Desks and Chairs, Langara College, April, 2024. (Leica R8, 28 mm f/2.8 Elmarit, Fomapan 100, Kodak D76.)
Over the last several weeks, I have been making a conscious effort to dedicate time every day to the practice of photography. Whether it be by taking photographs, developing film, scanning negatives, retouching digital images, editing collections, or reading about the craft, I have found it essential to make consistent progress, however slowly, in order to maintain an abiding sense of myself as an artist. I use this website and blog to document that progress, primarily for myself.
In addition to the art of photography, I am also keenly interested in its techniques and tools. A longstanding preoccupation with the latter is the impetus for my collecting and writing about cameras. After many years of resisting the idea, I am no longer reluctant to admit that I am as much intrigued by cameras as I am by photographs. The photographic hobby would be much diminished for me if I were to focus on the art at the expense of the tool; in my mind they are inextricably linked.
My technical and hands-on reviews of film cameras are by far the most popular pages on this website. By comparison, my photographic portfolio receives little attention. The disparity does not bother me: the photographs are intended primarily for me—a kind of conversation I am having with myself about who I am as an artist—while the reviews are a public service. I find joy and excitement in the creation of both visual and textual works.
During the last three weeks, or so, I have:
Posted consistently every day
Developed a new collection of photographs called Looking Glass
Added several photographs to my 15-year Retrospective
Posted new photographic sequences, two in colour and one in black and white
Begun to experiment with macro photography