"what might have been lost"
Behind my desk at work is a video wall. I choose the music I listen to on a daily basis and most of the time I listen to our Modern Rock disk from Rockamerica. There was a song that kept sticking in my head every time it played so one day I turned around and watched the video in it's entirety. It's strange how I never thought of watching videos before I stared this job and now when I see a good one it becomes an extension of the song.
I hear this voice that's reminiscent of Interpol, but with an industrial techno beat and I turn around to watch the video and immediately recognize downtown LA. It begins on Hollywood Blvd, flows to Echo Park, then sweeping views of McCarther Park. With subdued colors, bokeh traffic, light flares and stark cityscapes it brings you finally to a drum circle on the beach swirling around a fire with kids dancing like tribal people performing a ceremony. It's beautiful and exactly what I would film if I shot in LA. It made me miss it more that I can ever explain. I ache for that town, for my friends, for my family. I don't want to live there, but I want to see them so bad that I dream about it. The video is above, if you are so inclined...tall one, I think you may enjoy them. Can we go to LA now?
"duaflex"
I have begun to explore ttv with my duaflex. It's scary, creating photos naturally without the help of photoshop. My first shot, which is down below, was shot through the viewfinder of my duaflex, with a +4 close up lens stuck on top of a +2 close up lens that was held up to my Canon 350d at just the right focal point. No contraption to block out the light. It's a pain in the ass, but once I have a contraption built it should be much easier to shoot out in the daylight. I will finally either have to purchase my own close up filters to sit on my 50mm or buy adapters for Panda's filters and never return them. He doesn't need them anyway ;) I guess if you don't understand the complexity of a ttv then the shot below isn't that interesting, but if you knew how hard it was to capture you would be in awe!
"first true ttv"
Still, I have an easier time creating ttv through photoshop. I guess that's the crux of knowing that program so well...I can create what I see with older format and film cameras. All that changes now as I've purchased not only my duaflex, but also my first 120 medium format film camera. My Holga should be coming next week, and while I hyperventilate at the idea of the investment I'm about to make in film, processing and my own education in this format I'm excited at this opportunity to completely lose control of my photography and let the camera guide me.
"your biggest fan"
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