Photostock 2009 is now in the history books! From June 19 to the 28th, analogue photographers from The United States, Canada, and abroad (our furthest traveller was from Norway, this year...) assembled in Cross Village, Michigan for the 4th annual Photostock photographers gathering. Those who were able to take part in the entire event attended workshops in wet plate collodion printing, Carbon transfer printing, Platinum/Palladium printing, Gum-over Platinum printing and preparing digital negatives. There were also great shooting opportunities along the Lake Michigan coast Between Sturgeon Bay and Harbor Springs.
Thanks to all who worked so hard to make Photostock 2009 an event to remember. It was great to meet Kerik Kouklis and to see David "Ike" Eisenlord and Joe Smigiel again. It was inspiring to see Shelby Lee Adams' slides and to hear his portfolio critiques. I'm sorry I missed Sandy King, who departed just before my arrival. The portfolio sharing and resulting print exchange were high points for me. I am now the proud owner of a wonderful Travis Nunn infrared print and a superJeff and Eva Bannow special. (Thanks to each of you.) This was the first time my own prints have been viewed by a truly discerning audience, and I appreciate the encouragement that people showed me, especially with my coffee prints.
Of course, none of this could have come to pass without the tireless efforts of organizer Bill Schwab . Bad back and all, Bill was busier than the Energizer Bunny all weekend. Thank you, Bill... thank you. As with last year's event, I came away from Photostock 2009 amazed and inspired by the incredibly talented photographers and innovative printers I have met. Though there were a few digicams present to help document the event, Photostock is all about the creative use of traditional photography techniques, some of which are approaching 200 years old. It was wonderful to see old friends again, and to meet new friends brought together through the love of good photography. I can't wait till next year!
Thanks to all who worked so hard to make Photostock 2009 an event to remember. It was great to meet Kerik Kouklis and to see David "Ike" Eisenlord and Joe Smigiel again. It was inspiring to see Shelby Lee Adams' slides and to hear his portfolio critiques. I'm sorry I missed Sandy King, who departed just before my arrival. The portfolio sharing and resulting print exchange were high points for me. I am now the proud owner of a wonderful Travis Nunn infrared print and a superJeff and Eva Bannow special. (Thanks to each of you.) This was the first time my own prints have been viewed by a truly discerning audience, and I appreciate the encouragement that people showed me, especially with my coffee prints.
Of course, none of this could have come to pass without the tireless efforts of organizer Bill Schwab . Bad back and all, Bill was busier than the Energizer Bunny all weekend. Thank you, Bill... thank you. As with last year's event, I came away from Photostock 2009 amazed and inspired by the incredibly talented photographers and innovative printers I have met. Though there were a few digicams present to help document the event, Photostock is all about the creative use of traditional photography techniques, some of which are approaching 200 years old. It was wonderful to see old friends again, and to meet new friends brought together through the love of good photography. I can't wait till next year!
Roguestock 2010
Sadly, Bill Schwab was unable to host Photostock this year, which was a great shame, as I enjoyed the last couple of years immensely. As it turns out, there were a dozen or so others who had made reservations at the Birchwood and rather than cancel, we chose to meet under the direction of James Mullineaux for a "rogue edition" of the past event, albeit with a different name. Roguestock, as it came to be called, was a much more informal gathering, with an evening of wine and chat, an afternoon of portfolio sharing, a couple of days of scattered photoshoots, and a lovely meal at Leggs Inn. Though the turnout was small, the standards remained high. There were some outstanding portfolios presented. Many friends were present, and many missed. This weekend event was a wonderful reminder of the past years' events and an appetizer for more in the future. Thanks, James and all.
Detroit Area Gathering/André Kertész exhibit.
In the first weekend of December 2010, Jeff and Eva Bannow hosted about a dozen multi-format shooters to tour some abandoned facilities in Detroit. Included on the agenda were the old Cass Technical high school, 8 storeys of neglect and decay, and the crumbling Packard Plant on the near East side. (soon to be a major motion picture) This was also the weekend I picked up my "new" 8x10 Burke & James Grover from my buddy Jeff. We capped the weekend off with a visit to the wonderful André Kertész exhibit at the Detroit Institute of the Arts.Kertész had a photographic career that spanned seven decades and took him from the villages of his native Hungary to the cosmopolitan centres of Paris and New York.
In the first weekend of December 2010, Jeff and Eva Bannow hosted about a dozen multi-format shooters to tour some abandoned facilities in Detroit. Included on the agenda were the old Cass Technical high school, 8 storeys of neglect and decay, and the crumbling Packard Plant on the near East side. (soon to be a major motion picture) This was also the weekend I picked up my "new" 8x10 Burke & James Grover from my buddy Jeff. We capped the weekend off with a visit to the wonderful André Kertész exhibit at the Detroit Institute of the Arts.Kertész had a photographic career that spanned seven decades and took him from the villages of his native Hungary to the cosmopolitan centres of Paris and New York.