Thothspot VII-PAW project

5.6.06

End of semester (week 21/06)



Both pictures with a Yashica Minister D, Ilford XP2


Silence is very present when you walk trough the mainbuilding at the Volda University College this time of year. In a strange way it feels nice to let the buildings rest and prepare for a new horde of students arriving in mid August. Normally there would be people walking around, laughter, talk ,sound of tinkle and jingle in coffee cups, smell of food an other sounds and smells. There was a few students left in the week past, but almost everbody is gone for the summer. Familiar faces are gone for good, away to their hometowns or to another University or College. Some are done with their education and are looking for work as teachers, socialworkers, journalists or another profession where they can use what they have learned during their stay in Volda. Melancoly is not my cup of tea, but it is strange when people you kind of know after a couple of years disapair out to the real world. The town is also slowing down. Summer is here...

Posted by Thoth | 12:18 a.m. |

27.5.06

Unavoidable (week 20/06)




All pictures with Mamiya M645, Sekor C 80mm, Kodak 400VC
From the Constitutionday parade in Volda 17th May 2006

I guess it was unavoidable to use constitution day a theme for the past week. Even if I would have preferred to display something else. 17th of May 1814, a gathering of men confirmed the new constitution of Norway, in a small town named Eidsvoll. It was not given that we could have our own constitution. After a long period of war in Europe, Norway was kind of given away from Denmark to Sweden as a part of some kind of a peace treaty. ( we must remember that wars in those days very often was familydisputes between kings) So after been ruled by Danish Queens and Kings since ca. 1350, we was now under the Swedish throne. This time more like a union with common King and foreign affairs, but still... Of course the development in Europe and the changing of times when comes to politics, information and education had an impact as well. In art and cultural life this period (1800-1860) is often called the romantic period. (I know that the timeframe is not accurate...). In this period a young author named Henrik Wergeland...

AN EDIT AND ADDITION TO THE TEXT WILL FOLLOW, HAVE TO CHECK SOME FACTS; I`LL BE BACK...

Posted by Thoth | 3:59 p.m. |

16.5.06

Existing light (week 19/06)


Volda University College (BK east entrance) at 1050PM, handheld and shaking.
Yashica Electro G, aperture f/2, shutterspeed 1/4?, Kodak BW400CN



Sculpture outside Volda University college pictured around 10.30 PM, handheld and no artificial light.
Yashica Electro G, aperture f/2, shutterspeed 1/8?, Kodak BW400CN


ANEKDOTE WARNING THIS TEXT IS FULL OF SIDETRACKS.
A lot has been said and written about so called availiable light or existing light... If you google around for a while you will find more or less convincing interpretations on the subject. In the real world light is always present more or less and therefor existing, but in the photographic world it means (normally) pictures taken under dim or low light conditions without the help of artificial lightsources i.e flashguns or spotlights. These kind of pictures are supposed to be more "genuine", I can`t help myself for smiling a bit :). Ok, I admit that I have tried to take pictures under circumstanses that normally will require a tripod/monopod or a flash to give a good result, and totally failed. "Good" is in the eye of the beholder, and this is not going to be a discussion about; What is good enough... So with an open mind? I set out late one evening to explore existing light. Friday 12th of May, was a rainy, cloudy and cold spring evening so it was perfect for my purpose. I brought out my new tool, the Yashica Electro G (an older sister of the GSN I used last week), loaded with some Kodak BW400CN, a black and white film based on color technology. (No don´t ask- google for C41 process). There has for decades been a discussion going on about the benefits of RANGEFINDERS vs SLR based technology. Besides Leica, Voigtlander and a few more, the battle is long time lost for the rangefinder technology and its followers. But back in the late 60`s and early70´s the battle of the consumer throne was still on. One of the benefits or myths if you like of the rangefinder cameras is their capability to take pictures handheld at much slower shutterspeeds than you can expect when using a slr camera. Bla bla bla... camerashake, bla bla mirrorslap bla bla dim viewfinder and so the story goes. Anyway, the Electro G is a rangefinder, so I was out testing existing light a late Friday night. The pictures posted this week is a mini presentation of that experiment. How well it was performed is a matter of taste, but I can say for sure that with my somewhat shakin hands, existing light is something that requires a tripod. It is on the other hand good to know that it is possible to take pictures under such circumstances, pictures that never would have been taken without a PAW project or the urge for testing a myth.

Posted by Thoth | 11:01 p.m. |

9.5.06

People (week 18/06)


Anne M
Yashica Electro35 GSN, 1/500, aperture f/2, Ilford XP2, May 4th. 2006



Gunnar S.
Yashica Electro35 GSN, 1/500, aperture f/4, Ilford XP2, May 5th. 2006



I got myself an old new camera last week. An Yashica Electro 35 GSN ,probably from around 1975 or something, (almost sounds like a Japanese motorcycle or car with all those names and letters) So the past days I just have done some testing with my new toy. I had no battery, so all exposure is on guestimate. The shutterspeed is fixed at 1/500 without battery. Later I got an adapter so I could use modern batteries in the camera. Some color photos will be added when I get them from the lab. I almost forgot that you actually have to hand in the film for development, and WAIT for the pictures. Maybe that will slow down the urge for just clicking away and instead take pictures that I want to take?

This week I have just picked two random snapshots of friends of mine. Anne M. is just making fun of the photographer. I don´t know why I like this picture, but she is a funny girl, and don´t mind being pictured. The next one is an low angel view of Gunnar, relaxing for once:), so I hope they forgive me for using them as test objects?

Posted by Thoth | 11:09 p.m. |

3.5.06

Facepainting in the park (week 17/06)

Yashica MAT 6x6, Yashinon 80mm, aperture f/16, speed 1/250, Ilford XP2 400



Yashica MAT 6x6, Yashinon 80mm, aperture f/11, speed 1/250 sec. Kodak 400VC


These pictures are from "the party in the Park" which is a tradition on Saturday during the Documentaryfilm festival in Volda, Norway. The party is a gathering for families and friends, with large barbeques, games for kids and entertainment by local talents in music, dance or other performing art. The festival itself is a very social event where students, filmmakers, locals and guests are having a good time together and find their way to the theatre, to see good and engaging documentaries for four whole days in late April. This festival kind of ends the winter semester at Volda University College and starts the spring for real. After the festival most studentes are just preparing for their exams and lectures are mostly over for the semester.

Why these pictures? The facepainter and the model are having a good time, and they don`t care about the camera. I admit that this is actually cheating since the picture is from last week (17/06) but I kind of defend it with the urge for getting the PAW going while my rolls of Ilford XP2 from the Yashica GSN is still at the lab.

Last edit 2006-05-06: I have decided to sometimes post more than one picture a week, as long as they are connected somehow and have a common theme. i.e. streetscenes from an event or something like that. Even if I am expanding the project, the main thought is to keep the volume down and try to pick just one. (It ain`t easy)

Posted by Thoth | 9:00 p.m. |

2.5.06

What is a PAW project?

There are many excuses that can be used to explain why you don`t get your camera out of the bag or down from the shelf. Time is one, other interests is another. A picture-a-week project is ment to inspire your self or others to take more pictures, enjoy the pleasure of photography and maybe by being observant make a difference or brighten other peoples day. From my own point of view this project is started to get my old cameras out on the street, and take pictures that I otherwise probably would have missed. I plan to use my Nikon EM, Yashica MAT, underestimated lovely Yashica Electro 35 or the Yashica Electro GSN ( I just got my self one from USA), all these cameras is very low tech, manual and simple cameras, that delivers good pictures every time. The pure joy of using 25-50 year old equipment can never be estimated in picture quality or money. It is the feeling of doing something relaxing and fun , while working on photography skills and looking on the world trough a viewfinder (the moments and choices to keep) that makes a difference to me. Sometimes the digital tool Nikon D70 or my semipro Mamiya M645 will do the job as PAW tools. The tools are really not important, the experience and documentation is. The pictures displayed will be my choice of the week, and the standard, quality and motives my not be significant to others. But if you choose to take them for what they are, tou are very welcome to leave a comment. First posting will be by the end of week 18/2006. And remember the finish of the project is not the goal, the experience getting there is what matters.

Posted by Thoth | 4:35 p.m. |



mai 2006 juni 2006


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