"PBS POV: SALT" - Photographer Murray Fredericks

[Phil]

The PBS POV documentary SALT will be streaming online from Aug. 18 through Sept. 17, 2010. Photographer Murray Fredericks talks about how he got the idea to make a documentary about his trips to the Lake Eyre, his other photography work, how he worked with filmmaker Michael Angus and more.

http://www.pbs.org/pov/salt/photo_gallery_watch.php

POV: What equipment did you use to photograph Lake Eyre?
Fredericks: The bulk of the still images were shot on an 8-by-10-inch view camera. In the final year of the project I started experimenting with a medium format digital back on a digital view camera to employ stitching as a method of capturing a wider field of view. The time-lapse cameras were Canon digital SLR cameras and the video camera was a Panasonic P2.

"Please note that POV films are only available for streaming in the United States."

[sun of sand]

watched that the other day
didn't care for it

I actually liked the shorts afterwards much more
music man -largest vinyl collection
old love story

[Lachlan 717]

watched that the other day
didn't care for it

Care to elaborate?

[patrickjames]

watched that the other day
didn't care for it

I actually liked the shorts afterwards much more
music man -largest vinyl collection
old love story

I agree 100%. I thought it was completely self indulgent and reminded me in many bad ways of the show Survivorman (which I detest) - "I am stranded with only my camera and this butter knife! Oh what can I do melodramatically before I die?" Blah. There were segments that he was talking and never even looked at the camera. It was in no way a documentary, perhaps it could have been some kind of marketing piece for him, but I found it disingenuous at best. Not worth viewing.

The other segments on POV that night were good. A man who has probably the best collection of records in the world, but no one really wants them. That was sad. The love story was heartbreaking.

[Lachlan 717]

I agree 100%. I thought it was completely self indulgent and reminded me in many bad ways of the show Survivorman (which I detest) - "I am stranded with only my camera and this butter knife! Oh what can I do melodramatically before I die?" Blah. There were segments that he was talking and never even looked at the camera. It was in no way a documentary, perhaps it could have been some kind of marketing piece for him, but I found it disingenuous at best. Not worth viewing.

Wow, you're criticising the guy because there were segments that he was talking and not even looking at the camera? And you think that this prevents it from being deemed a documentary? What were you after? Someone to explain how to take a photo with a Toyo 810M?

And what, exactly, did you find disingenuous?

If you took the time to read the synopsis, this is a video diary about being alone in a desolate and isolated location.

It was not some kind of cotton-candy Disney-style fluff piece. Production values were based on a bloke in a tent with a handycam hundreds of kilometres from the nearest city.

Maybe he wasn't looking at the camera because it was ingenuous. Maybe he was much more comfortable behind the camera than in front?

Guess it's pretty easy to criticise when you haven't been in the guy's shoes… Perhaps you could direct me to the film(s) that you have made that are better than this so that I can get a gauge on what is worth viewing.

[Paul_C]

Guess it's pretty easy to criticise when you haven't been in the guy's shoes… Perhaps you could direct me to the film(s) that you have made...

I liked Salt. Do I need to provide you with films that I've made in order to qualify my opinion too, or does that only apply to opinions you disagree with?

My one criticism is that we didn't get to see enough of the images that were being made until near the end.

I agree. I would've liked to see pictures interspersed - preferably near in the film when they were taken, or at least during similar conditions - to get a better connection between what he was dealing with and what he ended up with as a result.

[Lachlan 717]

I liked Salt. Do I need to provide you with films that I've made in order to qualify my opinion too, or does that only apply to opinions you disagree with?.

I don't recall saying whether I like or dislike Murray's work, so perhaps your presumption that I do like it should be kept to yourself unless you know otherwise?

As for your point about supporting your liking of a subject, it is well made.

However, hackneyed and unsubstantiated criticism of someone's hard work seems quite petty, and, to me, smarts of the principle of "those who can, do; those who can't, criticise".

So, to call something "disingenuous" and not back this up with explanation a cop out.

To his/her credit, sun of sand clearly supported his/her not caring for this film. I hope patrickjames does so as well, because I am genuinely interested in his thoughts on this.

Finally, for what it's worth, I really, really like Murray's images. I am humbled by his patience in waiting for so many different sides to Lake Eyre. And I am equally humbled by his technique and ability. There are many good photographers out there, but not many that I wish to one day be half as good as. Murray is one.

[Brian C. Miller]

I would've liked to see pictures interspersed - preferably near in the film when they were taken, or at least during similar conditions - to get a better connection between what he was dealing with and what he ended up with as a result.

Yes, that would have been nice. I'm watching it now, and I keep wondering what images I will see from his trip.

Looks like he's riding a Surley Pugsley with 3.7" Endomorph tires. Jakub Postrzygacz rode the Canning Stock Route on a Pugsley, but he used a trailer that could handle the Endomorph tires. His narative sounds like a lot of other solo adventurers, and what has been described to me by people who have hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. You are out there alone with your thoughts, and you have to have self-discipline to keep going.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I saw that DOC on the telly last week. Absolutely amazing. It sure was nice to see him working with an 8x10 out there.

[Colin Graham]

Very interesting, thanks for the link. What a challenging place, on so many levels.