The concept of low-tech photography
-----Original Message-----
From: Bernard Yenelouis [mailto:BYenelouis@icp.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 10:40 AM
To: juarezm@u.library.arizona.edu
Cc: Deirdre Donohue
Subject: FW: low tech photography
the concept of "low tech" photography has been used in many different modes for various purposes. The notion of a "hand camera" was written about by Alfred Stieglitz in 1897, for example, in contradistinction to more professional practices which necessitated the use of a studio & a large camera. Paul Strand used a hand-held camera in his street work in New York in the late teens, as well, making enlarged negatives from which to print. & perhaps the most notorious "classic" use of cheap equipment is Edward Weston's stated use of a very cheap lens on his camera to photograph the peppers & other vegetables - deomonstrating his darkroom bravado in lieu of fine optics (in contradistinction to the technological fears that "the camera takes the picture").
In comparison with the throaway cameras currently available, the equipment of Stieglitz, Strand & Weston certainly appears high-end. But there are correspondences in attitudes towards the ability of equipment to render an image, both as a challenge to & a transgression of accepted values.
Beginning in the 1970s there were several photographers using plastic cameras, specifically the Diana camera & its different models (the Arrow, etc.) - a great example of work from this period is by Nancy Rexroth, which was put together as a self-published book, Ohio. In New Mexico there is the Pinhole Resource Center, run by Eric Renner, which still publishes the Pinhole Journal - another source of "alternative" cameras. & there is also Shots Magazine, which has changed owners & locations through the years, which blurs distinctions between snapshots & professional black&white work.
While not specifically engaged with low-end equipment, a lot of the early (1970s, early 1980s) photos by Nan Goldin was done w/ point&shoot cameras, or any available camera. The early landscapes of Sally Gall were done with a Diana camera. The entire photographic output of Annelies Strba was done with extremely low-end cameras - her enlargements emphasizing the "amateur" & technically poor resolutions of lens & films. William Christenberry also used Brownie cameras for his early landscapes, in color.
The use of cheap cameras was also used strategically by several conceptual artists using photography. The photo books by Ed Ruscha, the early photos & paintings by John Baldessari, the archiving of snapshots by Gerhard Richter, the work of Adrian Piper- there's an extensive catalogue of conceptual photography recently published by the Walker Art Center - The Last Picture Show - which includes a lot of work.
Also currently, while not directly engaged in a fine arts setting, the popularity of the Lomographic Society, using the Lomo camera from Russia, is an example of the popularity of the cheap & the potentials of chance in using outmoded or unsophisticated equipment.
Bernard Yenelouis
International Center of Photography
-----Original Message-----
From: Juarez, Miguel [mailto:juarezm@U.LIBRARY.ARIZONA.EDU]
Sent: Mon 4/5/2004 7:52 PM
To: PHOTOLIBS@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU
Cc:
Subject: low tech photography
I just had a visitor from Las Cruces, NM doing research on photographers who use low tech to create their work-like me, photogs who use disposable camera to produce work-do any names of well known photographers come to mind?
Miguel Juarez, Fine Arts Librarian
From: Bernard Yenelouis [mailto:BYenelouis@icp.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 10:40 AM
To: juarezm@u.library.arizona.edu
Cc: Deirdre Donohue
Subject: FW: low tech photography
the concept of "low tech" photography has been used in many different modes for various purposes. The notion of a "hand camera" was written about by Alfred Stieglitz in 1897, for example, in contradistinction to more professional practices which necessitated the use of a studio & a large camera. Paul Strand used a hand-held camera in his street work in New York in the late teens, as well, making enlarged negatives from which to print. & perhaps the most notorious "classic" use of cheap equipment is Edward Weston's stated use of a very cheap lens on his camera to photograph the peppers & other vegetables - deomonstrating his darkroom bravado in lieu of fine optics (in contradistinction to the technological fears that "the camera takes the picture").
In comparison with the throaway cameras currently available, the equipment of Stieglitz, Strand & Weston certainly appears high-end. But there are correspondences in attitudes towards the ability of equipment to render an image, both as a challenge to & a transgression of accepted values.
Beginning in the 1970s there were several photographers using plastic cameras, specifically the Diana camera & its different models (the Arrow, etc.) - a great example of work from this period is by Nancy Rexroth, which was put together as a self-published book, Ohio. In New Mexico there is the Pinhole Resource Center, run by Eric Renner, which still publishes the Pinhole Journal - another source of "alternative" cameras. & there is also Shots Magazine, which has changed owners & locations through the years, which blurs distinctions between snapshots & professional black&white work.
While not specifically engaged with low-end equipment, a lot of the early (1970s, early 1980s) photos by Nan Goldin was done w/ point&shoot cameras, or any available camera. The early landscapes of Sally Gall were done with a Diana camera. The entire photographic output of Annelies Strba was done with extremely low-end cameras - her enlargements emphasizing the "amateur" & technically poor resolutions of lens & films. William Christenberry also used Brownie cameras for his early landscapes, in color.
The use of cheap cameras was also used strategically by several conceptual artists using photography. The photo books by Ed Ruscha, the early photos & paintings by John Baldessari, the archiving of snapshots by Gerhard Richter, the work of Adrian Piper- there's an extensive catalogue of conceptual photography recently published by the Walker Art Center - The Last Picture Show - which includes a lot of work.
Also currently, while not directly engaged in a fine arts setting, the popularity of the Lomographic Society, using the Lomo camera from Russia, is an example of the popularity of the cheap & the potentials of chance in using outmoded or unsophisticated equipment.
Bernard Yenelouis
International Center of Photography
-----Original Message-----
From: Juarez, Miguel [mailto:juarezm@U.LIBRARY.ARIZONA.EDU]
Sent: Mon 4/5/2004 7:52 PM
To: PHOTOLIBS@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU
Cc:
Subject: low tech photography
I just had a visitor from Las Cruces, NM doing research on photographers who use low tech to create their work-like me, photogs who use disposable camera to produce work-do any names of well known photographers come to mind?
Miguel Juarez, Fine Arts Librarian
posted by miguel at 9:51 AM
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