Michael Kenna | alan frost photography

Posts tagged ‘Michael Kenna’

Should I buy a Holga or a Hasselblad?

For a little while now I have been giving some serious thought as to whether or not I should delve into the world of film/analogue photography, and more specifically medium format. It would present me with a fresh set of challenges and I am intrigued by the prospect of what black and white 6×6 negatives from a roll of 120 film might offer.

There are a wide range of medium format film cameras for sale, most of which are of course second hand. As with most things there is a wide divergence in terms of design, build quality, performance and perhaps most importantly price.

At one end of the scale you can buy a new Holga 120N, which is widely considered to be a ‘toy’ camera and is made primarily of plastic. It has enjoyed an almost cult like following for many years. The cost for a new one here in the UK is around £35, although you would almost certainly need to buy a roll of gaffa tape to cover up the joins and other gaps which are prone to light leaks!

*Holga 120N – a medium format plastic ‘toy’ camera*

At the premium end of the scale sits the Hasselblad 500 series of cameras, an iconic design. First manufactured in 1957 it is beautifully constructed and offers the skilled photographer the opportunity to make beautiful images. Fully manual with no batteries and no light meter, the 500 is truly an analogue camera. A complete kit (shown below) comprising body, 80mm lens, waist level viewfinder and film back is going to be in the range of £1,500 to well over £3,500 depending upon age and condition. A substantial amount of money but there is every likelihood that these cameras will always be a sought after. Its longevity and appeal were further enhanced when Hasselblad introduced compatible digital film backs.

*The ‘King’ of medium format – the Hasselblad 500 series*

In between there are a good number of other alternatives from pin-hole cameras, to the Rolleiflex twin lens reflex and the Mamiya version of the Hasselblad V series. The list goes on, so where to start?

In a strange way the Holga rather appeals. At the price it can almost be considered a disposable item. For the cost of the camera itself, a few rolls of Ilford HP5 and lab developing fees, quite a lot of fun could be had. For a low entry fee into medium format I could see how I got on. If I don’t like it I haven’t lost a great deal. The same can’t be said for the Hasselblad. My expectations wouldn’t be that great with the Holga, in fact, I would probably be happy just to get one half decent image. I have looked at some examples of other images by experienced photographers including Martin Henson. He has an excellent playlist of YouTube videos on the Holga.

I have to mention Michael Kenna, one of the masters of square medium format photographs. Best known for his work using the Hasselblad he has also shot very successfully using a Holga. Back in 2017 he published a book simply titled ‘Holga’ showcasing over 100 photographs captured with this little camera. Only the centre of the picture is reasonably sharp, the outer edges are blurred and vignetting is a given. The Holga definitely has a look all of its own, which you either love or loathe, but in the right hands it can used to excellent artistic effect.

*‘Holga’ by Michael Kenna published in 2017*

*Two of the many plates in the Holga book.*

While I continue to research and deliberate I thought it might be a fun exercise to try and mimic the ‘Holga look’ using digital files and various processing software. Obviously I can’t compare the results with the real thing so I can only take a stab at how the images might have looked if I had used a film camera. I suspect I may have exaggerated the soft focus and vignetting but I just wanted to see if I could replicate the look by way of an experiment.

All the images were captured at Stourhead in Wiltshire, a property managed and maintained by the National Trust. Famed for its autumn colours it was good to visit the house and gardens at a different time of year – the tail end of winter and the start of spring.

*The bridge across the lake at Stourhead*

*A bust in the library which has over 6,000 books on its shelves*

It is hard to think of two cameras which share the same type of film but are so unlike one another in every other detail. They couldn’t be more different. I might find the novelty of the Holga quickly wanes but it is a world apart from any other camera I have or have ever owned. I imagine the Hasselblad would be an absolute joy to use and the negatives would be exceptional. However it’s heavy and would probably require the use of a tripod. Some form of light meter would be necessary even if it’s only an app on my iPhone. Learning how to meter a scene and think about the zone system introduced by Ansel Adams would be another skill to acquire. Having said all that the whole idea is to adopt a more considered approach. To make every shutter release really count. As with everything in life there are pros and cons and I should probably take a closer look at some other medium format cameras before making a decision.

So for the time being I’ll continue dithering and doubtless share any news of an acquisition on this blog if and when I can make up my mind. I might of course do nothing and continue enjoying my existing kit. But life, particularly in retirement, should be about stretching the boundaries and not limiting one’s approach to the familiar. Finding fresh challenges and new ways to be creative is essential. It helps to keep the mind active, encourages new ways of thinking, provides stimulus and excitement knowing there might be an event or an experience to look forward to. As the old saying goes ‘If you are standing still in life then you are actually moving backwards’.

Castle Hill Gardens ….. a nod to Michael Kenna perhaps?

I always remember a famous photographer (unfortunately I can’t remember who it was) saying –

‘Don’t buy more gear, buy more books by other photographers’.

I only have to look at my shelves and I clearly took this this advice to heart as I have quite a collection of photobooks, mainly by black and white photographers, and I very much enjoy leafing through them from cover to cover, looking and learning from the images on the pages.

Whether consciously or subconsciously it is my view that all photographers and artists are influenced by the work of others. To be in bubble and to develop your own personal style without ever have been affected by their art or imagery is nigh on an impossibility. If you are a creator then it is only natural that should be interested in the work of other creators. Whether you admire their work or not, the very act of looking at the photographs of well known photographers helps define the direction of your own style, and furthers your understanding and enjoyment of this art form.

In the early days of my photography I was akin to a sponge, soaking up ideas, techniques and learning for myself what I did and didn’t like about other photographer’s work. I have written before about the very distinctive imagery of Michael Kenna, who I have always admired although I haven’t looked through my books of his photographs for quite a long time.

Which brings me to this set of photographs all captured at Castle Hill Gardens on a recent stay in Devon. My wife and I stumbled by chance on this wonderful home and superb parkland gardens. From the moment I got out of the car, and I saw the grounds, in particular the statuary, it instantly reminded me of some photographs by Michael Kenna which I had seen in the past. I knew immediately the approach I would take to the composition and how I would process the images I wanted to make.

The square format, the shallow depth of field, the split tone sepia like tint and the addition of a little film like grain would all feature. We walked around the gardens and I regularly dived off in a different direction to seek out some compositions. Before processing the files I made a deliberate choice not to reach for the Kenna books, so that the results would be my own even though I fully admit to being heavily influenced by the memory of Michael Kenna’s interpretation of similar subjects.

Photographer or not Castle Hill Gardens are well worth a visit. We were there in September, loved the walk around the gardens and we were told that Spring is a particularly special time of year to visit. The Palladian style Castle Hill house has been the home of the Fortescue family since 1684 and the current custodians are the 17th generation to live on the estate. The estate extends to 5,100 acres, including the 50 acres of gardens surrounded by Grade 1 Listed Parkland.

I hope you enjoyed this collection of photographs even if they do bear a passing resemblance to the work of Michael Kenna – to be honest I would be very flattered if you thought this was the case.

You might also be interested to read this entry about an interview with Michael Kenna which I posted back in 2018.

Taking inspiration – An interview with Michael Kenna

I believe that all creative people, whether they are painters, sculptors or indeed photographers can be inspired by viewing the work of the most famous and successful artists in their field of expertise. It is why we visit galleries and exhibitions, buy books and maybe even purchase a piece of work if we are rich enough to do so. As well as viewing their work, I also enjoy reading what they have to say, listening to them talk or watching a presentation or an interview.

The internet is a fantastic and huge resource but the quality of videos posted can vary from the ‘I wish I hadn’t wasted my time’ to the ‘Truly excellent……. I would like to watch it again’. Today I watched a video on Vimeo which definitely falls into the latter category. The video is of Michael Kenna being interviewed by Catherine Edelman in 2016. Over a number of years her gallery in Chicago has regularly exhibited Kenna’s photographs and they clearly have a strong working relationship.

Whether or not you like Michael Kenna’s work (and I do), I would suggest you make yourself a cup of coffee, or pour yourself a glass of wine, and sit down and watch what I found to be a very enjoyable and inspiring 50 minutes. In fact I would go so far to say that it is the best interview with Michael Kenna that I have discovered on the web and there are quite a few around.

I should point out that it ends rather abruptly, which was strange, but otherwise it was first class. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.