film...

I got 4 rolls of film back from the lab today. Some hundred or so shots. I'm amazed at how dusty that shit is. A quick swipe of the negatives and the scanner bed before each cycle of scanning seems completely ineffective. And there's a weight upon film that may or may not be justified but at the very least makes most of my photographs overthought, overwrought, mediocre at best.

But interestingly there's a whole section of photographs where my daughter must have picked up my camera and pointed it rather randomly at blurry things, or things made blurry if I'm going to be accurate about this. That was good. And this photo of Sophie-Monster makes me happy. Not a bad way to spend $20.

More photos to come. I'm pretty sure I can rationalize the artistic intent of at least two more photos. Warranted or otherwise...

Somewhat related, both pictures were taken around the same area and both speak of a lost tradition. There are still delivery trucks but not in the quantity and regularity they used to exist in. And this sign, hand painted. Yes, laser cut vinyl or bubble jet printing, awesomely slick, but I can be a romantic. Hand painted signs are slowly disappearing. I think that's unfortunate.

Wrapped

There's something comical about wrapping a building in tarps. For all the technologies and innovations made in building envelope design it comes wrapping big sheets of plastic around it. I'm sure it's a metaphor for something, at least in my mind it is, but I'll let you explore your own.

Iona Beach, Vancouver. December 6, 2010

A rare sunny day in December combined with an even rarer day off made these photos possible. When I set out on these kinds of adventures I'm happy to come back with one or two photos I'm happy with. Imagine my surprise when I found more than half a dozen.

I still don't understand my infatuation with landscapes especially when I'm so critical of them in the world of art and photography.

More here.

Orphans.

This. I don't know what to say about this other than I like it.

October 4, 1971, 39 years later.

More here.

Sophie

It's the closest to studio photography I've ever come. It started with me wanting to get a photo of the bruises on her nose. She ran fast one day, I wanted to say "too" fast but I don't know if that's possible, and she tripped. Her nose bled for minutes. Tears were shed. And four days or so later and she's doing this. Awesome.