Working Artists Apply Here

Are you a photographer/artist?  Do you have big ideas, but a small budget?  Photoworks would like to help you realize your printing dreams by offering you 20% off all fine art printing.  Fine art as in giclee/inket.  As in Canvas, or Hahnemule Photo Rag, or any of the eight or so papers we offer.  We call this program the “working artist’s discount.”  How does this discount work?  Send me an email to dave@photoworkssf.com.  Tell me about yourself and your project.  Whether you need one print or twenty prints, I’d still like to hear about it.  My criteria for the discount is that you be someone I can work with, and be someone that could benefit from the financial help.

I don’t usually use this space for store offers, but thought it was worthwhile in this case.

dh

I’ve been duped.

Finally a post that gets some attention and it turns out to be a scam….My last post on the amazing Brownie  Camera photos is a hoax, and I was scammed by a relative to boot.  If you saw the amazing Pearl Harbor photos that were have said to be in camera for 69 years, you were as impressed as I was.  I have developed old film before, even that old and was able to pull images.  When I checked on Snopes I referenced “harbour” as this is how the info came to me.

Apologies to all, (including the several emails and even phone call at home to alert me) we’ll be more careful next time, though I”m still a fan of the camera and the power and potential of old preserved imagery.

cheers

Thanks to Digital, Film is Back

Here’s one I hear all the time now.  “hi, I’m new to film……”

How can anyone be “new” to film.  It’s been around forever??   It’s pretty simple actually, as you have all these people weened on digital cameras.  They don’t know anything else as they live in the non analogue universe.  They were conceived at Burning Man, and use words like “newbie.”   Suddenly they see something that looks cool in a photo like grain or continuous tones, or even real black and white.  Hey it’s a whole new world of fun and photography.  For this we must thank digital for making images and the pursuit of them so damn easy.

I think if I were to teach a class I might start off with digital photography.  Seems ass backwards, but why not get some instant gratification, and then teach F Stops.  I used to think that digital was ruining my business, but now I believe it’s helping because everyone is out there shooting, and kids (anyone under 30 in my book) are discovering film as a result, and so many of these new shooters are very skilled as well.  Why, because they had the luxury of learning in the digital format.

Maybe this year we’ll see some holgas out on the Playa at Burning Man?

(sorry, do you say “out on the playa?”

dh

Photos With Santa

I was over at Serramonte Mall the other day, a God forsaken pit of a shopping mall, but it’s the closest thing to my house so I’m stuck with it.  Anyway, I was with my kid so we checked out the whole pose with Santa program.  Sit on Santa’s lap, take a picture, and then buy the obligatory print package of say, 4 wallets and a 5×7.  When did 4 wallets and a 5×7 become a $20.00 item?  Maybe if that was the real Kris Kringle, but this Santa wasn’t even fat.  He was some skinny ass hippy from Daly City.  And, the photos are not even on real photo paper.  They are printed on a xerox photo printer by some 16 year old kid.  Sorry Son, we’ll have to skip this.  Can I buy you an ice cream cone instead?

This got me to thinking about a story my dad once told me about his first job.  He was 15 years old, this would have been about 1940.  He worked as a photographer for a company called Kidnappers.  He would go door to door with a camera and lights offering to photograph children.  He would take the pictures and then stay up all night developing the film and making contact sheets.  He would deliver the proofs to the houses the next day and take print orders for 8×10’s, etc…People would serve him coffee and cake while they made their selections.

Can you imagine trying to get in someone’s door nowadays with a camera, wanting to photograph children?  You would need 5 forms of ID and you’d still wouldn’t get through the door.  I wonder what would happen if I brought Santa door to door, offering that same service, but inside the comfort of your own home?  Not that lousy shopping mall Santa either…………..HO HO HO.

dh

Ambien(t) Photography

You know I’m running out of things to say now.  Hey, it’s hard to keep this blog fresh and not sounding like a status update. If you don’t want the gory details, stop reading now………Without getting too personal here’s some brief medical history.  SOMETIMES I CAN’T SLEEP.  When this happens I on occasion take Ambien to break the spell.  Why am I telling you this?

Because, it’s really messing with my photos.  Last Saturday morning I had planned a quick photo outing down the coast to Montara beach.  The surf was up and I had an idea or two I wanted to try.  The problem was that I had this horrid Ambien still in my system from the night before.  So I’m standing on the beach with the rollei trying to focus, trying to keep the camera straight.  I thought I was doing a great job, I told my friend that “I really nailed it.”

On Monday I processed the film and boy was I surprised.  First off I thought I shot color extar 100, but instead I loaded 400 speed slide film.  Hell, I was using the wrong camera, my holga by mistake.   Everything wound up overexposed, and it’s hard to believe I even went to the beach at all.

The scary part of this is that when I look at these images, I feel like I’m seeing the inside of my brain that particular day.  I’m not sure what this has to do with ambient light, but the “available light” that I shot that day is more a mirror of  my brain, rather than a simple sunny day at the beach.  Okay, Julia, you can throw up now.

Here are the photos, and from now on I’m switching to warm milk or sleepytime tea before bedtime. 

Come And See All The Purty Pictures

The newest Friends Of Photoworks SF photo event is a portrait show.  In the past we’ve taken submissions and pretty much used everything, creating a huge wall of images.  I like this approach because everyone gets to exhibit and it makes for a pretty good party.

This time we had so many submissions that we decided to focus on quality over quantity.  This is hard because I don’t like to judge people’s work, and it’s sort of against the spirit of what we do.  Anyway, I GOT OVER IT, and now I feel we have twelve fabulous images that I think represent many facets of portrait photography.  We have your studio shot, the toy camera shot, the posed, and the random.  If you come by, you will also see samples of all the fine art papers that the images are printed on.  What you will not see is a photo by me, I did not make the grade this time, so I’ve been excused.

PHOTOWORKS SF PORTRAIT SHOW OPENING RECEPTION

FRIDAY NOV 20TH 6:30-9:00

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