FEB 20TH
TRANNIES ARE BACK
I have the first lot of my transparencies back from my lab in Sydney. I couldn’t wait to have a look at them. It bought back many memories of TAFE when this is all I was shooting and every week after my practical class in the studio I would be eager to see the results from the brief set by our teacher using the SINAR large format cameras 6x7 inch sheet film. I miss those days as I enjoyed using all the equipment I could never afford to own and the freedom we had although bound by the brief that was set. I was always out of my comfort zone and trying things I probably would never have attempted if not for TAFE. We covered so many subjects in and out of the studio from glass ware, movement, macro, shiny metal objects, food, products and people and I stuffed up many times in my four years and had many frustrated moments. I remember one assignment that I did in second year an assignment based at home when we were still shooting black and white film. The brief was to produce 6 images indoors using fill flash producing a story a sequence of images that you could read. After thinking of a theme and spending hours setting each image up with Bruno my close friend and flat mate who I coaxed into being my subject for the assignment. We had the best fun setting the shots up with our props and especially with the last shot on the dunny, at one stage when I asked bruno to pretend he had stomach cramps he strained and farted and I could not stop laughing. God it was funny and he was rather embarrassed anyhow even before he did that. He was swearing at me but also laughing at himself. He would kill me if he knew I was writing this.
Unfortunately after processing the negatives I realized I had to re-shoot all these shots again as I stuffed them all up. My fill flash was to strong and I had harsh shadows behind Bruno in every image. I went to so much trouble setting each shot up to make it look authentic to find out I had to do the whole thing again. I cried and was so disheartened I beat myself up for days. Anyway Bruno being the great guy that he is helped me reset everything back up again and we shot the whole sequence again. Now you have to understand that doors had to be removed off cupboards which then had to be emptied, we had to collect old beer bottles from the local RSL club, we had to trash the kitchen with sauce and other condiments and dirty dishes to make it look like a bachelor pad and go back to the supermarket for another tin of Chilli and then of course compose each shot and get the fill flash right. Well after all this effort over the course of one week I got the second lot of negs processed and wala perfect!!! I then had to get into the darkroom which was my laundry and print each shot. Needless to say I got top marks for that assignment which was then displayed on a board at TAFE for every one to see. I was so shocked when I came into class after handing the assignment in for marking and saw them in the display case. I have never been so proud. I could not wait to get home and tell Bruno that I topped the class. I have attached them for you to see. Look closely at each shot as the props are what make this work.
I will also never forget one of my teachers who I had for many of my subjects over the four years and had great respect for. One night towards the end of the third year we all went to the local pub after our class which was pretty normal. I am not sure how the deep and meaningful conversation started between him and me but I will not forget what he said to me as this kept me going for the rest of the year. He told me that when he interviewed me initially to get into the course it was not the photographs I bought with me that impressed him (believe me they were very ordinary back then) but my determination and attitude. He said he knew I would not quit and I would finish from that interview. Its amazing how certain people touch our lives. I can still see him now sitting there across from me with a beer in front of him and a fag in hand talking to me with a seriousness and directness which I needed to hear, as at that point the year was a real struggle for me in every sense of the word. He continued to tell me he had never seen any one so determined and improve so much each year as I did. As he looked at me he told me I had so much to do and to achieve with my life and photography. He could see this before I could. I understand what he meant now.
TRANNIES ARE BACK
I have the first lot of my transparencies back from my lab in Sydney. I couldn’t wait to have a look at them. It bought back many memories of TAFE when this is all I was shooting and every week after my practical class in the studio I would be eager to see the results from the brief set by our teacher using the SINAR large format cameras 6x7 inch sheet film. I miss those days as I enjoyed using all the equipment I could never afford to own and the freedom we had although bound by the brief that was set. I was always out of my comfort zone and trying things I probably would never have attempted if not for TAFE. We covered so many subjects in and out of the studio from glass ware, movement, macro, shiny metal objects, food, products and people and I stuffed up many times in my four years and had many frustrated moments. I remember one assignment that I did in second year an assignment based at home when we were still shooting black and white film. The brief was to produce 6 images indoors using fill flash producing a story a sequence of images that you could read. After thinking of a theme and spending hours setting each image up with Bruno my close friend and flat mate who I coaxed into being my subject for the assignment. We had the best fun setting the shots up with our props and especially with the last shot on the dunny, at one stage when I asked bruno to pretend he had stomach cramps he strained and farted and I could not stop laughing. God it was funny and he was rather embarrassed anyhow even before he did that. He was swearing at me but also laughing at himself. He would kill me if he knew I was writing this.
Unfortunately after processing the negatives I realized I had to re-shoot all these shots again as I stuffed them all up. My fill flash was to strong and I had harsh shadows behind Bruno in every image. I went to so much trouble setting each shot up to make it look authentic to find out I had to do the whole thing again. I cried and was so disheartened I beat myself up for days. Anyway Bruno being the great guy that he is helped me reset everything back up again and we shot the whole sequence again. Now you have to understand that doors had to be removed off cupboards which then had to be emptied, we had to collect old beer bottles from the local RSL club, we had to trash the kitchen with sauce and other condiments and dirty dishes to make it look like a bachelor pad and go back to the supermarket for another tin of Chilli and then of course compose each shot and get the fill flash right. Well after all this effort over the course of one week I got the second lot of negs processed and wala perfect!!! I then had to get into the darkroom which was my laundry and print each shot. Needless to say I got top marks for that assignment which was then displayed on a board at TAFE for every one to see. I was so shocked when I came into class after handing the assignment in for marking and saw them in the display case. I have never been so proud. I could not wait to get home and tell Bruno that I topped the class. I have attached them for you to see. Look closely at each shot as the props are what make this work.
I will also never forget one of my teachers who I had for many of my subjects over the four years and had great respect for. One night towards the end of the third year we all went to the local pub after our class which was pretty normal. I am not sure how the deep and meaningful conversation started between him and me but I will not forget what he said to me as this kept me going for the rest of the year. He told me that when he interviewed me initially to get into the course it was not the photographs I bought with me that impressed him (believe me they were very ordinary back then) but my determination and attitude. He said he knew I would not quit and I would finish from that interview. Its amazing how certain people touch our lives. I can still see him now sitting there across from me with a beer in front of him and a fag in hand talking to me with a seriousness and directness which I needed to hear, as at that point the year was a real struggle for me in every sense of the word. He continued to tell me he had never seen any one so determined and improve so much each year as I did. As he looked at me he told me I had so much to do and to achieve with my life and photography. He could see this before I could. I understand what he meant now.
No comments:
Post a Comment