Author Topic: A Magical and Unexplored Place (Read 5350 times)

02Pilot · « **on:** August 13, 2016, 01:30:47 PM »

Castell Coch in south Wales. All shot on expired slide film, apparently.

http://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-37034154

Pete_R · « **Reply #1 on:** August 13, 2016, 04:11:56 PM »

Personally, I think he's wasted his time (and film) if that's the result of three months work.

He may have pushed the film but he doesn't seem to have pushed himself very much. And as for "reflecting the architectural pastiche of the castle", who's he kidding?

02Pilot · « **Reply #2 on:** August 13, 2016, 05:04:31 PM »

I wasn't particularly impressed by the photos either, but everyone has their own preferences. More interesting to me was the fact that he's another photographer working with, and experimenting with, film, and getting coverage from a major media outlet.

Don't get me started on artist statements....

hookstrapped · « **Reply #3 on:** August 13, 2016, 06:22:00 PM »

Film is now officially a gimmick

02Pilot · « **Reply #4 on:** August 13, 2016, 06:51:53 PM »

Quote from: hookstrapped on August 13, 2016, 06:22:00 PM

Film is now officially a gimmick

I think this happened with the advent of Lomography. That said, I still don't think it's bad. More use, more availability, more awareness, more options. What people do with the film, well, that's another story - there always was, and there will continue to be, plenty of bad film-based photography.

Terry · « **Reply #5 on:** August 15, 2016, 09:46:20 PM »

The use of the term "lens-based media" makes my teeth hurt.

Francois · « **Reply #6 on:** August 15, 2016, 10:49:16 PM »

I don't blame you.

Indofunk · « **Reply #7 on:** August 15, 2016, 11:07:57 PM »

Quote from: Terry on August 15, 2016, 09:46:20 PM

The use of the term "lens-based media" makes my teeth hurt.

I am typing this reply on keyboard-based media, and I agree with you.

imagesfrugales · « **Reply #8 on:** August 16, 2016, 06:55:20 AM »

A senseless waste of resources not in the FW sense imvho. Sorry.

Aksel · « **Reply #9 on:** August 16, 2016, 08:45:53 AM »

But is it art?

Late Developer · « **Reply #10 on:** August 16, 2016, 09:08:58 AM »

Beautiful part of the world - but difficult to know that from the (in my opinion) underwhelming photographs on the BBC website. I donated a camera and some out of date film to a friend's Scout group a couple of months back and I'd be amazed if they would produce anything "flatter" or less interesting than these photos.

The bit that had me giggling is: "By pushing the technical capabilities of the lenses and film, I've hoped to illustrate the timeless nature of the wood". There are many ways to test / push technical capabilities but using way out of date film doesn't seem a logical choice, to me.

Ultimately, if these photos are meant to make people "discover" this "magical" place, my guess is that they will have fallen short of their objective. Incidentally, why is there no photograph of this iconic castle?

Sandeha Lynch · « **Reply #11 on:** August 16, 2016, 10:58:49 AM »

Quote from: Late Developer on August 16, 2016, 09:08:58 AM

Incidentally, why is there no photograph of this iconic castle?

That's because it is CONCEPTUAL art.

(Pissing myself over this one.

)

Sandeha Lynch · « **Reply #12 on:** August 16, 2016, 11:10:30 AM »

Actually I think these residencies are far more about the performance than the product. Cadw are probably only paying slightly more than unemployment benefit to the (ahem) artist over the three months and the drive is all about getting bums through the gate.

I can imagine the interview:

"I'll put a zoetrope in the courtyard."

"Oooooh, a zoetrope!"

"And a camera obscura caravan on the green."

"Ooooh!"

"And I'll wander round the building looking meaningfully at things."

"Aaaah, a real artist."

Terry · « **Reply #13 on:** August 16, 2016, 12:33:12 PM »

I remember a time when the Beeb was a respected and respectable institution. What happened?

Late Developer · « **Reply #14 on:** August 17, 2016, 08:53:15 AM »

Quote from: Terry on August 16, 2016, 12:33:12 PM

I remember a time when the Beeb was a respected and respectable institution. What happened?

The BBC is funded by licence fees and I suspect that the cost of maintaining the standard of programming it produced in yesteryear is greater than current revenue will allow.

Terry · « **Reply #15 on:** August 17, 2016, 07:19:31 PM »

Understood (I've had a few friends laid off there over the years as the place was de-funded) but I'm thinking that the content has steadily moved toward the lowest-common-denominator rubric of crappy American commercial TV. I really don't need to hear Katty Kay going "awww...wasn't that sweet" after some fluff piece. Time was you could count on the BBC for hands-off mostly unbiased news reportage that presumed you had the intelligence to form your own opinions. It used to be that the only form they consistently did badly was song-and-dance stuff, and I took that to be to their credit. Every so often I pull out my Whistle Test collection and get misty-eyed.

Francois · « **Reply #16 on:** August 17, 2016, 09:58:54 PM »

The lowest common denominator is definitely what sells and makes money.
I remember years ago when one of the two local French stations sent one of their star reporters to a flooded city. The only questions he was able to ask the citizens are "is your house flooded?" and "do you have water in your basement?"... like duh. It's now close to 10 years later and he's still one of their top ranking reporters! And when you look at the ratings, this channel grabs 95% of the French viewers for that time slot...

So it goes without saying that I've pretty much stopped watching the local French channels years ago. Yet it seems people like having their brain crammed with junk...

Terry · « **Reply #17 on:** August 18, 2016, 01:32:12 AM »

My favorite is "How are you feeling?". Maybe your house just burned down or you witnessed a horrific accident and that's the best they can do.

A number of years ago I was watching an interview with a woman who had suffered a terrible tragedy of some sort and was being fairly stoic about it, so the interviewer (an otherwise credible newsman) reached out and touched her hand whereupon she burst into floods of tears. Of course it just happened that there was a camera with a very tight shot of her face at just the right moment (i.e., the director told the interviewer to get her to cry). These people have no shame.

Late Developer · « **Reply #18 on:** August 18, 2016, 09:15:11 AM »

The British Broadcorping Castration is definitely trying to wring every last drop from reduced funding. The BBC used to do great dramas and documentaries (David Attenborough, Michael Palin travel documentaries, etc). These days we get Prof Brian Cox (former keyboard player from D Ream) and a load of low-budget "Springwatch" type programming - and then there's Poldark

These days, I'd rather listen to some music and just have a quick TV catch up with the news and weather.

Terry · « **Reply #19 on:** August 18, 2016, 02:34:59 PM »

OK, that does it: I've dug out my Whistle Test DVDs and I'm going to binge-watch tonight.

Late Developer · « **Reply #20 on:** August 18, 2016, 04:40:40 PM »

Quote from: Terry on August 18, 2016, 02:34:59 PM

OK, that does it: I've dug out my Whistle Test DVDs and I'm going to binge-watch tonight.

Wise move: An evening with Tull, Rush, Thin Lizzy, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Edgar Winter, Bolan, Elton John, Dire Straits, any Prog Rock / hard Rock you care to mention would definitely groove my truffles.....

Terry · « **Reply #21 on:** August 19, 2016, 01:14:23 AM »

Looking at the DVD I'm reminded that my favorite bit is Springsteen performing "Rosalita". At the end he is literally smothered under three female fans but he doesn't miss a note. Classic stuff.

KevinAllan · « **Reply #22 on:** August 19, 2016, 09:53:39 PM »

I do have a set of Whistle Test DVDs but I also like Poldark ... will I be expelled from FW ?

Francois · « **Reply #23 on:** August 19, 2016, 10:11:34 PM »

I don't think so... it's not like confessing that you like watching Bieber on DVD