Scanned negative

Because my Kits home flooded from top to bottom I am living and sharing a hell with Niño and Niña. After more than a week with noisy “dehuminizers” (what I call dehumidifiers) they are tearing walls, removing floors and carpets not to mention perhaps tomorrow go at the ceilings. Luckily my bedroom and bathroom are intact and the three of us have that blessing when we close the doors.  Another refuge is my oficina. Both cats follow me. It is quiet there.

I have a lot of time to try to distract myself in the garden, scanning roses and writing a few blogs. Today’s is a strange one.

I know that Keith Richards was born December 18, 1943 and that President Joe Biden on November 20, 1942. It means that since I was born August 31, 1942, I am older that the man everybody is waiting to die so that they can be first with their social media R.I.P. At the same time, folks are opining that Biden is becoming senile. What path awaits me?

My scanned vintage print (Ilford Ilfospeed)

 

And of course Tina Turner died today and she was 83.

Her death made me reflect on a subject that is ancillary to all the above.

I photographed Tina Turner performing at the Commodore on March 1983. I believe that it may have been one of the last times when Les Wiseman’s In One Ear, Vancouver Magazine column featured a concert photograph.We both agreed that pictures of rock singers with their mikes while performing, lacked all personal style. By 1983 his column had great credibility and Vancouver Magazine was the best magazine around. The then powerful record reps gave us access to their stars either at their hotel rooms or backstage.

Throughout my photographic career I have always attempted to go my way and to test boundaries.

Shooting Tina Turner with a film camera did not have the convenience of the instant result of today’s digital cameras. You did have to know what you were doing. One of my methods was to use slower shutter speeds to unfreeze motion. I also used a very slow very sharp film called Kodak Technical Film. No lab processed so I took care of it in my darkroom.

It is interesting to compare my darkroom print which was in my Tina Turner file with a scan of the negative that I did today. As my friend custom printer Trevor Martin told me,”Your German Schneider Componon enlarging lens was sharp but it simply cannot compete with your Epson Perfection V700 Photo scanner.