*Cycling on the Bridge*
Canon A2 + Ilford Pan F
In late 2013 I went to Chattanooga, Tennessee for work. I had a half day to walk around town and really loved the feel of the place. I got a few good film shots out of it, including this one of the Walnut Street Bridge. Looking at my old photos recently I realised I’d taken a black and white shot of the same location that was really interesting too.
*Escher Condo*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Ilford Pan F
This photo is the single keeper of an entire roll of building double exposures. I was inspired by a similar concept shot and shared by Jules le Moal. The principle is simple : you shoot the top of a building, then you reverse the camera and you shoot the top of the building again. I had not realised quite how close to the edge of the frame you have to be for the effect to work, and so the entire roll was little blobs of properly exposed buildings in the middle of overexposed buildings. Except this one, which I really like and shows at least that the concept has legs.
*Father & Son*
Spotmatic F + Ilford Pan F
My first film camera was a cheaply procured Spotmatic F. It had the advantage of using an M42 mount for which many good lenses could be had on the cheap. It was a good, sturdy camera and I’d like to shoot it again someday, when it comes out of storage. This, I think was the last roll I shot with it in Istanbul on a short business trip. I was then given a Canon A2 which has autofocus and autoexposure…
*Aluminium Hair*
Fuji TX2 + Ilford Pan F
Model: Maruska
In this third wave of shoots for the Human Nature project I have started tracking the species of plants that I use for texture. I particularly love this one, Pilea Cadierei more commonly known as the Aluminium Plant. I love the contrast between the dark green of the leaves and the white in the center. This is also an example of a new lighting set up with two lateral lights which results in most of the texture appearing in the center of the subject.
*Cyborg*
Fuji TX2 + Ilford PanF
Model: Lilly
In my flora texture experiments so far, the plants I shoot rarely have a direction. It’s a mass of leaves, branches or flowers. Buildings, obviously, are by nature directional. This opens up new and interesting considerations regarding the random / lucky elements of these double exposures. Here, the building column is perfectly aligned with the front of Lilly’s neck, which gives the illusion that it’s a part of her.
*Fade to Build*
Fuji TX2 + Ilford PanF
Model: Patricia
As with my previous project, the nature of the lighting is key. Here I was using rather hard light which explains why the « fade » into the shadows (and therefore the emergence of the urban texture) is not gradual. I think I prefer a more gradual look, but I have to admit that this looks pretty cool nonetheless…
*Scraper Dreams*
Fuji TX2 + Ilford PanF
Model : Lia
My initial intent with this series was to break away from my flora texture technique and have the buildings extrude from the back of the models’ head. In order to achieve that I strongly lit the background on the side of the face and didn’t on the side of the back of the head. It did not work as intended however. The spill light from the face side spotlight lit the back of the head side too much and I didn’t get what I wanted. But the results are far from uninteresting, so I ran with the shots I had when I edited to bring them back to something closer to my initial technique.
*Urban Excrescence*
Fuji TX2 + Ilford Pan F
The series I’ll be posting this week is the result of very early experimentation. The results delivered were not what I was going for, but quite interesting nonetheless. Definitely a direction I’ll keep exploring in the future.
*Ganagobie Abbey*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Ilford Pan F
Ganagobie abbey is an old monastery and abbey located in upper Provence. It’s lost in the middle of the dry, sparse forest characteristic of that region. I’m not sure it was all olive trees and lavender, but that’s what the legend would probably say anyway. I was quite taken by the alleyway leading to the majestic entrance, and I wanted to give it the XPAN treatment, so there you go.
*The White Lion*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Ilford Pan F
I can’t remember exactly where I shot this (apart from obviously, it was in London). It may have been on Euston road this summer. I quite like the tones of the Ilford Pan F when it works (I’m told it’s a fickle film…)
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