Julia Margaret Cameron's Women

Sifting through the shelves of photography books at my local used bookstore, I luckily came across Julia Margaret Cameron's Women by Sylvia Wolf.  Cameron created her portraits in the 19th century, blazing a trail for future portrait photographers, both men and women.  This book was my introduction to her work and now I am a great admirer.  

Here are some of the most interesting tidbits from the text.

On women as portrait subjects:

...contemporary portrait photography, commercial studios strive to generate images of women that say, "I'm fun.  I'm friendly.  I'm enjoying life and will help you enjoy it, too."

If Cameron's portraits of women convey a message, it's "I'm ready for the worst.  I have resources that can be brought to bear on the tragedies I know lie ahead of me, that lie ahead of every woman who lives and loves other creatures who are mortal."

On inspiration and culture:

She had the words of Romantic poets in her head as we might has the lyrics of songs by the Beatles.

If we cannot reproduce her literary culture, if our minds' mansions are furnished, instead of with stanzas by Milton and Shakespeare, with episodes of favorite television shows, can we understand or fully respond to her photographs?

On personal photographic style:

"When focussing and coming to something which, to my eye, was very beautiful, I stopped there instead of screwing on the lens to the more definite focus which all other photographers insist upon," she wrote.

But what is style except an embodiment of the way an artist sees, the distinctive angle, distance, and focus at which the world looks right to her.

After a turn through Julia Margaret Cameron's Women, I am always ready to grab an old camera, a roll of B&W film and a female friend to play portrait studio.

As a side note, I suppose this would be my first post as part of the Women Writers Reading Group of Le project d'amour.  I have been reading so many books by women, I want to write at least a quick bit about each as I go along.

{Top photo mine with Rolleiflex, final three photos by Julia Margaret Cameron}

iPhone App versus Rolleiflex

After a lot of thought (do I really want to be that connected?), I recently got an iPhone.  Now I have a hard time imagining life pre-iPhone.  :)  Snapping photos to share instantly via picture text with a friend or more widely via Instagram and Twitter is a bit of fun that helps me feel more connected with others throughout my day, even when alone.  But I still carry around my film cameras everywhere, and I have to remind myself that an iPhone photograph is not a substitute for a "real" photograph.

Here is the same scene photographed twice. 

First with my iPhone 4S using the 6x6 app that mimics a Rolleiflex, down to the flipped ground glass live view.  

Second with my Rolleiflex 3.5e and Kodak Ektar 100 film.

Ah, seeing the second is a relief for my eyes.  Although one is free and instant and the other requires time and money, there really is no comparison, is there?

London

A few more from London, shot on my Mamiya 645.  This camera is so heavy, I'm not sure if I would take her on future vacations, but I do love the 645 look more than 35 mm.  Also, she mysteriously stopped working near the end of my trip and I still need to take her in for repairs.  

A Roll of Film from London

Today I realized that I had three undeveloped rolls of black and white film from my European trip in October.  I went to work developing the film in my bathroom "darkroom."  Here is every photo from one roll of Kodak Tri-X 400 from my Mamiya 645, in the order I took them.

Finding the undeveloped rolls was a surprise that brought back memories from my trip.  Film is fun like that.

See also my "A Roll of Film from Paris" post.

Christmas on the Farm

Wandering around my in-laws' farm in North Carolina.

{photos: nikon fm2 and kodak ektar 100 film}

Happy New Year

{My two favorite old Holga shots}

Resolution.  In 2013, black and white photography - including developing and printing - will be a bigger part of my life.  I hope.

Disposable Camera in Europe

My Mamiya 645 camera stopped working two-thirds through my European vacation, leaving me with only a Polaroid in Amsterdam and Dublin.  I decided to pick up a couple of disposable cameras from the drug store.  I am disappointed not to have photos like in London and Paris, but the disposable results have their own small-town kind of charm.

Amsterdam

Dublin

I still have to take my Mamiya to the camera doctor (International Camera on Wabash).  Perhaps banging over Amsterdam cobblestones in my bike basket did her in.