Shapes and Abstractions: #10 Scaffolding
Scaffolding. 40mm @ f/5.6 - Tri-X Pan, ISO 320
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I was a shameless gear head for a very long time. I shot nothing but digital, carried lots of lenses, flash equipment, battery packs, etc, etc.
I started to get bored with my work after awhile. I really didn’t feel anything toward the photographs I was making. The whole process had become an excercise in technical ability, nothing more.
By chance I came across an old Leica M4-P and decided to give it a shot. I borrowed a 40mm lens from a friend, for which there are no bright lines in a Leica rangefinder. I hit the street for an afternoon. The fourth frame on the roll was this photograph of scaffolding in late afternoon light.
It was the first roll of film, and the first good photograph I had made in probably 6 years. Within a month I had traded all my digital gear for rangefinders and went back to film. Everything felt right again. It was the best thing I ever did for my work.
I don’t think everyone should go out, sell their gear and shoot film. I do believe that we should all shoot what we feel comfortable with. The camera is a tool. I had to learn that the expensive way.
Tags: Recent Photographs
May 25th, 2007 at 12:13 am
[...] “Shapes and Abstractions: #10 Scaffolding” by Joe Szymanski - Mostly Photography [...]
May 25th, 2007 at 7:46 am
Superb capture.
May 25th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Why thank you.
May 25th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
[...] “Shapes and Abstractions: #10 Scaffolding” by Joe Szymanski - Mostly Photography [...]
May 25th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
[...] “Shapes and Abstractions: #10 Scaffolding” by Joe Szymanski - Mostly Photography [...]
May 26th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
[...] “Shapes and Abstractions: #10 Scaffolding” by Joe Szymanski - Mostly Photography [...]
May 26th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
I love how some of the most intriguing images can sometimes be unexpected. It happens to me all the time.
I recently bought a Holga, for just the same reason.
February 4th, 2008 at 7:55 am
There is a lot of depth to this image - more than foirst meets the eye.
The light in the center of the photograph obviously first attracts the attention but the real depth and intrigue comes from the shadows.
Is there a 7 at the top right, what is at the base of the railings in the light area, a bottle or is it a mans shadow.
The beauty of this image is that it can pull in the viewer on each visit. Nice one.
February 15th, 2008 at 12:03 am
Yes, I really like this picture and the actions you took as a result of taking it.
I really like the way the bright light in the centre is like the world peeking through and seeing how good the building may look after the scaffolding has been taken down. Thanks John
February 15th, 2008 at 12:32 am
Thanks John. Glad you enjoyed it.