APUG - Blogs - Click by two40 http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/ APUG.ORG is an international on-line community, completely devoted to traditional (non-digital) photographic processes. en Wed, 22 May 2013 15:51:11 GMT vBulletin 2 http://www.apug.org/forums/images/apug4/misc/rss.jpg APUG - Blogs - Click by two40 http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/ Summer in Sydney - Dollar Portraits Shoot http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/127-summer-sydney-dollar-portraits-shoot.html Fri, 16 Jan 2009 03:32:23 GMT On my way home one day I ran into a very pretty girl reading a newspaper (http://dollarportraits.com/2009-jan/0038). I approached her for a portrait.... On my way home one day I ran into a very pretty girl reading a newspaper. I approached her for a portrait. I don't recall my exact words but it went something like this, "Please don't think I'm a psycho but..." As I approach people on the street some of them look at me with this frightened look so I begin with that line. I'm building an arsenal of lines and reading people very quickly. I won't pretend I get them all right and some will always say no despite anything I say.

One thing I can count on is friends. They never say no and if they do I'll make them turn around and wish me luck. I had a couple of ideas for portraits that don't include the face of those special people that are worried their soul will be stolen. One is crossing fingers behind their back and the other... you'll have to wait and see.

My walk last Friday started as always from the QVB in Sydney. I made my way down towards Hyde Park where I usually start to shoot. This time however I met two chaps on the way to the park. The first guy hardly spoke any English but agreed to have his photo taken. As I was setting up I began to explain why I was taking the photo. I must have been on auto pilot because it all fell on deaf ears. I'm rather happy with this portrait although it is a stop too dark. Just wish I had more detail on the right eye and I do love the dark left eye as it is. Precisely 13 and a half steps later I ran in to an interesting and willing character outside Allan's Music. He was seated but insisted on standing up and posing for me. Sadly I missed the focus but he still deserves my donated dollar.

Arriving at Hyde Park I was a bit disappointed to see the council had taken over a big chunk of the park for the Sydney Festival. I should say I was photographically disappointed only as they were taking over a huge part of my turf. Never mind though for the sun was shining and people were still about relaxing like this fellow. Approaching him and getting him to participate was the easiest thing ever. He even asked me how he should pose.

Music gadgets are everywhere and often I have to disturb people as they enjoy their Otis Redding or Billy Idol. The guy in the first one was a champ and let me take my time. The second one is an interesting photo. I did rush it but it came out OK. Note the reflection in her sunnies and also note her boyfriend who was behind me walking towards us...

At Hyde Park I run into lots of tourists and skaters. The tourist was part of a huge group of males from Europe who all wanted to pose in one photo. When I insisted on just the one guy they all started teasing him in their language. As for the skaters, they all seem to hang out near the water where I found this awesomely wicked character. Sweat was pouring from him from exertion, his t-shirt rocked all on its own and his mustache was cooler than anything you've ever seen or done in your life. I took a real liking to this fellow. He was nervous, twitchy and seemed scared of me but as soon as I explained what I was doing he was all for it.

Getting close to wrapping up my shoot I found this lovely couple who were just enjoying the day under a tree while a few meters away an old lady was drawing a tree. She commented on my big fat camera and agreed with me that film has a certain charm.

Out of the corner of my eye I spy a curious little button bouncing around with all the confidence in the world. She radiated friendliness and was easy to approach. Chase even I admit. I didn't have to chase my last two photos though. A small group of girls were relaxing and playing the air guitar while sharing an iPod. I simply had to fit them all in so I offered $2 for their portrait and a dollar for the last.

As a last note there are always some interesting ones that get away with saying no. On this walkabout I got 3 rejections and the last guy was a spy! His excuse for not wanting his portrait taken was that he's famous and he didn't want to give himself away. I somehow mentioned spies and he then insisted that he was one. Sure he might have been slightly crazy and for that reason he's my fish that got away. ]]> two40 http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/127-summer-sydney-dollar-portraits-shoot.html Dollar Portraits Update http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/116-dollar-portraits-update.html Wed, 17 Dec 2008 23:47:33 GMT I've had some progress recently so I thought I'd post an update on this project. Original post here.

Current kitty at $100. I've stopped shooting until I receive my business cards which will help with the subjects visiting the site after their photo is taken.

I have two businesses on board. One is providing a discount for film dev and the other is printing 1,000 business cards for free.

I have received an email from a girl in the Philippines who wants to use the idea on her own project. I'm really happy about this. Wish more take the idea, put their own twist to it, choose a charity and run with it.

Today I got my letter of authority from the Cancer Council NSW after meeting with them yesterday. They're really excited about the project and will support me as much as they can. Authority letter here in pdf.

I should have my business cards ready very soon and I'll be able to start shooting more often. Really excited to be finally getting some results. ]]> two40 http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/116-dollar-portraits-update.html Week 8 - Pulitzer 1950 - Near Collision at Air Show - Bill Crouch http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/115-week-8-pulitzer-1950-near-collision-air-show-bill-crouch.html Sat, 13 Dec 2008 04:45:48 GMT An action shot with a 4×5. You have to pay respect. Image: http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/604/pulitzer1950nearcollisiec0.jpg Bill Crouch -... An action shot with a 4×5. You have to pay respect.


Bill Crouch - Near Collision at Air Show

Camera 4 x 5 Speed Graphic

Film Kodak


In front of 60,000 air show fans Chet Derby was performing stunts in a biplane. For the final stunt Derby was carrying out an upside down loop-the-loop, leaving a smoke trail which 3 B-29 Superfortresses were supposed to fly through. Derby was an accomplished pilot having trained countless Army Air Corp pilots. At the time he was a crop duster and flew air shows for extra cash. He would do all sorts of stunts including a wing-walker. His stunt on that day came 5 feet shy of ending his life as the B-29’s came in too early.

Bill Crouch was also a pilot and and an off duty attendee at the show. He worked for The Oakland Tribune at the time and was taking pictures of the aerobatics. He was trying to get an artistic shot of the stunt plane Derby was flying. He thought the smoke circles against the blue sky were interesting and wanted to include the plane. He composed the shot as best he could when the B-29’s came screaming across the sky with their four engines each roaring at full power. With little time to spare he recomposed and took this shot as Derby flew upside down and missed the wing of a B-29 by 5 feet.


source ]]> two40 http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/115-week-8-pulitzer-1950-near-collision-air-show-bill-crouch.html Week 7 - Pulitzer 1949 - The Babe Bows Out - Nat Fein http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/111-week-7-pulitzer-1949-babe-bows-out-nat-fein.html Thu, 27 Nov 2008 20:59:26 GMT It has been two weeks since my last installment, longer since last I posted any work. I'm on a bit of a holiday, a break, taking a rest you see. I'm not sure how long it'll be but I planned a month off. Could be more but I'll do my best to continue with these installments consistently.


Nat Fein - The Babe Bows Out

Camera 4 x 5 Speed Graphic

Film Kodak

Lens 127mm

Shutter & Aperture 1/100 @ f5.6

George Herman Ruth (The Babe) is an American baseball legend of the roaring 20's. I'm sure there are many of you that have never seen a baseball game in your life but you still know the name and the legend. His records stood for decades, some broken as late as the 70's. He hit home runs on demand, womanised, trained with hot dogs and beer, loved kids and brought joy to many fans.

Many years after retirement fans came together to honour The Babe on the 25th anniversary of Yankee Stadium, 13 June 1948. He was ill from cancer and his body language showed this. Shoulders down, heavy head, using the bat as a cane he stood and received a thunderous applause from a packed house.

Nat Fein was the photographer behind this well thought out winner of the 1949 Pulitzer. The Babe standing apart from the players, hunched over, almost a ghost of the strong record making machine of his earlier years and yet still a man of men. His legendary number 3 worn with pride for the last time. The number was to be retired and Fein knew this. The impact of the number did more for this photograph than any front on could have. It was the last public appearance for the number and for The Babe. He would die two months later on 16 August. He will live on in stories and in this photo forever.

source ]]> two40 http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/111-week-7-pulitzer-1949-babe-bows-out-nat-fein.html Week 6 - Pulitzer 1948 - A Boy, a Pistol, and Trouble - Frank Cushing http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/103-week-6-pulitzer-1948-boy-pistol-trouble-frank-cushing.html Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:52:05 GMT I must apologise for missing a week. I was too busy to even post a draft last week. I've actually been very busy this week as well but I've made the effort even though it is a rushed one. I hope you enjoy it despite my whinging.


Frank Cushing - A Boy, a Pistol, and Trouble

Camera 4 x 5 Speed Graphic

Film Kodak

Lens 127mm

Desperation. It grips every one of us at varying levels. How far would you go? Could you imagine shooting a police officer at the age of 15 and then taking a hostage?

Frank Cushing was working the photographic beat one Summer afternoon. He was waiting to photograph a couple of victims of a hold up. In the car next to him a police radio put out an alert. A police officer had been shot, a hostage was taken and it was right down the street!

Frank abandoned his assignment and went to investigate the scene of the crime. Two police officers had stopped a 15 year old to question him about a robbery. The boy, Ed Bancroft, took out a pistol and shot one of the officers. He fled into an alley where he grabbed another 15 year old, Bill Ronan, as a hostage.

Both ends of the lane were quickly blocked off. Ed began to threaten the police warning them not to come closer or he would shoot the hostage. He fired a few times towards the police to show he was serious.

Meanwhile our photographer on the scene took a photo from the end of the alley. He knew the photo was a waste as he was too far away. The police began to move in on Ed. He again screamed his threats and backed them up with another shot at the police. Frank knew he had to move quickly to get a closer shot. He calculated which house would give him a good vantage point and knocked on a door. The owner let him in and Frank slowly made his way to the rear porch and took his photo that won him the Pulitzer for 1948.

A police officer made his way silently behind the fence where Ed was seen in the picture. He stood up at the right time and whacked him on the head with the butt of a weapon. As it turns out the boy had nothing to do with the robbery in question.

Frank later tells, "I was wondering whether the kid would shoot me, but I wanted the picture." In an age where hold ups were rare and close photos due to the limited focal length even rarer, Frank's photo was genuinely remarkable.


source ]]> two40 http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/103-week-6-pulitzer-1948-boy-pistol-trouble-frank-cushing.html Week 5 - Pulitzer 1946 - The Winecoff Hotel Fire - Arnold Hardy http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/91-week-5-pulitzer-1946-winecoff-hotel-fire-arnold-hardy.html Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:07:12 GMT For week 5 we take a break from the war, 4 x 5 cameras and from press photographers. Image:... For week 5 we take a break from the war, 4 x 5 cameras and from press photographers.


Arnold Hardy - The Winecoff Hotel Fire

Camera 2 x 3 Speed Graphic

Film Kodak

Lens 100mm

Shutter & Aperture Flash @ f4.5

The Wincoff Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia was advertised as fireproof despite not being fitted with sprinklers, fire escapes or alarms. It was built in 1913 and is the site of the worst hotel fire in American history and second worst in the world.

Arnold Hardy was a student at the time. He was returning home on 7 December 1946 after a date and heard the sirens of fire engines. Being a keen amateur photographer he rang the fire department for the location and caught a taxi to the scene. He carried his 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 Speed Graphic, a little smaller than the normal press 4 x 5's, and 5 flash bulbs.

At the scene he was awestruck by the desperation on display from the occupants of the building. The fire trucks could only reach floor 9 of the 15 floor building. Guests tried to escape by tying bed sheets together that gave way leaving them tumbling to the ground. Some tried to jump a 10 foot gap to the next building but failed. A desperate mother threw her two children from a window and then jumped herself. All three died. It was a horrific scene on the ground and up on the higher floors.

Hardy made a few photos and was watching the scene as he heard a shriek. Turning up he saw a woman falling to the ground. He pointed his camera and fired his last bulb just as she was passing the third floor. Her body hit a pipe then bounced into a railing and fell to the ground. She miraculously survived. 119 others sadly did not.

Most of the survivors on the upper floors were the wise ones who blocked the cracks around their doors to prevent the smoke overcoming their rooms. I guess there's a lesson in there for all of us.


Source ]]> two40 http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/91-week-5-pulitzer-1946-winecoff-hotel-fire-arnold-hardy.html Week 4 - Pulitzer 1945 - Iwo Jima Flag - Joe Rosenthal http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/88-week-4-pulitzer-1945-iwo-jima-flag-joe-rosenthal.html Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:00:53 GMT This week we have an iconic image. It rates up there with the most reproduced images of all time. Image:... This week we have an iconic image. It rates up there with the most reproduced images of all time.


Joe Rosenthal - The Iwo Jima Flag

Camera 4 x 5 Speed Graphic

Film Agfa

Lens 127mm

Shutter & Aperture 1/400 @ f16

Raising the flag on Iwo Jima was a historic moment post a historic battle. Iwo Jima was to be the first Japanese soil to fall to foreign hands in more than a millenia of pride filled history. It is the first place a foreign flag has ever flown over Japanese territory. You can imagine the crushing blow this dealt to the Japanese. Loosing this piece of dirt, which was a part of Tokyo although some seven hundred miles away, had a big impact on the morale of a nation.

Roughly 50,000 American troops stormed the 22,000 strong Japanese. After a month long battle on the 8 square miles of Iwo Jima, 7,000 Americans and more than 20,000 Japanese would die.

Joe Rosenthal was covering the fighting daily, his images of the Iwo Jima landings making the rounds on newspapers and magazines around the world. Five days after landing Rosenthal heard that Marines were raising a flag on top of Mount Suribachi. Moments after nearly losing his life in an overboard incident he climbed the volcano with two Marine photographers. Half way up he ran into Lou Lowery, photographer of the original flag raising.

Atop Suribachi Rosenthal captured an image of the the second flag raising we all know of today. The one that won him a pulitzer and was seen around the world, sold millions of stamps, raised money for the war effort, was the centre of controversy and cemented his name in history books. The story behind the photo has been researched by many people, discussed on message boards, in newspapers and numerous books. There are websites dedicated to the photo, statues, tv shows and even two movies directed by Clint Eastwood.


Source with links ]]> two40 http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/88-week-4-pulitzer-1945-iwo-jima-flag-joe-rosenthal.html Week 3 - Pulitzer 1944 - Homecoming - Earle Bunker http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/83-week-3-pulitzer-1944-homecoming-earle-bunker.html Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:02:50 GMT For week 3 we have another war related photograph. It was the early 1940's after all. It's not your usual front lines shot but one that was much closer to home for the Americans.


Earle Bunker - Homecoming

Camera 4 x 5 Speed Graphic

Film Kodak

Lens 127mm

Mid World War II the town of Villisca, Iowa housed eleven hundred people. It's located fifty miles southeast of Omaha. A real small-town in the middle of America. In a town this small you're bound to know the majority of the population and certainly know of any war heroes returning home.

On 15 July 1943 Lt. Col. Robert Moore's train had arrived home. He and his fellow Iowans had faced off against a notoriously skillful field marshal known as Desert Fox, Field Marshal Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel. Here was a real hero, awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for heroic leadership coming home to his small town where everyone either knew him or of him.

Earle Bunker of the Omaha World-Herald was assigned to cover the story. It was his chance to make a picture somewhat different to the normal depictions of combat that usually graced the front pages. It was his chance to reveal the emotional side that played well with families throughout the country. He waited 24 hours for the train to arrive.

When the train finally screeched to a halt on the platform at Villisca station, a hero, a soldier away for sixteen months stepped off to be greeted by his town. He spotted his wife Dorothy and his seven-year-old daughter Nancy. He dropped his bags as Nancy ran into his arms while his wife wept freely in her cupped hands. Earle Bunker chose his moment carefully and gave us a scene so timeless and emotion filled that it won him the 1944 Pulitzer.

The image is so generic as to represent a whole nation. There is no face to identify the subjects. No flag to tug at your patriotism. No identifying mark other than family love. It could be - and it was - the return of many war heroes across the country and across the world. ]]> two40 http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/83-week-3-pulitzer-1944-homecoming-earle-bunker.html Week 2 - Pulitzer 1943 - Water - Frank Noel http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/82-week-2-pulitzer-1943-water-frank-noel.html Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:56:57 GMT For the second week we have an image that, on it’s own, doesn’t have the same impact as the inaugural winner did. In my opinion however, it is a ... For the second week we have an image that, on it’s own, doesn’t have the same impact as the inaugural winner did. In my opinion however, it is a much more powerful image backed up by a sad story of a brief moment.


Pulitzer 1943 - Frank Noel - Water

Camera 4 x 5 Speed Graphic

Film Kodak

Lens 127mm

During January of 1942 Frank “Poppy” Noel was covering the British troops, who were only a few steps ahead of the Japanese, in Singapore for Associated Press. The Pacific War was going badly, the Japanese bombers were beginning to hit the city and Noel had contracted malaria. Word got to Noel from New York that he was to head home and despite the weathered and tough persona, he was glad to be going home.

He booked passage on a freighter that would take him to Burma. His luggage for the 15,000 mile trip was a Speed Graphic and the clothes on his back. Less than 300 miles out of port on the Indian Ocean a Japanese torpedo ruptured their vessel. Noel was trapped in his cabin but managed to escape and board a life boat with twenty seven survivors out of the seventy seven original crew. They drifted aimlessly for five days in scorching tropic heat.

In the endless ocean a lifeboat drifted towards them. The boat carried Indian sailors, survivors from the freighter. They had lost their water supply in the rush to escape the sinking boat. As they neared Noel’s boat one of the sailors reached out with his hand and begged for water. Sadly, they had none to offer them. Noel - sick with malaria, thirst and low on morale - was switched on despite the hardships and pulled out his Speed Graphic. He took a single frame of the moment the sailor realised there was no water to be shared. The expression is heart crushing, the eyes conveying desperate sadness. The boats drifted apart and were later separated by a tropical storm. The other life boat was never seen again.

Noel’s career was always fraught with danger. He went on to cover the war in Europe, then the Palestine war in 1948 and later in Korea where he was captured by the Chinese early on and held prisoner. He did escape once but all that earned him was beatings and solitary confinement in a small cell.

Colleagues from Tokyo managed to somehow sneak in a camera for Noel. He took amazing pictures of POW’s which were snuck out. The first set was of Americans in prison uniforms, each one identified by name and town. The pictures were relayed around the world. Noel, amazingly, went on to photograph hundreds more and many were featured on front pages of newspapers around the world. He was rescued in an operation on 9 August 1953, a full 32 months after his capture.

He went on to work in New York for a while and later for AP in Florida where he retired and passed away far from war, prisons and lack of water. ]]> two40 http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/82-week-2-pulitzer-1943-water-frank-noel.html Week 1 - Pulitzer 1942 - Labour Strife in Detroit - Milton Brooks http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/80-week-1-pulitzer-1942-labour-strife-detroit-milton-brooks.html Thu, 02 Oct 2008 22:05:32 GMT
The following is a rip from my blog. I'll do these each Friday and post them here as well as my blog. I will include the links to references in this first one but it's a bit of an effort so from next week onwards it's just a straight copy/paste.
Each Friday I will post a Pulitzer winning photograph. I am no art critic by any stretch of the imagination so do not expect an amazing critique. I do however know a bit about the photos and will attempt to give you some of the back story and any other little interesting facts I have come across.


Pulitzer 1942 - Milton Brooks - The Detroit News

Camera 4x5 Speed Graphic

Film Kodak

Lens 127mm

For the first week we have the action packed Labor Strife in Detroit (Ford Strikers Riot) from 1942, the inaugural winner captured by Milton Brooks.

The Speed Graphic by Graflex was the camera used by professionals, ie the press, around the mid 20th Century. They were difficult to use by today's standards and offered only one shot per six to seven seconds. With this in mind, to get that one shot you needed patience and an instinct unlike anything we are used to with today's 6fps prosumer digital cameras that can fill your 32GB card in a matter of minutes with hundreds of RAW images. I make this point to emphasise how special these early images are and how true the saying, 'the decisive moment', really is. I also make this point to emphasise the meaning behind Milton Brooks's nickname, 'One-shot Milton'. He was known as a master of patience and it is said that he would often make one shot, and then go home.

In Spring of 1941 Brooks, working for The Detroit News, was to be found at the River Rouge - one of Ford's biggest plants in Detroit. He was covering a strike started after a man was fired on April 3rd. Henry Ford had always insisted that he would close down a plant before dealing with the unions and he held out unlike his competitors, General Motors and Chrysler. A swell of workers walked then line and urged everyone to strike, closing down the 120,000 man plant.

A man was seen arguing with the pickets. He was trying to get past the line. Other photographers moved on looking for more interesting scenes. Brooks, patient as always, waited it out observing the now heated argument. It didn't take long for the clubs to come out swinging. Brooks took his picture and went on to win the first Pulitzer in the field of photography. ]]> two40 http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/80-week-1-pulitzer-1942-labour-strife-detroit-milton-brooks.html Dollar Portraits http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/79-dollar-portraits.html Wed, 01 Oct 2008 01:02:41 GMT In the interest of self plugging my work, but more importantly raising money for a worthy charity, I present to you a project I have recently... In the interest of self plugging my work, but more importantly raising money for a worthy charity, I present to you a project I have recently started.

I call it Dollar Portraits and the idea is to walk up to strangers on the street and ask to take their portrait. In return I pledge a dollar to a charity and without being pushy ask them to match it with a dollar or more. The portraits are all shot in a 6x6 format and displayed on the net. I display them for two reasons. One is in homage to all the generous people that have given their time and money and the second being to raise more money via exposure to the project and my charity.

I'm doing this because I'm in a position to do so. It allows me to learn about photography and do something good for my community.

So far I have been on one outing and have netted $51. I hope to continue this project for a very long time and collect $20 - $30 for every 120 roll I shoot.

The url to the site is http://dollarportraits.com and my charity of choice is the Cancer Council of Australia. ]]> two40 http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/79-dollar-portraits.html Photo Taking Machine http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/78-photo-taking-machine.html Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:46:22 GMT I don't know if I'm strange for doing this but I'm a photo taking machine!

In my life I'v clicked the shutter no more than 5,000 times. That's a small number by anyone's standards and especially for someone that considers themselves an amateur photographer.

I have however taken thosands upon thousands of photos in just the last month. I'm a freak of nature. I can't walk to the kitchen without mentally taking a few photos. I open the pantry and as the light hits the boxes of cereal I take a snap. Before I close the door I've spent a roll of 36 frames. On my way to work, walking around the city, going to get my lunch, meeting friends, brushing my teeth, photos, photos, click, thunk.

I don't know if I'm crazy or obsessed but I believe it's both. Every photo I take wins the Pulitzer only to be shadowed by the next one a moment later. I write this in a room in partial light offering me at least 3 rolls of photos by the time I finish. You just don't stand a chance next to me. I'm telling you I'm a camera first, a human second.

You think I'm kidding don't you? ]]> two40 http://www.apug.org/forums/blogs/two40/78-photo-taking-machine.html