Tag: Monochrome

Ongoing Project

Art, Street Photography

After picking up a couple of enlargements (My first in over a year.) at Arlington’s District Camera. I decided to begin working on a project that focuses on transit. (With most, if not all of the images taking pace on train platforms and stations. With my entire life taking place just blocks from the local and express trains. There is a pulse, a certain eb and flow that inspires me and has taught me that we are all in perpetual movement. Even as we sit still. The world around us never stops. The images I’ve printed (Both posted here recently.) will serve as the basis of this project. With ones from the past and near future travels will complete it. While I’m not yet sure if I will shop a gallery, art space or digital platform. Regardless, it feels good to have new ideas and inspirations. This morning I went downstairs to our storage space to dig for an old hard drive with older pictures from my life in New York City, New Jersey, and Seattle, Washington. There are few images worth finding and printing.

Washington D.C.’s Dupont Station.

Canon R6 Mark II Mirrorless, Street Photography, Travel, Travel Photography

Taken earlier today at Washington DC’s Dupont Station while finishing up our visit to the areas busy farmers market. My wife picked up lots of greens and and enough apples to make a pie. While I was able to take a few worthy shots while getting my first sunburn of the season.

Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary.

Industrial Photography, Philadelphia, Travel, Travel Photography

Below is another image from my time at Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary. While taking pictures, I learned a lot about the way prisons were run. How inmates and employees interacted and early influences on the current penal system. I hope to go back in a few months, but for now I’m very happy with the images and knowledge I left with.

An Interview with ‘Grain Check’ Photographer, Taylor Pendleton

Art, Film Photography, Interview

As artists of any form, we consistently find inspiration in others’ work. Through our droughts and doubts, we look to other artists to light a fire underneath us and see our motivation to move forward and create. I found inspiration in my roots as a film photographer when I found Taylor’s vlog, ‘Grain Check.’ Refueling an obsession with cameras, film, the process, technique, and everything involved. As someone whose been a digital photographer since way back. I find film photographers to be brave, creative souls who approach things differently due to the differences between film and digital photography. The cost of film, development, and the absence of instant recognition can intimidate many. I reached out to Taylor for all the reasons listed above.  The following is what she had to say.

James: Can you introduce yourself? What you do and where you’re from?

Taylor: Hi! I’m Taylor. I’m a film and digital photographer and YouTuber originally from Las Vegas, Nevada. 

James: Tell us a little bit about your journey as a photographer.

Taylor: I was always interested in cameras as a little girl – I’d often ask my parents if I could carry around their point and shoots for the day. It wasn’t until high school, though, that I started to take it seriously. Fast forward to my senior year of college and I’m dropping out 3 months before graduation because I was working full-time as a wedding photographer and knew my English degree would never do me any good. My dream was to be a photographer (I didn’t know which kind yet) and I was well on my way.

James: What made inspired you to host a You Tube channel? How do you feel about the feedback?

Taylor: I never ever imagined myself to be a YouTuber. But I landed a gig at Moment (a small online camera store) where they needed another YouTube personality who was already a photographer. So, my days of talking to a camera began! And now, 5 years later, I’ve got my own channel called graincheck and I’m having a blast with it. The feedback has been overwhelmingly supportive. The YouTube comment section can be a brutal place, but I can count the times I’ve gotten hate on one hand. It’s been incredibly positive!

James: What was it like adjusting to being filmed?

Taylor: Honestly, pretty fun. There were times in the beginning where I’d struggle to deliver a line over and over, which was frustrating and embarrassing. But, for the most part, it was fun to be a goof and do my thing on camera. It also made me so aware of myself – in a good way! 

On Shooting film. “It forces you to be intentional with every shot and present in your environment (no checking your images after you take them). You make sure, to the best of your ability, you got the shot and then you move on. It’s a beautiful process.”

James: What are the key characteristics that draw you to photography? Is there a style or element in particular that you gravitate towards? Why?

Taylor: I’ve thought about this a lot and I’ve never landed on what it is about photography that I’m specifically drawn to. There’s some x factor that I can’t put my finger on. It just feels like a part of me, an extension of me. Maybe because I’m not the greatest with words, I feel I can express myself through visuals? I don’t know, but it’s a real feeling of solace for me. When life is hard, I literally will tell myself “no one can take photography from you.” It is my peace. As far as style, I’ve been all over the map. It’s an evolution for me, which I enjoy. I never want to feel boxed in. Right now, I’m diving into colorful digital studio portraiture and black-and-white film landscapes.

James: What went into your decision to shoot film VS digital? What about the cost and the immense space that film, negatives, and prints demand? (Note, that I love and understand the meaning of “Stay broke. Shoot film.”)

Taylor: I shoot both, so I choose digital or film on a daily basis depending on how I feel. But, for my channel, I focus on film. I think people like to see and hear the experience of shooting film, since it is so sensory. Film, especially right now, is incredibly expensive to shoot. I’m lucky to get highly discounted (and sometimes free) resources to keep it going.

James: With your experience, what would you consider the biggest pros and cons of being a film
photographer?

Taylor: Pro: It forces you to be intentional with every shot and present in your environment (no checking your images after you take them). You make sure, to the best of your ability, you got the shot and then you move on. It’s a beautiful process.
Con: Expense, for sure. And the wait time to get scans back…it can be painful.

James: You embarked on a yearlong project to exclusively shoot black and white film. What has the
project taught you and how have the results informed you?

Taylor: I’m officially halfway through the year (crazy!) and I’ve benefited from it so much already. I have better learned what each hue looks like on the grayscale and I’ve become SO much more aware of light.

James: With all the different variations of film you’ve shot. Have you found one that best suits your
needs?

Taylor: My go-to black-and-white stock is Cinestill XX. While it’s a slower speed film, I never need to touch my scans. It is absolutely delicious.

James: A list of the film cameras you own? Is there one that you consider your preferred every day or
favorite? Why?

Taylor: Oh man. I have a lot, but many aren’t functioning. The ones I frequently use right now are the Pentax 645, Contax T3, Contax G2, Yashica T4, Ricoh Mirai, and the Fujifilm Instax 210. My every day camera is the Contax T3, since it’s compact and an absolute superstar of a point-and-shoot (fast & sharp lens, built in flash, and it’s cute as hell). 

James: On your vlog you’ve featured many of the photographers and team you work with. How did that meeting come about and what is it like to be around so many like-minded, creative people?

Taylor: Because of my job at Moment, I’ve become connected to so many photographers and creatives. It’s such an awesome community to be a part of. Sometimes, it can feel like an echo chamber where all you think about and see is photography, so I make sure to fill my brain with other things when I can!

See more of Pendleton’s work by clinking the links below.

Personal Website https://taylorpendletonphoto.com/

You Tube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-FnGaXQfgXFbEiq28uEEng

Instagram https://twitter.com/trmpendleton?lang=en

Mail Call

Canon lenses and equipment, Exploring, Manual Mode

Each day, I exit the condo’s gym and head for the mailbox. A young boy races down the hallway to excitably greet me as “Mr. James” hijacks my keys, unlocks, and attempts to reach high enough to grab hold of whatever has been left in the box that day. It’s become a ritual. One I look forward to and highly anticipate. Being only three years old. His attempts to unlock and reach in far enough to seize whatever resides within is tricky, to say the least because he moves quicker than a puma. It’s even harder to catch him with my lens. Still, I love the space and shading of the area, which often has me thinking of setting up my tripod and taking some long exposures. Until then, I just brought my camera and fish eye lens to see what would develop. Below is an image I captured. Enjoy.

Lost & Found

NYC, Rock Photography, Show Photography

While retrieving an old hard drive featuring many of the negatives from my film camera days. I notice an image that was somewhat foreign to my eyes. One that captured my imagination while dialing back to my days of living in the storied NYC neighborhood, Hell’s Kitchen. At the time, I was going out to see bands two to three times a week. Although I went to clubs and bars throughout the tristate area. CBGB’s and The Continental were more or less, second and third homes for me.This particular image caught my eye, perhaps due to my often lamenting, wishing I had taken more time to photograph the attendees and personalities that often hung outside the clubs. Upon close investigation. I came to the conclusion that it was The Continental, a downtown, east village bar on 3rd avenue, just off St. Marks place. My other guess is, due to the ethnicity of the woman filming the action. That it might have been the Asian/Female fronted punk band Yellow Scab. As much as I’m guesstimating. Finding an image I don’t remember taking or seeing, was cooler than an eskimo sitting by a campfire. Though the picture was taken some twenty five years ago. Noticing it for the first time gave it a new shine.

Water Nourishes the Soul

Beach People, Commentary, Finding your Zen, Happiness, Meditation, Mental Health

As I continue dumping old, and not up to snuff images that occupy my computers overflowing hard drive. I’ve come to a indisputable conclusion that, being on, or close to the water, brings the best out of me. Regardless on whether it’s the beach, the boardwalk, a fountain, or a good old fire hydrant. Water has a calming quality that gives me the chance to relax, and free my mind of any troubles or distractions. As I continue to better understand what makes me tick. I’ve come to realize that I, myself, and countless others greatly benefit from its energy and the calm it often brings. In observing my own behavioral patterns. I find that putting myself in that environment makes me a better person and a better photographer.

Exploration often leads to Discovery.

Exploring, Finding your Zen, Industrial Photography, Location Shooting, Narrative

As I continue to work on my balance issues. My drive to be more independent, to explore more, and to not so awkwardly engage with those I wish to photograph with the confidence that once led me to less traveled roads and adventures grows stronger.
Attempting to do things I was forced to take a break from have become more attainable. That thirst for adventure, exploring, and creating, sometimes, off-limits subject matter sharpens. Having lived in our condo for over a year now. I can’t help but question why I haven’t explored the many nooks and crannies of an architectural achievement. Unsurprisingly, we often find inspiration while venturing into areas and corridors just off our daily path. Coming upon this paint inspired me to get a lower perspective and reminded me of stopping at a fire-damaged automotive repair shop on my way home from Boston.

Experimenting with Music Photography

Damion Photo, Editorial, Finding your Zen, Indie Rock, Memories, Music Journalism, Rock Photography, Show Photography

It’s safe to say, my interest in photography was born out of necessity. As a teenager in love with hardcore punk and going to Sunday matinees, I started a fanzine which needed pictures to go with my interviews and show reviews. Admittedly, my pictures were terrible. I really knew nothing about composition or camera settings. When I think about it, I didn’t even own a film SLR until I was twenty four. by then I was more interested in documenting my new surroundings in a neighborhood known as Hell’s Kitchen. While I was still going to shows regularly. and taking much better photos, I eventually got bored, which started my focus on experimentation with light and movement. Ultimately, is was within the shadows, movement and darkness, that I found my love. The more I learned about composition and waiting for the right moment, the more my images stood out. While it wasn’t alway pretty, I felt that I was finally capturing the energy, raw emotion, and elements that capture the essence, and intimacy that smaller venues offer.

Fast, Loud Still Rules

Canon R6 Mark II Mirrorless, Concert Photography, Event Photography, Indie Rock, Music, Rock Photography, Show Photography

In a little less than a month. I hope to attend a friends band play what seems to be a small, intimate venue in Richmond. Due entirely to health and my inability to maintain any sense of balance. I haven’t been to a music event since 2017. Considering my love for music, going to events and capturing moments through photography. The event and the chance to see a really good band that hasn’t performed remotely close to my residence. The excitement can be compared to the feelings I often experienced as a much younger show attendee. With a new camera and being years removed from shooting live music. I have a lot of relearning to do.