I found this quote on another blog. It was a comment and I do not know who wrote it, but I love it..

"This distinction between digital and film is such a bore off. I doubt if any of us could tell exactly the process by which pictures come to us now.. The soul is the work, not in materials and tools."

What to do...

After some years of fighting for film I am of the realisation that the day will come when I will no longer be able to shoot on the medium I love. It may even shock you to hear that I will surrender my dark slides and announce that high end digital now is something I am easing into. But it's not a question of which is better for me (film or digital) its a question of evolving. My main gripe with digital is the thought process because basically there isn't one. The high cost of film makes you think and slows you down (I am talking large format here)  If that proposed shots not right you just don't make it, simple. People are constantly telling me if go digital you save on film but I would never spend 20k on film which may be spent on a camera. The only thought process there is do I have insurance.
I do find it interesting when photographers switch to digital but this isn't always so obvious when looking online. Prints however open up all kinds of flaws in the system.
Despite the limitless possibilities of the digital world I truly believe we have lost a lot of the creativeness that comes from the days of silver, you only have to look at the last century to see that.

Best not to look back.

These images were originally the beginnings of a project that never quite got off the ground. I called it, 'Off The 5' which was a series of night shots made along the 5 Highway in California.
Its a while ago now, but I remember being constantly lost and always ending up somewhere very undesirable. So after a couple of propositions from hairy bikers, being chased by a gang of youths, and almost being buggered in a puddle, I put the project on permanent hold..

Galleries: Who needs them ?

Seven years ago I had some form of representation with nine galleries covering Europe, the United States and the UK. Now I have two.. Like the Vampires in Lost Boys, no one gallery ended the same way; Some went quietly, some (most) left me in debt, and one even caught fire. Whatever the reason they all had one thing in common, each left a seed of doubt as to whether galleries were the way to go with my work. I mean why would an artist pay good money to have prints made, give them to a gallery to sell, and then if they do sell, only take 50% of the sale. I have asked myself this question many times.

The days of 'doing it for the love' are coming to an end my friends. Fine Art Photography (a term I despise) just doesn't pay anymore, well at least it doesn't for me..

On a ranteroonee note,

I also tire of photographers re-hashing the same old work over and over. Grand master Stephen Shore has recently released another version of his American Surfaces (at least I think it is). This time its called, A Road Trip Journal, which is basically a book full of food and motel receipts and is as interesting as a ball of wool. I am totally at home with exploring other avenues in my work, but I am not about to empty my pockets and photograph the fluff and boiled sweets that I find in the hope that someone will find it interesting.

                     

A Weekend in NY...