Journal of Light

Monday, 21 May 2012

Rio Vallecitos

One of my favorite adventures while visiting New Mexico is to follow the Rio Vallecitos, north of Española. The river eventually flows into the Rio Chama, which joins the Rio Grande. The road has a few areas where you can pull over and photograph the view, a dramatic panorama at any time of year.

I had my 70-200 on a tripod there last week, and heard some horses whinnying below me. I got off two quick exposures before one of the horses disappeared again into the trees.

New Mexico is having a particularly verdurous spring after a lot of rain this past winter.

Another favorite New Mexican journey is to walk along the acequias, or irrigation ditches, in Albuquerque’s North Valley. I especially like the one in the village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, located right behind the wonderful restaurant Annapurna. It makes for a very pleasant walk after a great dinner.

Saturday, 5 May 2012

Walker Evans

Atlanta, 1936

A large print of this photograph hangs in my studio. I look at it every day, as it provides a constant source of inspiration.

The photography of Walker Evans is remarkably clear and concise. The four-square view of his architectural subjects, exemplified in the image above, reduces the act of seeing and photographing to its most basic components. No fancy lighting, no skewed angles, just a straight-on view that lets the subject present itself as plainly as possible.

Evans himself, a true post-modernist before post-modernism was an ‘ism,’ was the first to admit that there can be no point of view that doesn’t reflect the intention of the artist; even his straight ‘documentary style’ was still an invention. His work was all about selection: what to include within the frame, and what to exclude.

The longer I look at this photograph, the more I see, the more I learn.

Thursday, 26 April 2012

City of Angels, City of Color

A few images from a visit to Los Angeles earlier this week:

Sunday, 15 April 2012

Darshnee's Day

Our friends Darshnee and Ian were married yesterday, and I was honored to photograph the celebration. Through Mahen, Darshnee's father, we met many truly wonderful people: Ketan, Bharti and Arav, Mukesh, Meena, Ashok, Deepak, and so many more we are now also delighted to call our friends.

Louisa and I wish the happy couple many healthy and joyous years together.

Wednesday, 21 March 2012

Going...

I learned yesterday that the venerable Ridge Theatre in Vancouver will soon be no more, to be replaced by a townhouse development. Condemned to history as well will be the giant bowling pin at the alley next door.

I've spent countless nights at this Art Deco monument to film, the most memorable of which was experiencing Godfrey Reggio's Koyaanisqatsi on its first run in 1984. My life hasn't been the same since.

It will be a sad loss. I've been imagining the demolition team's huge wrecking ball swinging toward the bowling pin sign, like some terrible Brobdingnagian game at the alley.

Wednesday, 14 March 2012

Cinderblock Buddha

Another image that resulted from a walk around my neighborhood. The mural had just appeared on the side of a building, advertising a new Indian restaurant.

Tuesday, 6 March 2012

Dumpster Diving

Took a break from sitting at the computer this afternoon - it's tax season, so I'm spending more time in Excel than Photoshop - and went for a walk in the sun. Found a spray-painted dumpster a few blocks away, and a wall with some graffiti that caught my eye.

Sunday, 26 February 2012

Arizona Highway

Near Cameron, AZ. I was on the highway in northern Arizona, making my way south from Kayenta to Flagstaff after a visit to Monument Valley. For a time I was behind this truck, not feeling a need to pass as we were both doing about 75mph. After a while I noticed how the design on the back of the truck seemed to mimic the surrounding landscape. (Click image to enlarge.)

Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Fifteen Minutes on Fifth Avenue

The elevator opened onto a darkish hallway lined with heavy metal doors, not unlike countless other New York buildings of a certain vintage. I found the one I was looking for by the business card that hung in a small metal frame below the peephole. One line of eight-point Copperplate announced the occupant, another line had the phone number of Conde Naste Publication’s headquarters several blocks uptown. I knocked, waited for a reply, and soon the door opened. “Hello,” said the rather diminutive man standing before me, his hand extended. “I’m Irving Penn.”

I had called that morning and spoken with Penn’s studio manager, Patricia McCabe, and inquired into the possibility of having Mr. Penn sign my copy of his 1987 Museum of Modern Art monograph. ”Please come by,” she had said, explaining that I could leave the book for Penn to sign then pick it up at a later time. So it was some surprise, then, to meet one of the Twentieth Century’s few masters of photography when I arrived at his studio.

© Rob Atkins 2012

Irving Penn formed a gracious portrait of eloquence. He asked me about what my own work was like as a photographer, intently listening as I struggled to explain myself and what path I was trying to follow. “Photography requires a careful balance between art and commerce,” he had said in his quiet voice. He opened the book I had brought and said that after these several years since its publication, he was still thrilled with it and, especially, with John Szarkowski’s foreword. “If I could do the book all over again, I still wouldn’t change a thing.”

On a table in the reception area where we talked was a white porcelain plate with three or four strawberries, the diffuse morning light from the large windows casting soft shadows, making them almost glow. The essence of strawberries. An Irving Penn still life, right there before my eyes.

Sunday, 5 February 2012

Saturday's Walk

A long walk yesterday. D3S and 50/1.4. Made a few images, then saw this guy in an art gallery pondering an interesting work.

Some weeks ago I received a truly inspiring book, Early Color, by the photographer and painter Saul Leiter. He is a master and innovator of color, worthy of an honored position alongside Ernst Haas.

I think some of his work rubbed-off on me a bit; Leiter had a penchant for photographing reflections and views through windows.

A selection of Saul Leiter’s photography can be seen here.

Some of his paintings can be seen here.