Sunday, March 13, 2011

Rayko Plastic Camera Show Opening

I was in San Francisco for the March 4 opening at the Rayko Photo Center for the 4th Annual Plastic Camera Show (see my previous post).  The opening was packed and the work was indeed exceptional. And I was lucky enough to meet some wonderful folks there as well. I spent most of the two hours talking and looking at images, but I did manage to take a few shots as well.

Two Thomas Alleman photos
































Deon Reynolds
















Eben Ostby
















My image (far right) and JM Goulding's image next to it (bottom)
















Robert Holmgren ("batman" photo)
















Ann Jastrab (left) taking photos with her Diana camera
















Andrew Phillips (top photo)
















Aline Smithson
















Tom Debiec photo (far left)
























Carol Mikkelson
Posted by at

4 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 15, 2011 at 2:48 PM

    Beautiful images, indeed...

    Especially the last one, by Carol Mikkelson.

    Do you think that certain things just call to be photographed with plastic cameras specifically and nothing else?

    ReplyDelete
  2. jim rohanMarch 15, 2011 at 4:36 PM

    parasol, I agree with you on the Carol Mikkelson
    photo. Her work is always exceptional.

    And that's an interesting question that you pose.
    Author and photo educator Christopher James says
    (and I am paraphrasing here) that he chooses to use a toy camera when he wants an image to look
    like it is as he remembers it, not as it actually is. Toy cameras can add a dreamlike feeling or even a sense of quirkiness that I would have a hard time emulating with a "real" camera. But I also think a bad photo is just a bad photo whether it's taken with a real camera
    or a toy camera. It's a great question. What do you think (or anyone else that wants to chimein).

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMarch 15, 2011 at 4:51 PM

    Thank you - I wasn't aware of Christopher James!

    Yes, the dreamy atmosphere is incomparable with toy cameras when photographing ordinary objects. But I was thinking also that there are certain objects that just are specifically destined for a toy camera, if I can say that. Like shadows, for example. I have been catching myself that I look at and photograph different things when I have my Holga in my hands as opposed to some other kind of camera. Somehow I look for shadows :)

    Also, something else - I am curious how many of the photos in the exhibit were photographically printed vs. digitally.

    ReplyDelete
  4. jim rohanMarch 15, 2011 at 6:38 PM

    Yes, I have to agree with you on shadows. I have shot my fair share with toy cameras.

    I would guess that the majority were inkjet prints. But, I am pretty sure that the Carol Mikkelson image you like is an analog print.
    There were also some alternative process prints
    in the show, like the Eben Otsby image I posted.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)