Analog Photography Project Aims to Slow Things Down

<p>This sounds like it has the potential to produce some interesting results.</p>

<p>http://www.wired.com/rawfile/2011/10/back-to-basics-analog-photography-project-aims-to-slow-things-down/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher</p>

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<p>People can't slow themselves down? They need external controls? I have gone to take a photo and taken exactly one with a digital camera and a phone. It's not that hard, it doesn't take a camera and a project.</p>

<p>These kinds of things always make me think of serving people over-cooked steak in an attempt to make them get in the habit of chewing their food longer.<br /><br />People will slow down if they want to, not because they're handed slower tools. I'd <em>love</em> to slow down more. I don't usually have time, though I do know how to use my equipment as slowly as I see fit.</p>

<p>Mopping my darkroom slowed me down. I don't think it contributed anything to the quality of my photographs. The way this project is set up what is slowing people down are the rules and self discipline, and those could be applied with any sort of gear. If it's important for the gear to cause the slow down then they should process and print the film themselves, or better yet shoot collodion plate. </p>

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<p>To call it "analog" photography is clear evidence that they are not thinking correctly.</p>

<p>It's been done, even here.</p>

<p>For chewing your food longer, look up Horace Fletcher, the "Great Masticator".</p>

 

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<p>People can't slow themselves down? They need external controls?</p>

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<p>You hear that same non-logic all the time from film adherents, medium format adherents, manual focus lens adherents, and large format adherents.</p>

<p>Discipline is discipline, and deliberately hobbling someone who doesn't have it is simply introducing "frustration" into the artistic process. "Transparent" tools and a disciplined artist, that is the engine of creation.</p>

 

<p>As a creative exercise, I think it is a valid idea. One which might produce interesting, if disjointed, results. I especially like the concept of one photo per person; the camera type and speed are really inconsequential if you're only taking one exposure. As for discipline...if you're behind the wheel of a fast car—odds are, you're more likely to drive fast (or maybe that's just me).</p>

<p>I took part in just such an exercise started here on PN a few years ago. After 36 people had signed up 'Travelling Cam' - a Fuji throwaway camera I seem to remember - set out on its great round the world adventure. It got to me after a few weeks and I took a shot and sent it on. I never heard any more about it. So either Travelling Cam got lost in the world wide postal system and is still out there somewhere or the shots were all so dire that they were never published.</p>

<p>Anyway good luck to the project.</p>

<p>An AE-1? What a bunch of wimps! Now if you really want to slow things down wet plate is the way to go. Load everything in a horse drawn wagon and don't forget the flash powder.</p>

<p>The concept fine. The reasoning is faulty. I believe we are discussing two separate mediums who bear a superficial resemblance to each other. My photography got better, more contemplative, with the advent of digital. I was able to 'rest' my photo, think about it, and then continue to 'develop' it in an editor.<br>

I am constitutionally incapable of producing art in a fraction of a second. There are those who can, but I am not one of them. For me, silver based photography forced me to react to unfolding situations and then severely limited my ability to develop my thoughts and reactions to the situation further. for me, Silver based photography was too fast, digital has slowed me down some. The assumption that silver is slower for all is faulty.</p>