JB's Needles, California.

Wish You Were Here?

Death Valley 2013 (very hot).

I recently had some new business cards made. Of course we all know that a photographers business card is quite different from others as it can be an instant hit or miss affair with that image on the front, which in theory should say everything about the photographer (Impossible!).
I opted for something a little more quite than usual, the idea being that it could be a really naff postcard all be it with a little more thought behind it.

Auto Images

I have never been a fan of images taken out of car windows. The odd one is fine, but when you do a whole show on the subject I tend to find the whole thing a bit dull. I remember my big disappointment when I seen Todd Hido's Roaming series. I thought it might be on par with his fine night series House Hunting, but it was just images made from a car window.

 Todd Hido. Roaming

One cannot help thinking its like when pensioners go for day trips, stop at a beauty spot, and then scoff their egg sandwiches and drink their tea without even stepping out for a breath of fresh air.. Despite this I ventured to the Howard Greenberg gallery in New York to see 'From The Car' by Joel Meyerowitz. Images he made way back on a trip to Europe. 

Joel Meyerowitz. From The Car series

I found the show as cold as the wind that day (and the gallery staff) and was failed to be moved by any of the images. There is no doubt that Meyerowitz is one fine street photographer, but I cannot help thinking may be he should of gotten out of the car.

Doyle. Car Wash. Boulder CA

This is one of only a few taken from a car window (which I rather like). My excuse was that the light was fading so fast that I did not have time to park the car, undo my seat belt and get out.

I could go on and mention oodles of photographers making 'Auto Images', but I will stop there. Fact is, it shouldn't matter where you are.

Give me that phone..

Admittedly I blatantly copied every image my wife made on her iphone during my recent trip to New York. Her images much better than mine, especially after adding a bit of a filter. My somewhat pathetic attempts were made upon arrival, upon leaving, and with nothing much in between, although to be fair making pictures was not my intention on this particular trip.

Once again I am left wondering about the future of photography. I have said it on here countless times, "Camera Phones. Who seen that coming.." Its like a modern day American Surfaces (book by Stephen Shore where he basically photographed everything from day to day). 

Everyone is a photographer now and I bloody hate it..

Journey's End

As the nights grow shorter the call of the night photographer slows down and I am left pondering the next project. It seemed appropriate to show this image here not just because its Easter, but also because it was the last night shot I made, and that was some time ago. This shot also happens to be the last one I made in my Thursdays By The Sea series, but thats another story.
Landscape photography is always a journey, and by this I don't mean traveling to and fro. The beginning is the idea; of place, subject matter, etc. The middle is the actual image making, and the end is the final product; exhibition, book, folio, whatever. 
I think the start and end of a photographic journey are the worst, filled with trepidation and the fear that a project may not work, or just isn't good enough. As for the middle, well thats by far the best bit..