Jonathan Yee Blogs

While much dwells on results, I also think what matters is the process. Which intrinsically means spending time in a dynamic way for achieving a static result. As an aside, the result itself can provide for another process; however, it can surely be said that one is handicapped from the get-go if the process is faulty. In the arts, I believe that if the process in creating or performing art is enjoyable, so will its reception. I find this saying particularly app: To travel well is more important than to arrive [1].

One short take, for which I’ve been spending a good time on, is photography. I work on honing my skills as I feel it’s important to be able express oneself effectively in this art. As the Chinese indicate “A picture is worth ten thousand words” (Chinese culture considers 10,000 as a mind-boggling number), perhaps it’ll save a lot of time explaining oneself, but perhaps more importantly it provides for delivering a compelling message.

What’s involved in this photographic process is, of course, the camera. I believe the type of camera matters. If you don’t enjoy your camera, you’re likely to take lousy pictures and waste a lot people’s time and likely run them worse for the experience. It is difficult to overcome a resultant bias. Students may be forgiven, but if you don’t work on improving, you will get nowhere or will hit a glass ceiling. For me, the photographic process involves removing the non-essentials, the distractions and anything that gets in the way until one can truly focus on the task at hand to capture the moment. Upon its fleeting appearance, and as fast as one’s nervous-mechanical systems allow, one must pull the trigger instantly upon the arrival of the moment. This is a very intentional process, there’s little to no room for hiccups and there can be no hesitation. This can be relative, of course, as some subjects or lighting have longer time constants, however, you’ll know when you have your process down pat when find that the hunt is just as much fun as the trophy. Even more so when the stakes are higher.

I’ve found portability, free from care of the last charge, say relative independence from a battery or power source – a time period say of several months – high quality lenses, a solid, ergonomic camera that isn’t distracting, and an agreeable workflow to be conducive to producing pleasing artwork. My favorite is the mechanical Leica M film cameras. They are built like guns – simple, to the point and all business. In the heat of the moment, the Leica stays out of the way and does your bidding, instantly. To work with this legendary brand, the founder of 35mm photography, is a much enjoyable process. These Leicas don’t excuse themselves for a dead battery, have minimal shutter-lag, provide no opportunity for the nasty, time wasting habit of chimping over the back of the camera monitor and, of course, their film image quality is second to none[2].

But a Leica may not suit everybody. I believe that although that the aforementioned points do matter, it is to what extent you can find a camera and workflow process that works for you and is enjoyable. And, if you really want to improve yourself, examine what’s getting in the way of you taking good pictures, and do something about it. Perhaps it may not be Leica and the film process but also ever being on the look out for trying new steps in the process to deliver effective photos. Are you giving thought about whether the process is working for you; moreover, is it enjoyable? Are the results compelling? A picture is worth 10,000 words, but it does take effort to see that your 10,000 words make sense and that it does happen.

Notes:

1. Attributed to Buddha.
2. Shutter lag for a mechanical M is about 16ms. Its digital M9 counterpart is 80ms. Other digital cameras are likewise significantly slower. Source: Wikipedia.

Generally, and quite most of the time, I find that Costco scans can be used as-is. I don’t like spending time on the computer doing Photoshop or Capture NX trying to fix a digital image. However, I’ve found that scanner manufacture and operator settings can result in different interpretations of one’s film. Using a different scanner for a particular effect should be a matter of choice. For reference here is a comparison of three different scanner’s, Noritsu (Costco), Fuji (Longs Drugs), and Nikon 9000ED and their results of scanning Portra 160, 35mm film (click on Flickr link below)*:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hawaiiankava/5935592269/in/set-72157627202248584/lightbox/

There are perhaps three ways of looking at this: (1) the facts that there are so many interpretations can be unsettling to some as a lack of consistency in scanning services; (2) reasoned choices or calls for adjustment can be made for suitable results; and, (3) this is an indication of the richness of film to allow for masterpiece or mess-up or on average a very acceptable result. Film is rich because it allows a lot of options for interpretation.

*The image was captured on a Leica M6 (chrome) with 50mm Summilux ASPH, handheld.

Costco Hawaii kai has some nice leather couches to relax in while waiting for their one-hour photo to do my development (c-41) and scans (noritsu) of 35mm film. I normally carry my iPad2 and/or nook simple touch with a pair of etymotics hf3 to pass the time. This is forced but relaxing down time in a pleasant, partial skylit, a/c environment. It is a privilege of belonging to the peoples’ club.

Later I will pay less than $5 for the service, take my DVD home or Barnes & Noble that has free wifi, and review the scans on my macbookpro using Aperture. I generally don’t do any mods on the scans as they’ve been consistenty good on overall balance. Maybe out of a 36-exposure film roll, I might average two or three keepers that I’d upload to Facebook and/or flickr.

Then a bit of house keeping. The negs go into a file cabinet, envelop and all, as-is from Costco, in chronological order. And the digital photo files are stored on a portable hard drive, and backed up by Timemachine – a free Apple application that comes with the O/S- and still larger hard drive.

One thing about this workflow is that I have to apply myself is to consistently and better categorize all my photos on Aperture and Flickr. It appears that the metadata entered in Aperture does not get uploaded with Flickr.

Looks like time to walk over from my couch to the Costco photo counter…. Stopped by Longs Hawaii kai to redo the scans to compare their fuji scanner against costco’s noritsu. Results from the fuji will take overnight in-store and be ready tomorrow by noon, but I’ll drop by later after work.

Why do I like film?

Answers:

• Image quality. Film technology is current with the recent introductions of Portra 160/400, Ektar 100, to name a few. Skin tones and general color are all natural or pleasing, the look is organic – which is to say it looks like the image is something straight from nature v. digital which looks manufactured, and the recent emulsions are digital-ready. That is, they scan well [1]. Sure, much digital manipulation can be done with digital captures to simulate the look of film, but that means there’s a cost to this. To me it’s the time spent trying to get that satisfying look of film. Why not keep it simple? Shoot film, send it to the lab for development & scanning, and you’re done. The short talk: Shoot film in Portra, personally I’d overexpose a stop, and you’ll be blown away by the best skin tones ever! The job of a good photographer is to make people look good – film does this quite naturally with little or no fuss.

• The great film cameras, i.e., the ones having large success and/or market penetration, are direct and to the point. You will not (1) have to deal with a lot of buttons that might get accidentally pressed, (2) have to wade through numerous menus of a digital camera, (3) have to carry around power supplies or deal with power hungry appetites of a digital camera system; however, you will (4) have to use your mind with great intent on composition and capturing the moment, which will more likely produce better, more effective images, and in the end provide for more satisfying personal and economic results. Then (5) film cameras in large part are bargains. For example, as of this writing, one can find a used Nikon FM for under $200, a Hasselblad 500cm for under $500, or a legendary Leica M3 for less than $1000[2]. New high quality film cameras are also less costly. [Cite cost of Nikon F6 v. D3X/S and Leica MP/M7 v. M9/9-P.]

• I want to be me! If this means not getting lost in the overwhelming litter of digital captures, y0u’re in good company. Some estimates indicate film users comprise less than 10% of the total photographic market[3]. You will certainly stand out by being that odd-ball film user, more than this, however, is that if you actualize the potential of what film offers, your images will show for this, and you will stand out also for excellence. In an ever competitive market, differentiation matters. And if one considers photography an art, which deals with feelings, then one must also consider psychology and natural law. Part of this is recognizing that what you produce using film, as mentioned above, is that not only are your images are organic, but also that you are organic. Perhaps a weird and funny way to put this is that throwing non-organic stuff together with organic matter will produce compost that is subpar for the garden or environment. What you produce using film is compatible with how one visualizes an image and on par with great art. You are an analog system, film is an analog system, and image making follows the same analog, direct and organic path. There is no weird mathematical algorithm of clipping values of light according to some digital camera manufacturer’s own limited interpretation of compromised image making[4]. Keeping it analog where it counts, for the moment of capture, i.e., on film, provides for optimal imaging making at its best.

Example 2011 film photos, as-is, no fuss, no retouching, click for full image:

Notes

[1] Bayer interpolation

[2] Keh, Tamarkin, Ebay

[3] 2010 market study -

[4] latitude, Bayer, sensor economics

7/6/11. To be continued.