The online portfolio of Ben Mansell » Photo http://benmansell.com Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:42:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 en hourly 1 The new real http://benmansell.com/the-new-real http://benmansell.com/the-new-real#comments Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:59:03 +0000 admin http://wordpress.benmansell.com/?p=152 While reading an article in MARK, issue 15, I became interested in this concept of “the new real.” Philipp Schaerer shared thoughts on his concept of real as it applied to non-existent architecture. Buildings that didn’t exist, realized with some handy digital techniques, but not trying excessively hard to pass for believable. Looking into his work, real becomes more and more like a design element.

Schaerer’s interpretation of a floor, architectural body and skins are very convincing. Real people, real vegetation, existing textures are combined into this scenery that is just an interpretation; like an architectural photo. A ceiling is not necessarily a thing, it can be taken as a concept. A ceiling itself makes a boring photo. The idea of a ceiling makes a more interesting photo and does not have to be real. I think this is a liberty any creative can take with their work.

Real is a very serious element and I look forward to exploring its effects in graphic design and renderings. It can be the difference between memorable or accepted –> mundane –> forgotten.

]]> http://benmansell.com/the-new-real/feed 0 lomographs on the way http://benmansell.com/lomographs-on-the-way http://benmansell.com/lomographs-on-the-way#comments Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:26:11 +0000 admin http://wordpress.benmansell.com/?p=49 Every so often, I feel like having fun and just shooting photos of whatever I encounter and whatever is interesting as a way of documenting my life. I like using this old lomographic camera and 35mm film to take the shots. The results are much like branding, the print outs leave a more vivid feel in my mind, something that a hard drive full of digital photos just can’t match, even though they are probably brighter and more detailed. I also think the degraded and tunnel vision contributes to the effect, reminding me that I have this really old camera and that it took a lot of effort just to wind up the roll and send it off.

I heard about the lomographic movement and started out with a basic Holga, then eventually decided to buy an LC-A for the ease of using 35mm film. It’s a little easier to work with than 120mm. I ended up finding an original model of the LC-A from a seller in Latvia. It took an entire month for the thing to work its way through the mail and had me wondering at times about the reliability of ebay sellers. As soon as I got it, I started shooting all the film I had, getting a few rolls developed, and then leaving some in the finished rolls to age since I was a college student and too poor to get them developed. Okay, maybe I was just lazy. These days I’m this strong desire to bust open those undeveloped time capsules and see what I was looking at, and how I was looking at it.

It’s a very personal tool, kind of how I’d imagine a rifle is to a marine, or a fast internet connection to a fast-handed 13 year old. The camera’s back latch broke a couple of times, and I eventually secured it with industrial epoxy. Every time I want to shoot a new roll of film, the back needs to be taped to prevent excessive light leaks. The reason all these inconveniences are so important is because the extra work gets me connected with the results; an inherent process to shooting and enjoying.

I’m not advocating a revivalist move back to analog formats. It’s quite inconvenient, but for that very reason, digital photos will never give you the same personal connection. It’s not a matter of lacking a physical print, but lacking that personal investment in the process of getting a shot. Making things easy and available has a price.

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