William Bragg

Trying the ‘glass, half-full’ approach. Yesterday’s breakin and theft, allowed me to forget that the TSA screwed up my Koni-Omega camera (the film back) when traveling back East. I packed the camera in my check-in baggage. I know, stupid! But traveling with a 2 year-old causes you to sacrifice items like medium format cameras for Thomas the Train books. Trust me.

Well, the TSA agents must have been very suspicious of the camera, as they removed the back and ventured a look inside. Well you have to be careful when you attach the back onto the body, and they weren’t. I think I’ll be able to fix it. But frustrating nonetheless.

More photos from a new personal project of mine. Comments and/or criticisms are always welcome.

These photos are part of a new personal project that I’m beginning. I referred to this project while ruminating about using medium format.

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Jordan, one of my students. (Taken with my Koni-Omega medium format)

Tameca, one of my students. Taken with the Koni-Omega medium format.

I posted some of the photos from my Koni yesterday, and alluded to the fact that I’d write up something about the process. I’m still experimenting with the camera, and shot as opportunity dictated and to get the film developed fairly quickly, so I could mull over how it fits with my photography goals. The pics posted therefore were not connected in any coherent way outside of the fact that they are types of portraits - my main reason to photograph.

I thought about experimenting with medium format out of some real interest, an idea for a project, and, honestly, some ego and inferiority complex. As I’ve mentioned previously on this blog, there seems to be a real hierarchy applied to different aspects of photography as implied by many in the non-commercial or fine art field of photography. It got to me a bit. I shot film years ago now (35mm), and have moved to 90+% digital now. I’m truly happy with that move, but my ego still needed the caressing from proving my ability to use an ‘old’ medium format film camera.

Anyone who knows me in meatspace, recognizes me as a pretty visceral guy. Granted I’m quite likely to spout some blather from some french cultural theorist too often at times, I like being out and about meeting and interacting with people. I will talk to anyone. Ask anyone remotely near me in a cafe or bar. My photography is an extension of that. I’m not trying to necessarily capture a secret moment, but I do try to capture moments as they happen.

I pride myself on the fact that, although I can’t make the camera disappear, I create a feeling of comfort that allows others to at least ignore the camera for the most part. 35mm film in the past, and now Digital SlRs afford me that opportunity to work quickly and seamlessly, while I’m still just hanging out, meeting and interacting with others. The kids in my program and my friends will attest that there are very few circumstances when there is not a coffee or camera in my hands.

Back to the Koni-Omega. It has the quality to attract attention itself, and does provide opportunities to engage in dialogue with others in of itself, but as I mentioned above, I don’t need that. I do like the images it produces quite a bit. But right now I have the film developed locally, then scan in the negatives. Hard as I try, I can’t keep the dust particles out. Do I try to set up a small darkroom? I don’t really have the time.

But I do like it. I will continue to use it, and my project idea will still benefit from its use. But given what really excites me about photography, the nikons will be continue to be my main tools. And that’s really what the camera is - a tool, and the nikon is the best tool for me at the moment. (Though if anyone made a decent digital in a Nikon F3 form, I’d be all over it.)

These are the most recent shots from my Koni-Omega medium format camera. I’m happy with the results, but I’ll have more to say about the process in another post. With no meter, I’m most satisfied that I can pretty much figure out the proper settings for a more or less accurate exposure.

I picked up the prints and all is fine! No light leaks, nothing obvious, seems to be in great working condition. Now I have to figure out how this is going to fit into my workflow. Below you can see two quick ’snapshots’ of Liam and his friend, Alex. Nothing fancy. I just wanted to run through a roll quickly and check out the camera. I scanned the prints on an old cheap scanner we have in the office. Though this definitely is one of the issues that I have to figure out going forward - developing, scanning, how, what, …

the boy and his grapes.

Alex with his.