PRACTICE october 1997 / planet of the arts 15 Focussing In On Photo Technology by Jonathan Lander oes photographic technology bring artistic intention into sharper focus? Or does it merely give a slicker-than-ever appearance to fluffy and incoherent ideas? These questions came to mind as Diane Evans and I toured the photography component of the May 1997 Emily Carr Institute Graduating Students Exhibition. As an alumna who graduated at a time when the Institute was still known as Vancouver School of Art, Evans has known the art of Emily Carr Institute for some time. A professional fine art photographer and gallery assistant at Presentation House Gallery, Evans recently met up again with the Institute by accepting a sessional faculty appointment in the photography department. Evans describes herself as an “Old School” pho- tographer. She puts a premium on the aesthetics created through traditional photographic processes — camera, darkroom and chemicals. Typical of Old School traditionalism, Evans appreciates pho- tographs with “real feeling” — images that move us emotionally or intellectually through the viewing experience. In the School of Media Arts (the new moniker of Emily Carr’s Media Division), great leaps of digital technology have been made lately. In the Film/Video Department, for example, an Avid brand non-linear digital editing suite worth $60,000 was purchased over the summer. And for over a year now, Emily Carr photography and design students have enjoyed the luxury of digital photographic output from the Institute’s $200,000 plus LightJet machine (donated to the Institute by Cymbolic Sciences Corporation). Evans noticed the influence of these fancy state- of-the-art digital tools in the fine art photography put on exhibit by Emily Carr’s 1997 photography graduates. What sort of validity does digital technology have as a photographic art-making tool? Evans could not discern the reasons why some of the photographers who exhibited in the 1997 Grad Show chose to employ a digital process, and was just as unclear about whether it contributed to the aesthetic merit of their artwork. Graduate John Nelson’s series “After Fox-Talbot” depicted ceramic still lives. His project merged the antiquated Van Dyke photographic printing process with an entirely computer-rendered virtual tableau of photo-realistic vector-thrown vessels. Upon viewing Nelson’s work, Evans remarked on the beauty of the images, and said that she was remind- ed of the works of Georgio Morandi and Jan Groover, as the viewer is compelled “to look into the dark parts of the image to see what they are.” Nelson’s images looked so true-to-life that Evans was entirely unaware of the underlying digital process employed to generate the negative film from which the prints were generated. She found out about the genesis of the images by reading the mate- rials description accompanying the work. Without a statement, it was unclear what Nelson was getting at by illustrating that the new can imitate the old and both can meet unnoticed in a most extreme fashion. Evans questioned why the subject had to be com- puter-generated, when it could have easily been composed and photographed in real space. Evans’ question can be countered: with a com- puter, virtual lighting is moved around, softened, hardened, and flagged. Similarly, focal lengths are rapidly changed from fish-eye to macro, and cam- eras are moved around by the click of a mouse but- ton. Why then should photographers bother to get their hands dirty, move about large studio appli- ances to achieve controlled lighting, and buy every camera lens in the range of available focal lengths when particular representations of real space can be synthesized with the high-tech artistic instrument called the computer? Rachel Terry spent time in the digital realm vir- tually collaging previously photographed images in her untitled pieces. Evans noted that two of Terry’s works which depicted emotionally felt barren dwelling spaces were aesthetically attractive images, but like Nelson’s pieces, did not seem to have the tell-tale signs of having been digitally manipulated. Terry’s photographs looked surprisingly traditional in process, as if no collage had ever taken place. I later discovered that some of the images had been collaged digitally, and others had been manually collaged and then re-photographed. Evans disclosed to me that few digitally-pro- duced photographic images have ever made strong Last of Illumination, Paxton Downard impressions on her, and that perhaps the computer as a photographic tool is in most cases best suited to advertising. According to Evans, the most crucial part of the photograph is the image, and in her expe- rience, it must be captured in the camera first. Duplicity in the digital domain did not end with Terrys work. The outer space setting of Alexandra kitschy, canine photograph entitled = ine prompted Evans to think that this William Wegman- Cram’s sci-fi New _ Frontier” like portrait must have been digitally composed. But after closer inspection of Cram’s photograph, it that the became clear galactic panorama _ was actually a wrinkly, slightly tattered poster backdrop hung behind the spacesuit costumed subject. In this case, our assumptions had gotten the better of us, leading us to associate high-tech imagery with high- tech production. Far from cutting-edge technology, Cram nonetheless achieved her desired special effects with efficient and resourceful techniques. Although she was influenced by digital process- es, Erica Henderson chose to avoid using both the camera and the computer altogether. “It wasn’t direct,” says Henderson, “but working on the com- puter made me more aware of the creative possibil- ities that you could technically take advantage of in the darkroom without the use of a computer.” Henderson’s contribution was a series of colour photograms — images created in the darkroom by using three dimensional objects to interrupt the path of light to which photo-sensitive material is exposed. These images made Evans feel nostalgic. The colours. of these “family portraits” reminded Evans of “old scrapbooks from long ago.” Evans appreciated the experimental aspect of Henderson’s decision to not use a camera to create photograph- ic images; it is especially uncommon for pho- tograms to be created using colour photographic processes. Making photograms is often the first exercise a new student of photography will be led Untitled, Jason Smith through during their introduction to black and white darkroom processes. Photograms are often ignored. But Henderson has bucked these trends and has shown us there is still plenty of room for creativity and meaning in the photogram. Another set of works that Evans felt accom- plished a special effect without relying on the com- puter was “Last of Illumination” by Paxton Downard. Though giant in scale, the decrepit school buses and tractor machinery that Downard illumi- nated at night with old flash bulbs seemed to be like toys in an abandoned dirty sandbox. Evans com- mented, “they look like scale models, but after you look close, you realize they’re not.” Evans mused that Downard had “set them up, like he’s tricking us somehow. But I like that stuff a lot.” Some works failed to convey authenticity to Evans. One such example was Christopher Sheldon’s photograph of a man bandaged in plastic wrap. It seemed “clichéd”, said Evans, explaining that she’d “seen this sort of stuff before.” Evans also “didn’t see the point” of Jason Smith’s portraits of military bagpipers in the context of a fine art pho- tography exhibit — they “just looked like commercial continued on page 18, see “Photo Show” IN THIS SECTION 16 1997 Studio Show Erin Gunther Alumna (’95) Rita Beiks offers insight on showing grad work to its best advantage. a7 PRACTICE Design Rules Erin Gunther Alumna (’94) Tracy Uertreen discusses the trade-offs between personal vision and corporate self-alignment in connection with the grad show. 18 A Place Of Healing Rebecca Christofferson Important healing and empowering initiatives by a well- established Women’s Collective. PRACTICE ‘october 1997 / planet of the arts 15 Focussing In On Photo Technology by Jonathan Lander ‘es photographic technology bring artiste intention ito sharper focus? Or does it merely give a ickerthan-ever appearance to fy and incoherent ideas? These questions came to mind as Diane Evans and I toured the photography component of the “May 1997 Emily Carr Institute Graduating Students Exhibition ‘Asan alumna who graduated at aime when the Institute was still own as Vancouver Schoo! of Art, anshas known theart of Ely Car Institute for some ime. A professional fine art photographer and gallery assistant at Presentation House Galery vans recently met up again with the Institute by accepting a sessional faculty appointment in the photography department rans describes herself a an“Old Schoo!” pho: apher, She puts a premium on the aesthetics ‘created through traditional photographic proceses camera, darkroom and chemicals, Typical of Od School traditionalism, Evans appreciates pho tographs with “el feng” ~ images that move us onally or intellectually theough the viewing experience. Inthe School of Media Arts (the new moniker of Emily Carr's Media Division), great leaps of digital have Inthe an Avid technology have been made lately Film/Video Department, for example brand non-linear digital editing suite worth 60,000 ‘was purchased over the summer And for overa year now, Emily Carr photography and design students have enjoyed the luxury of digital photographic ‘output from the Institutes $200,000 plus Lighter, ‘machine (donated 0 the Insitute by Cymboli Sciences Corporation) rans noticed the influence of these fancy tate ‘of-the-art digital tool inthe fine art photography pu on exhibit by Emily Carr's 1997 photography f uate, What sort of valiy docs digital technology have asa photographic art-making tol? rans could not dicer the reasons why some of the photo raphers who exhibited in the 1997 i Show chose to employ a digital proces, and eas us as unclear about whether it contributed to the aesthetic merit of thee artwork Graduate John Nelsons series “After Fox-Talbot” depicted ceramic sil lives is projet merged the antiquated Van Dyke photographic printing process with an enizely computer-rendered virtual tableau of photo-realsic vector-thrown vessels. Upon viewing, Nelion's work, Evans remarked on the ‘beauty ofthe images, and sai that she was remind ‘dof the works of Georgio Morandi and Jan Groover asthe viewer i compelled “to look nto the ark parts of the image to se what they are ‘Nelsons image looked so true-to-fethat rans was entirely unaware of the underlying digital process employed to generate the negative film from which the prints were generated. She found out shout the genesis of the images by reading the mate rials description accompanying the work. Without a statment it was unclear what Nekon was getting at by illustrating that the new can imitate yeold and both can meet unnoticed ina most extreme fashion vans questioned why the subject had tobe com: puter generated, when it could have easily been composed and photographed in el space vane question can be countered: with a com: puter, viral lighting is moved around, softened, hardened, and faged. Similan focal lengths a rapidly changed f eras are moved around byt dick ofa mouse but ton, Why then should photographers bother to get their hands dity, move about large studio appli ances to achive controlled lighting, and buy every “amera lens inthe range of availabe focal lengths when particular representations of eal space can be syathesized with the high-tech atsc instrument called the computer? Rachel Terry spent me in the digital elm vir tually cllaging previously photographed images in her untied pieces, Evans noted that two of Terry's works sthich depicted emotionally felt barten dwelling spaces wore aesthetically attractive images, but lke Nelson's pigces, didnot seem to have the telltale signs of having been digitally manipulate. Terry's photographs looked surprisingly traditional in proces, as if no collage had ever taken place 1 later discovered that some ofthe images had been collaged digitally, and others had been manually collaged and then re-photographed Frans disclosed to me that few digtall-pro- duced photographic images have ever made strong Las of tluminton, Paxton Downard impressions on hen, and pethaps the computer as photographic too isin most cases best sited t0 advertising. According to Evans, the most crucial part of the photograph is the image and in her expe rience, it must be captured in the camera fist Duplicy in the digital domain did not end with Terry’s work. The outer space setting of Alexandr rams kitschy, if canine photograph entitled The New Frontier” prompted Evans to think ‘hat this Will Wegman. Tike portrait must have been digitally composed But after closer inspection ‘of Cramis photograph, i became clear that the panorama actually a rink, slighty tattered poster backdrop hung behind the spacesut costumed subject In this «ase, our assumptions had goten the better of us, leading us to asocat high-tech imagery with high tech production Far from cutting-edge technology Cram nonetheless achieved her desired special cfc with efficent and resource techniques Although she was influenced by digital proces «Erica Henderson chose to avoid using both the famera and the computer altogether. Alirect” sys Henderson, “but working onthe com puter made me more aware ofthe cestive posi ites that you could technically tke advantage of in the darkroom without the use of a computer’ Henderson's contribution was a series of colour Photograms ~ images crated in the darkroom by using thece dimensional objects to interrupt the path of light 0 which photo-senstve material is ‘exposed. These images made Evans fel nostalgic. ‘The colours of these “family portraits” reminded vans of “old scrapbooks from long. ago” Evans appreciated the experimental aspect of Hendersons decision t not us a camera to create photograph i images; i is especially uncommon for pho tograms to be created using colour photographic proceses. Making photograms is often the frst exercise a new student of photography will beled through during ther introduction to Back and white daskroom process. Photograms are often ignored. But Henderson has bucked these trends and has shown us there is sill plenty of room for eatvty and meaning in the photo Another set of works that Evans eh accom: plished a special effect without relying on the com puter was “Last of Illumination” by DDownard, Though gant in sale the decrepit school Twses and tractor machinery that Downard illumi rated at night wth old lash bulbs semed tobe like toys in an abandoned dirty sandbox. Evans com: mented "they look like sale models, but after you vans mused that Downard had “set them up like he’ tricking us stuff lot Some works filed to convey a such example was Christopher ‘heldons photograph ofa man bandaged in plastic wrap. It seemed “clichéd, said Evans, explaining that shed “sen this sort of stuff before” Evans aso “id see the pont” of Jason Smith's portraits of nnltary bagpipes inthe context ofa fine art pho- Paxton look close, you realize they'e not. somehow: But I ik shentiity to tography exhibit they jst loked like commercial IN THIS SECTION 16 17 1997 Studio Show Erin Gunther Alums (95) Ria Bs fers insight on showing gd Design Rules PRACTICE 18 Erin Gunther A Place Of Healing Rebecca Christofferson