I have known photographer, Will Van Overbeek, since the late 1970s. For a brief spell we both worked out of the Ark Cooperative Darkroom to make our early black and white prints. Will's path took him into editorial work and then high end advertising work. I stumbled into regional advertising work, video and then book writing. He got featured in Communication Arts Magazine. I'm still a bit jealous. And, he's still making great images for clients right now. His work is collected by museums and his one man shows are pretty darn spectacular.
The story here is that he and I were heading somewhere to shoot something maybe 20 years ago when we stopped for lunch at a Pho restaurant. I was carrying along a Pentax 645 film camera as a "snapshot" camera and I fired off a few frames while we were waiting for our soup. I caught him mid-sentence.
I'm going back through tons of old film to pull out images that still have meaning and resonance for me. I'm sure I'll find a better image of Will but I'm in that "honeymoon" stage of learning to camera scan and post process stuff in PhotoShop so I'm pretty much putting any negative I'm remotely interested in through the process.
Just over the last week I'm really zero'd in on doing multi-shot, high res photographs of the negatives. I'm using a Panasonic S5, a Sigma 70mm f2.8 macro lens, some Negative Film Supply film holders and an LED light source. Inverting the captured image is my first step in processing. Then I set a black point and use curves to nail the tonal curve I like. Every film frame seems to need "spotting" so I'm getting a lot of practice using the "healing" tool.
This afternoon we're heading over to Will's house for some sort of Dutch holiday delicacy. I can't wait to hear his critique/compliment or complaint about this image. Feedback can actually be fun... as long as no one takes it too seriously.
If you don't know his work be sure to check the link above. I have to say that among the small handful of contemporary role models I've had his methodologies have probably influenced me the most. Along with those of Wyatt McSpadden. Not their photos, per se, but the way them constructed and pushed their process to completion. Mostly, how they handled the people side of the photography equation.
Reviving older images is much more fun than I expected it might be.
Happy New Year.
5 comments:
Thank you for the link to Will Van Overbeek's work.
Will's work is great. I think more people should see it. Thanks for going and taking a look.
I have been camera scanning for a couple of years now and like you I do a lot of digital spotting. I think the electronics involved in LED light sources may attract fine dust. I wish someone would come up with a way to get negatives totally dust-free. I haven't figured it out.
There is something about the images I get from scanned negatives that I just can't replicate with digital cameras. Sure it can be tedious "scanning" and "processing" them but IMHO it's worth it. It's one reason I am still shooting film. It's easy enough to get someone else to develop the film but for the 20 minutes it takes I don't mind doing it myself. I only use one developer for all my films. PyroCat-HD which is VERY scanable and VERY cheap. I only use liquid chemicals because life is too short to be mixing up powered chemicals.
I'm not suggesting you follow my path, you have made your position very clear on the subject lol.
Eric
I use a 30 year old Dedolight with a blue filter, set light balance to daylight and use negative carriers
from my enlargers to hold the film. Two layers of clear Plexiglas below the carrier...camera with
macro lens is attached to my studio stand. Works for me. I've compared the results to my medium
format Nikon scanner and there is a subtle difference, but the results are more than acceptable for
publication.
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