Beauty In Death – not for the faint

If you’ve been following my progress throughout the years, then you’ve noticed that I’m a bit weird. Very, very odd. Let’s face it, I photograph a lot of dead shit. You might think, “Fucking gross.” but I think “Fucking awesome.” There is beauty in death, whether that’s just my opinion or not, it’s a huge part of why I do what I do.

Yep, that’s me – when I was just a wee nugget.

In 2004, I took my first set of Polaroid 600 photos in Ashland City, Tennessee. (My mother had bought me an iZone & Joycam in my junior high school days, but the photos remain lost.. so I consider the ones from 2004 to be my first true Polaroid experience.) Four polaroids remained in the camera before I went for a walk.. out in bumfuck wherever.

These are the last three in the set, click through for full-size.

I was cleaning a trailer out for a friend’s mother with my roommate. This friend was a woman who worked at a popular hospital in Nashville, TN. She was an RN. We were teenagers. She paid us to clean this place out in return for Ritalin & things of the sort. (a few years ago, I read her obituary in the newspaper. She had committed suicide while on her lunchbreak at work.) These first Polaroids of mine were from her camera, that she’d lent to me before I went for my walk. I owe a lot to her, and I wish I could tell her ‘thank you for really getting me into photography.’ … but I can’t.

Ribcage found at the end of a driveway to an abandoned house off of Britton Springs, Clarksville. Digital shot.

Bird skull found at Trice Landing, Clarksville. Rattle can spatter on canvas. Shot with Polaroid Spectra System/Image film with law enforcement close-up attachment.

Outside of Cumberland City. Shot with Polaroid Spectra System/Image film

Near Paris, Tennessee. Shot with Polaroid Spectra System/Image film

This guy was found ripped to shreds near our apartment in downtown Clarksville. Deer hooves. Shot with Polaroid Spectra System/Image film

This photo was shot with several different cameras. This one was shot with a Canon EOS Rebel 35mm. Kodak Tri-X 400 film, & developed at home with Kodak D-76 chemicals.

Same shot, again, with the Holga 120N. Fuji Neopan 400 film.

You can view the entire “Dead Things/Houses” set on flickr HERE.

Camera Collection!

Today I took a few hours to shoot my camera collection, and I’m actually not finished yet, as I have some cameras displayed in my room as well & had to cook myself breakfast. There are many of these that I have managed to get instant film for, but the film turned out to be too expired, dried up, or dead battery. However, most of the film cameras I try to use as often as I can; even if I have to experiment a little.

This camera takes type 42 rollfilm, which is like finding a needle in a haystack. Last year, my husband found some on ebay for me and I had successfully loaded the camera, however unsuccessfully pulled the film out. (every time.) The film was wet! It would have been amazing.. but I failed & have yet to find any more Polaroid Roll Film.

Yashica Lynx 5000E 35mm – I have shot with this camera a few times, and was very pleased with the results, as they have a dreamlike quality about them:

Kodak Brownie Hawkeye – this vintage camera takes type 620 film, but can also be loaded with 120 film. It’s a really fun camera to use. I’ve yet to load it with color film, but am planning on it soon. You can see a roll that I’ve shot with this camera here: Brownie Hawkeye set on flickr

I love this camera! There’s not much more I can say about it. It’s fun. Lightweight, and I can put as much 35mm in it as I want. Still trying to figure it out, but learning more & more. I have even converted it into a pinhole that can take macro images, but haven’t scanned the negatives. Here are some of my favorite Holga shots:

Hopefully, I’ll be using my Holga a lot more for the ART OF WAITING projects soon. I’m going to go urbexin’ now. It’s a beautiful day, and I don’t have to work. Huzzah!

Weekend Warrior

Earlier this month, I learned how to develop my own black and white film. Earlier last year, my husband had purchased us an entire darkroom setup. (chemicals, paper, developing tanks, Beseler enlarger.. basically the works)  I’d never used any of it  now. We have three spare rooms I could set up a darkroom in, but I am concerned about ventilation & light, so I haven’t made any prints yet. That doesn’t stop me from being able to develop the film in my bathroom. I use a slide scanner to scan the negatives. I still haven’t perfected the art of developing, but have always been a big fan of imperfections in photos, especially in the development process – & will often abuse my Polaroids as they are developing by crunching, freezing, or blowdrying.

These photos were scanned on an actual scanner, as 120 film doesn’t fit in the slide scanner & inverted in photoshop. I wipe the negatives with a cloth, and let them air dry. I actually adore the waterspots, but not so much the dust.

I’m anxious for the day when I print my first picture, but until then: I just found a 100ft of Kodak Tri-X 400 35mm in the other room. Literally. Just now.

You can view the rest of the set here, if you’d like.

Success!

I seem to have created my first photoblog. Of course, I spend all this time trying to make it look nice, and I’m going to skip out on a legitimate entry. Here you’ll find my photography & maybe a little bit of art. I will also feature other photographers whose work I highly admire, so be on the lookout for that! I am a Polaroid enthusiast and look forward to connecting with others who share my interest in analogue photography. I hope to see you back in the future!

“-orama” – 7treehouses on Flickr