Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The recent acquisition of a 35mm film camera for my every day, carry around camera has led me to take into the lab a few random rolls of 35mm that have been laying around for years. There’s not much, but what there is, well I am happy to have it…seeing this old film has been a pure gift. I have photos that were taken anywhere from probably 1995 to about 2000. I sometimes had a camera during these years but never really wanted to spend money on developing, until now I guess. In those days I was probably more likely to think I would be a professional skateboarder than even think about making a living in the photography world.
So now I have a few pretty bad, pretty grainy pictures from long ago expired film…and it is probably some of my favorite personal work I’ve “produced” this year. This particular frame was probably made somewhere in Nebraska where I usually got a bit bored and a bit anxious on the 22 hour journey from Naperville to Winter Park, Colorado, where I often headed out with friends and family to go snowboard during spring break. We rode an Amtrak train called the California Zephyr. The windows had offered nothing but flat land to stare at for hours upon end, but when you get to Nebraska you know that the Rockies will be in your view before too long. And the Rockies were worth the wait to see. The Rockies were beautiful. 
At the end of Jan. I hiked up to small town Wisconsin to catch up with Mary Kaczor, a jet setting former F-1 racer turned jeweler/entrepreneur. This assignment was for the National, the Abu Dhabi based newspaper’s motoring section. Essentially she takes the parts from cars that have some sort of significance (won a specific race etc) and makes wearable jewelry out of it. Of course this is a niche market but she’s definitely in the right crowd. She had just gotten back from London when I met her and who knows where she was off to next. All I know was that I really wanted to move to Monaco, at least for a short while, after our conversation.
Moving. My friend moved again. Not me (but it’s coming in one way or another). Maybe at some point we’ll all figure out a good place where we feel okay hanging our things on the walls, a place we might stay awhile. Buy some furniture. Put the address on the driver’s license. Get big fat heavy books that we don’t worry about having to pick up again in 6 or 12 months. Buy a fancy TV. Maybe even a lawnmower. Ok, maybe not a lawnmower. (But maybe). Maybe that day’s not that far away (but maybe it still is). Do we (do I) even want that day? Isn’t there something great about that empty wall? It’s not complicated. You’re not leaving anything…
It’s always a really good feeling when someone reacts to an image that you previously thought might have only had value to you. This isn’t a tearsheet really, just my image in the portfolio section of recent graduate ASMP members, but considering it was one of those I made on a personal project borne purely of my own curiosity, I was happy to see it selected and printed, especially as I gravitate more towards this sort of imagery in other personal work. The mundane is just increasingly fascinating to me. The image is from the short essay Suburban Sanctuaries, where I toured the interiors of places of worship of a few different faiths here in the Chicago suburbs. 
Sunday, February 28, 2010
I recently had a few shoots for TimeOut Chicago’s series highlighting unique and valuable Chicago eateries that are struggling in the nonsense economy we have. I was also exposed to some cool new places that I might just have to go check out on my own time. This is an outtake of Bobby Syed, owner of Bhabi’s Kitchen in Roger’s Park. This frame didn’t make it, but I liked it nonetheless. Bhabi was a very personable guy with some interesting stories and if you go in to have a bite there’s a good chance you’ll leave having had a personal connection with the owner. If you’re nearby you should check it out. 
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Buddy of mine Jason Andrew with whom I used to intern at James Nachtwey’s studio at a few years ago recently got 2nd place in the Fujifilm Distinction Awards with the below image from his work in Abkhazia. The winner was Ikuru Kuwajima, who’s work in the Ukraine and surrounding regions has also been some of my favorite photojournalism from recent years. Congrats both of you guys, awesome work and great to see it recognized. 
Friday, February 26, 2010
Fractures from a cafe.
It’s been ages since I used 35mm film, in fact growing up with digital it’s all I ever really used on a day to day, save for the hundreds of rolls of 120/220 I’ve been through for mostly personal work. This film is probably 7 years expired, and I have a ton of it. Fun.
I’m happy to be back to it, or beginning, or whatever. I know it’s only a tool, but like I was saying with my musician friend tonight, you can play the same good song on two different guitars and it will be good, but one of them just might feel better.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Returned home from some time in Brooklyn and NYC with a refreshed sense of photography. Met some wonderful people both in and outside of portfolio meetings. Thanks editors for letting me stop by your office and thanks friends for putting me up in your places, it’s much appreciated. Tomorrow I’ll start work on another story for a local magazine, where I’ll get to slow down and shoot a piece on film again. I’m excited.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
I’ll be in NYC until next Sat, February 20th.
If you’re out that way and would like to meet up please drop me a line. Peter (at) peterhoffmanphoto (dot) com
Thanks.
The story is online here.