RE: Crappy/Krappy Rant

It has been done. At the end of the semester we had a show entitled
"Toy Landscapes" to accomodate the general theme and the process
(Holga cameras). The students had a great show, many large and
wonderful images too. On a funny note, some jerk wrote in the
guestbook that the images very too flat and soft and suggested the
exhibitors learn the Zone system and use larger format cameras.

All those students till carry Holgas, except the ones who have bought
nice digital cameras!

-Darryl Baird, who converted one of his three Holgas to have a 1920s
Zeiss Nettar lens on the front with a Formica "granite" backplate (a
"Zolga"?). The lens isn't really any sharper than the original, but I
have many more shutter speeds available.

-----Original Message-----
From: Joe Smigiel [mailto:jsmigiel@kvcc.edu]
Sent: Tue 1/4/2005 9:10 AM
To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
Subject: Re: Crappy/Krappy Rant
 
>>> Ender100@aol.com 01/04/05 3:07 AM >>>
... It would be
a great class to teach and I am sure it has been done * hand the class
some
plastic cameras and 10 rolls of film at the beginning of the semester
and then
require that each produce a show of 20 images at the end of the
semester.
...
Mark Nelson

About 10 years ago after teaching a Zone System class among other
things I enrolled in a photo class at the local Art Institute. The
purpose of doing so was social rather than thinking I would learn
something. The first night the instructor handed everyone a Sunpet
plastic camera (even less sophisticated than the Diana) and two rolls
of Tri-X 120 film with instructions to take a walk around a two block
urban area and return within the hour having shot both rolls. These
turned out to be the best two rolls I have ever shot in my life. Very
liberating. (I actually got about a half show from these two rolls.)

I've since taken several painting classes at the same institution from
a couple very talented painters. In the courses I have been fortunate
to take, there is always a healthy discussion about materials and
techniques among the participants both in and out of class. I really
think the discussion or lack of same regarding materials between
artists depends on who you talk to. Those grounded in more Academic
tradition seem to have a much better command of their materials and
are more fluent in (or perhaps more open to) discussing all aspects of
their art and techniques. I also tend to appreciate their work more
maybe because a large part of what I do concerns process and method.

Don Feinberg also makes some points that resonate with me when he
discusses his feelings involving making the instrument that produces
the images. I'm in the (surprisingly long) process of building my own
ULF field camera and that trip has introduced me to crafts including
wood and metalworking where I've met some simply wonderful people.
The whole handbuilt camera thing coupled with handmade alternative
process printing is very rewarding. And, I think the more one is
involved in the materials and process, the greater and more universal
is the enjoyment of the creative process.

Serendipity is nice too.

Joe