aplumpton

<p>"Reflection"</p> <p>The two photographs are part of the series of sense of place, identity and nonmaterial collective memory and values. </p><div></div>

<p>Michael, I fully agree that Fred has captured the spirit of ethical and moral interactions in his Plowshare portfolio. The culture of that group (resident and staff member) is a good lesson for the larger culture (region, country, world). It is a very specific case and hopefully people whom become aware of it will not just pigeon hole it as something simply outside the overall ethics of the larger culture, which it is not.</p> <p>In this OP I used the term public ethic to characterize the culture, values and moral of larger societies (regions or countries) and not uniquely that of government ethics or the more specific ethics of public relations. Perhaps public is the wrong word to refer to the ethics of a total population. Each country has its own culture and definition of common ethics. All are faced today with the question of how to define their values in regard to world movements such as globalization, evolution of information technology, population movements, integration of immigrants, the relation to the third world, man’s effect on nature, and so on.</p> <p>Whether photography can be a factor in inciting its viewers to consider the state of culture and ethics is perhaps uncertain. I am sure of one thing, the need in these times to consider our profound common ethics and to verbalize and share them, in order to encourage just and wise actions of our elected citizens. In addition to verbal communication, images may be one way we photographers can possibly do that.</p> <p>So can a photographer communicate the non-material? There are some ways I think and one may be to refer to symbols that are or were a part of our culture and values. In my work this year on the non-material aspects of the idea of spirit of place I perceived or conceived some images that reflect on the immaterial, which I present below as examples of representing nonmaterial reflections.</p><div></div>

<p>Hi. If your brick shed can be made comfortable (good flooring, ventilation (passive ventilation light tight louvres are OK), heat source in winter and to regulate the temperature, dust free or easy to wash down walls and tables before working, good lighting for print viewing - you only need to blacken the walls adjacent to your enlarger) it may be a very pleasurable activity for you. A good stool is good to sit on when the print session is long. </p> <p>As you already had a darkroom you will know which equipment you may need, and today of course used darkroom equipment can be a bargain. Keeping dry areas and wet areas separate is important and any lack of water can be overcome by using bottled water (12 L water bottles with tap are available where I live) and temporary holding tanks (If you use resin coated paper you shouldn't leave prints in water for more than 5 minutes or they may separate the resin film from the underlying paper; fibre base is OK for much longer periods) can be used until you transfer the wet prints to your home for finishing of the print washing (where, of course, you can also prepare your solutions).</p> <p>Welcome and good luck. </p>

<p>Thanks for the research and varied subject examples of this film developer combination. As you say, there appears to be no evidence of bromide drag as can be caused if there is insufficient agitation. From a qualitative point of view (perhaps subjective on my part, and acknowledging that the sky is overcast and contrasts are less), are you happy with the tonal range? Would you not expect to see stronger whites and especially more widely differentiated grey tones, as seen in your other B&W images with different films and development?</p>

<p>Sami Uçan is a really gifted photographer and his eye is not only for cats. Thanks for showing the series.</p>

<p>A very charming photo of the little girl.</p> <p>Her position and the small shadow line under her left hand suggest that she is touching the bottom of the pool, yielding a slightly uneasy aspect to her plunge. I think it might be equally interesting in black and white.</p> <p>I bet that if ten persons were questioned on which of fifty photos was their choice of the one favorite photo, there would probably be at least seven different photos chosen. Perhaps that is the beauty of difference and subjective evaluation. </p>

<p>David, your conservation study and action is laudable. Perhaps it will entice others, even the very often heritage and architecture-blind city officials (I speak from some experience on that, as a former councillor).</p> <p>Built heritage is part of the collective memory which also includes non material heritage, but they are not tangible priorities in many regions, including my own, which has been occupied for more than 400 years (a short period perhaps for the Europeans or Middle Easters). I am working with an architect on projects to restore and rehabilitate two and three hundred year old agricultural buildings, some of which have no counterpart elsewhere, with the objective of generating interest to conserve these buildings before it is too late and to propagate some of the more unique architectural elements in more modern buildings of the region.</p> <p>I use my camera to photograph heritage architecture and its interesting elements, the occupied and decaying buildings and their relation to the landscape and to economic changes. The architects, heritage groups, the government culture department and public have some interest in that, where the councillors seem to have other fish to fry. Like all photographs, they cannot be forced on those who prefer not to look.</p> <p>As a researcher by profession I interact well with the aims of my architect friend, a noted heritage architecture professional. However worthy on a small scale, I am not ignorant of the fact that the result of our efforts will only have a small influence on the defining or redefining of the public ethic, which I believe requires much more broad base and less specialised inputs than that of heritage architecture conservation. And those inputs, if they are to occur, are more urgent. As a technolgist, I think that science and technology have outpaced man's ability to wisely organize his society and to live together. Hopefully sci and tech will take a back seat to other human initiatives.</p> <p>I am no expert on the subject, but my feeling is that what the public ethic is, or means, varies from individual to individual and seems somewhat undefined for many. That is expected, as consensus requires time, although the process requires elected officials and media to put it high on the list. Photography may aid that discussion when it occurs. Possibly one of the last times the public ethic was talked about in the press or appropriated by the public was in relation to the mid 20th century (it started earlier of course) Hollywood definition and diffusion of "The American Dream". That, "The New Deal", McCarthy, the 1968 uprising in France, anti-segregation and women's rights, to name only a few movements, seem to have reshaped the public ethic, long before neo-liberal globilization had an impact on our lives. Perhaps if it is back on the table in these changing times, photography may allow some examples for debate.</p> <p> </p>

<p>Tony, your questioning of some aspects of the public ethic in your town or city, and doing so with the camera, is a fine example of how citizens can seek change. Inner cities or old towns with narrow streets and limited parking space should not be considered like more recent suburbs. It may not be easy, but perhaps if you were able to turn your camera on other UK towns or cities where (albeit small) carless public spaces have been created that may be interesting to contrast with your situation, especially if the former images show engaging and relaxed human activity in those spaces.</p> <p>My first short term job was in Buffalo, New York, where my apartment was in a sprawling suburban area in which no sidewalks (pavements) existed. The shopping area was only a half mile away but separated by a traffic artery. Walking there was a challenge and the use of the car almost essential. Perhaps photographs may have persuaded some town councillors to reflect on that.</p> <p>At about the same time public photographs in a nearby city (Toronto) which I then inhabited helped in persuading the city to stop planning and execution of a central expressway (Spadina). That type of interaction has been seen in many other communities, either Old World or New. The image, and the visual prediction and modelling of changes before they can occur, can be powerful arguments for and against. </p>

<p>Alan, I am sure that topics such as where we live can convey some elements of a public ethic and a photograph, whether beautiful or not, can also do that. I have spent some time recently in documenting and interpreting subjects within my own small region and one of the outcomes may be to communicate to others my perception of some aspects of a public ethic (photos related to identity, memory, nature of daily activities, rituals). While unfinished and mainly in the form of prints, I may think of making a slideshow at some point.</p> <p>There are different overlays of human activity that we see when we point our lens at our subjects. Some may be those "layers" we wish to define or redefine as important in our public ethic, while others we may prefer to abandon or make less important within the (evolving) ethic. Many long for the good old days, viewpoints that helped to make Brexit successful in the UK, but things change and any agreeable aspects of former times have to be reinterpreted in respect of changes, while perhaps retaining core values. What those are, are perhaps things that are not completely shared by all, and certainly not portrayable by photography alone, but we are a very visual population and we respond to information in images as well as texts or sounds (commerce realized that a long time ago).<br /> <br /> .</p>

<p>Howard, I appreciate the power of words, which reach many of those who take the time to read and digest them, but sometimes simple visual communication of values can contribute as well, especially when video and illustrations are so easily and rapidly communicated by modern communication.</p> <p>I share some of your approach to photography as a non-career pursuit. Your career focused on some aspects of a a public ethic, so I wonder also if you ever came across the the use of photography or similar visual messaging in that cause?</p>

<p>Jochen, interesting statement on "changing the ethics". Perhaps the ethics are already known and don't need any changing, yet in some cases have been put aside? Perhaps photography can contribute to their restatement, consideration or priorizing within our communities (maybe I am dreaming a little)? </p>

<p>Fred, thank you. This is an excellent example, one for fellow photographers to be inspired by. In fact, it had crossed my mind while I wrote the OP that much of your work has that ethic and this example of your interest in that community and those supporting and caring for it ties in perfectly with what can be considered as part of a public ethic. From the ground up is one way to influence those in government and elsewhere, something important in these times when various political parties throughout the world seem to have lost some of their original intents are being compelled to reassess their place within their communities. If photography at the ground level can present certain aspects of the question and influence or contribute to the public ethic I guess that is something positive. </p> <p>I don't have examples as well focused as yours and have tried only to date to communicate in my photos certain understandings of or values associated with my own community. If this OP gains further examples and interest I will find a few that may reflect on the issue.</p> <p>. </p>

<p>Following the last post, I think it is interesting that despite the great reduction in compact camera sales, the CIPA review is cited by the link as showing "Total sales (of DSLR and mirrorless) are roughly at levels they were a decade ago."<br /> <br /> Another factor is somehow forgotten in all of this. The world population has increased in that period, and in particular, the commensurate higher proportion of middle class in the third world, that has access to such goods, might have been expected to increase sales markedly rather than decrease them. Demographics could well be factored in to this data. </p>

<blockquote> <p>Arty for the more serious photographers...perhaps.</p> </blockquote> <p>Not really, simply greater possibilities for the craft, and its expression.</p>

<p>Hello Norman. An economic reply, but the OP did request a little more insight, as in "....or not, and why?"</p>

<p>It is hard to be a citizen of the world or of a smaller community, and a photographer attempting to explore and portray a personal perception of what he sees about him or her, and not also be aware of the important changes occurring today on various continents, including populist movements and leaders of the right or left in various countries and their apparent questioning of regional identities and the neo liberal global economy that in some instances ignores what they feel as the needs of the citizen.</p> <p>Some thinkers, like the 20th century politician Robert Kennedy, understood the need of defining a public ethic and the role of society in serving all of its citizens. But I do not suggest here a conversation on philosophy or politics, which is not expected on this photography site, but seek instead your thoughts on the question of whether photography (yours) can have a positive continuing and important roll to play in bringing the question of a defined or redefined public ethic to the attention of those in your immediate community, region or nation.</p> <p>We can of course site examples of photojournalists or other professional photographers who have captured scenes that reflect on the public ethic or on certain public causes. But that is not the main intention of my question. Instead, can you, a sometime photographer (or maybe a full time professional), not only take pleasure in creating intriguing or beautiful images, but present visually some elements of your perception of a public ethic that you would like to see defined or enhanced in your own community, region, nation or even the world?</p> <p>One can of course be inspired by existing photographs of this sort, but is it for you a valuable or worthwhile roll for a citizen and photographer, or not, and why? If you feel that your photography can be a medium to better define, re-define or communicate a sustainable public ethic, do you have thoughts on that and can you give some examples of it?</p>

<p>General classifications of photography type like sports or PJ or architecture or night photography or animals may be useful directions if I were to need some stimulus, but very much better I think are specific subjects or themes in feeding my interest and arousing my curiosity. These are not equipment or technique related but mainly specific subject or theme related. One does not need to look far as there are thousands of such subjects and themes in our lives and our surroundings that can arouse our interest and subordinate practice to passion.</p>

<p>Any creative activity requires effort and imagination. Once you have done a number of things that now seem just repetition, perhaps you need to regenerate your own sense of curiosity. We all get in a rut at times and that is when effort, imagination and a desire to explore is key to change. Expose yourself (no pun intended) to new venues and experiences, such as courses, museum visits, theatre, new sports or hobbies, discovery channel programs, new friends, and the list goes on of stimuli that can help regenerating curiosity and passion. I'm not trying to be pedantic here but simply provide what I sometimes need to do myself.</p> <p>Personally, I needed to expand my photography and other interests last year and so blended it with my interest in the sense of place that was part of my other interests in local history, collective memory and heritage architecture. The result was some writing and several days (over months) of photography related to my chosen theme. Some 50 photographs in different themes and their texts formed an exhibition that ran 2 and one half months this year and allowed some good interaction with others who live in this place and bring their own sense ir spirit of it, plus a handful or two of sales of framed images. The excitement continues and even though the photography is limited to a fairly small region (no need for expensive travelling or search for possibly more exotic subjects), I look forward to improving the work next year. </p>

<p>As Brian and others say, to minimize or simply control degree of reflections. Used on same filter size lenses between 35 and 135 mm. Not usually worried by uneven effect with very WA lenses when shots do not include the sky. It is not permanently attached to my lens in use, only added in those fairly rare cases where reflections yield unwanted glare or cause unsaturated colors (unsaturated is not the right word as the colors are always there, but just diminished by the reflections) as Ray mentioned for re-enhanced colors.</p>

<p>Perhaps it is important to add other requirements than simply "compatible with the most amount of lenses", and to also give the responders an idea of the type of photography (subject matter) you intend to pursue. For instance some makes have more choices than others of fisheye or macro lenses, or very long fast telephoto optics. Are your needs more focussed than that?<br> Also "35 mm camera" covers a fairly wide range of types and knowing what type of camera (digital, film, mirrorless, rangefinder, DSLR or DSLR) would narrow the field a bit, also what specific camera qualities you require that might limit the lens choices as well.</p>

<p>You might want to look at somewhat more objective reviews, like that of Popular Photography: www.popphoto.com/lens-test-rokinon-21mm-f-1.4</p> <p> </p>

<blockquote> <p>One could easily interpret the one year of growth as the aberration.</p> </blockquote> <p><br /> <br /> I accept that you probably produced your graph accurately, but it shows two years, and not one, of no diminishing of sales. An aberration?</p> <p>What I believe to be important is that in the recent three years (your graph) the average overall loss of sales per year is but roughly 6% (+6 + 0.x -12). This is a very small average annual loss in recent years, and nothing at all when compared to the great loss in the DSLR sales.</p> <p>So why the difference, if both DSLR and mirrorless are possibly both affected by smartphone photography or possibly some saturation of the market for their products?</p> <p>One should expect both to be hit equally and they are not. One explanation might be that while new photographic means are one apparent reason for causing diminished sales of the larger system cameras, the mirrorless appears to be doing a lot better and may well capture more of the traditional DSLR buyers (excepting some professional photographers or advanced amateurs who need tried and true DSLR to go with their current arsenal of expensive objectives).</p> <p>Whether or not that happens is anybody's guess. Having used both DSLR and RF systems, I found some recent mirrorless systems to cause me to advantageously revise the type of equipment I use and I now use FF mirrorless for 80% of my work. Others may have different needs.</p>

<p>We share the same interests. If you have several rolls of HIE, may I suggest using one (or part of one) to test the ISO you usually set, perhaps also by cutting it by 1/2 and 1/4 on each chosen subject. </p>

<p>David, HIE, like other IR films (Konica, Sakura, Maco, etc.) should be kept cool and are in any case not very long lasting after the expiry date. I have in my freezer some HIE and mainly Konica 750 from 10 years ago that I may experiment with but I don't expect miracles. Cosmic rays apparently affect the more usually used panchromatic B&W films after long periods (10 or more years, I think). As Charles Monday indicates, the effects are mainly in regard to speed loss and fogging. Thanks to him for some very useful guidelines that are not often seen.</p>