Project Description
SOMETIMES IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT IT IS. WHAT MATTERS IS HOW IT FEELS WHEN YOU SEE IT.
The image at the top of this page is one of my favorites. I was living in Santa Cruz CA, and there was an event called “Woodies on the Wharf” with many old cars. As I was walking with my camera I saw this very shiny car, with a fence reflected in the side. Just as I started to set up, the guy who owned the car got the call to join the parade. I pleaded with him to stay a few minutes, and he couldn’t, so I very hastily set up my view camera and got off this one shot before he drove away. I wish I had gotten his name, because I would have loved to have gotten back to him with a print.
My great uncle, Brett Weston, was a master at the abstract. I love the way he saw. He would often see a photograph where all anyone else saw was junk, or broken ice, or scratched paint. Seeing like that is a practice.
I made all of the images on this page with my beloved Deardorff Special 4×5 view camera with the exception of the bottom one which was made using a Yashica 6×6 medium format twin lens reflex. What’s special about the Deardorff Special is that it’s actually a 5×7 camera with a rotating back, allowing me to set up the camera, and then rotate the back to level it, which is a huge advantage over fiddling with the tripod.
Click on an image to start the slide show.
The camera for an artist is just another tool. It is no more mechanical than a violin if you analyze it. Beyond the rudiments, it is up to the artist to create art, not the camera.
MORE COLLECTIONS FROM JASON
PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS AND WEBINARS WITH JASON WESTON
ONTARIO CANADA WORKSHOP – 21-22 AUGUST 2019
The Bruce Trail in Ontario Canada, running from Niagara Falls to Tobermory, is one of the great hiking trails in North America. This trail, which meanders through Mono Cliffs Provincial Park, will be the setting for your exploration with your camera. Come enjoy two days of photography, and see what you may have been missing.
DEATH VALLEY WORKSHOP – OCTOBER 13-17, 2019
Death Valley is a jewel, a land of shifting sands and deep stability. Depending on time of year it can be unbearably hot, or miserably cold. We're aiming for that sweet spot in between when it's comfortable to be there. This workshop is currently under construction. I’ll have a detailed itinerary and pricing soon. If you think you want to participate, please contact me.