Sikora

Achill Island © Artur Sikora

And that’s enough for now. I hope to prepare more substantial text next time. Thank you!

'Streets' - publication and exhibition by Seities

Long awaited copy of SEITIES magazine, winter issue with theme 'streets' arrived yesterday.
Absolutely wonderful independent publication supporting traditional photography.

Founded in Calgary 'SEITIES is a Non-profit Contemporary Photography Publication, Gallery, & Educational Organization. SEITIES aims to promote national and international artists by encouraging and supporting traditional methods of production in photography and giving an open platform to alternative analogue photographers who utilize traditional methods in their contemporary photography practices.' (info SEITIES)

Couple of months before that I received a message that 2 of my photographs will be published in mentioned winter issue. Also 2 of my pieces has been selected for exhibition which will take a place in Shelf Life Books in Calgary (Canada) with opening 14th of March while official  Publication Launch.
I feel truly honored as all photographs in magazine represents very high standard and are simply beautiful as magazine itself.

There are actually three photographs involved...
First one - Immortal 'Film House' which became almost my signature in the last years. The Winner of the B&W photographer of the year competition was published already several times in Ireland, UK, Poland and now in Canada. This photograph means a lot to me for many reasons. The most important one? It clearly explains my way of seeing...

Film House

Another published photograph it's one of the recent creations recorded on my favorite these days medium - Direct Positive Paper. Theme is still the same...streets of Dublin

Untitled

As mentioned before two photographs were selected for exhibition. 
Here comes 'Film House' again.
As only traditionally made photographs are accepted by SEITIES I had an opportunity to spend a few hours in darkroom working with my own negatives for a change. I chose  Fomaton MG Classic baryta based warmtone paper which gives truly unique look.
The second image sent to gallery (another recent creation), was an original  the one and the only print on direct positive paper (Harman/Ilford  glossy double weight baryta base paper) which you can see below.

Untitled

Both photographs (wet prints) were beautifully framed by J&J Framing LTD in Ranelagh.

All of it is really exciting and makes me believe that there is more and more people allover the world for whom traditional photography is important and means a lot. Thank you SEITIES!

Also please don't forget about the other group exhibition 'Illumine', where I am showing my work, in Darkroom Gallery (Vermont, US) which I described in previous post (LINK).


Thank you!

...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.