Monthly Shooting Assignment - May/June 2014: Near and Far

Today I was finally able to scan my negatives. I shot a roll with my new Nikon F4s and a beautiful 85 mm lens I have for several years now, to see if the camera was in good working order (and it is).

I was wondering what I could do with the theme "Near and Far" all this time and wanted to act before my time was up. It made me thinking of life and death, a loved one who died and left this world (being far), but was still kept alive in someones hart en memories (being near).
But how long can/will someone be remembered by someone? How long can they be kept alive in someones memories, generation after generation?

So I went to an very old cemetery that isn't used anymore. There are many graves of 100 years and older. Graves that are old and battered and stained. With names fading. Does anyone still remember these people? Is someone still taking care of their graves or are they just restored as an interesting historical artifact of old times gone?

I photographed a few graves and chose these two shots for this MSA:





These images made me think about an Irish song I like: Greenfields of France by The Furies. Is a beautiful song, but at first I didn't realize what it was about. Until I really listened to what the lyrics were about.

You may not realize it, but it is 100 years ago now that the first World War started. A lot of young men died there, but for what? And in the second World War even more ... 70 years ago was D-day on the beaches of France. I visited a War Cemetary in France a few years ago, where many Chinese workers were buried in the first World War. Workers who aided the armies an lost their lives doing it. It was an impressive site!

There were many memorials and celebrations this year in The Netherlands, remembering those men who came from all parts of the world to free Europe from war ... and gave their live so long ago so that we still have peace in central Europe. The second World War left some scars in my family too.

A lot of normal, simple folks went to war - because they had to - on both sides. I don't want to start a discussion on right or wrong, but just want to think about these men and honor them by saying a prayer for them and their waiting loved ones - and appreciate my freedom and wellbeing even more. I wish them piece and hope we all will remember them for a log time, who they were and what they did ... for us.

Two wars a 100 and 70 years FAR, but so NEAR if we forget about these men.

"History is repeating itself,
it has to .... nobody is listening ...."

Bert from Holland

Thanks Bert and everyone who has contributed thus far!
Still a few days left!

I made this print last night:

One more uploaded in the MSA gallery. Seldom I had so much fun of a photo assignment. Thanks!

On a much lighter note than my previous post:



This is a test shot made with my new Hasselblad SWC (from 1965) with a fixed 28 mm Biogon lens. I made some test shots to see if the camera is all right. It works like a gem, except there may be a light leak in the film back (not uncommon for a film back this old) that is easy to fix.

I made a shot of these flowers with an old Dutch windmill in the background. By focussing on the flowers at 30 cm (1 feet) from the lens from a low angle, the windmill looks like a tiny model not far behind the flower. In real this windmill is about 15 meters (45 feet) tall and at least 30 meters away. Due to the wide angle lens you can let something FAR make appear as NEAR.

This is a straight, uncorrected scan from the negative (Fuji NPC160 expired 120 roll film). The color shift to purple is a nice bonus: this film expired in 2004.

Bert from Holland

I will be scanning and submitting something very late tonight. FYI

StoneNYC said:

I will be scanning and submitting something very late tonight. FYI

Click to expand...

No problem Stone! I'm on the West Coast, so midnight here is 3AM for you.

And really, I have to work tomorrow, so it will probably be tomorrow evening before I can even start. As far as I'm concerned, anything that's in before tomorrow afternoon will be included. If anyone is printing tonight, you can let the prints dry overnight and scan tomorrow.

Here's my last 2 for this MSA -
Ferns and Lilies - I'm still trying to decide if I like this.



Rock Arch - the same spot I took my WPPD shot, but with the Titan this time.



They are both gum prints, 8x10 pinhole negs.
This has been a very inspiring MSA - looking forward to the next one!

sly said:

Here's my last 2 for this MSA -
Ferns and Lilies - I'm still trying to decide if I like this.

View attachment 90431

Rock Arch - the same spot I took my WPPD shot, but with the Titan this time.

View attachment 90432

They are both gum prints, 8x10 pinhole negs.
This has been a very inspiring MSA - looking forward to the next one!

Click to expand...

Hello Sly,
I especially like the fern print. Nice tonality. I would love to see the real print, but from this scan it looks like if the pattern of the paper itself is maybe a bit too much present in this image (not so in the Rock print). What kind op aquarel paper did you use?
Bert

Beautiful shot Sly! I'm using the natural grain Fabriano Accademia at the moment, without pattern. Works for most processes better. (for me!).

Bertus said:

Beautiful shot Sly! I'm using the natural grain Fabriano Accademia at the moment, without pattern. Works for most processes better. (for me!).

Click to expand...

I had good results with Fabriano Artisico - extra white.
(gum, carbon, salt, albumen)

NedL said:

No problem Stone! I'm on the West Coast, so midnight here is 3AM for you.

And really, I have to work tomorrow, so it will probably be tomorrow evening before I can even start. As far as I'm concerned, anything that's in before tomorrow afternoon will be included. If anyone is printing tonight, you can let the prints dry overnight and scan tomorrow.

Click to expand...

Good because I just got home and have to sleep! So I'll try and scan and submit mid-day, if not, no big deal, I'm happy with my other entry.

I use Fabriano Artistico for my gum prints - holds up so well to those multiple soakings. I've not heard of the F. Academia. I'll have to see if it's available in my little portion of the world.

Both these are superb but I love the colours on the first - you're doing some great work with your camera.

sly said:

Here's my last 2 for this MSA -
Ferns and Lilies - I'm still trying to decide if I like this.

View attachment 90431

Rock Arch - the same spot I took my WPPD shot, but with the Titan this time.

View attachment 90432

They are both gum prints, 8x10 pinhole negs.
This has been a very inspiring MSA - looking forward to the next one!

Click to expand...

sly said:

I use Fabriano Artistico for my gum prints - holds up so well to those multiple soakings. I've not heard of the F. Academia. I'll have to see if it's available in my little portion of the world.

Click to expand...

F. Artistico and F. Academia are different species, not to be confused with L. Aquarelle a different genus....

sly said:

I use Fabriano Artistico for my gum prints - holds up so well to those multiple soakings. I've not heard of the F. Academia. I'll have to see if it's available in my little portion of the world.

Click to expand...

Forgive me if this is a silly question, but did you presoak the paper with gelatine?

There's a lot of steps to gum printing - I start with a hot soak to shrink the paper, then once it's dry I paint on a layer of gelatin and hardener. I've discovered it's pretty important to get it thin and even. If it is too thick, or uneven, the gum flakes off. I'll do a batch of paper ready for gumming. Once dry again, I'm ready to start applying the first layer of "gum emulsion". Another dry, expose, soak, pull when enough of the paint has floated off, dry, then the second layer.......I like this as a summer process, because I'm not shutting myself into the dark all day. (Who cares in the winter?) While prints are exposing, soaking, drying I can weed or water the garden, pop across the road for a dip in the river, or sit on the swing to eat my lunch and count the quail chicks. It's sssllloooowwwww, but we're all into slow photography, right?

Starting up my computer to scan right now!

sly said:

While prints are exposing, soaking, drying I can weed or water the garden, pop across the road for a dip in the river, or sit on the swing to eat my lunch and count the quail chicks. It's sssllloooowwwww, but we're all into slow photography, right?

Click to expand...

And that's the main gist why I like these alt-photo processes in the first place !!!
(Along it being non-digital as well)

OK!!! Ugh!!! Really wish I could make a contact print, these 11x14's are rough to deal with digitally haha, but anyway basically a straight scan, image from the APUG Beach Party here in Connecticut, USA where I got to meet some of you guys in person! Whoot!! I "impressed" everyone with my cardboard box pinhole camera, and got to take this image

First time using a film holder for the 11x14 and so there was some light leak, pretty sure it's an issue with the actual camera than the holder, and I'm now working on making a new camera from scratch anyway.

OK without further Ado!

11x14 X-Ray Pinhole of all of our cameras, interestingly enough, I didn't realize how red-sensative(Or IR sensitive?) this film was, I don't believe any of the dark cloths were white, I think they were all black... very odd... (surprising) not a great picture but glad to submit it, since it's pinhole and all.

For those who aren't subscribers and want to see a bigger image ... here.... Near and Far Pinhole



For those that are subscribers and want photo details... here's the smaller image in the gallery...

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Thanks for waiting!

StoneNYC said:

First time using a film holder for the 11x14 and so there was some light leak, pretty sure it's an issue with the actual camera than the holder, and I'm now working on making a new camera from scratch anyway.

View attachment 90452

Click to expand...

Hi Stone,
Nice entry and a pinhole as well! Bonus points with Ned for sure! And surely fitting the theme: Near and Far merged together by the almost indefinite DOF of pinhole. Nice interpretation of the theme.

I'm guessing you made the shot right into the sun, so I'm not sure if it's a light leak or just original "pinhole flare" on the right side of the image. It suits this image either way, so don't worry about it. It's pinhole: the imperfect perfect (or was it the other way around?)

@Ned: this is most likely the last entry in this MSA. You gave us a very nice theme, inspiring us to very different interpretations. The essence of the MSA, isn't it? Can't wait to see which image will be the winner....

Bert from Holland

While the jury is still out, I had another look at all the entries in this MSA and chose my personal winner.
One image best fitting the theme and one image I like best in itself. I won't tell which one (yet) because I don't want to influence Ned's decision, but take a look yourself and decide what image you like best before the final verdict. Just another fun part of the MSA on APUG ;-)

MSA Lineup Part I

Hi Everyone,

I tried to make it easier to view all the entries. Unfortunately after I'd gone through all the work of putting it together I found out that the forum limits to 10 images per post, even though there are no new images here.
So now it is in three parts.

Here's a summary of the MSA entries, in the order they arrived:

[TABLE="width: 500"]

[TD="align: center"]Photographer[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Click Thumbnail to View Large*[/TD]


[TD="align: center"]
Bertus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists) (there was a url link here which no longer exists)
(there was a url link here which no longer exists) (there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]



[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]


[TD="align: center"]
StoneNYC[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]


[TD="align: center"]
Chris Lange[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]


[TD="align: center"]
mooseontheloose[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]


[TD="align: center"]
sly[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists) (there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]

[/TABLE]
* Gallery-only submissions require APUG subscription to view. Join today!

MSA Lineup Part II

Part II:

[TABLE="width: 500"]

[TD="align: center"]Photographer[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Click Thumbnail to View Large*[/TD]


[TD="align: center"]
soncorn[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]


[TD="align: center"]
NedL[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]


[TD="align: center"]
ajmiller[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]


[TD="align: center"]
barbara ann[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists) (there was a url link here which no longer exists) (there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]


[TD="align: center"]
MattKing[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]


[TD="align: center"]
NedL[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists) (there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]


[TD="align: center"]
sly[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]

[/TABLE]
* Gallery-only submissions require APUG subscription to view. Join today!

MSA Lineup Part III

Part III:

[TABLE="width: 500"]

[TD="align: center"]Photographer[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Click Thumbnail to View Large*[/TD]


[TD="align: center"]
TheToadMen[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists) (there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]


[TD="align: center"]
NedL[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]


[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]


[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]


[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists) (there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]


[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](there was a url link here which no longer exists)[/TD]

[/TABLE]
* Gallery-only submissions require APUG subscription to view. Join today!

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful entries. I've really been left with an impossible choice. I like so many in different ways.

• Bertus: clocks and hotel cyanotypes and VDB. The VDB has a great sense of activity and bustle, but I really like the perspective and framing looking up at the New York hotel. Very good for the theme!
• Thomas: is taking a vacation from APUG right now, although we recently saw in the gallery that he is doing well indeed. The portrait of his grandmother is heartfelt and touching.
• Stone: IR I like the moon and that grain is out of control.
• Chris: A well composed portrait. Fits the theme very well and I appreciate there is a kind of grit it takes to share it here.
• Mooseontheloose: multiple expoure pinhole, I find this captivating, near and far and beyond.
• Sly: two beautifully toned pinhole images, the first with a gorgeous sky and the second at low tide with great reflections and composition and depth. The distant people are great.
• soncorn: Welcome to APUG! I hope you enjoyed the MSA and will participate again! This is a lovely medium format color image with a nice mix of crisp textures and colors. I like the artichokes in the background, and the people walking far away in the upper left.
• NedL: that pinhole guy again, what's he doing here?
• ajmiller: A superb photograph looking all the way through two windows. I'm really impressed by the textures and how the inside of the building has so much detail. Very nicely done!
• Barbara Ann: a triplet for MSA! I like the bifocals, very good for the topic. There is something about the distance in the 9/11 memorial photograph that really touches me, that is very nicely done.
• MattKing: I love the way the two spots of sunlight draw the eye near and then the sunlit path on the other side of the two trees draw the eye far. I love photographs that make me wish I was there and could walk down the path myself.
• NedL, more windmills!
• sly: This is a lovely gum print that seems to have something new every time I look at it. Wonderful reflections, and the sky and distant hills are just excellent.
• TheToadMen: two nicely made photographs from an old cemetery. I like the first one, because it has a strong emotional impact. And nice to have an angel to offset somber thoughts.
• NedL, windmills again!
• Bertus: a cyanotype "selfie". This print is beautiful and the composition of the photograph is excellent. The softness on the back of her shoulder and neck give it a great sense of depth. And a nice camera too!
• Bert: near focus on flowers, to me it makes the flowers seem almost like they are made of glass. A nice abstraction and good for this theme!
• sly: a pair of gum prints. The first has the sky and distant trees reflected in a pond in a verdant setting, with lily pads! The second is a rock bridge scene we remember from a few months ago.
• stone: A big pinhole photo from the recent APUG NorthEast beach party! I had to think about it, but yes, it does fit the theme! Also, I was expecting to see APUGers but maybe these are their more photogenic sides.

I'm jealous of Bert who was able to come to a choice.

Lilly's gum print with the reflected distant trees, sky, lily pads and wonderful colors, it captures my imagination. If she will be gracious enough to "host" MSA again so soon.