May 2008 Newsletter

Upcoming May 7th Meeting

Photographer Sarah Millan will be speaking to us about her photography.  Check out her superb landscape and portraiture work on her website. 

Our scheduled speaker, Sarah Millan, will be unable to join us on Wednesday.  We''ll hopefully have a backup plan in place for the meeting.  If not, we will go for drinks that much earlier!  -- (2008-05-07)

The print competition theme will be "paper(s)".

And more...

• Learn about why "save often" and "always run a backup first" are rules you should live by
• A word from our new president about some changes to judging and upcoming events
• Review of Kevin Stenhouse's talk from April
• Print competition results and winners from the April meeting
• And lots of other amazing content...

So stop holding your breath and keep on reading!

April 2008 Newsletter

NOTE:  This newsletter is not quite complete but I opted to post it so that the meeting announcement can get out. 

The upcoming April 2nd Meeting: 

Kevin Stenhouse will be discussing wedding & glamour photography with us.

The theme for the print competition will be "Graffiti".

Meetings are held at the University of Calgary, in the Kinesiology "B" building . Our normal meeting room is KNB133; if there are availability problems, the alternate room used is typically KNB129.  The meeting starts at 7:30pm.

And more stuff in the Newsletter

• Summary / review of Marla Singer's presentation on models and modeling from the March meeting
• The results from the March print competition
• and more! (well a tiny little bit more.  this one's a bit sparse!)

March 2008 Newsletter

The upcoming March 5th meeting: 

Marla Singer will be discussing modeling from a model's perspective.  As a model herself, Marla will discuss how she interacts with photographers, what her expectations are, how to handle models (snyness and whatnot), typical rates, how she poses, etc.  Marla will also be presenting a slideshow of images.

Just a reminder: If you haven't yet renewed your membership that our new Treasurer, Mike Roest, will gladly be accepting your membership fees in March's meeting ($30 for individuals or $40 for couples).

And more stuff in the Newsletter

• Summary / review of Tatiana Zamachnaia's presentation "Painting with Light" from the February meeting
• Words from our new President
• The results from the February print competition
• and more!

February 2008 Newsletter

The upcoming February 6th meeting:

The guest speaker for this meeting will be Tatiana Zamachnaia.  Tatiana will be speaking about her work exploring the Painting with Light genre.

Membership fees are due this month and they will be $30 for individuals or $40 for couples.

The annual executive election will also be held this month.

And more stuff in the Newsletter

• The 2007 print competition award winners
• More information on Exposure 2008
• Summary / review of Jose Guillen's presentation from the January meeting
• The results from the January print competition
• and more!

January 2008 Speaker Notes – Jose Guillen

Introduction:

Jose Guillen, past president of CPS, gave a presentation about in which he summarized how he became so involved in photography, why he chose black and white as the primary medium to express his ideas in photography, Lith printing, and a bit about his experience exhibiting his work in a group photo exhibition last November.

To start with, and if you read the mini bio posted in the newsletter; for his eight birthday, Jose’s uncle, who was a photographer and camera repair man, gave Jose a Kodak Fiesta, the Latin American version of the Kodak Brownie, a 126 mm, entry level film camera of the time.  At that time, the most common and most affordable film was black and white, therefore, it was the only option for Jose. Getting that small camera was the start of his first photographic period in which Jose would take photographs of his family and places visited during vacations.

From the historical frame of reference, it was the time of the Viet Nam war, the Hippies, Cinzano, the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Woodstock and other events of the decade. At that time, with limited TV channels, no internet, and newspapers that for reasons of space would not include a full reportage about the events of the time, the most common and most appreciated means to learn about the world was through magazines such as LIFE Magazine.  Jose’s parents had a subscription with LIFE Magazine and it was flipping through the pages of that magazine that he learned the most about the world. As you know, LIFE and other magazines focused on providing excellent photographic coverage of the events happening in the world and they hired the best photojournalist of the time. Obviously, seeing the world and the events of the time through photographs; impacted him and Jose has come to the conclusion it also impacted his photographic style.

After the Kodak Fiesta Jose had an Agfa ISO Rapid, and a Fujica 110 mm. Then, in 1988 he got a Nikon 401 which was Jose’s first camera with advanced controls and features.

About fourteen years ago, Jose was seeking for a hobby to spend his free time and was undecided between scale model electric trains and photography.  He thought that scale model trains would give him lots of joy, building the settings and the landscapes, buying the components, trying the trains, etc.  However, being a person who loves nature, hiking and the mountains, he chose photography and doesn’t regret!  Therefore, Jose adopted photography as a serious hobby since June 1994.

By 1995 Jose joined the Calgary Slide Shooter Club and in 1997 he joined the CPS.  For a couple of years Jose was also a member of the Foothills Camera club. More recently, Jose has joined the Calgary Large Format Users Group, a group of dedicated large format camera photographers.

Jose is very much a self-thought photographer but had had the opportunity to attend workshops such as the Nikon School of Photography, Rocky Mountain School of Photography, a one day workshop with Freeman Paterson, and a photography course at ACAD, and an advanced printing course at SAIT. Jose has read plenty of photography books and magazines, attended a large number of photo exhibitions and met excellent photographers and artist from whom he has learned and who have given him inspiration in his hobby.  Some of the photographers who have inspired Jose are current or past members of CPS.

Why Black and White?

At the beginning of Jose’s second photographic period, he was shooting with color negative film as well as reversal or slide film. In fact, because of his passion for nature, Jose started documenting the four seasons and the corresponding changes in nature.  This photographic documentary is in reversal film, about 1,500 images.

In August 1996, Jose’s wife gave him as a gift a used enlarger. Without knowing it, that gift would change his focus in photography. Jose didn’t know anything about processing and printing in black and white and was very lucky that a good friend and professional photographer spent half a day showing Jose how to develop and print in black and white, this friend is Charles Hope and Jose truly thank him for the time he spent teaching him the basics of black and white.  Also, and because 100% of Charles’ current work is digital, half of Jose’s darkroom equipment was Charles’.

In 1997 and through the Calgary Slide Shooters Club, Jose submitted two black and white prints to enter in the Prairie Region of the Tony Attaniy Trophy. To his surprise, he won the third place with his print called “Stoney Indian Reserve” and his “Saturday in the Park” print got honorary mention. This single event changed Jose’s life and gave him motivation to continue learning more about the art of black and white printing and techniques.

Black and white or monochrome photography is a unique artistic medium. The images are abstract; they often represent but never duplicate reality. In fact, we cannot duplicate a 3D world in a 2D image!  The lack of color appears to be a limitation but in fact is an advantage that provides greater freedom to interpret the world and to express ideas.  Black and white is a language of the senses.  In many cases, viewing a black and white print provides an experience that cannot be explained with words. And the experience of the viewer varies depending on the psychology, culture, and background of the viewer; in many cases very different from those of the photographer himself.  

Because of lack of color, an element so strong that will compete with the idea behind the image, black and white photography is the ideal medium to express feelings, emotions and a personal view of the world.  The use of shapes, lines, and gradations of grey tones are the only elements that the black and white photographer has to express his or her ideas.

During the last ten years of his life, Jose has done a lot of experimentation with different films including infrared, near infrared, high speed as well as low speed, fine grain films such as Agfapan 25 and Ilford Pan 50; different chemicals, papers, and presentation styles. As well he has invested in medium format and large format systems, always trying to find that “perfect” camera to better express his ideas.  

Jose has done some commercial work shooting weddings, babies, family portraits, baptisms, engagement photos and others. All his clients hired him because they wanted timeless, “fine black and white prints” as memories of their events.

Lith Printing:

In 2007 Jose started experimenting with lith printing and simply loves it. The results of the lith prints are surreal and it is very difficult to duplicate or obtain a second print that will look like the previous one.  Results will vary based on the age of the chemical, the brand, the paper used and the exposure time.

The main differences between the results using traditional chemicals Vs. lith developer are:
•    Exposure times: 30 seconds conventional, Vs 2 – 3 minutes lith.
•    Developing times: 1 minute conventional Vs 5, 10, 15 minutes or more lith.
•    Black and white prints Vs a range of tones when using lith, from a creamy finish to salmon or peach tone depending on the paper.
•    Surreal images, with far more contrast.
•    Must pay a lot of attention once the image starts to appear in the developer, after few seconds may get a completely black image.
•    Chemicals are dangerous, you must use mask and gloves.

Eight Photo Exhibit:

A dream came thorough last November.  Although Jose had exhibited some of his prints in the past, whether in a charitable silent auction, or during a Christmas sale and other smaller events, it was not until last November that he had the great opportunity and experience to display 12 of his fine prints in a group photo exhibit open to the public.  What did Jose learn about the experience?
•    Invest a lot of time choosing your best negatives (of digital files)
•    Create a story or a common theme – Because of space, Jose managed to enter two themes: trees and the prairies.
•    Don’t include commercial work (weddings, portraits)
•    Be original; try to show not your best work but your most original one.
•    Show prints that express feelings, emotions or ideas.
•    Be ready to spend money and lose money!
•    Use good to excellent quality materials (paper, developers, inks, mounting stock, frames).  
•    Be consistent (same size and type of frames, etc).

Most of the prints Jose displayed at the exhibit were lith developed and printed on Agfa Brovira Faber Based, Grade 3 paper from the 70’s. Prints on traditional developer were printed on FORTE FB paper.

Final Comments:

During the last 10 years, Jose has seen the evolution of the Calgary Photographic Society.  From a black and white print club to a color digital print club. From the expression of ideas to emphasis on technical achievements.

It is perfectly fine to use digital technology to capture images however keep in mind that the most recent version of Photoshop or the most expensive digital camera or digital printer are only tools, the same as film cameras, trays and enlargers.  The most important creative tool that you have is your mind and your creative eye, invest more in your “mindware” and less in your software and hardware.  Spend $8 and a nice day in Banff to visit the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. Next month, attend the events, shows and presentations of Exposure 2008 here in Calgary, Canmore and Banff.  If you have more time and money, take a plane to Ottawa and visit the National Gallery of Canada and the Museum of Contemporary Photography and then take a train or a bus to Montreal and visit photo galleries there.  Educate your mind and learn to see creatively.  Focus on the idea more than the technical execution of the image.

PS Jose submitted the following list of books and magazines for those interested in pursuing black and white fine printing and increase your ability to “see creatively”:

Magazines:
Black & White Photography – Published by the Photographers’ Institute Press Ltd., England.
Lenswork – LensWork Publishing, USA

Books:
Approaching Photography – Paul Hill
The Tao of Photography – Gross & Shapiro
The Photographers’ Master Printing Course – Tim Rudman
An Ansel Adams Guide, Basic Techniques of Photography – John P. Schaefer
The Family of Man – The Museum of Modern Art, New York
Three Seconds of Eternity – Robert Doisneau
Jean Loup Sieff – Taschen
And, All Freeman Paterson Books!