Keith Johnson Photographs

It is here and it is good.  It answers most all the post shoot needs I have, leaving Photoshop for heavy lifting.  The pundits will build it up or tear it down but it works very nicely.  My guess is that it will even get better.

In Jackson, WY at the Oswald Gallery, Cary Tijerina is holding forth and is showing a fine selection of work including Dylan Vitone, Kelli Connell, and Jon Stuart among others.  While not exactly known for first rate fine photography Jackson is blessed to have the Oswalds in residence there.  The gallery is large enough to have several galleries and devote a space to contemproary artists and a fine showing of collectable photographs as well.  Cary is a knowledgeable, engaging and articulate host.  When in Jackson and tired of the extraordinary landscape and weather, spend some time at Oswald Gallery.

Behind the Seen: Photographs of Abe Morell

The second time I have seen and written about an Abe Morell exhibition in two months; this time at YUAG in New Haven.  There are about 40 pictures up including some of his very recent color work done in museums (as Doran Artist in Residence at YUAG) and camera obscura. The show is up through Aug 10.

The guy just continues to make first rate stuff.

I have been awarded an Artist in Residence position this fall by CEPA in Buffalo, NY.  I will have a month to photograph the corridor between Buffalo and Niagara Falls. The area is full of the stuff I love to look at: tourists, industrial waste land, industry and the power grid, kitch and Niagara Falls.  I figure if I simply work my way from Buffalo to Niagara Falls every day on either Niagara Falls Blvd (rte 62) or Military Avenue I can’t miss. There is enough material to share.  On top of the AIR gig I will have available the Leaf 75S Aptus digital back for my SWC.  How could things get better?  Read on.

Concurrent with the AIR gig, I will be Visiting Artist at VSW covering the 1st year photography line and critic with 2nd year students.  It promises to be an interesting 15 weeks.  The students at VSW are square pegs trying to fit (or not) into round holes.  There is a locus of energy and creativity that is palpable that I have known since I was a workshop student there in 1972.  I return willingly and enjoy my time thouroughly.  I love it.

James Rajotte, student and now colleague has also been selected and has nearly sold out his edition on Jen Bekman’s 20×200.  Great for James and great for Jen.   His work is worth a look.

James is off to Frenchtown, PA (read middle of no where) for three weeks of photo concentration.  I’ll post something form this effort as soon as available.

I received an email that desrves wider distribution.  Stephen Dybas, former student and now colleague from VSW, has taken over the reigns of th In-Sight Photography Program in Brattleboro, VT.  His first task as director is to roll out the 2008 auction, a worthy cause and one with its heart in exactly the right place.

Have a look at what John Willis started and Stephen has assumed.

Best to you Stephen.

I am test driving a D3 for a couple of weeks and will post some reactions and images as they show up.  First reaction though was surprise at the size of the camera, particularly with the 24-70 lens on it.  Overall it was about 50% larger than my SWC.  The camera has a very high KPD factor (Knobs per Dollar) requiring 45 minutes to tweak the camera into submission before making the first exposure.  Why are there so many buttons?  I shot this past week with my SWC and with only one button still was able to make pictures.  Go figure.

After shooting for two weeks and before I worked with a file; some comments.  The D3 is still big.  And heavy.  I made it a bit smaller by using a Zeiss 25/2.8 Distagon.  I decided I do not need autofocus but aperture prioity is a good thing.  Te D3 is simply too much camera for the way I work.  Having said that and hearing that Nikon has announced a D700 which is a bit smaller, same sensor and having some fewer bells and whistles and  $2000 less this may be getting closer to the answer.

I shot 6GB with the D3 and found it to be reiable and easy to use once you were ready to use it.  There are still about 50 menues I haven’t touched and won’t.  Why don’t camera manufacturers get it?

I’ll add to this as things develop.  Pun intended.