Not Going Out

Not when it's raining like this, although just at the moment, it's eased off. There had been some snow. Slush was sliding down the screen of the van's window and dotting the grass when we drew the curtains.

Two teddies have helped me with this first effort with my Holga lens. I saw photos of Venice taken with a Holga lens by Jay Charnock the other week that impressed me, so I bought a Holga lens for my Canon camera. I like the vignette. In these dark conditions, I had to use a very high ISO. I seem to remember the photos looking rather dreamy. Willl have to research that.

Michael Kenna uses a Holga alongside his Hasselblad. He is firmly of the belief that it's not the camera that makes the picture, it's the person who's holding the camera that's responsible.

It's a good day for perusing Kenna's book on Forms of Japan. Many of those photos give me a visceral pleasure when I see them. It almost hurts to view the minimal beauty.

Now I begin to understand why other photographers try to emulate him. One in particular who espouses the same photographic philosophy. Rise early (ie before dawn), explore, find the viewpoint that resonates, set up the camera and nd filters, wait. Patience is key. Enjoy the wait, being in the place. But Kenna is Kenna and manages to convey his own experience. The other's photos are 'technical.'

Having become enamoured of Japanese style very recently, I can quite understand why Kenna wishes to return again and again. Hokkaido is his favourite island, a realm of water, ice and snow.