Altamont to America: Bill Owens and the Legacy of Suburbia

[Vaughn]

My friend and I were arguing about what cameras (format) he used (???). Vaughn do you have any ideas?

Cameras varies. Lots of 35mm, but also a Pentax 67. The image in the show of women snorting coke in a restraunt/bar's bathroom (color) was a "decisive moment" image Bill wanted to make with an 8x10 camera.

Color work was on a Sony Mavica (floopy disks). He also used a Brooks Veriwide100. So no one camera.

 

[Vaughn]

Here now. What a zoo!

That is why I put myself on duty in the beer garden...after 70 hours of work on the show since the previous Monday, my brain said, "Please enjoy the outside and have a very beers." Went inside a couple times to get some more great food and some cake!

The mix of silver gelatin prints and inkjet prints was masterly done -- it is interesting to compare them. Geir (and Kate) curated/created an incredible masterpiece show, with hundreds of volunteer hours put in by the dedicated photographers associated with PhotoCentral...there will be a good article in the SF Cronicle this week.

 

[BradS]

That is why I put myself on duty in the beer garden...after 70 hours of work on the show since the previous Monday, my brain said, "Please enjoy the outside and have a very beers." Went inside a couple times to get some more great food and some cake!

The mix of silver gelatin prints and inkjet prints was masterly done -- it is interesting to compare them. Geir (and Kate) curated/created an incredible masterpiece show, with hundreds of volunteer hours put in by the dedicated photographers associated with PhotoCentral...there will be a good article in the SF Cronicle this week.

I very much enjoyed the show. Did not get to speak to Bill or Geir - they were both really busy - but talked to Kate a little bit (and said hi to you). The food and beverage was excellent! and of course, the photography was too. I appreciated all of the personal artifacts on display downstairs - it gave a sense of who the man is.

I think my favorite photo was the one (hanging in the hallway up stairs) with all the Coleman stoves and the guy holding a blob of raw hamburger(?) in one hand....there's just so much going on...fabulous.

I came away feeling small and insignificant.

Thank you for the invite and for all of the work you and Geir and others did to make this happen.

 

[Carter john]

Thanks Vaughn, it was a great show. Mavica, I had one, I think they had 600 kb max.

 

[Vaughn]

...
I think my favorite photo was the one (hanging in the hallway up stairs) with all the Coleman stoves and the guy holding a blob of raw hamburger(?) in one hand....there's just so much going on...

Ah...the fellow with the fornicating raggy-ann dolls on his T-shirt...

 

[BradS]

Ah...the fellow with the fornicating raggy-ann dolls on his T-shirt...

YES! Hilarious! and the fancy candle holders on the picnic table in the background...

 

[Black Dog]

YES! Hilarious! and the fancy candle holders on the picnic table in the background...

Ahhh, those fabulous 70s/80s fashions-I do love Suburbia!

 

[Richard Man]

Mr. Owens also had used 8x10 in some of the images! With handheld flash even!!! Sadly, I had a conflict with my two exhibits at the World Science Fiction convention and also assisting my wife to run the masquerade at the con and I had to miss the opening show :-/ Hoping to see it this weekend....

 

[jtk]

Cameras varies. Lots of 35mm, but also a Pentax 67. The image in the show of women snorting coke in a restraunt/bar's bathroom (color) was a "decisive moment" image Bill wanted to make with an 8x10 camera.

Color work was on a Sony Mavica (floopy disks). He also used a Brooks Veriwide100. So no one camera.

Exhaustive interview including his interest in photographing "today's Sububurbia" digitally.
http://www.americansuburbx.com/2012/04/theory-interview-bill-owens.html

 

[Peter Schrager]

Exhaustive interview including his interest in photographing "today's Sububurbia" digitally.
http://www.americansuburbx.com/2012/04/theory-interview-bill-owens.html

Great interview thanks JTK