Waitin' For a Train - By Gord Barker

    Friend, ''Do you think of your Dad very often?''  Me, ''Every time I hear a train.'' 

''All around the water tank, waiting for a train. A thousand miles away from home, sleeping in the rain.''   *Jimmie Rodgers, ''Waiting For A Train''  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbzc77Tz6PA

     So I went to Woodstock, Ontario as part of a little tour of Southwestern Ontario. I had rented a car for the weekend to attend a friend's wedding and had a little rental time to use up. On the way to Woodstock, I got the urge to do some train photography. I had photographed trains there before back in the dinosaur days of film. 

     Trains have always had a strong symbolism in western popular culture. Fundamentally they symbolize escape. A ticket to a better place. Opportunity. As a kid growing up in small town Northern Ontario, the train was, quite literally, my ticket to the opportunity and adventure of the outside world. Also my Dad was a brakeman/conductor on the Ontario Northland Railway. I come by my love of trains and all things railroady quite honestly.  

     I navigated to the train station in Woodstock. It was a bit depressing. It was a dull cloudy day with a light drizzle coming down.  The station was run down and badly in need of work. I made a few uninspired  shots of the scene. While I was there, a homeless guy came out of the station's waiting room. He said Hi and asked how I was. I considered the drizzly weather and the grey desolation of the scene around me, "Well, I've had better days." His response, ''Yeah, me too. But I'll rebound.'' After that he stretched out on the concrete by the waiting room door and promptly fell asleep.

     I hung around a bit longer, hoping a train would show up. I was about to leave when a car pulled up and a young family as well as an older couple got out.  I could only surmise that  Grandma and Grandpa had driven their offspring to the station to catch a train. I could hear the young children chattering excitedly in anticipation of their train ride. Traveling by train can be a little like Christmas. The anticipation is almost as exciting as the main event. I decided to wait a bit longer. Clearly a train was coming               

I have to admit that I was getting a little excited too. My inner photographer kicked in. How was I going to shoot this? Colour or black and white?  Black and white. It was a dull overcast day and colours would be muted anyway. Camera and lens choice? I had my 16mm wide angle (Thanks Dean) already coupled to my old Fuji X-T1 body (Thanks Tom) in my camera bag. (Thanks Jim Domke) If I got close to the train, the natural slight  distortion of the wide angle would render it big in relation to  it's surroundings. It could make for some interesting shots. The Fuji X-T1 camera is an older model released in 2014. By today's standards, it's positively ancient. But mine still works perfectly and would be more than adequate for the job. You really don't have to have the latest wiz-bangery to make a decent photograph. Both the camera and lens are weather resistant so I wasn't too worried about them surviving the drizzling rain. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              The train arrived and I went to work. Get in close. Check the focal point. Check that the shutter speed is fast enough to eliminate camera shake and subject motion when the train starts to move. Stop down the lens for better depth of field, ISO be damned! You're shooting a big subject! Compose the shot. Get in close. Move back to show the subject in relation to its surroundings. It's raining out. Check that there are no water droplets on the front of the lens. Wipe them off if necessary. Work the scene! Work fast! At best this train is only making a five minute station stop....Did I mention that I love being a photographer? 

                                              I got the shots I wanted.

    As I drove away from the station scene in Woodstock, I couldn't help but think of the words of the homeless guy I saw there. ''I'll rebound.'' Although my situation wasn't nearly as dire as his, I couldn't help thinking that I had made a bit of a rebound myself. After almost giving up, I had made the photographs that I wanted to make. I did it under crummy conditions. I made the photographs with second-hand gear that I had purchased  from some photographic friends.

    I know. As rebounds go, this was a pretty minor one. But maybe, just maybe, it's the culmination of the little rebounds that result in achieving  bigger ones.

...more later

As usual. if you like what you see here feel free to comment and share to the media platform of your choice. If people keep reading them, I'll keep cranking them out!

    

      

    

    

Street Photography 101 - By Gord Barker

    So I woke up the other morning and, after the prerequisite two cups of coffee, opened up the photos section of my laptop. My plan was to sort through, edit and perhaps print some photos for some possible upcoming shows. The last photo I had uploaded to the computer was this one. It was the first picture I looked at that day.

                                                   At first glance it's kind of a nothing shot. Just a young couple walking over a bridge with a lot of traffic going by. But look more closely. They're both smiling or laughing at something. Perhaps a joke or a funny story. They are in their own little world. They are oblivious to the traffic going by. They are oblivious to the scruffy old photographer who just took their picture. They are connected in a beautiful moment. Look closer still. He's reaching for her hand. He hasn't quite got it yet. But he wants to make their connection even more complete. If you want to know what love looks like, well... I've got a picture of it.

     From a photographic standpoint, it was a lucky shot. I managed to capture them in a nice shaft of light. A few seconds more and they would be in dark shadow. When I first saw the shot, I considered cropping in tight to focus attention on the couple. But cropping in that tight would have reduced the resolution of the image. It was already a tad out of focus because it was a quick grab shot. The light that they're walking through as well as the light posts and bridge rail all serve as leading lines to direct the viewer's eyes to the main subject. The picture stands on its own. 

     So the title of this post is, "Street Photography 101." I can almost hear some of my readers asking "So old grey bearded camera slinger, what exactly is street photography?" The answer to that  question is wide open to interpretation and is something that has been debated in the photographic community for decades. Some say it's only a street photograph if it shows people. Some say it's only a street photograph if it was taken in black and white. Some go so far as to say it's only a street photograph if it was taken with a Leica camera ala Henri Cartier-Bresson, Garry Winogrand or  Joel Meyerowitz. To all of the above definitions I say hogwash! My definition of street photography is pretty broad. "If I was on the street or in a public space  when I took it, it's a street photograph!" I don't have time for silly nuanced debates. I want to make and process photographs with the gear I've got at hand!

     So for me, street photography can cover a pretty wide range of subjects. Sometimes it can even be the street itself captured with some beautiful morning light.

    Street photography can also be as simple as a quick portrait. A dear friend and I had attended a photography exhibit at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Inspired by the photographs we had seen, we hit the streets to do some photography ourselves. We stopped for a coffee at a local coffee shop and I couldn't help but notice the nice window light illuminating the face of the patron sitting near to us. I approached him, explained who I was, and asked to take his picture. He agreed to my request and asked what I wanted him to do. My response, ''Nothing. Ignore me. Pretend I'm not here.'' I went back to our table and made this shot. I later showed it to him and gave him my card so that he could send me an email if he wanted a copy of it.        

    So sometimes all the elements come together. Let's see. I've got beautiful window light, interesting lines and angles in an old coffee shop, an agreeable subject for the human element and some inspiration that comes from seeing a very good photo exhibit in an excellent gallery. Kinda hard to go wrong here!

    Sometimes a good photo can be made from just seeing life going on around me.

Look around. Sometimes look up. For me, part of the joy of street photography is often seeing things in a way that others don't see. In the words of American photographer Dorothea Lange, ''A camera is a tool for learning to see without a camera.''                                                               

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Often a good photograph can be made simply by the juxtaposition of the main subject against an interesting background. For example. a photo of a woman checking her cell phone in front of a wall mural that reads ''Everything is much more connected than we think.''              

 

                                               

    Sometimes a street photograph is nothing more than a simple depiction of life on the street.  

                                                                                                                                                           And sometimes a street photograph can be simply capturing an interesting interplay of light and shadow on an everyday subject.                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                                         Street photography can be as simple as an image taken while having a chat with a friend or acquaintance. My friend, Pat, was on her way home after dropping her grandchildren at their parents' place. I couldn't resist taking a picture of the stuffed critters in and clipped to the bag she was carrying. 

                                                                                                                                                           Street photography usually doesn't require a lot of gear. Some of the best street photographers, like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Garry Winogrand, worked with one camera and one or two lenses. Probably the camera you have now will do the job. In a pinch, a cell phone will suffice. The trick is in learning to use it quickly and, in the words of Cartier-Bresson capture ''the decisive moment''. My street photography kit usually consists of two small Fuji cameras. A Fujifilm X100F and a Fujifilm X70. When not in use, they are carried in a Domke F3 super compact camera bag that also allows me to carry a few essentials of photographic life. (spare batteries, spare SD cards, a notebook and pen, my cell phone etc.) I find that it's a kit that I can comfortably carry all day if necessary. 

    Okay. so I've let this blog post run a little long. Clearly, this is a genre of photography that I could write about all day. But if you haven't tried it, grab a camera and get out there! I can almost guarantee that you will learn a lot about photographic technique, using the gear, composition, timing etc. You'll learn a little about yourself, your personal vision, interacting with people and your environment. You'll learn about the essence of life itself, captured forever in fractions of a second. Ultimately that is what the practice of the art and craft of photography is all about.

               ... more later 

Living With A Photographer - By Greg Barker

              

                                                   ''It's about the work. It's always about the work''

                                                                     - Garry Winogrand

    A change of voice. When he's taking photos, I'm telling him what hashtags to use. When he writes, I edit and reflect before he publishes. I am his son. A son not only to a photographer, but a creative spirit.

    Sitting in front of our house. Cars Drive by. Loud, never deafening. Flickers of burning light. 2 cigarettes lit. Seconds pass. 

    ''Fuji Cameras sdajfhsdkljf.... Garry Winogrand ewoldkfjds....''

Rhetoric I hear often. When I do, I am looking up from my phone and doing a lot of head nodding in agreement. At times, something compels me not to. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. True enough. Not without bruising. Two creatives. But we like the aspects of our creative fields cut from a different cloth. We inhale those two lit cigarettes. Debating begins.

  

    We talk for minutes, other times, hours. My father speaks of Gary Winogrand, among other heroes. Street photography, philosophical concepts to his craft. We speak on the survival of a photographer in a climate where photos are common. Too common. Ideas, branding and marketing, the social media game. Dwelling on it all. But never pitching a tent.

    The ember now flirts with the cigarette filter. The sun begins setting. He observes it. Grading it. Will it be good enough to photograph? I return to my phone screen. A thought in mind. Being the son of a photographer stays the same as a father who writes, and works as a mechanic to support himself and his kid. The difference though, is not only experiencing, but capturing. The shutter opens, closes and clicks.                                                                                   

                                                                      Captured

                                       ...More later                       

Shooting From The Soul

          The "Wow Factor." I love it. That moment when I look at an image presented by a photographic friend or colleague and the first word out my mouth is "Wow!" With all due respect to ego, I'd be a liar if I didn't admit that I like being on the receiving end of the "Wow Factor" as well. It's gratifying to know that I have the equipment, skills and experience and sometimes  just the dumb luck to create an image that can make someone say, "Wow!"            

     Often  when I press the shutter button, the resulting photo is less than spectacular. It does nothing more than capture the essence of the scene or subject in front of the camera. It's not necessarily a bad shot. It just lacks the "Wow Factor". American photographer, Garry Winogrand is quoted as saying, "The photograph should always be more interesting or more beautiful than what was photographed." By that standard,  the vast majority of images in my collection are pretty lackluster. However, there's something to be said about simply capturing the essence of the scene or subject. When an image exists without pretense, the reality of the subject or scene is all that's left. It's a glimpse into its soul. 

     I don't want this to devolve into a defence of mediocrity. I firmly believe  that I have a responsibility as  a photographer  to create images that attempt to  exceed conventional expectations. I wrote a blog post about this a while ago. https://refractivereasoning.blogspot.com/2019/06/shooting-with-intent.html   What I'm trying to express here is that sometimes photographs that don't garner significant interest (or sales for that matter) can still be important to the photographer who created them. 

 

    

    Firstly, they can function as learning tools for the creation of better work. If I can make an accurate analysis of an image's faults, I'm in a much better position to create better work if I find myself in a similar situation in the future. Secondly,  they can serve as a catalyst to an emotional response.  Often a photograph can trigger a memory of my state of mind when I took it. A photograph can serve  as a simple, yet valuable record of an event, place or time.  It is the reason that, until recent times, the family photo album was the most precious book in the house. A photograph doesn't always have to be brilliant to be of intrinsic  value. 

     So, in my quest to make images that have the "Wow Factor ", I try not to fret too much over the thousands of images I create that are less than stellar. In my journey in this craft, they might just be the most important pictures of all.

...more later 

Workin' The Gear

    I think that there are a lot of confused photographers out there. In photographic media we are simultaneously told that ''Gear doesn't matter.''  Then  we are bombarded with endless advertisements and gear reviews of the latest whiz-bang products. I kind of subscribe to the ''Gear doesn't matter.'' camp. (Says the guy who owns far more gear than he needs or uses on a regular basis.)

    For almost three years I used two cameras. A Fuji X70 and a Fuji X100F. Both are relatively small cameras with fixed lenses. There are no options for interchangeable lenses on them apart from some moderate lens extenders that thread on to the front of their existing lenses. I remember a photographic friend asking, '' Why would you buy a camera that you can't change lenses on?''                                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                          

     The reality is simple. Reduced equipment choices can actually lead to better photography. I don't have the ease of just snapping a zoom lens on the camera and zooming until I have framed the subject the way I want. I have to work for the shot. If possible, I have to physically move closer to my subject. If physical barriers prevent me from framing my subject without the advantage of a zoom lens, I'm forced to use composition to direct the viewer's attention to the main subject which is not dominating the frame. It makes me move to find the best elements of composition. It makes me more aware of the elements within the frame and how to utilize them to best advantage. I don't have the ability to just zoom in until visual distractions are cropped out of the picture.                                                                                                                  

     And, last but not least,  If I use a prime (non zooming) lens long enough I become comfortable with a predictable field of view. I know how that lens ''sees'' a scene for the camera before I even put the camera to my eye. In street photography, where things  can change quickly, that predictability can make the difference between getting the shot or losing it while I fuss about with a zoom control.

    Since acquiring those first two Fuji cameras I have acquired other cameras that have the capacity for interchangeable lenses. It's nice to be able to tailor equipment  for specific applications. However, of the four lenses I own for them, only one is a zoom. I still prefer prime lenses for their smaller size, better light gathering capability and focusing speed. What can I say? Sometimes old school is good school.

    However, for most general applications, it's hard to beat the versatility offered by zoom lenses. They generally work well in decent light and allow the photographer the ability to frame the composition more easily. 

Shameless plug. This picture is available as a 13''X 19'' print, custom matted and framed at the Taren White Gallery if you're in the Paris/Brant County area.

    So in answer to the age old photographic question, ''Does gear matter?''  All I can say is that there are usually work arounds for almost any situation. Does gear matter? Well, no it kind of doesn't ....Until it does!

            …more later 

     

     As usual if you like what you see here feel free to like and share to the media platform of you choice. If you keep reading them, I'll keep cranking them out! 

    

       With all that's going on in the world, it seems almost frivolous to be writing a blog about photography. A power hungry dictator has decided to invade a sovereign nation. Although the end may be in sight, we are still, after more than two years, in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. The economy is insane with near record inflation and the cost of  housing, energy and just about everything else setting record prices. In the face of all this mayhem, what am I doing? I'm making photographs and displaying them at an exhibition in a local art gallery. https://tarenwhitegallery.com/                                                      

 I'm writing  blog posts about the joy I find in creating images that reflect a world that I perceive to be beautiful and interesting. It's quite understandable how  my activities could be perceived as insignificant.

    But what else can I do? I could turn this blog into a platform for political and social commentary, but there are already thousands of talking heads espousing their opinions in various forms of media. I can't muster the arrogance to believe that my opinion of world affairs is more valid than anyone else's. I have little compulsion to be another feeble voice in the babbling mass.

    So I can't do much to change the insanity of this world we occupy. But here's what I can do.

 I can show you the stark beauty of a tree silhouetted against a morning sunrise. 

         I can show you a landscape carpeted in autumn colour. 

 

     I can show you the peacefulness of a tired little boy being carried off to bed by his mother.

 

I can show you a summer sunset on a northern lake.

    I can share with you the interest and pride I take in the tools of my craft.

    I can share with you the happiness I find in sharing my love of this craft with some very talented and awesome friends.

     I can show you the elegance of a simple blade of grass.

    I can share with you the tranquility of a peaceful morning by the river.

    Really, all I can do is keep on keepin' on. I can't do much to calm the mayhem that exists in this world. But, hopefully, I can provide a little nourishment for your soul.

                        ...more later

As usual, if you like what you see here feel free to hit ''like'', comment or share to the media platform of your choice. 

Artistic Courage - Getting It Out There - Part II

     So it's  February. It's cold outside. There is a ton of snow on the ground . The front walk and stairs of my scruffy little home need shoveling from the last dumping of snow. It's way too early in the morning  and I'm sitting in what I laughably call my office, punching up another blog post. However in the midst of this grey, mid-winter, sub-zero misery I have some exciting news. My pictures have been accepted by a local gallery. https://tarenwhitegallery.com/  Subsequently, I have booked a four month show and sale there beginning March 1st of this year. It's early days yet. As of this writing, my prints are out being professionally matted and framed for display. Each image was carefully selected and printed, in house, on top quality Canon photographic paper through a Canon Pro series printer in full glorious colour. They look really good if I may say so myself!  Initially, it will be a small display of just four pictures. I'm testing the waters so to speak. However, each photo will be a first edition of a limited run of 50 prints in that size. It's all part of a New Year's resolution I made to myself for this year, ''Get the work out there!'' 

    This kind of ties in with the theme of my last post, ''Artistic Courage - Getting It Out There.'' https://refractivereasoning.blogspot.com/2022/01/on-artistic-courage-getting-it-out-there.html  That post kind of devolved into a story of how I dealt with a somewhat nasty critic of my stuff at a local art and craft show. But, the story served as a portrait of the worst that can happen with a public display of one's images. In the overall scheme of things it was kind of a nothing story. At best it can, hopefully, provide a method for dealing with unconstructive criticism. 

    However, dealing with invalid criticism is only one part of the experience of getting the work out there. Another aspect of the experience is printing and framing the pictures for presentation. If I could offer one piece of advice to aspiring photographers it would be this.

                                               ''PRINT YOUR DAMN PICTURES!''

    The two printers that I own are important tools in my photographic process. I value them just as much as any camera I might have in my collection of gear. At  art and craft shows where I've shown my photos,  I've had people comment on my work. ''Your pictures look great. Who does your printing?''  With a bit of pride, I repond, ''I do.'' 

    Back in the dinosaur days of film photography, before the advent of the internet and digital imaging, most  pictures were printed. In those days, photographs had value. Digital imaging and the internet have greatly desensitized us to the value of a photograph. We all have the attention span of a drunken butterfly! A friend or family member posts a picture to a social media platform. We look at it for about 10 seconds before scrolling on to the next thing. At best, we might hit a ''like'' icon or punch up a short comment of ten words or less. Less than an hour later, that visual experience is nothing but a vague memory. I know from experience that this blog post  you're reading right now will stop garnering any significant number of page views within 24 hours of my publishing it. It's almost not worth the effort!

    But a photographic print has value. It is no longer an ethereal collection of electrons digitally cobbled together to make a visual image. A print is a thing.  You can hold it in your hands. It might hold enough visual value that you might frame it and hang it on your wall to be appreciated for far longer than 10 seconds on a social media feed. From a functional standpoint, the object of photography is to make a photograph. Call me old school, but for me, that process involves making a print or having the image printed by a quality photo lab.

    I can remember getting ready for an art show. I was full of doubt and pessimism. Setting up a display for an art show is a lot of hassle for just one or two days of potential sales. Tables and display materials have to be rounded up. Prints have to be made, numbered, dated and framed. Transportation has to be arranged to cart this whole pile of  stuff over to the show venue to be set up for opening time. It's a lot of work for what is often a pretty meagre return on investment in terms  of time and resources. Why was I doing this anyway? Did I really think that my pictures are worth showing to anyone?

    I opened one of the containers of stuff that I had put together for the show. I took out a folder of pictures that I had printed up for show and sale. I layed out a copy of each  print on my bed and looked at them. There were more than a dozen of them. Each picture was a tangible, colour,  glossy 8''X10'' thing that I had created.The self doubt and pessimism I had been feeling vanished.  It was replaced by a strong sense of validation. The pictures looked pretty good.  At that moment, I didn't really care if the show was worth it or if I sold a pile of photos. I really didn't even care if people liked them or not.  

     All I could think of was, ''I'm a photographer. I make pictures. I show them to people.'' Enough said.

                             ...more later

As usual, if you like what you see here feel free to hit ''like'', subscribe or share to your favourite media platform. If you keep reading them, I'll keep cranking them out!