Just in time for the holidays, I'll be participating in two great sales.
First is the annual SMFA Art Sale coming up this weekend. The sale features work by SMFA students, alumni, faculty and MFA staff members. I had a lot of fun last year (and great success!) and once again have submitted five pieces. They're all photos from my Instagram theme project, one framed and four matted. All of my co-workers from the photo studio also have great prints for sale, and the art ranges greatly in price. I'll be at the opening reception Thursday night, so definitely come say hi and check it out!
Second, I just found out that I've been accepted into a holiday art/craft sale sponsored by UForge gallery in Jamaica Plain. I've been working toward getting things ready to be in a fair like this for a while, and I'm so excited to try out the whole sale circuit! I'll be selling my theme prints in a bunch of sizes, as well as some other framed pieces and cards. It will take place Saturday, December 13 at Eliot Hall in JP. There will be around 30 other vendors, so please stop by to check out everyone's work and keep me company!
Going analog
I recently became the proud owner of a vintage Rolleiflex camera. It's a medium format manual camera known for its twin lens system, which allows you to hold the camera at waist-level and look down to see the large viewfinder made possible through a complex system of mirrors. My model was made sometime between 1951 and 1954 and is in perfect working condition. These cameras are also known for their excellent lenses and durable mechanics. I heard a story that the salesmen used to prove that by setting the camera on the ground and standing on top of it.
The only downside is that there's no light meter of any kind built into it. My other manual camera, a Canon AE-1 from the 1970s, at least has a manual pointer needle to indicate the recommended f-stop. Without one, I'm completely on my own for making accurate calculations of the existing light in order to set the shutter speed and aperture. I haven't really paid attention to these formulas since my first photo classes back in high school, and it certainly isn't something you need to think about much in the digital age. When digital cameras also commonly go up to an ISO of 3200, it's very different to think in terms of a film speed of 160.
So it's amazing that my first roll of film with the Rollei wasn't completely blank or solid black when it came back from being developed. After re-schooling myself on a few basic rules for sunny conditions, I doubled and halved my way to the proper settings for clouds and dappled shade. Not only are most of these photos properly exposed, but the color, sharpness and quality show why these cameras are still highly prized. The only mistake I made had to do with not properly advancing the film. My model was the first to include an automatic counter, based on the thickness of the film roll inside. But that means the amount you wind the film after each frame changes over time. I started off without fully advancing to the next frame, which resulted in one double exposure, and one half-frame, below. But honestly, I think they're still kind of fun photos. Certainly a unique reminder of the surprises film can bring.
All of these photos are from Walden Pond on a partly cloudy day in October. None of these have been altered or edited at all. The color and exposure are all exactly from the negative.
Big news! The Shop is here!
After a lot of prep work picking the right images, and maybe a webinar or two about selling your artwork, the Shop is live on my site! I've curated sets of 3, 6 and 9 photos pulled from my theme series on Instagram (and featured here on the blog). These are my favorites, but I'm happy to create custom designs and sizes as well! Please take a look and let me know what you think, suggestions for future themes, or even donate if you're lacking wall space.
Be on the lookout for new additions in the near future, and maybe a special promotion or two for fall. Enjoy!
New shop coming soon!
Big news! I'm working on getting the shop page set up on the site, where you'll be able to purchase prints from my Instgram theme project. I've curated sets of 3, 6 and 9 photos from the various themes and am just working on finalizing the layout. Which one below do you like better? Centered or off-centered? I'm planning on offering these as 8x12 prints, and leave a comment to let me know what you think!
Sneak peak!
I put the final touches on my piece for the April UForge show today. The pegboard arrived in perfect condition and looks great. I printed my photos this week thanks to the lab at Aviary Gallery in JP. It took a lot of searching, but I finally found super strong magnets too. I'll be dropping this off tomorrow - save the date for the opening on Thursday, April 3!
Read more about the idea behind this piece here.
