I came up with up with ANOTHER very ambitious photo idea while in the bath before work today (seems I do some of my best thinking there) The idea even has a working name "In Buddha's Path". This photo series is connected to my study of the work the ULF format photographer (uses 14x20 Deardorff) Kenro Izu. One photo by Izu of a Thai monk in an open space started me thinking of doing a large series of photographs on the subject of the Buddhist faith
Some of the Asia wide (Thai, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, India, Nepal, Tibet) possible subjects for the "In Buddha's Path"series include:
- Monk/Nun Portraits (8x10 - 11x14 format)
- Temples (16x20 format)
- Buddhist alters (11x14 format)
- Historic Buddhist sites (16x20 - 12x20 format)
- Ceremonies (8x10 and up)
- Praying/Meditation/The Faithful (8x10 - 11x14 format)
I would use the proposed new camera the Chamonix 16x20 or 14x17 for this project. With reducing backs I would access to other format sizes depending on the composition/subject. I could do 16x20, 12x20, 8x20, 7x17 and 11x14. I would also have my 8x10, 5x7 and 4x5 camera possibilities (that's a hell of a lot of film sizes!). The idea would then be to print all these large format negs (or digital negative versions) onto Platinum/Palladium paper.
I have never done platinum printing before but I feel it is in my future, it is just too beautiful not to do. After seeing the wonderful work Donald McCullin did on platinum at the National Gallery exhibition a few years back, I need to do it. I fell in love with the platinum wonderful long range tonal look.
All of this is long in the future. I need to learn platinum printing, get a high end UV printer with print vacuum capability (not a cheapo shitty home made model). I would also have to buy a ULF camera, holders, lens, tripod etc etc. So this is a long long long way from a series I can jump into but the possibility of the photographs that could be made is very exciting. This project would be very expensive to do, so I would have to make some money from print sales, grants and exhibition artist fees etc. Working security alone will not give me enough funding to pay for everything. A project like this is more viewer friendly so print sales is a real possibility. No one wants to hang a harsh naked lady boy sex worker photo over their kitchen table but a photo of a platinum print of a beautiful Buddhist temple in the jungles of Laos? Sure why not!
If this series happens I would slowly build towards it. Get the ULF camera, tripod and 1 lens first. I could do pictures as possible, and go from there. Maybe at first I could just just silver gelatin fibre prints before eventually moving up to Platinum-Paladium prints in my golden years of life, hmm, in my Platinum years of life!
Update* I wonder if my heavy duty Majestic tripod can handle the weight? That would save on buying a heavy expensive Reis tripod for now.
Update** I think it would be important to incorporate people in this project as much as possible. The heart and soul of Buddhism is after all the people who follow it, the monks, nuns and faithful.
Some of the Asia wide (Thai, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, India, Nepal, Tibet) possible subjects for the "In Buddha's Path"series include:
- Monk/Nun Portraits (8x10 - 11x14 format)
- Temples (16x20 format)
- Buddhist alters (11x14 format)
- Historic Buddhist sites (16x20 - 12x20 format)
- Ceremonies (8x10 and up)
- Praying/Meditation/The Faithful (8x10 - 11x14 format)
I would use the proposed new camera the Chamonix 16x20 or 14x17 for this project. With reducing backs I would access to other format sizes depending on the composition/subject. I could do 16x20, 12x20, 8x20, 7x17 and 11x14. I would also have my 8x10, 5x7 and 4x5 camera possibilities (that's a hell of a lot of film sizes!). The idea would then be to print all these large format negs (or digital negative versions) onto Platinum/Palladium paper.
I have never done platinum printing before but I feel it is in my future, it is just too beautiful not to do. After seeing the wonderful work Donald McCullin did on platinum at the National Gallery exhibition a few years back, I need to do it. I fell in love with the platinum wonderful long range tonal look.
All of this is long in the future. I need to learn platinum printing, get a high end UV printer with print vacuum capability (not a cheapo shitty home made model). I would also have to buy a ULF camera, holders, lens, tripod etc etc. So this is a long long long way from a series I can jump into but the possibility of the photographs that could be made is very exciting. This project would be very expensive to do, so I would have to make some money from print sales, grants and exhibition artist fees etc. Working security alone will not give me enough funding to pay for everything. A project like this is more viewer friendly so print sales is a real possibility. No one wants to hang a harsh naked lady boy sex worker photo over their kitchen table but a photo of a platinum print of a beautiful Buddhist temple in the jungles of Laos? Sure why not!
If this series happens I would slowly build towards it. Get the ULF camera, tripod and 1 lens first. I could do pictures as possible, and go from there. Maybe at first I could just just silver gelatin fibre prints before eventually moving up to Platinum-Paladium prints in my golden years of life, hmm, in my Platinum years of life!
Update* I wonder if my heavy duty Majestic tripod can handle the weight? That would save on buying a heavy expensive Reis tripod for now.
Update** I think it would be important to incorporate people in this project as much as possible. The heart and soul of Buddhism is after all the people who follow it, the monks, nuns and faithful.
