Adaptation

My previous post was titled “Being an Aging Photographer”. Related to this topic, I just finished reading “Everything is Photograph: A Life of André Kertész” by Patricia Albers. Kertész died in 1985 at the age of 91. He continued to photograph throughout his life and played a major role in the history of photography. His photographic life is inspiring to me. As he aged, he found new ways to adapt as he continued to create his images. An example is that when his vision started to deteriorate and he was not as physically mobile, he started to use a Polaroid SX-70 camera which had auto-focus and provided an instant image which saved him from having to go to a camera shop to get his film developed and printed. He also used view cameras during his career but adopted the Leica after its introduction because it was easy to carry around and great for his style of photography.

Being open to change and adapting to your environment seem to be the keys to a long photographic life. I still use film for a lot of my image making but I also use digital to keep current. My black and white film work is a hybrid process where I develop my own film and digitally scan what I think are the best images. I then digitally process the image and archivally print it on a digital printer. Working with film can be a challenging process but I still like the way that black and white film images look.

I noted in my previous post that it seemed that my camera bag was gaining weight. Of course, in reality it is feeling heavier as I get older. In order to adapt, I recently purchased a Ricoh GR IV monochrome digital camera. This camera only produces black and white images. For me, as I get older, the GR monochrome may be a transition camera from my larger and heavier cameras. I have been impressed with the test shots. I have also been using a vintage Olympus Infinity Stylus Epic film camera which I believe was popular in the 1990’s. This is a compact pocket camera in which I use black and white film. I can carry both cameras together in a small camera bag.

These cameras currently seem to be an excellent combination at this time in my life because of their size and ability to make black and white images. For many and maybe most photographers, these cameras would not be appropriate for the type of images they prefer to make. Each photographer must find what works best for them. That’s one of the great things about photography—it can adapt to many different styles and needs. 

One of my first test images with my Ricoh GR IV monochrome camera.

Olympus Infinity Stylus Epic film camera (blue toned black and white image)