Part 6/6 - 5 Roll Project

Listening to CVLT NATION's 2.5h long sample "Doom Nation Black" atm. Sunday blues pressing down heavy on my broken being. Fight fire with fire. To add insult to injury and really go the full mile I will post my last 6 shots from the 5 Roll Project. A mix of grim, blurred and moody frames that actually is perfectly suited to what today is, but on the same hand very misplaced when it comes to the joy and sheer excitement I got out of heading out with my camera and 5 rolls one day a couple of weeks back in MMXIV. The actual "plan" was to just get something done, no strings attached, no big scheme with a glorious goal at the end, no profit except on a personal level. No, just to strap on the camera and hit he city, see what this crazy place I call home could give you on 60 frames of medium format 6x6 film. Like I mentioned before, I got around 40 frames that wasn't completely "wrong", I know I missed to scan the shot I was most thrilled to shoot (thanks Paul for lending me your scanner btw)…man, that is life, sometimes you miss out on the good stuff but in the end of the day there is no one but yourself who actually cares (and I have the negative…so there you go). Maybe I get it done someday and post it, who knows. Posted 37 out of these here below in 6 Parts. Turned out to be 6 parts i.e man, tree, bldg, water, dark and lost that had some line drawn between them. This last Part is more or less leftover bastards that I can not label as one so I call it "lost", wasn't supposed to shoot color but in all haste in the dark under a bridge in the forgotten part of town I accidentally loaded a color negative and got what I got. Decent stuff actually, these turned out better that I would like to admit. Maybe my long lasting heavy grit Monochrome Period slowly coming to an end and another dimension with colors is taking shape? Doubt it but who knows. I've got a stash of insanely outdated 120 color negatives in the fridge that could come handy if I so choose...
Images, Words and Music is getting shaped into one big heavy demolition ball of inspirational destruction, life rolls on and as long as there is some creativeness left to explore there will be a way up and out.



There is only one suitable title for this set : Doom Nation MMXIV

Part 5/6 - 5 roll Project

The city expanding rapidly and without mercy. The mentality of "He-who-has-most-shit-when-he-dies-wins"is blooming, thriving and even though I always liked the engineering behind any larger-than-life structure (lots of good stuff out here, I've seen some by now that would rock the sox of a 30 year younger me) I have to admit it's with a slight distaste I see how new full areas are popping up all around the city like there is no tomorrow. Gonna be a hell of a racket when the big Kanto quake level it all. Can't say I really care since I'm so far outside this spectrum of the society here and everywhere else that it's just a mere observation. If there is a demand there will continue to be providers. Heard somewhere that the economy is taking a steep plunge and people grinding their teeth of how the Yen, Dollar and what not is loosing it's values. Doesn't really affect me and my close to zero impact (and wealth) on any social balancing scale so I continuing to give off just the slightest footprint in the sand before next tide wash it away as one never existed in the first place. Always been the melody I have waltzed through life with. Here in this city as in any other place, power is displayed in real estate, vehicles, a beautiful/respected spouse and as much shit as you can possibly squeeze in between the gaps. Anyways…buildings are straight (most of the time, the once I like anyways), square and fun to shoot with a medium format 6x6 camera. Architecture is a way of human expression, though these apartment buildings has only "functionalism" written all over them, nothing wrong in being functional I guess. No flare, just function all the way. A rant is a rant is a rant…but this was essentially a 5 Roll photo project so we save the rant of all rants till another sunny day.


Lets call this set : Altho Do Diabo

Part 4/6 - 5 Roll Project

Jan 2. Not much to say today. These blackened squares below is a couple of snaps I deliberately under exposed to get the mood I was looking for. There is a place in the heart of the city that is pretty magic and where I do go a lot. The trees and walkways surrounding the Meiji Shrine is a place where you can let your mind wander freely, always reminds me of some scene from the LOTR triology. J.R.R Tolkien would have liked this place I come to believe. To have such a sublime oasis right in the middle of this behemoth of a city is a treat. Anyways, a couple of underexposed squares reflecting the mood and feel I was looking for. Hasselblad 503CX / 80mm f/2.8 / 400 Tri-X & T-max…handheld ofcourse. I'm amazed on how well the metering of my Hasselblad view finder combined with the Kodak film can handle the high lights v.s the really dark shadows. Truly something you will struggle with on any "modern" piece of camera metering.


Lets call this set : Black Fangorn 

This frame is from another place, fits the mood and was shot on the same roll so why not

Part 3/6 - 5 Roll Project

This is something I would like to continue working on, the movements and different moods of water, especially the Sea. I made a living working on cargo ships on the worlds big open seas for 10 years back in the 90's and it has been with me ever since, a huge admiration and deep affection for the Ocean and all what she represents. I wanted some "water" frames but having rather limited access to the open sea here in Tokyo I went down to the man made land fill area just south of the city with my 2 remaining rolls of 120 film (set out with 5 rolls in the morning). This area is absolutely special, all here is man-made, surrounded by the black water that makes up the city's ancient natural harbor in Tokyo bay. The "land" that the huge structures stand on here is more or less a gigantic garbage dump (i.e landfill), the bridges that connects it to the city and all in between is obviously made and deposited here by man. What used to be ocean is now an enormous playing ground that will host the next Olympic. Anyways, I often come here at night as there are places here that enables you to explore sites not meant for public access. The reminder that you actually are "in" the sea is always present. Water below, multi lane motorways high above, a crisscross of lower bridges below. All carrying heavy traffic, an endless stream of goods being transported, greasing the wheel of industrial prosperity. Areas here are fenced off in a lame attempt to keep men out but since no one really comes here on foot (in my case bicycle) and especially at night there is no guards to make sure you commit the ultimate insult in Japanese society i.e. the breaking of rules. The mood was sublime so I was really excited and felt glad that I made it here instead of going somewhere else or calling it a day. A cold and windy night, enough to give some movements of the black water, strong reflections. Low light and low ISO means slow shutter and a fully open lens. Though, didn't turn out too blurred to ruin the mood I was looking for. I accidentally loaded a color negative film in the dark, shooting color with a B/W mindset usually turns out completely weird, looked cool this time I think. I could write more about the sea and what it means for me, maybe I'll do one day.


Title : Earthless