#1098 A big thank-YOU!

Posted on October 14, 2014 by admin

Many thanks are due to many people!

Last week I took down my solo exhibition at La Fab in Chelsea.

La Fab exhibition with home made 8×10 camera

The show
I exhibited works from my long term Watershed project. For 14 years I’ve followed and documented the ‘little’ creek behind our house – so far that’s been 18km of exploration along Chelsea Creek (and tributary) and photography, mostly, using medium, large and very large format equipment.

I also exhibited a much newer project using a much older medium – cyanotypes – in a way they are not supposed to be used. I placed the paper directly in the captured and used all day exposures to capture the sun streaking across familiar landscapes.

Roadkill along the Watershed
We closed the show with a discussion about the dangers to wildlife who travel along the Chelsea Creek Watershed and choose between a haunting trip through a tunnel under Highway 5 or a dangerous trip across the major highway. There are permanent blood stains from animals who do not make it across the road…

Chelsea Mayor Caryl Green and others listening to the “Preventing Roadkill on the Watershed” discussion.

Press
The exhibition was well received and earned a visit from the region’s mayors and local press coverage. The exhibition caught the interest of Radio Canada’s Bernier & Cie who featured the unique works in the exhibition.

Many Thanks
Many thanks to Jeffrey, Reid and Adrienne who saved me from a very late night hanging the show. Thanks to Sandrine who coordinated the exhibition, to the media for their kind words and to Catherine Joyce who wrote an Artist’s profile. And a big thanks to everyone who visited, commented and purchased the artworks!

#1096 September Solo Show Update – “Watershed” and “SunStreaks”

Posted on September 7, 2014 by admin

Coming soon to La Fab in Chelsea:
See brand new works from my SunStreaks and Watershed collections.

Join us!
La Fab
212 Old Chelsea Rd.
Old Chelsea, Qc.
September 18 to October 5, 2014
Vernissage: Thursday, September 18th; 5-7pm.

SunStreaks
In 2013 I got excited about a very old process that is traditionally used to create Contact Prints. I started playing with the process placing the blue paper directly in my hand-made large format camera to track the sun’s arc across the sky – this is not supposed to be done!

One of my first tests resulted in the sun burning a hole in the paper while the paper was exposing. Ouch!

SunStreak – St Stephen’s Church – Old Chelsea, Quebec The blue line is the path of the sun.

Watershed – Original Prints Straight from the Camera
In 2012 I traveled to Victoria BC to teach a workshop. On that trip I discovered a seed that developed into a process I tweaked to produce unique Black & White Photos.

I have applied this process to my Watershed collection of work.

The final paper is loaded into the camera, exposed and framed.
>> There is no negative, no digital file, no post processing and no opportunity for darkroom manipulation. The result is a one-of-a-kind B&W photo.

This process tests my skills behind the camera and requires me to get a perfect exposure for the complete photo. It’s demanding!!

Watershed Old Chelsea, Qc B&W print direct from the camera – no negative, one-of-a-kind, shot straight from a home made 8×10 camera.

Join us…
Vernissage:
5-7pm: September 18th; 212 Old Chelsea Rd., Chelsea, Qc.

My home made, large format camera – 8×10 field camera

#1092 Solo Show in September

Posted on August 1, 2014 by admin

Coming in September I’ll be exhibiting works from my Watershed & Sunstreaks Collections at La Fab in Old Chelsea, Quebec.

Watershed
The Watershed project started 14 years ago as my dear old dog and I started exploring the little creek behind our home.

That turned into an 18 km (so far) exploration of a traditional watershed in Chelsea and Gatineau Park with medium and large format photography. It’s been an amazing adventure seeing how the waterway changes over the years.

Watershed – Black & White One-of-a-Kind Originals – Straight from the camera. 2013

SunStreaks
My latest project started with a home made 8×10 camera and tweaking a 170 year old art process that’s not supposed to involve a camera. The original, one-of-a-kinds depict the sun as it streaks across the sky.

Kingsmere Lake SunStreak – the blue line is the path of the sun. The gaps? Cloudy periods… One-of-a-kind originals – Straight from the camera

The Big Camera
Some of each project is captured using a very large, plywood camera, built by hand. The camera produces originals straight from the camera. Unlike traditional photography there is only one final piece of art available with each exposure.

Hand made 8×10 Large Format Camera

Join us!
La Fab
212 Old Chelsea Rd
Old Chelsea, Qc.
September 18 to October 5, 2014

#1085 Large format innovations

Posted on June 30, 2014 by admin

I get bored easily…
So I am always looking for new and not-yet-done innovations with cameras or camera-like devices.

After your feedback and sales at The New Art Festival I am excited about the direction I am going with my work.

Large Format – One-of-a-Kind Works
More and more, I am excited about simple processes. I feel like I am going backwards along the evolutionary scale of photography – back to simpler equipment and slow, but extraordinary results.

Old photo formats – slow photography

While I have modern, new equipment I get most excited about old equipment. Last month I dropped my 4×5 in a lake… submerged. After a thorough disassembly (easy) and drying, the camera was happily back in action.

I’ve slowly explored the path of large format photography starting with a Graflex 4×5 and building up to my newest camera, my home made 8×10 field camera.

Last year I worked hard to figure out two new processes producing originals straight from the camera – not prints / reproductions.

I like it!

Next Show
I’m creating more this summer preparing for my next show at La Fab – September 18 – October 5th.

Stay tuned!

Original, straight from the camera. One of a kind. From my continuing 14 year Watershed project following the creek behind our home – 18km so far…

#1083 A Big Thanks!

Posted on June 23, 2014 by admin

We had a wonderful weekend at the New Art Festival.
Weather was perfect and we met many new and familiar faces.

If you follow this blog you’ll know I showed my new Sunstreaks and B&W Watershed works straight from the camera.

New Works at the New Art Festival

Both sets of photos were exciting to explore. The processes took 1-2 years to transform and tweak into the artwork I am producing – many, many, erm, challenges/attempts/failures before I got successes.

A big, big thanks to everyone that came to visit and supported my work. Your purchases help me continue to experiment and produce new works.

SOLD – New Works – Parliament Hill Sun streak…

And a big thanks to those that helped behind the scenes – John, Marcel, Omer, Rachel (& friend), Marie-Helene and, of course my wife and family who picked up the slack as I worked through the weekend!

Many thanks…

I have a show coming up at La Fab.
Stay tuned!

Large Format Photography

#1076 Big Film Photo Workshop

Posted on May 29, 2014 by admin

People keep asking… so we’re offering a workshop for people who want a challenge beyond the DSLR.

Join us this summer as we introduce different large formats to the group while exploring a couple of locations from my Watershed Collection which involves 20 kilometres of exploring a waterway.

Large Format Photo Workshop

For the last 22 years I’ve worked as a photographer. It’s only since 2007 that I have owned a digital cameras…. the early ones were terrible (technically) and I held out as long as I could. I’m now happy with current available digital equipment but still have a passion for film.

I’ve owned and shot many formats including:
• 18x24mm (half framer)
• 35mm (standard SLR format)
• 6×7 cm
• 24×50 mm (panoramic)
• 4×5 inch (large format)
• 8×10 inch (large format)

8×10 Large format – photographing Watershed

There are many reasons to shooting film and big formats:
• a new (or old) challenge – Think you’re a good photographer? Can you capture a technical shot with one click and no preview?!
• large file sizes
• tangible archival back-up material
• slow process
• There’s been a renaissance in film!

Dates – July 17 (eve), 19, 20, 24 (eve), 2014

Locations – Ottawa Studio Works (central Ottawa) & Chelsea Watershed (just north of Ottawa.)

Cost: $375 + taxes

Click here for more information and online registration.

From the home made 8×10 camera

#1074 Join Us – New Works

Posted on May 21, 2014 by admin

June offers the New Art Festival in the Glebe’s Central Park in Ottawa.

Hundreds of artists congregate to bring you their latest works with innovative ideas.

Hand bult 8×10 camera – photographing the Watershed project

This year I’m presenting:
• BIG Watershed prints

• My latest Watershed works shot with my hand built camera – these photos are originals – the photograph is the medium that gets exposed in the camera.

Watershed 4×5 Black&White Print – this photo is the material loaded in the camera… there is only one.

• Sunstreaks – For a year I’ve developed a way to capture the sun streaking across familiar landscapes with an old process not intended for the camera. These pictures also come straight from the camera.

Sunrise over Ottawa – an 8×10 original. The photo is straight from the camera. That is why it is backwards!

• and some work from the archives.

Join us!
I appreciate your support and purchases – there will be a range of prices and work to suit everyone.

Details:
June 21, 22, 2014
Ottawa’s Central Park in the Glebe.

#1072 Oops, I dropped a camera in the lake.

Posted on May 11, 2014 by admin

I dropped a camera in the lake – submerged…
Oops.

I trekked into Fortune Lake to continue my “Watershed Project” with two cameras:
• a ‘small’ 4×5 Graflex large format camera
• big hand-made 8×10 wood camera

With supporting gear, I hauled 50 pounds of equipment to a remote part of the lake.

8×10 hand-made sliding box camera

Sploosh!
I set up and shot a scene with the 8×10 camera after which I set the Graflex on a tripod and went for the film holders. With my back turned (just a minute) I heard sploosh! One tripod leg had slowly shrunk causing the camera to pitch into the water.

Graflex 4×5 camera

Clean-up and Recovery
I fished the camera out of the water and immediately took the lens off and dismantled it – the nice thing about large format lenses is you can unscrew most elements of the lens without tools.

I cleaned & cleaned & dried & dried with a soft cotton, absorbing cloth for 10 or 15 minutes and then went to save the camera by draining water and drying it as best as possible.

Once home, I took out the affected gear, warmed the oven to 200F, turned the oven off and put the camera and lens parts inside for a couple of hours.

Nikkor 75 mm lens with 4×5 coverage – easy to disassemble!

Results
I am happy to report that all critical elements are functioning – I did damage the Graflok spring back but there’s an easy work-around until I can find a part… Anyone have spare parts for a Graflex?

Support
Ottawa’s Camera Trading Company did not have the part but did have the expertise to help me make the camera usable without the Graflok back – that’s the value of Tom and Mark (and sometimes Bob) in the store – they know a lot!

David Barbour

As I was leaving the store I bumped into David Barbour, veteran working photographer. He smiled commenting about my camera-in-lake Facebook post. “Never turn your back on a tripod!”
Thanks David.

In 1997 I assisted Malak in the Yukon. At 82 years old he had seen it all. He told me “I’ve made every mistake in the book!” It’s comforting to know others have big ‘oops’es.

I am a big, big fan of simple, mechanical equipment.
… I love it!

#1057 – Upcoming events

Posted on March 12, 2014 by admin

Upcoming arts events?

• Artist Talk – Harry Nowell: “Large Format Originals – Straight from the Camera”
Thursday, March 13th, 7pm.
La Fab; 212 Old Chelsea Rd, Chelsea, Qc; beside St Stephen’s Church

I’ll be presenting large format equipment including a home made BIG camera and discussing why I’ve chosen such large equipment and the idea of producing artwork straight from the camera – the substrate in my camera is the finished product!

More details.
Join us!

• Artist Talk – Rosemary Leach: “Aching for a Little Character”
Wednesday, April 23^rd; 7PM.
Ottawa Studio Works; 160 Preston St., Ottawa.

Join us as Rosemary discusses her own journey as an artist – She’ll present works and answer questions about her life as an artist.

More details.

#1045 Five Reasons to Leave your Tripod at Home

Posted on January 29, 2014 by admin

Some photo students secretly roll their eyes when I suggest they bring out their tripods. I can feel their loathing as they pull out the cumbersome, heavy, boring tripods.

In this month’s photo newsletter we offer FIVE reasons to leave the tripod at home. We also offer just one reason to bring it. And then we leave the decision whether to haul the tripod out up to you!

Read this month’s Exposed! photo newsletter…

Winter Landscapes