Mary Ellen Mark in today's New York Times photo blog / Polaroid 20 x 24
Quote:
We had a specific design for the light — 18 strobes. That’s a lot of lights. A lot. Because we were shooting at, like, f/64. It’s very stopped down, with an 800-millimeter lens — sometimes 600, but mostly 800-millimeter. You have very little depth of field, so you want it to be stopped down as much as possible.
Oooof! Talk about power!
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/0...ex-camera/#/7/
Re: Mary Ellen Mark in today's New York Times photo blog / Polaroid 20 x 24
I am interested in the camera and the significance of the project, though the "18 lights" thing was what really caught my attention.
I saw your work with the 20x24 some time ago - maybe I caught it on your blog? Anyway, it looks great. I can only imagine the detail and tonality that these display in person. I used to assist a photographer who loved the 8x10 Polaroid and those things pumped out pretty decent detail, too.
Re: Mary Ellen Mark in today's New York Times photo blog / Polaroid 20 x 24
They just use a pack and head (biggest Elinchrom I think) in the studio so maybe MEM got into some lighting guru voodoo, although the lighting didn't call attention to itself in those pix.
I like Polaroids a lot too but I am not obsessed over them like some people. A well made 20x24 print from common 6x6 medium format film looks really good to me too. As a collector (I'm not) I would much prefer one of Mary Ellen Mark's prints from a medium format camera. Funny how the 20x24 shots looks very similar.
So yeah you could do a wonderful portrait in traditional film for a fraction of the Polaroid price so you have to be really into it.
Re: Mary Ellen Mark in today's New York Times photo blog / Polaroid 20 x 24
Yeah I don't see 18 lights there. I see effing awesome lighting, just like she always gets...so good. But not 18 lights.
I assume that because she seems like a broke-ass genius she does all her lighting herself. As much as I admire Annie L, she at minimum has a lot of hands helping her.
Re: Mary Ellen Mark in today's New York Times photo blog / Polaroid 20 x 24
I think I've read that she's a project to project kind of person. Maybe I'm wrong.
Re: Mary Ellen Mark in today's New York Times photo blog / Polaroid 20 x 24
A quick tour of the camera back: http://tinyurl.com/7kdpfuz
Are they using left-over film?
Re: Mary Ellen Mark in today's New York Times photo blog / Polaroid 20 x 24
I would love to see this setup in person while I am still living down here. If she is in the studio that day I will count the lights. :)
Re: Mary Ellen Mark in today's New York Times photo blog / Polaroid 20 x 24
I think their backer bought the remains of the Polaroid corporate set-up, including a large supply of the media and chemistry. It isn't packaged like the small format films, the camera actually holds rolls and it's cut.
I'm not clear on the relationship to the Impossible Project but I guess they are friendly. Perhaps the Impossible Project will produce some nice materials someday but I haven't been impressed with them other than their sophisticated marketing campaign.
Just think of this as the ultimate hipster Lomo device ;-p