Jump to content

I like film...(open thread)


Doc Henry

Recommended Posts

Very cool shot, Rog. As in Steven Spielberg? Would love to know more.

br

Philip

Steve and I were in college together (Long Beach State College, it was called in those days), fraternity brothers (Theta Chi), and made several short films while he was trying to break into Universal. I will scan a few more shots from those days.

 

Cheers,

Rog

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

When the feeling of photographic atrophy gets to you, radically change your film format!!!

This morning with a rented - try before you buy - 6x17 :)

Have you seriously considered a drone--not for the camera, for yourself to hover above the camera and get a broader perspective? Awesome rig on yer Gitzo. Cannot wait for yer Magic! Doesn't the 6x17 come with Surround Sound?

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't know how to use photoshop (other than to put a white border around my photo, which I probably don't do correctly) and in any case can't visualize getting reliable professional results.

Could you not stitch a couple of 6x9's together instead Adam?
Gary

 

Good idea, Rog.  The first drone film camera will be purchased by me. :)  Seriously, I am not so interested in getting aerial views, I could take a helicopter ride any time I want.  I am  more interested in the special light, long exposures, etc, which you can't really photograph well with a drone - certainly not on film! :)  Thanks for your encouragement!

Have you seriously considered a drone--not for the camera, for yourself to hover above the camera and get a broader perspective? Awesome rig on yer Gitzo. Cannot wait for yer Magic! Doesn't the 6x17 come with Surround Sound?

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland.

 

Fuji GX617

SWD 90mm

Fuji Velvia 50

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

  • Like 19
Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, I can see the Antonioni overtone in your "Savage Sky," the kind of Monica Vitti look of your young woman in the exterior daylight shots and the emphasis on her as the point of view, rather than Mark Macpherson singing his song. We are always reminded that 35mm still photography was innovated by Oskar Barnack initially as a way to test a shot prior to filming with a motion picture camera. Even now, breaking a motion picture down into shots that are edited into filmic narrative has in a way been mirrored by still photographers like Ralph Gibson in his "Somnambulist" and "Dark Trilogy" that you mentioned earlier in our discussion of fragmentation. It's amusing Gibson's work, here, is often called surrealistic, which really only highlights the inadequacy of text translating image. Gibson presents the fragments of his perspective, a psychological terrain, that he leaves us to navigate. He doesn't connect the fragments, but leaving it to the viewer/participant who seeks closure by connecting the fragments, an interesting exercise takes place. Mentally connecting two visual fragments does not result in a narrative of fragment 1 plus fragment 2 but rather a range of possible surplus fragments that only echo simultaneously fragment 1 and 2 without being either. In other words, the viewer/participant connects the two photographs with something that isn't present, which only the viewer/participant brings to the game. This is what creates room for the open narrative of a Gibson series, what makes work like Gibson's thematically provocative. There is always something missing. Look at a film of exclusively still images, save for one shot, and we are looking at Chris Marker's short film "La Jetee." It's available on YouTube and published by Zone books; see Marker's inspirational, observant subway photographs in "Passengers." Still, there's a cinematic look to the framing of Marker's photography as opposed to Gibson. I remember having a conversation with Vilmos Zsigmond when he was shooting "The Sugarland Express" and mentioned to him that I had read an article in a photography magazine that praised his cinematography in "Deliverance" for its "still photography" virtues. Vilmos's eyes squinted as he smiled, clearly pleased with the high five he was getting from still photographers.

 

Coming back to "Savage Sky," one of its structural strong points is your editing rhythm and selection of shots. With a running time of only 1:34, there are about 78 shots, roughly. Like a poem (and song), it begins and ends with the same shot. There is sense of closure at the end by this repetition. With a song or poetry, there is repetition of a refrain, but the same passage repeated at the end is not the same as the beginning because the theme has been elaborated and informs a new understanding of the ending passage. Interestingly, once closure has been established, and we get a sense of wholeness, a stability, the work as a whole can "play again" in the mind. Though the shots in "Savage Sky" are fragmented, by virtue of their repetition, there is rapid rhythmic order that mirrors the soundtrack, though in counterpoint, since the song is slow. It's the speed of memory in conflict with the real time of song, and this opposition, instead of resolving conflict, poses its replay. The opening shot of the trees in wind is repeated 8 times, from beginning to ending. And the POV Girl face shot(s) are repeated 18 times, including only 6 exterior shots. And then, there are 2 shots of her on the beach in back silhouette. Again, the same face shot in sunlight of Girl is repeated at the beginning and end. There are 6 shots of the ocean, 3 of which play surf in reverse. Memory, by definition, recounting what is past. There are only 3 shots of the trio Boys walking on the beach (always from the back, again). But, only 4 shots of the singer playing guitar, in silhouette from the back. My shot count is only approximate, since you've edited your "Savage Sky" with the blur of memory! This is very much an underground music video. Applause. I could not find Macpherson's lyrics and only learned that this was one of his "normal" songs he recorded himself on his 16-track Roland hard disk recorder in 1996. Tenacious! Unfortunately, the sound quality suffers, which is the plight of all independent films; sound is always the last to be added, and that's when the money runs out. Thanks so much for digging into the vault and sharing this gem.

 

We're on the same page with Antonioni's "The Passenger," so apropos today with issues of alienation, identity appropriation, paranoia, and loss. Going down this corridor opens so many doors for discussion. I went to a lecture spotlighting Jack Nicholson at University of Southern California after The Passenger was released, and I got to ask a question from the audience. I was curious to know how he as an actor who plays off the internalization of a role squared that away working with Antonioni who directed actors using the externals of setting to reflect the psychology of the character. Nicholson answered by saying that Antonioni wanted him to wear a specific jacket, but Nicholson didn't like it. Nicholson stood up from his chair and demonstrated, "So, what I did was this. I took the jacket like this." Nicholson slouched into his jacket, and it looked awkward as he walked around for a few steps. "You see, he agreed with me. I got my way." Jack always gets his way.

 

"Jack always gets his way.". Classic.

 

Thank you a thousand times over, Rog. I have never had a critique of my one and only film-making excursion and I can't tell you how much I appreciate you doing so - and so incredibly eloquently and incisively. It was fun to do and even got shown on a national Friday night music video program called Rage a few times. The pictures of our friend Bree, particularly, outside with her hair blowing over her face, I am particularly proud of, even now. And you had to go and make mention of Monica Vitti! :wub:

 

Many, many thanks also for your recommendation (for the second time) of La Jetée, which I watched with immense interest and enjoyment today. What an incredible film - not just in terms of aspiration and experimentation (composed virtually totally of beautiful b&w still photos, wonderful music and an intriguing narrative) but as a moving piece of cinematic art. We sometimes say of a film that "any scene would make a wonderful still photograph" but this one does just that, quite literally. Magnificent - thank you, Rog. I came away from watching it with, among other things, the distinct feeling that Godard might have been heavily influenced by it when he made the wonderful (another one on my all-time favourites list) Alphaville three years later.

 

And your mention of Deliverance checks yet another of my all-time favourite movies list, and I couldn't agree more - it IS, beyond argument almost, one of those movies that carries the sensibility of great still photography. The quasi-surrealistic day for night scene where the Jon Voight character scales the cliff is etched into my mind as one of the great cinematic moments of building tension. For no particular reason that great movie makes me think of another - Peter Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show - filmed in sumptuous black and white, and wondering if, for instance Wayne has seen it, as it is such a treasure of small-town Americana from the classic era, and so very, very photographic.

 

Now, tonight, I think I'll revisit Gibson's Dark Trilogy and mentally try to connect some of those at-first-glance disparate fragments. Most of all, thinking about these great books and movies and the myriad possibilities that we are so very fortunate to have before us, I feel like getting out and taking pictures again.

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

FP4 question:

 

Received my Rolleiflex A, 2.8 Tessar from CLA yesterday. Camera has one significant restriction as it has a top shutter speed setting of 1/200; otherwise, a great camera. As FP4 is significantly more economical, in 120 size, than PanF I would like to shoot FP4 at 50 ISO. I see Ilford gives processing information for processing FP4 at ISO 50. Does the film do well at 50 ISO? For any whom may have shot it at that speed, what developer and times do you use?

 

Thanks,

 

Wayne

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

When the feeling of photographic atrophy gets to you, radically change your film format!!!

This morning with a rented - try before you buy - 6x17 :)

 

Hello Adam,

 

Nice photo.

 

That is a really spiffy 3 way level. Can you adjust each level independently to make sure that the readings are correct?

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Very interesting, Edward.  That film can see in the dark and keep a reasonable color balance! :)

 

Very lovely, Steve.  Has your signature all over it.  :)  Glad to see you posting again, btw.  In my quest for the right 6x17 I have your review of the Fuji GX617 superb and one of the treasure troves of information and analysis on the internet on this rare camera.  I can't say that I fell in love with the build quality in my first test drive.  I am on the fence b/n the fuji and linhof.  Probably will grab the first good copy that comes along of either.  But the 6x17 format is something that I am very excited about for New York City.    

Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland.

Fuji GX617
SWD 90mm
Fuji Velvia 50

 

Thanks, Michael.  There unfortunately isn't a 3-way level.  That it is a little external cube level that I laid onto the viewfinder.  The lack of leveler for the vertical position was a bit annoying, I must say.

Hello Adam,

 

Nice photo.

 

That is a really spiffy 3 way level. Can you adjust each level independently to make sure that the readings are correct?

Best Regards,

 

Michael

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Firey Blue Dawn, NYC


Ektar 6x9 (until I land on a 6x17 :))


Linhof Technika Press 23, Zeiss Planar 100mm


Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!


  • Like 13
Link to post
Share on other sites

FP4 question:

 

Received my Rolleiflex A, 2.8 Tessar from CLA yesterday. Camera has one significant restriction as it has a top shutter speed setting of 1/200; otherwise, a great camera. As FP4 is significantly more economical, in 120 size, than PanF I would like to shoot FP4 at 50 ISO. I see Ilford gives processing information for processing FP4 at ISO 50. Does the film do well at 50 ISO? For any whom may have shot it at that speed, what developer and times do you use?

 

Thanks,

 

Wayne

 

Hi Wayne, FP4+ is a superb film - a truly great film. I have rated it at 64 (ie +1 stop) with great success and followed the Massive Developer Chart's recommendation for slightly less development and it worked out well. It is a film that, when you get it right, it sings. When you get it slightly wrong it is still magnificent and if you get it very wrong it is mud. I know a fine art photographer (David Tatnall: http://www.davidtatnall.com/) who rates it at 32 (processed accordingly) and his photographs glow. If Ilford give processing recommendations, try following those and I think you'll be blown away. Can't wait to see the results!

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Wayne, FP4+ is a superb film - a truly great film. I have rated it at 64 (ie +1 stop) with great success and followed the Massive Developer Chart's recommendation for slightly less development and it worked out well. It is a film that, when you get it right, it sings. When you get it slightly wrong it is still magnificent and if you get it very wrong it is mud. I know a fine art photographer (David Tatnall: http://www.davidtatnall.com/) who rates it at 32 (processed accordingly) and his photographs glow. If Ilford give processing recommendations, try following those and I think you'll be blown away. Can't wait to see the results!

Thanks for the response. I have taken to heart an earlier comment you made about slower films. It seems the slower I go, the better the result.

 

Svema 32, shot at 32 with Canon F1, Canon FD 35/2, Thorium, Chrome nose. I believe you are familiar with this great lens. :)

 

With the help and inspiration of you, Phil, and everyone else, I gain confidence. It feels good to take a shot, look at the results, and think of the value you may have created for others.......Like for this young lady's loved ones.

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Edited by Wayne
  • Like 13
Link to post
Share on other sites

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

Topcon Super DM (U.S. Navy,) Topcor 50/1.8, Holga 400 film

  • Like 11
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...