MSP Airport Protest

Posted on January 30, 2017 by scott

Roughly one thousand people gathered at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport to protest against the Trump’s ban on Muslims traveling legally into the United States, and what appears to be government-sanctioned discrimination on the basis of religion. This was one of two events held as demonstrations in the Twin Cities on Sunday.

A protest against the ban on Muslims traveling legally into the United States and discrimination on the basis of religion, at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport.

Outside and across from Terminal 1 at MSP International Airport

A protest against the ban on Muslims traveling legally into the United States and discrimination on the basis of religion, at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport.

Families with children came to show their support for refugees.

protestors at the MSP airport

After over an hour protesting outside across from Terminal 1, the protestors peacefully walked inside to the upper area of the terminal and demonstrated for another hour.

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More photographs from the Minnesota Women’s March

Posted on January 27, 2017 by scott

A follow up to an earlier post, the Women’s March here in Minnesota was one of more than 600 marches that took place around the globe. Here in St. Paul, it was projected that 10,000 to 20,000 people would gather at St. Paul College and walk to the MN State Capitol. 100,000 people responded, five times the best estimate of the organizers and media. As a photographer, this was a must-attend event. What struck me was the range of people that attended. People of all kinds and every stage of life from babies to great grandmothers were there.

Kids at the Minnesota State Capitol holding signs

Signs and messaging at the Women’s March Minnesota

I found everyone to be extremely friendly, the scale of the event and variety of creative messaging was beyond anything I’ve seen.

Public transportation was said to have been full for miles back from the Capitol. We drove in from the north and parked right near the end of the march route. That turned out to be a pretty good plan.

Here’s a humorous story if you didn’t see it on the first post. As I was trying to get across the street through a thick crowd of people, I saw an opening and started to move my body, only to find that instead of one woman leaving a space, she was holding hands with the next woman behind her. I stopped quickly so that I wouldn’t get in the second woman’s way. She realized that I was trying to get into the path and without missing a step, put out her hand towards me. Without hesitation, I took her gloved hand, and the three of us made our way through the crowd to the median. I found my friends at the median, let go of her hand and thanked her. It was more than amusing to me that strangers would take each other’s hands in a shared vision of togetherness and simply crossing the street.

Although I took about 200 color photos with my digital camera, the one roll of 35mm black and white film with my old Nikon F100 yielded many interesting and successful compositions that I found the most compelling. There’s something about real film for this kind of work. A few more photographs:

Women holding a sign

Signs and messaging at the Women’s March Minnesota

Women holding a sign that says We The People

Women holding a sign at the Women’s March Minnesota

A man holding up a sign

A man with a “We the People” sign

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Women’s March in St. Paul Minnesota

Posted on January 23, 2017 by scott

The Women’s March on Saturday, January 21st 2017 marked the largest single-day demonstration in the history of the United States. Originally planned for Washington D.C., over 600 marches took place around the world. Here in Minnesota, it was projected that 10,000 to 20,000 people would attend to march from St. Paul College to the MN State Capitol. To everyone’s amazement, 100,000 people showed up. The opportunity to photograph the largest political action in generations, only 30 minutes from my house, was something I could not pass up.

Women's March St. Paul MN

Women’s March St. Paul, Minnesota

I found everyone to be friendly, full of energy and passion. When I was trying to get across the street through a thick crowd of people, I saw an opening and started to move my body, only to find that instead of one woman leaving a space, she was holding hands with the next woman behind her. I stopped quickly so that I wouldn’t get in the second woman’s way. She realized that I was trying to get into the path and without missing a step, put out her hand towards me. Without hesitation, I took her gloved hand, and the three of us made our way through the crowd to the median. I found my friends at the median, let go of her hand and thanked her. It was more than amusing to me that strangers would take each other’s hands in a shared vision of togetherness and simply crossing the street.

People and signs filled the street

The street is filled with people at the Women’s March Minnesota

 

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Artist of the Month at Dunn Bros. Coffee in Hopkins

Posted on November 3, 2016 by scott

Starting November 1st, my photography is featured as the Artist of the Month at the Dunn Bros. Coffee location at 4 Shady Oak Rd, Hopkins, MN 55343. There will be an open house on November 19th from 2-4pm. Stop by for some coffee from fresh-roasted beans, and take a look at some photography. Sounds good to me.

Dunn Bros. Coffee

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Presentation at the Mpls Photo Center – Thank You!

Posted on April 20, 2016 by scott

Thanks to everyone that came out to the Pinhole Photography presentation at the Community Film & Darkroom Night at the Mpls Photo Center on Tuesday April 12. It was a fun group with great questions. Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day is coming up on April 24th. I hope to see some of you out there with pinhole cameras!

Pinhole Photography presentation at the Mpls Photo Center

Pinhole Photography presentation at the Mpls Photo Center

 

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Pinhole Photography presentation at the Mpls Photo Center

Posted on April 5, 2016 by scott

It’s almost Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day!!!
I’m doing a presentation on pinhole photography for Community Film & Darkroom Night at the Mpls Photo Center on Tuesday April 12 2016 at 7PM. If you would like to learn about pinhole, see some photographs, and check out the photo center, that’s the night to do it. We will also have a drawing to give away a 35mm pinhole camera called the Populist. How cool is that?

Here is the page with the information, I hope to see you there.
Thanks,
Scott

www.mplsphotocenter.com/darkrooms/community-darkroom.php

 

world wide pinhole day, 2010 Minnehaha Creek Water Abstract Paris Street liquid ice digital color landscape cowboy and camel reflected in a lizard's eyeIt’s April, that means it’s time to get excited about pinhole photography!

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Portrait Session

Posted on February 9, 2016 by scott

I had a lovely portrait session with Nikolet this weekend. We worked on a number of different ideas using digital capture, 35mm, and especially 8×10 black and white film. I like to mix it up between more posed and formal compositions, with the spontaneity and freedom of movement that comes with using smaller cameras. The large format negatives sure have a look that can’t really be achieved any other way. There are still a few sheets of film to develop, can’t wait to see them!

20160206_nikolet_8x10_sheet_1 20160206_Nikolet_35mm_20

 

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Van Dyke Brown Historic Process Prints

Posted on January 15, 2016 by scott

On occasion, I make Van Dyke Brown historic process prints using a technique that dates back to the mid 1800’s. What is an alt process, or historic process print? The short answer is a print made by putting a negative directly in contact with art paper that has been sensitized to record an image. A “standard” silver gelatin black and white print is made with photographic paper available from a commercial manufacturer. To make an alt process print, the photographer brushes the light sensitive chemicals onto the paper that has been selected for the print. After the paper is dry, the negative is pressed against the paper using a contact printing frame. Then, the paper and negative are exposed to UV light, either using the sun or a light box outfitted with bulbs that will expose print-out papers.

There are many different alternative processes and excellent books on the subject. My expertise is the Van Dyke Brown and I use 4×5 or 8×10 film or digital negatives. This portrait was made using 8×10 black and white film. You can see the brush strokes where the sensitizer was brushed onto the paper and the full border of the negative. Some people display their prints with the full border visible. Others cover the film border with a mat, showing only the image area. Although I like the brush strokes, I’d like to find some old-fashioned, cabinet card style oval mats to augment the turn-of-the-last-century style.

Large format portrait

A portrait made using film and the Van Dyke Brown printing technique.

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F295 Salon Exhibition 2015

Posted on June 25, 2015 by scott

I was excited to participate in the 2015 F295 Salon exhibit at the University Art Gallery, Frick Fine Arts Building, University of Pittsburgh. My print just made the trip back safely and it’s now on the dining room wall. This is a one-of-a-kind print, an 8×10 contact print from a digital negative using the analog historic photographic process called Van Dyke Brown. Thanks again, Tom Persinger and F295!

Kauai Mist, 2002
Digital capture with Olympus C2000z 2.1mp
Printed 8×10 in 2015
Van Dyke Brown from digital negative

2002-Kauai-VDB-print

 

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Midwest Passage Photography Group Show No. 3

Posted on February 13, 2015 by scott

Our latest exhibit starts tonight!

https://www.facebook.com/events/774827779238353/

The Midwest Passage Photography group is a loose collective of Minnesota-based film photographers that meet monthly to share ideas, techniques, and organize regular exhibitions.

This exhibition features the work of 13 of its members: Thomas Bertilsson, Peter Boulay, Ernesto De Quesada, Paul Johnson, Lily Howell, Victor Keller, Lanny Linehan, Stephanie Olive, Michael J. Peters, Timothy G. Piotrowski, Reid Rejsa, Michael Schomer, Scott Stillman.

For the third exhibition, the photographers chose recent work with diverse subjects ranging from portraiture, urban & rural life, traditional landscape to abstract interpretations. Many of the images are time capsules, preserving a fleeting moment on a familiar city sidewalk or a family on the farm. In addition, craft and process drive the cohesive character of this exhibition as all images were captured using film. Printing techniques include silver gelatin, inkjet, and platinum historic process.

Opening reception and preview:
Friday Feb 13th, 2015 6-9pm
Saturday Feb 14th, 2015 10am-4pm

Studio 202, California Building, 2205 California Street Northeast, Minneapolis, MN 55418

Installation at Amore Coffee: Feb 20 – March 31, 879 Smith Avenue South, Saint Paul, MN 55118

 
Boston, MA 2014

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