This spring we were cutting down the old dead grasses from last year and the boys were working on it with me. I suggested they make a fort in the back woods with the grasses. They asked me to help them out and I gladly accepted. Our boys help us remember what it is like to be young, carefree spirits. Deep inside of us all there is the little child we once were that has somehow been overshadowed by the man/woman we have become. Having these children to cherish, hold, and watch grow up helps us remember what it was like to be young and to stay young in spirit ourselves. It helps us to realize how fragile and dependent upon one another we all are. We need to get inside their little world from time to time and learn from them. We can learn to have a more humble and contrite spirit and lean on each other for support as they do. Never lose touch with your inner child. ~brett {baba}
This is Brett, the other half of studio3z, writing my first, hopefully not last, blog entry. Hello all!
So, we’ve decided to start shooting film again and I took my first roll of medium format film a couple of weeks ago. I’m calling this my first “film experiment in light.” There is something about film that draws us in to the images…something I can’t amply describe, but I like to call it “The Van Gogh Effect” because film grain and blur reminds me of his amazing textures and I love how it seems so much more pure, raw, and organic than digital. And, I am an organic purist at heart. There is something deeply emotional about film in that it requires more time, effort, and patience. Film also requires us to have a deeper connection with the subject that is elsewise absent. This is what I love.
Well, I decided a few months back that I wanted to get back full circle to where this all began, but was dragging my heels on it. When Jessica and I first started shooting together, I shot a lot of film. Some of those photographs are still some of my favorites to date, but I could never get past the ease and convenience of digital. This all met with a crescendo upon attending the WPPI conference this year. This is where I became friends with a kindred spirit, Gabe McClintock, the incredibly talented man behind the camera of Perspectiveye Photography. Gabe was instrumental in my decision to start shooting film again and he was very helpful and graciously in lending me his ear on this venture. If you haven’t checked out his work before, then indulge your senses and visit his blog here. He shoots a lot of film these days and was one of my biggest inspirations for this endeavor…thank you Gabe! I was also privileged to hear a couple of excellent and inspiring film artists speak at WPPI this year, Elizabeth Messina of Kiss The Groom Photography and Jose Villa.
Looking back, here is one of my 35mm film shots from the first wedding Jessica and I ever photographed:
Now, coming full circle, I’m shooting with my new (old) Contax 645 medium format camera. This frame below is one of my favorites from the first roll I ever shot a couple weeks ago:
The water and light were so wondrous that I couldn’t stop shooting, so here are a few others…
That same day, the kids and I hung out with Grandma “Nanny” Beth, my mom, at Waffle House. The vintage Waffle House feel and the beautiful light pouring through the windows all added up to what I felt was “film ready”…well, I’m actually getting addicted to it and now everything is seeming “film ready” these days:
We look forward to sharing more of our film experiments in light with you in the upcoming weeks.
brett & jess
This looks straight out of Where the Wild Things Are. Love it.
That last picture of your little boy; what is it? Both my boys sucked those fingers! I love your comment about playing. We forget that we should let go and remember the “child” inside us sometimes. Thanks for the reminder.
It’s so wonderful getting to know your beautiful family through jess’s point of view on this blog. Seeing the same sense of love and wonder coming through in your voice is so sweet. Thanks for posting Brett. It’s so easy to fall in love with the Z family :) (oh yeah, and your film work is gorgeous!!)
great images and wonderful words. thanks for sharing this Brett.
Oh, wow! How did I miss these? These are so pure and beautiful. Makes me almost long for fall since these have a very autumnal feel to them.