What is your "Personal Project" these days?

[daniel_grenier]

Often times, many of you mention that you are working on a "personal

project". I'm intrigued by that as rarely is that elaborated upon. I,

for one, would be interested in reading your personal

project "stories" - especially from 8x10 users (like me).

 

So what are you working on now? How do you finance it? How much time

do you spend on it? What are you planning to do with it? etc...

 

My current project is to try and capture a unique region near where I

live - villages, buidings, landscape etc. I expect to shoot over 250

8x10s. It's all self-financed (out of my "real" job) and the intent

is to mount a 35-40 print show with the hope of offsetting costs

through sales or grants. That'll take several months and a lot of

money but whatever the results, the mere fact that I am "out there"

with my 8x10 is reward enough for me.

 

So what's your project?

[donald_miller1]

I have two projects ongoing at this time. Both are related yet separate in the scope of regional location.

 

My first is entitled "Exodus" and involves a depiction of the Volga German immigration and settlements in the Post Rock region of Kansas. This is all being shot with 4X5 because I was not sure at the outset of the print sales potential apart from the publication of a photographic essay that I hope to realize. This is all self funded.

 

My second project involves 8X10 and 12X20 work on the small towns along dying or discontinued railroads here in Kansas. This will be a body of work that at this time involves only prints with no immediate thoughts for publication. Again this is self funded.

 

While a dilution of effort may seem counterproductive to some, I find that it works very well for me in that if I have a day or two interspersed among other work then I can spend it on the latter project. If I have 4-7 days, then I plan on spending it in the area of the first project.

[aaron_rocky]

Make an adapter to put a Minox on the back of 8x10.

[skygzr]

I've recently become interested in abstracts. I don't know if it will graduate to the "project" phase but I seem to see them wherever I go these days.

[john_kasaian1]

Large format aerials of every 14,000ft. mountain peak in North America, starting with those in California. Its a wintertime project which I pay for out of pocket. Besides the spectacular scenery, I find the technical aspects are quite interesting, especially when operating on a shoestring budget. Any chance of making bucks?---who cares! Its Fun!

[nomennescio]

Levitation... The idea of objects floating in mid air struck me a

couple of years ago and I've been making pictures on and off

since then. I call the series Est Deus In Nobis, (a latin quote by

Ovid 43 bc - 18 ad) that means there's a god in us. He was

talking about poetic inspiration. I think it adds a interesting

dimension to the pictures. The plan is to have an exhibition

eventually. If you're interested some of the pictures can be seen

at

http://www.photo.net/photodb/presentation?presentation_id=207

316

And no, no photoshop involved.

[sam_crater]

John, beware that in Colorado we have a number of 14ers that are as dull as dirt.

 

A worthy endeavor though. Good luck.

[paulr]

This is a very good question. At a seminar this summer, top pros recommended to always shoot with projects in mind. Reduces the point and shoot factor and gives meaning to one's photography. Shooting locally in the area where you live was another point.

 

I think defining a project is the most difficult portion of the project.

 

 

With that said, my projects are photographing the workers of the Rogue River and Valley in S. Oregon. A long term project I am working on is "Planet of Forgotten People" (this project is copywrited)

 

Self funded as I have a day job. I will publish it on the web and someday in the form of a book. Books are the best marketing tools around. Not necessarily money makers though. Dosen't matter, but most of the photography is being done with Leica M's.

 

Lots of interesting posts so far. I hope this is a lengthy thread.

[bob_moulton7]

Two projects, both 4x5 b/w. One is abstracts--looking at household/garage items in terms of design, not utility. The second is architectural and maybe abstract. An old theatre exists in my city that dates to the late 19th century. it has a raked stage--back in those days upstage and downstage had geormetric references!--and is various stages of disarray. Too much to rehab it, too little available. I hope to devote some time--Fridays after I finish teaching--to exploring it.

 

Bob

[tim_atherton2]

"With that said, my projects are photographing the workers of the Rogue River

and Valley in S. Oregon. A long term project I am working on is "Planet of

Forgotten People" (this project is copywrited)"

 

Don't know about the US - I'm pretty sure the it's the same - but in Canada "Titles" (along with short phrases etc) aren't copyright protected... :-) You need to Trademark it. Nor are "concepts" as such

 

hmmm - now that's and intersting title... just what I was looking for ;-)

[vince_pulvirenti]

First on my list is to clean the darkroom, then retest T-max 400 8x10 for film speed and development time.

Sept. 20 I'll be going west (from Michigan) to Monument valley, Canyonlands, Arches and natual bridges, perhaps a side trip or two to Canyon DeChelly, Etc. to photograph with the 8x10. on the way home I plan to stop in Durango to ride the Durango & Silverton train.

Then when I return home I'll do a lot of processing and printing.

[raymond_bleesz]

Dan,

 

Nice question. Although I have several things going on at once, one particular project has my interest which initially occured awhile back and which needs to be jump started again and has been on my mind.

 

I started a portraiture project--4x5, Polaroid T55PN, strobes, portable backdrop. The portraits were of Hispanics, worker bees here in Vail, Colorado. A Hispanic businessman would rent out the town's ice arena and musical bands from down under would perform for the hispanic community------a night of dancing & beer drinking. It is one of the few opportunities for the Hispanic community here in this resort ski town (WASP) to congreate The Hispanics would pay top dollar for enterance fees, dress to the tilt with gold, boots, hats, fancy shirts, doing their Mocho stuff. I would take tight portraits of Hombres, couples, girlfriends,etc, etc--perhaps akin to Avadon some have said. Now that I have broken the ice, I plan to continue in another venue & eventually, print large images of these portraits, perhaps look for an exhibition opportunity in Denver or elsewhere.

Doing the portraits in the ice arena was a technical challenge due to several factors---I'm not Spanish able, the arena was blacked out & stage lighing for the band provided the most light, the noise level was extreme, stage smoke was part of the gig, and the event went 'til 1 am.

 

Perhaps there is a little Lewis Hine or Avadon in my in my approach, but as an Anglo, if feel that there is unique substance in my project.

The Hispanic community here in this resort community is unappreciated, misunderstood, taken advantage of, and their culture is being basterdized. The Hispanic culture, cattle & sheep raising, to Colorado History predates Vail as a ski town.

Adios.

[jnorman2]

i am documenting a series of major bridges along oregon's coast highway for a national historic landmark nomination. i am also working on a new book about the bridges of portland oregon. mucho fun!<div></div>

[gary_meader]

I've got something going for a while now. It seems in my area-

northwest- we're losing all the small town white beautiful little

churches in favor of these huge, 3 acre, pack 'em in, 7-11 looking

things. In times past, these churches were a big part of the

community. They served as meeting places, houses of worship

and even helped guide farmers back to town after a day's work in

the fields. The architecture styles also helped new arrivals

understand the nationality of the part of town in which they were

settling. No more. And while I've seen a book like this, it was

basically a collection of outside portraits. My idea is to get inside

to show the character and wood worn by generations of use.

Things like that. The goal? Maybe a book. I dunno. But

someone should preserve these American icons. Maybe me.

[david_goldfarb]

I've been doing a fair number of B&W architecturals in New York in a variety of formats that seem to be turning into a series, and recently I've been looking a lot at the stretch of a few blocks under this viaduct, which is right behind my apartment.<p>

 

For more go to <a href="http://www.echonyc.com/~goldfarb/photo">http://www.echonyc.com/~goldfarb/photo</a>, click "enter" and go to the first gallery called "Some Places in New York."<p><div></div>

[sk_arts]

"The Architecture of Recreation" (and my spelling)

 

I am facinated by how much money goes into the structures intended for recreation, and the form and innovation of playground equiptment. The architecture of parks, sports facilities, plygrounds has a profound effect on our urban landscape which is often times forgotten.

[bruce_barlow]

Several projects are underway here at Honey Hill in New Hampshire.

 

I have a continuing project of photographing our land. We live in the middle of 150 acres of woods. 4x5 and 8x10. I call it "Finding the Soul of a Place." It's really hard.

 

A 2 week trip back to my hometown outside Chicago in late September will have me photographing along the way. Particular interest in small farms.

 

"Woods of the World" is a series of photographs of trees and wood in Andros Island, Bahamas, New Mexico, and here in New England. It's a tongue-in-cheek title, since I'm also a woodworker who buys wood from a store of the same name. Have the first two, and doing New England now.

 

I've also been delivering work to the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, of which I am a newly-juried member. They inspect my first three "shipments" of work for their retail galleries to make sure I didn't pull a fast one on them. Good quality control. It's been a useful stimulus to finish work, including mats, signatures, an inventory system, and descriptive tags. Enjoyable.

 

All self-funded. Mostly an excuse to get out photographing, and a prompt to take work to completion. The focus (no pun intended) on specific subject matter seems to help.

 

Friends who have a retail store here in Keene want me to put a show in their window. I plan to have it there for Pumpkin Fest in late October.

 

Am also getting ready for the holiday season, when I make a lot of 4x5 Polaroid portraits as fundraisers for local worthy causes, as well as for pocket change. Just finished preparing 500 8x10 window mats with backing boards in plastic bags. A great rainy-day activity... Glad it's done.

[barry_trabitz]

Cemetaries, Sinagua ruins, Anasazi structures Stone rings, Ancient forts, Tombs. A tentative title for the project,"Those That Came Before". This is one of the translations of the Native American word "Anasazi".

 

The project started about 20 years ago, when I began to use LF. As I am almost 70 I figure I have another 20 to complete the project. The pleasure is in the doing not necessarily in the finishing.

 

Barry Trabitz

[lex_jenkins]

For the past few years I've been documenting a particular type of architecture in North Central Texas that I *should* be doing in LF or, at least, MF using a field camera. For reasons of economy and convenience, tho', I'm using 35mm gear.

 

At some point I will have to break down and rent or borrow a 4x5 to shoot one or two favorite buildings for this project. For now that's impractical, tho'. I'm shooting this out of pocket right now in hopes of getting funding to finish the project. If the 35mm slides catch the eye of a prospective publisher, grants organization, etc., then we'll see about reshooting some of the structures on larger film.

[gene m]

Wooden churches. There are still a few that haven't been vinyl sided. Yuck.

[jason_greenberg_motamedi]

For a little over a year now I have been making Daguerreotype portraits. I am to the

point where I feel that I understand the technique and can produce predictable

results, but am very far from mastery. I have just (with the advice from members of

this forum) finished building a powerful fluorescent lighting system in my studio,

which will allow me to take indoor portraits.

[ole_tjugen]

I used to dream of traveling to exotic locations and taking fabulous pictures.

 

So now I try to take fabulous prictures of the exotic location that is my home: West Norway.

 

I also play around with alternative processes, but for now that's just play...

[richard baznik]

I've been photographing a five-lake urban/suburban park system near my home in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, for several years, using 4x5 and MF B&W. Self-financed. I have no idea when (if ever) I'll finish this, but I plan to start a web site for the images in the next year.

[jnanian]

These days ... not much time for personal projects, except for family portraits.

The 6 years previous to this, I was documenting the city squares and "endangered"

buildings in Somerville, MA. I was making hand stitched books at "cost" and donating

them to the public library for their local history room. Unfortunately, they need to

divert my funding to other areas of the library - so I won't be able to record the last

2-3 squares for a while. I was using 4x5 B&W and the last one I did was all 5x7

contacts.

 

When I get a little more time, and maybe a grant from the state coucil of the arts here

in Rhode Island, I hope to document the Olde State Turnpikes, Stage Coach Stops &c

as well as all the Main Streets in the state. Luckily, Rhode Island is pretty small,

otherwise it might take a lifetime! :)

[robert fox]

I've been contemplating taking photographs of structures and places that meant something to me as a child - my parents first home, my grandparents home, my elementary school, my favorite neighborhood park, the railroad tracks on the edge of town, etc., etc. ....

 

Of course they will mean the most to me, but I guess that's why I am into this passion of LF photography. It's kinda' nice being able to do it strictly for myself and nobody else. Of course, I pay for it out of my own pocket .....