f.64, Direct Sunlight, a 150mm lens.

So through the past week(s) I've continued to check out the area I like to call roads to nowhere. I shot a bunch of film out there, somewhat arbitrarily from my main project, or maybe it isn't. I've just been trying to give myself a lot more freedom with what I shot so the images don't become overly formulaic. (and although much of my work of late has been successful, I feel at times it has become just that)

I'm really happy with the top 3 images, the bottom two feel a little too pretty the more I look at them, to be honest they're all kindof pretty but again, the bottom two are just a little too much.

So here comes a bunch of new stuff that I may or may not edit into my book!






Further Note, I shot most of this work at f.64 and really really overexposed to increase my shadow detail. Shooting directly at the sun became a little wonky but I am tempted to really like how this stuff looks. Also special thanks to Abe for letting me borrow his 150, it's nice to have choices of lens length when I'm shooting this stuff.

Not much time left in the semester, The book is really close to being edited (and needs to be finalized by the end of this week to be honest). next post will prolly be in 2 weeks. Happy Thanksgiving.

NPZ 800

So I had this roll of fuji NPZ 800, I've never really shot with high speed film, It's funny cuz a few years ago all this grain would have bothered me. But now with digital being so dominant I kindof like the grainy look of film, and it's flexibility in low light...now all I have to do is shoot the roll of Ilford 3200 I have...







I'm not sure how much I like this bottom shot (or the middle for that matter) but hey this is just a blog! It's kindof nice to shoot handheld, maybe it's just the freedom and the new format. anywho...

Roads to Nowhere...(The Roads)

I feel like the project has been getting too heavy into "trash spots" and industrial leftovers. I've been hiking the hidden roads southeast of my house and finding this stuff to be less overbearing as evidence of man vs environment...Here are two images I just finished working on. My volume may slow a bit as I'm going to start focusing a lot on editing for the book I'm self publishing.

So I got my negs back of the roads that I have been hiking, two of them had some huge problems, my own fault...I really like the wind movement I got out of these shots. I prefer the muddy marsh road but this leafy path is nice as well.

Roads to Nowhere...

So yesterday I packed up my 6x9 and my 4x5 and left my house, walking due south into the woods...I had planned on shooting out on the old dirt roads that are a mile or two into the woods, but before I got very far I couldn't help but shoot where they are clearing the woods here.

As far as I know this is supposed to be protected land but I guess these people just don't care.

Eventually I reached the old roads, they don't really go anywhere, instead you find them like a river, a dozen tributaries of small pathways converge into these old roads, most of which dead end in the marsh. I dig this location, but due to the gross factor of VC film I was really unhappy with a lot of my stuff I shot out there.

I did get these last two shots near the roads/lands end.

I'm pretty excited about working out in this area, I feel a few more excursions out here in my imminent future. Everything out there is pretty much untouched, all the old junk is sun-bleached, the pathways overgrown. I dig it.

5-13-08

Finals, Review Boards are here.
I have been focusing more on printing lately, (reprinting mostly) This past week has been really beautiful with the weather. The sun has been out in full force and I took some time to tune up my bike and start riding a bit, as well as a day to the beach! (such things are necessary to break up end semester stress!)

However I did manage to come up with several sheets of film that I'm happy with. While wandering in the woods near the Old Newbury dump I found a Shantee Town (sp?) Was a bit scarey at first after passing several "No Trespassing" Signs then stumbling across this. It looks like it hasn't been inhabited for some years, I found maybe a dozen shelters and I hope to return there to shoot some more of them.

This shed was probably the most ornate of the structures I found, some were little more than just caves. I'm assuming most of these were built from junk dragged away from the dump, which is less than a quarter mile from here.


I also returned to the old B&M tracks a bit more, these old tracks run all through essex county and I'm always finding some interesting stuff amidst the old path that's been left behind.


I think this will be the last new work I post for a few weeks, Moving to NYC next Tuesday, and although I plan on shooting through this week I don't know how soon I'll have fresh scans up.

That being said, I still might be making new work up until this coming weekend, as long as I have a significant bit to develop I'll put it through the works on friday.

-DA

5-6-08

The new camera is great, I got my first batch of film back today and did scans and some quick retouching for this post. no more light leaks! Great to have my own camera and get rid of some mechanical problems from the one I had been using from school.

So I found a really exciting new location in Groveland. This road has become flooded because of a beaver dam. The dam is maybe 15 feet wide but has created a huge flood plain, engulfing this road and making it nearly impassable. It's crazy to see nature just taking land back like this with a little help from it's furry friends.

I also stumbled across this old mill-house in Byfield which has split in half from wear and weathering as far as I can tell. I want to revisit and reshoot here but it will prolly require me to get a bit wet, tresspass, or possibly both. still worth it though!

This last shot is just a longer view of one of my favorite bits of lost road, old 95 peaks out here.

There's a lot more to be seen but this is just a quick edit. Review boards are coming up and I'll have to make a post to summarize that. Just wanna say special thanks to Natt for helping me get around to these locations and assisting in shooting.

-DA