Machu Picchu, Inspired by Bruce Barnbaum

"Good artists copy, great artists steal." - Pablo Picasso

A few years ago I took a workshop with Bruce Barnbaum. During the workshop Bruce showed a lot of his prints and talked about the art of seeing and creating. My photo, Machu Picchu, Clouds and Birds, was inspired by a print Bruce showed from his first Machu Picchu trip. It has stuck in my mind ever since, and I occasionally go to his website to view it. What captivated me about his photo were the mountains peeking through the clouds and how he used the wall to anchor the scene.

The thought occurred to me that I am stealing Bruce's idea, that the image is his vision, not mine. In a way, it's true. I probably would not have thought of taking this particular photo had I not seen his. But the two photos are different. I chose to shoot the wall straight on, while Bruce's wall is angled slightly. I remember trying to capture the birds flying up in the clouds and around the ruins. Using a handheld camera, I was able to take several shots in the hope of capturing a bird swooping around the ruins. I believe Bruce was shooting with his 4x5 view camera, so it would not have been practical for him to include flying birds. And, of course, clouds are never the same.

Machu Picchu at 6:00 AM

I spent two days in Machu Picchu this past May, and I have to say it surpassed all expectations. It is bigger and more spectacular than I imagined. By the time I entered the citadel on the first day it was already late morning. There were clouds, but it was mostly sunny—not my favorite lighting. Nevertheless, there were plenty of photographic opportunities. The photo above is one I especially liked from that first day.

On day 2 I woke up at 5 am so I could be at the park when it opened at 6. What a difference! When I arrived at the gate, along with a hundred or so other people, it had just stopped raining. Clouds and fog surrounded the lost city. Occasionally the mountains would peek through for a moment and then disappear.  When the gates opened, people headed off in all directions. It was easy to get away and be alone to experience Machu Picchu in silence and let its spiritual presence and the fog surround me. This is what I came for, and I was not disappointed. Many of the photos I like were taken before 8 am. Here are some pictures from that day. You can see the full Machu Picchu gallery on my website.

Callanish Stones in Black and White

Callanish 2

I was quite pleased with the color images in my previous post, especially given that they are from negatives over 30 years old. However, when I made prints for a print critique session, I was surprised by everyone's reaction: “Make them in black and white.” The subject is the stones, their forms and textures, they said, not the color. So I made a black and white version of each, which you see here. Quite a different feeling in black and white! Why is that?

This is what I think occurs when viewing black and white photos. By removing color, an image is one step removed from reality. It is partially abstracted, and the viewer reacts differently to the image because of this abstraction. With black and white, the viewer's imagination plays a bigger role, much like the way a radio drama can engage the listener's imagination in ways that television can't.

I still like the color versions, but for me the black and white versions have a stronger impact. They are mysterious and mystical. To put it simply, the color image is closer to what I saw when I was there; the black and white is closer to what I felt.

What are your thoughts? Which version do you like better, the color or the black and white? Why?

Ancient Rock Stars

Here are two shots I’m including in my March 13 presentation, Beyond Stonehenge – Rock Stars of the Neolithic Era.  These are the Callanish Stones in Scotland on the Isle of Lewis. In their own way they are as magnificent as Stonehenge.

Happy New Year!

Stonehenge

Yes, it's another scanned image, this time from a 35mm b&w negative taken in 2000. I have lots more images to scan, but my resolution for next year is to post new work as well.

Next year promises to start out busy. I am currently preparing for a photo presentation of megalithic sites in Europe, including the photo above, to be given in March. Also, as a member of the Soho Photo Gallery, I am participating in an exhibit along with several other members at the Red Filter Gallery in Lambertville, NJ.

As the sun sets on 2011, I want to wish everyone a happy, healthy, and joyous 2012.

Nova Scotia, 1974

Scanned Slides of Milford Sound, New Zealand

Here is another discovery I made while sifting through decades of my old slides. I found slides of Milford Sound in New Zealand from a trip in 1989. Rain-drenched mountains rise steeply from the water, with clouds swirling above them and below. How uninteresting these photos would have been if the sun were shining! They would have been ordinary postcard shots. The dyes in many of these slides  had partially faded, leaving an uneven magenta or blue cast to them. Since they were almost monochromatic, conversion to black and white seemed the way to go. Four images are in the Milford Sound, NZ gallery on my website.

Scanned Slides of Iceland, 1973

I began a project this year that I've been meaning to do for a long time. I have begun to scan my archives of 35mm film into my computer and convert them to digital images. I began photography around 1969 and didn't maintain a consistent filing system for negatives or slides. Many slides remained in their original yellow boxes from Kodak. So I knew I was in for a long, slow journey viewing forgotten images.

I have made some amazing discoveries along the way. One wonderful discovery is from slides taken on a 1973 trip to Iceland. For the most part the color quality has remained good, with little or no fading from the old Kodachromes. I find these old images still appealing: buildings situated in remote landscapes; water tumbling over rocks so new they show few signs of erosion; fishing boats in and out of the water.

On this trip, I spent one day at a whaling station in Hvalfjörður, arriving just as a whale was brought in for butchering. The stench was overwhelming, and I could not understand how the workers could do their jobs with such a foul smell constantly in their midst.

I have added eight of these Icelandic photos to the website.

Before digital, making prints from color slides was always a difficult and expensive process for me, with unsatisfying results. I never attempted color printing in the darkroom, but now I can finally make images from slides that brings out their full potential.

Nature's Beauty is Fleeting – Don't Procrastinate

I discovered this maple tree along the Konkapot River in the Berkshires five years ago. On that first encounter, which was late autumn, the leaves had already fallen, but I was attracted to the tree's branching structure and its position along the river. I took this photo two years later after a heavy rain storm.

Recently I stopped off to visit the tree. Once again the water was high and rushing, due to recent heavy rains, but the tree was no longer standing. The trunk was lying on the ground alongside the river. It was probably toppled by tropical storm Irene this past summer. Thinking back over those past years, I'm glad that I continued to check on the tree for possible photographs, otherwise I  would never have captured its majestic stance along the rushing river.

Many things in nature seem long lasting and unchangeable, but things can change quickly. I have become aware of the fleeting beauty of nature, and that if I procrastinate, I may lose the chance to capture something wonderful. Several photos that I have taken can no longer be made. A beaver pond has become overgrown with tall weeds along the edge. A waterfall composition changed when a large log became lodged nearby after a storm. Ironically, it's the scenes I see frequently that I am prone to put off photographing for another time, hoping the lighting will be better, rather than making the effort to seek out the magic light before sunrise or at sunset.

Hello!

Welcome to my photo blog! Here I discuss the inspirations and motivations for my photographs and describe any interesting situations surrounding their making. Sometimes an image may prompt me to discuss some of the philosophical choices in making a photograph. My intent is not to focus on the technical aspects of my photographs, unless the technique is a necessary component to the viewer’s understanding and appreciation of the images. From time to time I will also announce exhibits of my work, updates to my website, and other events.

Enjoy!