Category Archives: Inspired By Series

Inspired By Series, Interior Spaces, Intersections, Personal Vision, Portraits, Social Commentary, The Story

Inspired By: Kim Weston

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Let’s start with a Weston Interview Quote:

“…..If you use a film long enough, you get to know its characteristics. I don’t use a meter, I just know the light…..”

I love the quote because I rarely use my spot meter…….

Now, what inspires me?  If you check out his website….he exclusively does nude photography.  Although tastefully done, it’s not my thing (although there is one image I do love: Nude in Cactus).  And this is as far as I go into Nudes:

Johnson_KE_Illuminate_4

What Inspires Me? First I am inspired by His warm and welcoming attitude towards film students and film enthusiasts in the Monterey Bay Region.    I met Kim Weston when he welcomed our Monterey Peninsula College Class to Wildcat Hill.  At that time he was making predominantly platinum prints and we were an Alternative Processes class.  So he demonstrated the printing method for us.  He also discussed his artistic philosophy, and let us see his famous grandfather, Edward Weston’s, simple but beautiful darkroom. Imagine yourself making fabulous 8X10 contact prints like pepper #39 using an incandescent light bulb.

Kim Weston invited us to drop by, and if he wasn’t busy, we could talk about photography.  One of my friends spoke up.  Luther was having trouble learning to use his 4X5 view camera.  Kim just said, drop by with the camera sometime.  Luther did, and Kim Weston spent the afternoon showing him how to get the most from his 4X5. His support of film photographers, especially students, inspires me.

But Kim Weston eventually took it a step further, starting the Weston Collective, a scholarship program for students in Monterey County that are studying fine art film photography.  And the Collective has taken a step forward in support of fine art photography by opening a darkroom and teaching studio.  Raising the funds and managing the space for the benefit of ‘developing’ film photographers is inspiring.

 

 

 

Inspired By Series, Intersections, Personal Vision, The Story, Themes

Inspired By: Don Anderson

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You won’t find my Don Anderson listed online.  He died recently and his website has been taken down.  Too Bad, because as my Instructor for Experimental Methods and Alternative Processes at Monterey Peninsula College, He was a huge influence.  I was introduce to photographic concepts I would never have tried on my own.

So let me show some examples of techniques I never would have tried without Don Anderson:

Cyanotypes & Van Dykes:

Memorial_Day

Experimental Developing Methods:

Shrove_Tuesday

Liquid Emulsions:

Anniversary_New

Crappy Cameras,  Holga & Diana:

HolgaAtHome

Pinholes:

Fall_River_Road

The most important thing that I learned was, that even if these are not methods you will focus on, the exposure to these methods will have a positive influence on your Mainstream Photography.

Inspired By Series, The Story

Inspired By: Where the Series is Going

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I thought about starting this Series when I heard that “Mountain Light’, Galen & Barbara Rowell’s Gallery, was closed, and that was my first post.  Reading his books was a turning point in my use of E-6 films.  I wanted to start acknowledging the Photographers that have influenced me and what about them I find Inspiring.

So I thought of lots of “Famous” Photographers”, some of whom I’ve actually met, and put them on my ‘to do list’.  But Lately I’ve realized that my ‘colleagues’ (people that are amongst the best but not famous yet?) are perhaps MORE inspiring.  People whose Blogs and Tweets I care to follow must mean something to me, right?

Unfortunately, some of those who Inspired me, Like Galen Rowell, have passed on.  Their websites may no longer exist.  But I will share with you wrk that I never would have tried without their Inspiration.

So, If I’m following you, especially if we communicate a lot, you may see yourself here.

Pinhole_Experimental

 

Inspired By Series, Intersections, Landscapes, Nature, Personal Vision, The Story

Inspired By: Galen Rowell

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Galen Rowell (1940-2002) was my inspiration for pushing the limits of my outdoor 35 mm photography.  Our Patagonia Trekking Photos followed his suggested techniques for E-6 film (Shoot ISO 100 at ISO 125); how to pack your equipment for safe travel; traveling with film, etc.

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His death along with his photographer wife Barbara Rowell in a plane crash impacted me greatly.  And learning that their Families had closed the Mountain Light Gallery in 2017 was a sad reality.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

Trekking the “W” in the Paine Massif was a dream of my husband’s, but none of his friend from his mountaineering and climbing days wee interested.  So 8 years into our marriage we went to Patagonia and Trekked the “W”.  The trip also inspired our first Annual Calendar in 2006.

Now that Kodak E100 is back, I can highly recommend:

Both of which were my early guides to improving my E-6 outdoor photography, and also
  • Galen Rowell: A Retrospective

And many other books all available online at that ‘place’ that I refuse to give free advertising to….Looking at his work will show you the full capabilities of 35 mm photography.  Below, our 2006 Calendar (in case you haven’t checked out the “Deep Archive”).

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