Ian's-tagram

This is the latest Hasselblad which will be available in March this year.

It’s the H6D-400c MS – the ‘400’ stands for 400 Megapixels, which is pretty terrifying! The sensor is actually ‘only’ 100mp in the classic 53 x40mm format, but the innovation in this model is what Hasselblad call ‘Multi shot’ – the sensor electronics ‘move’ the sensor by one pixel horizontally and vertically, and the Phocus image treatment software merges the resulting files into one huge 578 mb TIFF file 11600 x 8700 pixels!

The images are quite simply amazing in detail – Hasselblad state « Multi-Shot capture does require tethering to a host computer, static subject, and controlled studio environment.  » This is not something you’ll be using for sports photography, or landscapes in driving wind or rain…

Oh, one last thing – the price: $47,500 –  it’s unnecessary to add, but this is the price for just the body/back… lenses are another thing entirely

It always makes me smile when I see manufacturers add ‘pro’ to the name of their products. The only reason they do it is because there are still gullible people out there who actually believe this makes a difference.

I was reminded of this recently when ‘he who shall remain nameless’ from Facebook announced that someone had lent him a new lens, and that he felt he was now in a position to handle all sorts of different projects as a ‘photographer’

I asked him which lens and he replied « a professional telephoto » rather than giving me information on the focal length, or zoom range, which I was actually hoping for.

I have to say I’ve never actually seen a lens with ‘professional’ engraved on the barrel – unlike certain camera bodies which are ‘considered’ professional due to their features etc. lenses seem to be neutral – they just exist, some better than others, but all depending on the usage. I can only imagine that to him this means that he’ll be able to take ‘professional’ photos now (something sadly lacking from his repertoire…) I wish him luck.

In the unlikely event that this person ever reads my ramblings, please don’t take this as a criticism – just try to stop believing all the hype and get out there and practice your art.

Practice makes perfect, as they say.

The most recent edition of Square Magazine has just arrived in my (PDF) mail box. I’m in two minds about the author/owner Christophe DILLINGER (which, of course, has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that he ‘forgot’ my submission last year…)

Fortunately this edition, 804, is a real pearl – and it’s enabled me to discover the work of arnò.

Black & White, high contrast – everything I love but can’t ever seem to manage myself. The square format gives his work a dynamic that I really envy. The format creates a perfect frame for these powerful images.  There is something very special (in my mind) with the square format – it gives importance, a feeling of immediacy that is often lacking in other formats. These images are MADE for this, and the exquisite composition makes me think of Koudelka.

I can’t show everything here, but this is a glimpse of his work, and I strongly suggest visiting his site for more.

Extracts from « La solitude des champs de béton »

Used with permission © arnò.

Some recent additions to the One Lens Project…

Quite pleased with todays image…taken while I was out hunting fresh croissants for breakfast this morning…

And yes, it was raining!

It seems to have come around so fast!

Well, new year and new projects – firstly the One Lens Project has been launched on Instagram. I’ve decided, for the month of January, to use only one lens on my camera and post images as and when I make decent ones – I’ve chosen to use the 35mm (which is a very decent ‘street photography’ lens) we’ll see what I can do with this idea.

Auch – with the moon…

CiRCa sent out their ‘voeux’ and used images from three photographers who covered the ‘walk’ by Tatiana-Mosio Bongonga in October.

I’m pleased to say they chose three of my images!

And finally, the book has arrived…

 

 

Have a good one folks!

My new collection book is coming out soon. I’ve decided to publish a hard-covered book with a small selection of my work from this past year. I did this last in 2014 and the basic premiss is the same this year – personal, concert and spectacle work – all made during 2017.

It would be nice to produce a hundred and try to sell them – but I can’t really afford this at the present moment (We can’t all be Emmanuel Badji, asking for other people to pay for all of his crazy ideas…) so this will have to wait.

Here are some examples of what’s inside…

I think it’s time I stopped posting stuff on Facebook – I can’t actually see any particular use or benefit – I seem to be ‘followed’ by a horde of people who simply click on ‘like’ without any apparent reason. Very frustrating. Quantitative but certainly not qualitative.

People tell us that a presence on social media is important, particularly working in visual media, as it gives one the possibility to present ones images to a broad platform of different people.

This is all well and good, but I have never had a photographic commission linked to my presence on Facebook – so frankly why bother?

A few of the people I follow do like I do – if they actually like a piece of work, they click on ‘like’ – if not, they don’t bother. This I can easily come to terms with and seems a reasonably sane way of reacting. I certainly don’t expect ‘likes’ from everyone, but sadly there are a large number of people out there where clicking ‘like’ is an automatic response – I personally can’t see the point. After all, no one likes EVERYTHING do they?

So I’m actually considering closing my pages – my personal one and the photographic page – I frankly doubt anyone will notice – and it will finally relieve me of this ‘need’ to check the damn pages every morning to see if there’s been any reactions… I have better things to do with my life, and I can’t help thinking there are also better ways for me to ‘expose’ my work;

 

I’ve recently come across the work of Eric Canto. He’s a French photographer living in Montpellier, and his principle work is concert photography – which he does very well!

This interests me as I’m a frustrated concert photographer and I’m keen to see what really can be done when the conditions are right – photographically speaking. This means that the lighting technicians actually know how to light a set, and are not constantly flashing anything and everything, and lighting the artists from behind…

Eric has recently published a book « A Moment Suspended in Time » which shows his work over the last 10 years, from more than 700 concerts.

I’ve purchased the book – but I decided to give it to myself for Christmas so I haven’t actually opened it yet.  As it is I’ve seen some of his work on his site (here) and it’s pretty much what I expected – excellent!

I’ve also found an interview from October (in French) where Eric discusses his approach to his work, and what he expects to get out of a concert etc. I find myself warming to this photographer even though we’ve never met – his attitude is much like mine with respect to how and why he makes his photographs – and I find that strangely reassuring. Lighting is such an important aspect – and fundamentally part of the word ‘photography’ after all – and I have to admit I’d love to have the chance to cover a ‘real’ concert, on a ‘real’ stage with ‘real’ lighting, if only just to see what I could do with decent conditions.

I can’t (yet) say that I recommend the book – but I’m pretty sure I will – here’s a link if you feel the urge…