Facebook Photos Suck

Hey, my last post was all warm and fuzzy, so it’s time to return to something mean spirited.  Facebook photos really do suck.  I realize that I can control what content I see or do not see, but some things have a way of sneaking through.  Like this cell phone picture of a guy I have not seen since high school (30 years) with his shirt off at some random backyard party.  Thanks for “status update” Larry.  Or my 5 times removed ex-girlfriend’s poodle.  “Lisa, did we really go out?”

I guess I just hate boring and totally random photos clogging up my pristine pages.  My own brother God love him, posted a photo of his fancy new pool and yard, but it was of such poor quality (like 3 dpi) that it looked like a dry lake in a motel parking lot

Yes, at this rate I will have no facebook friends left, even my family will abandon me.  Maybe it’s cell phones I detest, or maybe I don’t see the need to chronicle every image and then share it with the planet.  “here I am eating pizza, yummy.”  Thanks Fred, see you in the next life.  Call me a jerk, but I think every photo no matter how insignificant says something about the person who took it, and the person or places captured.  If you take my picture make me look good, ’cause that’s how I’d like to remembered.  And if you feel the need to photograph a (mundane) moment then think about whether or not the rest of us need to see it.  At least make the effort to hold your phone steady so that margarita is in focus.

with love,

dh

The Fall Light

Aside from today’s rain, this moment in time on the calendar, October 15-30 is some of the finest picture taking light you will see all year long.  Two weeks of warm fall light, so pleasing that it feels like you could look right in to the sun.  All day long feels like the morning.  It’s no wonder so many movies are shot at this time of day.  It’s not just the warmth, but the softness that makes for such pleasing images.  This is the time for natural light portraits as the harsh summer glare is gone.

On the 31st it all goes to shit as it suddenly gets dark at 5:00.  The light is still nice, but you’ve got to hurry as the days are short.  I’m a fan of autumn light and winter light too, but I’m most inspired by the fall light, so get out there while you can.

dh

I’m Running Out of Bullshit

In the great 1976 film Network, Peter Finch plays the newsman Howard Beale.  He’s famous for screaming, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.”   When he’s questioned about his rants he calmly states, “I’ve just run out of bullshit.”

If you have a  business in this day and age you had better be good at networking.  I’ve tried to throw myself into Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and blogging.  I’ll do anything to draw traffic to my website, but I’m starting to run out of things to say.  I barely use the photoworkssf Facebook page.  Some companies probably have full time people doing constant status updates, yet the tweets from so many small businesses have such desperation to them.  Honestly I’m not sure I give a crap about 90% of the people I’m “following.”

I think I’m over saturated, and in a way what I’ve done is keep people from coming here and talking to me face to face.  Too bad, because what I’m good at is retail.  If you come in, you’ll leave here with something.

So, I might take a little break, back off on the social networking stuff (temporarily) because I am “running out of bullshit,” and I don’t want to start sounding redundant.  When I have something to say that’s worth hearing, then you’ll hear from me.  Until then, look for me outside on Market St ringing a bell, wearing a sandwich board.

dh

Too Many Holgas?

I was in 7-Eleven last night and next to the giant hot dogs I could have sworn I saw a Holga Camera display.  Just kidding, but man has anyone noticed how may Holgas there are now?  What used to be this little photo sub culture is becoming mainstream.  Hey, I guess that’s okay (the more analog the better), but I’d like to think that I started the whole thing.  Does my Mom want a Holga??  Have you seen the 10 million holga websites, contests, and shows.  There’s one up right now here at PhotoworksSF.

I’m glad because I sell 120 film, but at the same time I’m annoyed by the pretentious holga people.  Just a few that think that a light leak and soft focus means you’re an artist.  I just want people to stay true to the random nature of the plastic camera and avoid taking this thing too serious.  Granted some of you are legit artists and do beautiful holga work, but please don’t ram it down my throat with incessant blogging and facebook groups.  What I’m saying is “get that holga out of my face.”

BTW, I own 5 holgas!

dh

Will Work For Photos

“Will work for photos”  Sometimes people drop of film or files to be printed and wind up not being able to afford to claim their work when it is ready.  This is an age old photo lab problem, as it is hard to ask people to pre pay to develop or print photos.  A “poor” customer came in today asking if he could trade work for his films that have been sitting here for 6 months.  “Do you need any work done here.”  Like what, yard work??  Years ago I could have had him wash the windows, but now I have just enough here for the people on the payroll.   I guess when you are broke, hobby stuff like photography gets shut down, what a bummer.  I really need this economy to wake up soon.  I don’t think the barter system will pay my rent, though after work today I  might see if I can “work for beer” at the bar around the corner.

dh

Young People Don’t know Anything

“Young people don’t know anything, especially that they’re young.”  Don Draper from Mad Men.  Don might be right, but recently I encountered a refreshing group of High School photography students.  They came to Photoworks because they heard we were a film shop.  “You guys do film, that’s cool.”  These students are taking a class that requires film photography cameras and they seem to be thrilled by the concept.  They are into Holgas and medium format as well.  I was stunned thinking that anyone under 25 would have the slightest interest in analogue.  Seeing as they are entrenched in the Iphone, You Tube, digital overload generation, it’s amazing that they found film.  I’m pleased by this development, and I now feel that there is hope for the future.

dh

A Waste of Film, Gunpowder, and Sky

Happy 4th of July Everyone from your curmudgon photo lab guy.  Is it so wrong to hate fireworks?  They scare the shit out my dog, wake up the baby, and make juvenile delinquents out of otherwise normal teenagers.  Actually, I don’t mind a legit fireworks show, it’s the blockheads in my neighborhood who do the backyard Budweiser fueled explosions that I hate.

Has anyone out there ever taken a good picture of a fireworks show? I know what you are supposed to do:  tripod, long exposure, slow film, etc…, but it never works for me, and even if does, it never does justice to the moment.  TV can’t even do the job. And has anyone ever done  anything with a fireworks photo?  Do you look at them in March?  I find the best photos of a fireworks show are before the actual show.  The shots of everyone standing around the grill are always keepers.  Or if you must, shoot a photo of everyone looking up to the sky, that might be cool, though you’d miss all the action.

Hey, so have fun out there, just please don’t wake the baby.

I can’t wait to tell you what I think of Halloween……..

dh

Kodachrome and Ed Mcmahon

A sad day all around.  I’d figure I’d comment on both of these stories as they are related.  I grew up in the sixties and seventies when both the film and the man were at the height of their popularity.  Iconic figures.  My dad showed me kodachrome slide shows, and then showed me The Johnny Carson Show.  No need to go on and on about the old days, things change and clearly it makes little sense for Kodak to continue making a difficult to produce product that the public has abandoned.

My issue is that some of the most memorable images ever shot were created on kodachrome film.  I’ve yet to see any digital images that rival the lushness and warmth of kodachrome film, and to make matters worse, The Conan O’brien Show sucks.

Photos In My Wallet?

I was out last night having a few, when a friend of mine said to me, “Dave, do you have any pictures of your kids?”  I said sure, and reached for my cell phone where I was able to scroll through and show off my family photos.  The problem is that  you don’t really pass around your cell phone for other people to hold, do you?  I have to hold the phone so you can see the pictures.  So I got to thinking…..why don’t we carry photos of our loved one’s in our wallets?  Remember the cool photo holders that would fold out of wallets, you could remove the whole pack and pass it around.  You could really have a nice long look, not to mention the tactile sensation of holding the image.  If you were a single guy with a girlfriend, you could show off that photo of your sweetheart in her bikini.  You wouldn’t do that with your phone, at least I wouldn’t.

The term “wallet” became a part of photo processing culture.  You used to order “wallets” from a photo store. (Of course you still can, and people do)  This is just another product that has been electronically replaced.

So I’ve decided to delete the phone photos and print up some wallet size photos, buy a new wallet with the plastic album thingy, and start carrying around pictures of The Wife & Kids in my pocket.  I think I’ll be the hit of the party next time when I whip out the wallet instead of the cell phone.

Polaroid: I Finally Get It

Even before Polaroid decided to stop making film, there were legions of photographers addicted to this uniquely classic art form. I say art, but we all know Polaroid was not born with art in mind, or was it? I believe these cameras go back to the late 1940’s. They blossomed in the fifties and sixties becoming the camera of choice for many families. You can tell I’m no expert on this subject, and until recently I had never even owned a Polaroid camera. I bought an SX 70 because it looked so cool. Been doing snap shots with it because as of yet, I can’t figure out how to make decent art with the thing. I’m going to keep at though, because I want to get involved before it’s too late.

We sell the film in our store. It’s expensive now, but people buy it up like it’s going out of style. Oh yeah, it’s going out of style. When we decided to do a Polaroid show at Photoworks, the response was amazing. And these are just the more conventional style which does not include transfers, and all the other manipulations, etc.. I’ve never really understood the whole, big deal deal with Polaroid, but now I’m comin’ around. I don”t have to tell you that the combination of instant and analogue is a beautiful thing indeed.

It looks like Polaroid is being saved by cool companies like Polapremium, and even Fuji is making instant film now. Come by Photoworks tomorrow night (Friday May 8th) and see the show, be a supporter of a treasured art form, and maybe show me a thing or two about using my camera.