VAAA Show Over

Well I picked up the VAAA show prints yesterday and now they are in storage. The show was a fun worthwhile experience I am glad I got the work seen. Sold no photos but did manage to sell two of the Klong Toey booklets.

Nothing happening show wise for me until March of 2013 when I get the solo show at the Kaasa, everything else I have submitted to lately (and there has been a lot) has been rejected.

AGSA Fundraiser

Got this email today from the fundraiser people at the Art Gallery of St. Albert (AGSA). Please go to check out and buy work, all art work is $200 and goes towards a good cause the AGSA (sometimes the sales are split 50/50, sometimes the AGSA gets it all).

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Dear Square One Artists,

Once again I want to thank you all for contributing to our first Square One Fundraiser and Exhibition.

We now have over 120 artists taking part in the exhibition and nearly 300 artworks. We are not accepting any new artworks or artists, we have closed our intake of artwork and are no longer accepting artist information for the  visual materials. Thanks to all those who wanted to be included.

Due to the volume of artworks we will likely not be able to display all the pieces we accepted. Many of you brought extra pieces to us and we had many last minute submissions. We will display as much as we can. All artists who dropped of artwork will be included. If we need to reduce our volume we will do so by jury decision and ensure that we retain all accepted artists and at least one of their works.

We hope to see you all at the Opening Reception on Thursday June 7 from 6 to 9 pm.  We really hope you can make it to this event to meet the gallery staff, the public and each other. This will be the first reveal of the artwork. There will be wine and non-alcoholic beverages available as well as treats and nibbles.  Please see our front desk when you first arrive if you would like a name badge to wear.  Attendance at the opening is free and open to the public so please invite your friends and family.

The Jury’s Choice winner will be posted prior to doors opening at 6pm.  Visitors will be able to vote by ballot for their favourite piece up until 8pm (People’s Choice). After the votes are counted (at approximately 8:30pm) prizes will be awarded to the Jury’s Choice and People’ Choice winning artists. Runners up will receive honorable mentions.

There are still tickets left for the June 16^th event.

I look forward to seeing you all and celebrating this great exhibition.

Kind regards,

---------

Art Gallery of St. Albert

Direct: 780 651 5741

Gallery: 780 460 4310

Quarantine The Pests!

This is a story I read last night online, it's form a march edition of the Calgary Herald newspaper. This son's showing technique might be the only way I have a chance of getting my work shown at the AGA!, something to file away for future reference :)

I like the way they quarantined the work and looked for pests, I wonder if this is the way they look at most unknown artists and their art? "Here come the pests!! Quickly, quickly! Quarantine them!"

I did not know they even did this insect inspection on all paintings, guess thats something photography has over oil on canvas with old wooden frames, no termites or worms!

Here is the painting from the story, I like it so will post it here in the Yaum Museum :), it has a harsh sad sensuality to it.

Person smuggles painting INTO Glenbow Museum

Unusual act done in memory of artist-father

CALGARY — It didn’t take long for security guards at the Glenbow Museum to notice it.

Among the famed landscapes, portraits and abstract paintings typically on display in the museum’s modernist art exhibition, a painting of a semi-nude woman had appeared.

About a week and a half ago an individual, believed to be a man from Calgary, walked into the downtown museum. It was during regular business hours, yet nobody — not even the museum’s guards — appeared to notice as he proceeded to hang a small, wood-framed oil painting of a partially nude woman on the wall of the second-floor exhibition.

“We have a really thorough security patrol and they do regular patrols of every floor of the museum,” said Megan Bailey, communications specialist for the Glenbow Museum. “However, they can’t be in every single room at once.”

Art being smuggled out of museums is not an uncommon scenario, but art being smuggled in? It’s a first for the Glenbow, Bailey said.

“It hasn’t happened at the Glenbow, but it’s definitely happened at other museums across the world,” she said.

An explanation of the surprise addition wasn’t far behind. Taped to the back was a note.

“As a child 50 years ago I recall my father Gerald Dwight Byron with pride would frequently state that his art would be in a museum one day,” read the note, a copy of which was anonymously delivered to the Calgary Herald.

“With regret he passed away that same year,” the note continues. “Well today I which (sic) to fulfil my fathers (sic) dreams.”

While the museum recognizes there is a “sympathetic sense” to the stunt, they don’t encourage others to follow suit, said Bailey. “This maybe wasn’t the best way to go about honouring the wishes of one’s father.”

After the unsolicited painting was discovered, it was quarantined and inspected by a pest control technician, she said. Other nearby paintings were also inspected “for any signs of insects or any other kind of pests that might cause damage to our collection.”

“This is a standard practice for any artifact or piece of art that comes into our museum.”

Even if the man had followed protocol in approaching the museum about displaying the painting, collections manager Daryl Betenia said it’s unlikely the painting would be accepted. The museum’s artistic mandate is to display historical, modernist and contemporary art of Western Canada, with supporting art from the rest of the Canada and some international material to provide context, Betenia said.

“In this particular instance, this artist is a Quebec artist. . . . It doesn’t really have any tie into our mandate,” he said.

The man behind the stunt appears to have struggled with the decision to hang the painting.

“I have been hesitant with a conscience,” the typewritten note says. “My actions might be selfish and irresponsible but Im (sic) being torn apart. What takes precedent (sic), my moral obligations to my parents or museum policy. . . . Please do not disrupt a joyous occasion. I will contact you in one week.”

That final promise was realized on Friday morning when the museum was contacted by an individual claiming to be responsible for the act.

“We’re just arranging right now on the logistics to have the painting returned to him,” Bailey said.

Until then, his identity remains shrouded in mystery.

Byron appears to have been a Quebec-born artist whose specialty was oil paintings, according to a tribute website about Byron created by a man who identifies himself as a close family friend.

“They regarded me as they would a son,” the website’s creator says.

Attempts by the Calgary Herald to contact the individual behind the website were unsuccessful on Friday.

$79 Fine Art Photographs !!

I have so much 8x10 fiber photo paper around and I desperately need to make money for the "Common Lives" photography project, so I decided to offer 8x10 prints at half price.

All prints are in limited editions of 40 and now instead of the normal price of $150.00, I am offering them for $79 a piece plus shipping costs. All prints are made in a traditional wet darkroom and are printed and toned to archival standards on fiber gelatin silver photographic paper. I sign, number and title all photographs on the verso (back of print) in pencil.

If you ever thought you might want to start a fine art photography collection now you can for only $79 !!!
You will also be helping by film and other supplies for "Common Lives".

Please send any print requests to my email and I should be able to get the print out to you in about 3 weeks time.

Jobo Adventures Continue

The Jobo I bought a few weeks back has still not arrived, I found out it is being held by customs at the border. They want a bill of sale to prove the value, the declared value by the seller was $250 (actual sale prices was $560). Now I have to send them paypal receipt, fill out forms, maybe fax things to Fed Ex etc.

Gosh I hate all this paperwork of life crap, I just want to get this machine and develop my film! I am at my happiest when I am making photographs or developing prints in my darkroom. All the forms, rules and marching orders of daily life seem like a waste of time. I just wish I could be free of all that stuff and concentrate on my work.

Hopefully the processor comes soon without to many additional costs. I have to pay a large film bill soon as well as other things, do not need any added Jobo costs.

Quote: James Dean

"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today."

Quote: Thailand Sex Tourist

"My last trip I had the sole intention of fucking as many women as possible and bedding a different one each night. No repeat bar fines. Find Em. Fuck Em. Forget Em. I announced to every single one of these girls that I was a butterfly and probably won't see them again. All said "that's ok. Your holiday" I ended up banging around 20 girls. 5 of them told me they loved me and hassled me for days afterwards."

Box Sets?

Making up the little 8x10 prints for the AGSA fundraiser got me thinking that I might like to work along similar lines this next week off work. I have loads of 8x10 finer paper that has been sitting in my darkroom for years and I was able to get a bunch of 8x10 Ilford fiber paper cheap recently. Why not use all that paper in a positive way? I have paid for the stuff already might as well try and use it somehow.

I was thinking the way to go might be to do limited box sets of 5 or 10 (not sure the number maters as my history is I do not sell these things!). I could try doing a variety of subjects in these small box sets, 7 to 10 archival/toned/matted prints per box. Maybe and its a big maybe I can sell a few of these sets on Ebay which would help with the film purchases for my next over seas trip which will probably be in the spring/early summer of 2013 (if I get my art grant from the province).

The subjects for the limited edition box sets might be:

Ero (medium and 35mm)

Klong Toey Boxer (4x5 with flash)

Bell Klong Toey Slum Boxer, Thailand 2011

Bargirl (medium and 35mm)

Long Bargirl in Shortime Sex Room, Thailand 2008

Ladyboy Sex Worker (the 4x5, medium and 35mm images not the white background shots)

Ladyboy Sex Worker in Shortime Room, Thailand 2011

I might try working on the boxer box set next week, I have been looking forward to printing that work.

AGSA Prints Completed

Well I made the deadline for the 2 small 12x12 framed photos I owed the AGSA (Art Gallery of St. Albert). It is always a nice feeling to make a deadline and this is also for a good cause. The prints if they sell will go for $200, $100 for the gallery and $100 for me to buy some film. Hopefully its a win/win for both of us. I was able to make up the frames for almost free ($1.50 or so for corner hardware). I had several pieces of short frame sections left over from the cuts made for the larger 20x24 frames and I got free acrylic for the front from my friend Rob who also cut the frames sections for me for free (thanks Rob!). The mat board used for the overmat plus backing as well as the foam core for the frame were all left over pieces. The photo paper for the prints was a bit expensive as I made about 15 prints to get the 2 I liked. Overall thou I will be showing a bit of a profit if they sell, which means I might get a free box of 4x5 film and as a bonus I am also contributing to a good cause, raising money for a small art gallery.

Quote: Sean Penn

"People don't want to look at ugly things if they don't have to, but what great art does it says you always have to." 

Quote: Gottfried Helnwein (Painter)

"A great work of art for me is like you don't forget it, that is why you have certain images you don't forget. The great privilege of an artist and that's the responsibility to make people look at certain things that they would rather like to forget."

VAAA: Daily Visuals #9

Photo of Jiji from the "Human Voices " show in the VAAA daily visuals blog.

http://visualartsalberta.blogspot.ca/2012/05/gerry-yaum-human-voices_23.html

AGSA, Art Gallery Of St. Alberta, Square One Artists

Am contributing 2 Klong Toey portraits to this fundraiser. Tickets and info available on the link, a very worthy cause.

http://artgalleryofstalbert.ca/square-one-artists/

Jody Ake Collodion Photographer

I might be taking a workshop with this photographer later in the year. He creates wonderful images using the old wet plate collodion process. I would love to at some point to do portraits and landscapes in this process in Asia (thou I should actually try the process before committing to it!).

I have been interested in learning this process for several years a workshop (my first ever) would allow me to learn faster and speed through the mistakes that happen when your learning something new. I am 48 and getting older by the minute, I do not want to waste to much time screwing up (have done plenty of that for plenty of years). I want to learn collodion from a pro teacher and then make my own photographs as quickly as possible.

One kind of cool thing is with wet plate collodion you make your own film on glass plates, that should be fun! When I can do that, I no longer need Kodak to survive to make photos!

Check out the link to Jody's work, some wonderful portraits.

http://www.JODYAKE.com/work.html

All photographs by Jody Ake

Pitko Photography Gallery

Found this place in Toronto today, seems they have a online publishing system, a gallery that shows photography and a top pic contest with a $5000 prize.I need to look into to this place more carefully.

Pitko Photo Books

Pitko Gallery Previous Shows

Pitko Top Pic Contest

Fetus Graffiti Painting

Photographed this weird fetus graffiti painting in Thailand in 2003.

Whale

Gosh forgot all about these shots, of a beluga whale at the aquarium in Vancouver. This was shot way back in 2006, a bit of a different subject for me.

VAAA: Daily Visuals #8

Photo of Um from the "Human Voices " show in the VAAA daily visuals blog.

http://visualartsalberta.blogspot.ca/2012/05/gerry-yaum-human-voices_19.html

More Ladyboy Shots From The Past

Nit

Nit 48 Freelance Worker, Thailand 2009

Hong Kong Grave Yard 2008

Some more lost negs this time from a western grave yard in Hong Kong back in 2008.

Alberta Open Rejection

Well I got a rejection letter for this years Alberta photo open today. I seem to be hit or miss with this competition, this year I submitted 2 sex worker portraits which never seem the chosen as well as 3 Klong Toey portraits. Last year I got 2 accepted photographs, one image that eventually went on to Calgary but this year nothing. Oh well will have 30-40 photos hanging in the same Edmonton Kaasa Gallery space in March of next year. A bit disappointed with the rejection because this years Alberta open stuff is going to hang in the Calgary Jubilee as well, guess I will try again next year.

They chose 33 photos out of over 300 submitted. If I am not working I will go check out the exhibition, hopefully they chose a good selection of portraits as well as the usual landscape stuff.

Matt and other Ladyboys 2010

I am making up a submission to Shots magazine and found these old shots I did of Matt back in 2010, I also scanned some never before shown shots of other ladyboys from that time period. I shot the ladyboys in various short time sex rooms they would go to with their customers.

Recent 4x5 Scans From Thailand/Laos

Xpan Monochrome Guild Spring Trip Scans

Here are a few of the first scans from the Monochrome Guild spring trip. My big Epson V700 photo scanner continues to die a slow agonizing death so scanning these was a bit painful (lots of weird ugly noises emanating from the machine). I kind of like the bottom 2 reflection photographs, shooting with the long panoramic is difficult especially when people are in the shots, I also did some people stuff which I will try posting later.

One Promotes The Other

Sent my youtube video of the opening that I made up to various people I know including the good folks at the VAAA who are currently showing the work, unexpectedly they put the video on their Facebook and twitter pages. I guess these things all intermingle and spread from one to the other. We all help each other in this process and things spread everywhere.

I thought of the video as a fun thing to do, fun to learn the editing software, fun to put it all together. I think thou its a bit of a promotional tool as well, it helps promote the subjects of the photographs as well as my work in general bit.

Also sent out the video to 2 people at the AGA which is the largest and most important museum in the province (the place that rejected me twice recently). I doubt anything will come of the AGA part of this but they are nice folks and who knows, little by little it might make a difference and someday maybe some work of some kind will be shown there.

http://www.facebook.com/VisualArtsAlbertaAssociation

Wish This Were True!

I constantly get these BS emails claiming I have done money sent to my contact@gerryyaum.com email. This one sounds great, imagine getting that amount of money and being able to spend the rest of your life creating humanitarian photographs, as they say in then Maltese Falcon "thats the stuff dreams are made of."

Attention: Email Owner,

You have been selected by the UN for a Humanitarian Development Cash Grant
program to enhance and develop the standard of living geared towards poverty
eradication as targeted by the year 2020.You have been granted the sum of
800,000.00 Pounds your grant pin #UNF/FBF-816-1119 G-900-94.

Contact payment department for your funds.
Payment Officer : Mrs. Shannon Maris
Email:------------
You are to provide her your information

below for claims.

1 Full Names:
2 Full Address:
3 Nationality:
4 Age:
5 Gender:
6 Occupation:
7 Cell Phone:
8 Present Country:
9 Alternate Email Address:

Regards,
Mrs. Carlton Joan.
Chairman UNDP Grant Programme.

Shots Magazine

My friend Larry gave me a copy of Shots photo magazine, I love it! The magazine is filled with wonderful, innovative and exciting photography (lots of portraiture). I subscribed to the mag and also got 10 back issues.

 They have various ways to submit work including an online process. I will try to make a submission to their next call for work, portraits. I will probably submit a combination of sex worker and boxer photographs.

http://www.shotsmag.com/shotssubmission.htm

Say What? Kodak And Weapons Grade Uranium!!

I found this story rather amazing, Kodak had weapons grade uranium in an underground lab for upwards of 30 years. Now I understand why the price of my Tri-x keeps going up.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/15/us/new-york-kodak-uranium/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

VAAA: Daily Visuals #7

Photo of Nit and Bell from the "Human Voices " show in the VAAA daily visuals blog.

http://visualartsalberta.blogspot.ca/2012/05/gerry-yaum-human-voices_15.html

"Human Voices" Opening Night Video

Just finished editing this opening night video of "Human Voices" at Visual Arts Alberta (VAAA). The youtube link is a better quality version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tKsYUqMDyQ

Latest Klong Toey Slum Boxer Photos

These are the latest boxer photos, shot with a Leica and direct flash. I sort of like the harsh look of these images.

Bought A Jobo

I bought a Jobo processor online to replace the one that went down in my darkroom (4th Jobo that has died on me). Got this latest processor for $560+ $120 shipping via Fedex. I expect at least another $100 in brokerage and taxes from Fed Ex but it will still be cheaper than the $1000 I initially thought I might have to pay. This processor is the cheaper version CPA2 but it should do the job I need it to do developing my b/w sheet film (do the job at least for a while till it breaks down). I will have to see if I can get a backup used one on ebay in the next year also so that when this one breaks I can continue to develop film with the backup. I hate not being able to develop my film, I have hundreds of sheets from Thailand as well as my father photos and photos from recent trips to the mountains.

Anyway hopefully soon the package will arrive, here's hoping it arrives sometime next week so I can toss out the old processor and start using the new one. I am most eager to see how the 8x10 shots of my father made with the Deardorff work out.

Really scrounging for money to pay for this but am sort of helpless without the Jobo. I want to get consistent results in my negs and find other types of sheet film development inconsistent and to difficult to do.

VAAA: Daily Visuals #6

Photo of Nini from the "Human Voices " show in the VAAA daily visuals blog.

http://visualartsalberta.blogspot.ca/2012/05/gerry-yaum-human-voices_11.html

Am a bit surprised the Nini portrait made it onto the VAAA daily blog, the VAAA has really turned a corner in what they will show, the days of only showing weaving and water colour landscapes seem to be behind them. Alberta

Like the image as it shows her vulnerability, the scan is a bit dark thou.

Jeff Wall Print Sets Canadian Record For A Photograph

From Photo District News :

Jeff Wall Photograph Fetches Artist Record $3.6 Million at Auction

"Dead Troops Talk (A vision after an ambush of a Red Army patrol, near Moqor, Afghanistan, winter 1986," 

A 1992 photograph by Jeff Wall sold for $3,666,500 yesterday evening during a Post-War and Contemporary art auction at Christie’s in New York City. The previous record sale for a work by Jeff Wall was $1.1 million.
The work “Dead Troops Talk (A vision after an ambush of a Red Army patrol, near Moqor, Afghanistan, winter 1986″ depicts a grisly scene in which Soviet Red Army soldiers killed by the Afghan mujahideen have come back to life and are conversing with one another.
The photograph, framed in a light box, was the first in an edition of two, with one artist’s print. The photograph has been in the collection of David and Geraldine Pincus, who acquired it from Marian Goodman Gallery in New York. The Pincus’s substantial collection formed a major part of the sale, which set a record for a Post-War and Contemporary art sale at $388.5 million, according to Christie’s.
The high lot in the sale was Mark Rothko’s “Orange, Red, Yellow,” which sold for $86.9 million, another record for a work from the Post-War period.
Three other photographs were included in the sale. A Richard Prince work that appropriated a Marlboro advertisement, “Untitled (Cowboys),” sold for $602,500. Cindy Sherman’s “Untitled #122″ sold for $206,500. And Nan Goldin’s “Ballad Triptych” sold for $218,500.

http://pdnpulse.com/2012/05/jeff-wall-photograph-fetches-artist-record-3-6-million-at-auction.html

Quote: Mark Twain

"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know, it's what we know for sure that just ain't so."

Ads On The Blog

Started using Ads on my blog today. I thought I would give this a advertising thing a try for a month or so to see if it generates any revenue that I can use towards the purchase of film. I figured why not, I am not sure much money will come out of it but heck it does not hurt to try. If I can get some free film this way it will be worth it. I need to find new ways to make extra money, every dollar will go back into the photography as it should. If I find I am making no money to buy film then I will just shut down the ads, nothing ventured nothing gained.

VAAA: Daily Visuals #5

Photo of Matt from the "Human Voices " show in the VAAA daily visuals blog.
http://visualartsalberta.blogspot.ca/2012/05/gerry-yaum-human-voices_08.html

Ebay: Sex Worker Box Set For Sale

I have a $3000 film bill coming do and am trying to raise some money with this box set for sale on Ebay. The limited box set is selling for a discounted (desperation) price of $349.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190675883325#ht_711wt_1398

VAAA: Daily Visuals #4

Photo of Long on the VAAA daily visuals blog.

http://visualartsalberta.blogspot.ca/2012/05/gerry-yaum-human-voices_05.html

Video: Monochrome Guild Spring Trip Videos

A few vids from the spring trip.

                                                                   

                                                           

                                                       

                                                             

Digi Shots From The Trip

Here are a few Digi shots from the trip.

Windy Point

Female bighorn sheep.

Windy Point #2.

Rob and Rob shooting with their view cameras.

Rob with his super sized tripod.

Holy Sh-t My Boots Are Falling Apart!

So there I am on my first day in the mountains I had just done some photos of some burnt out trees and was carrying my gear back to the truck along the roadside when I hurt the sound of scraping metal. I glanced down at my boots to see a big bent piece of metal hanging of the right boot. I looked the underside of the right boot and most of the rubber sole of the boot was gone, and the protective metal foot shaped plate had dislodged and became bent. I looked at the left boot and that boot also was missing most of the rubber sole! What the hell had happened? What was I going to do for the next 3 days with most the bottom of my two boots gone? I had brought only 1 pair of boots.

Had to tape together the right boot on the last day.

Right boot with only the foam underlay to walk on.

Both Boots damaged, not sure how!

My holy boots become a photo subject for the group members.

I wanted to make photos so I made the best I could with the boots I had. I ended up suffering through the first 2 days, 9 hours of wet feet on Saturday. Walking through snow and cold muddy water with no soles on you boots is not fun. My feet (especially) the right foot got very cold on day 2. I tried my best to trudge along and get as many photos as I could but I was constantly slipping on any kind of slope or smooth rock face. The 3rd day after I removed the metal piece on my right foot I stopped clanging on the concrete (like a disabled donkey) but I also lost framed support for the right boot (boot sort of turned to mush) so I had to tape it together to keep my foot from coming out. I sort of looked like a poor Jed Clampett with that white electrical tape holding my right boot together.

The one good thing about the ordeal was that I got to make fun of the boots when I was doing the group portrait which helped everyone relax, before the boot joking the guys were a bit stiff but after a little laugh they were much more relaxed, I think that will show in the portrait.

A good adventure, am glad I pushed my way through as best I could. Next time I will check the bottom of my boots before I leave and I will also take a second set of boots (rubber boots). I still do not know what happened as they were fairly new expensive steel toed boots and I had only worn them about 10 times, I think maybe I must have stepped in something corrosive at some point in months past and that corrosive stuff must have ate away at the rubber when I left the boots in the garage over the winter.

Anyway it was a bit of a fun adventure and I am sure photos of me looking rather silly will show up at some point or other. I just hope I got that group portrait shot!

Spring Weekend

Just came back from the spring weekend trip with the Monochrome Guild boys, six of us shared 2 cars and 2 rooms near Canmore Alberta. We spent one full day shooting in the mountains as well as a couple of driving days shooting. This was my first trip with the guys and I enjoyed myself, and also hopefully made a few good pics along the way. I managed to do both landscape photographs and also a group and a few individual portraits on the last day. Shot portraits for the first time in available light with the 5x7 and 210mm lens, the exposures were 1/8 at F11 and 1/8 at F16 so hopefully all went well on the technical part. I cannot develop any of the film yet as I have no working Jobo processor.

Weight Of 5x7 Kit!

Just weighed the 5x7 kit I am taking to the mountains tomorrow.

Linhof 5x7
Pentax Spotmeter
Filters
Metal Lens Hood
7-5x7 Holders
210mm Nikon Lens
120mm Nikon Lens
Dark Cloth
Cable Release
Measuring Tape
Backpack
Odds and Ends

Weighs 15.5 Pounds

Metal Tripod
Geared Head

Weighs 6.5 Pounds

My total kit in the field for walking or wheeling (the backpack has straps or wheels) weighs 22 pounds.

This trip and this equipment is a trial run for making photos in Thailand. I am not sure I can transport this much gear in the Thai heat. For doing the 5x7 or possible 8x10 portraiture in Thailand/Cambodia/Laos etc I might have to design and have built (in Thailand where it is cheaper) some kind of folding push/pull cart to carry everything.

Monochrome Guild Spring Outing

Tomorrow at 730am I am meeting 5 other members of the Monochrome Guild to go out and make photos in the Rocky Mountains. Every spring the group goes out on a joint trip to make pics, this is my first trip with the boys. The costs are split between the members, 3 guys to a room so it should not be to to expensive. The rooms in the parks are cheaper now also as its not the high season, I expect to pay about $30 a night.

I will shoot with the 5x7 Linhoff as I have plenty of outdated Tri-X dating back to 2008 and 2009 that I need to use up. I will take 2 lens a 210mm and 120mm, the spot meter, plus my Hasselblad Xpan.

Should be a blast making pics with the boys for 3 days and 2 nights. Hopefully I can make a few portraits of the boys also, have at least 2 guys willing to make pics together. I might also try to do a group shot.

Shot The 8x10 Deardorff

Was feeling bad yesterday going into my first photo session with dad for the "My Father At 80" portrait series. The Jobo breaking down and the $1000 added expense was a real downer. Once I got in the field with dad and started making pictures my negative mood eased up and after it was all said and done I was feeling quite good. Making pictures has always had this effect on me, it saves me from being a glum old gus, it helps me recover from the downs in life. Photography has always been a natural high for me, something that keeps me balanced and at peace with myself.

Shooting the 8x10 Deardorff for the first was a bit awkward but was also loads of fun. I felt all thumbs using the camera but boy was it a joy to work with. In the future as I get more and more experienced with this tool the photos will improve also. When I eventually get the money together and buy ANOTHER Jobo online I will develop the film from this shoot and then post it on the blog.

This was the first time I have ever shot an 8x10 camera in natural light doing portraits. Exposures with the 250mm Fujinon lens were at 1/4,1/8 andF16- F22 and 1/8. I placed dads face on Zone VI with Tri-X 8x10 sheet film rated at 200.

Jobo Processsor Down Again

Lost my 3rd Jobo processor tonight. I put hundreds of sheets of film through these things and when they work they work great but I have also had many problems, with the agitation motor, the pumps, the temp control. I did 60 sheets or so yesterday and after my first 10 today the motor that agitates the expert tanks holding the film stopped working.

Gosh I am already really struggling to get things paid for now, and now I have this machine break down again. I have to go online and pay another $1000 or so to track down my 4th machine.  I have around 300 sheets of undeveloped 8x10 and maybe 400 sheets of 4x5 left and no working processor, this hurts, down again.

I also have to pay for a large film order that runs another $3000. Looks like I will not be developing any sheet film for at least 1 month maybe longer. I need to not get to down (having problems sleeping thinking of all this money stuff), need to work my way through this slowly.

Going to do the first of dads "My Father At 80" series today at 3pm. I am excited about using dads Deardorff for the first time (can't develop the film yet!). I am also going shooting with the boys from the Monochrome Guild over the weekend. They do a spring shoot every year as a group before the hotel prices spike. There are 6 of us sharing expenses for a 3 day 2 night photo weekend so it should not cost to much. Making pictures always makes me feel good, looking forward to doing that and forgetting about this Jobo crap.

VAAA: Daily Visuals #3

Photo of Da and Sau from the "Human Voices " show in the VAAA daily visuals blog.


http://visualartsalberta.blogspot.ca/2012/05/gerry-yaum-human-voices.html

Canada 35mm Leica