My Grandfather's Woodshop

I have a strong history of craftsmanship on my mom's side of the family - my great-grandmother made ceramic and porcelain statues and decorations with a kiln in her basement, my grandfather built and refurbished wooden furniture as a side-business, my aunt and uncle do stained glass and lathe work, and my mom used to make all kinds of wooden crafts, at one point selling them in craft shops and fairs.

I've done a bit of wood-working too and would like to do more when I am able to build-out a woodshop, but that's probably a ways off.

Anyway, my grandfather has a massive workshop (about as big as their house) and I've always loved the tools and "stuff" hanging in it. I've been meaning to photograph it for awhile and finally did so over Christmas. Here's a few shots - all with my Chamonix 45n1, with a 13.5cm f/4.5 Rodenstock Trinar lens, on T-Max 100 dev'd in Rodinal 1:50. The Trinar lens is probably about as old as my grandfather. I find the lens makes nice old-world images with pleasing OOF rendering, hence why I used it.

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/pho...hop-2320ss.jpg

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/pho...hop-2327ss.jpg

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/pho...hop-2319ss.jpg

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/pho...hop-2318ss.jpg

Well done! Love the tonal range and the feelings they invoke.

IMHO there is little better than making stuff or fixing stuff up, I'm always happiest when there is a project underway... Great subject, nicely done :)

Great series. Very neat and sharp photos, the only thing missing is your grandfather. I hope you can shoot him.

Thanks all. Yes, looking at these photos, I had the thought that some might think he was deceased. He is not, but both he and my grandmother are not in great health. Asking him to sit for a photo at the time wasn't doable (with holiday prep and such) but I do need to do that, soon.

I did take some photos of my grandmother as she is mostly bound to her chair but haven't developed them yet.

PS: I used to take a yearly family photo but that hasn't happened in several years due to various personal and health reasons. HERE is a link to our photo in 2014. My grandmother and grandfather are the second couple from the right, back row. My wife and I, far right front. Posted this in the portrait section years ago and it's still on my server so thought I would share.

This reminds me of my buddy Lloyd's shop. He has the piped-in vacuum and everything, and clamps, clamps, and more clamps! You can never have too many.

Nice pictures Corran and a good document for the young-uns in the family.

Yep -- those are very nice.

That is something very special. Congratulations. I wonder how many people wouldn't have the photographers eye to see and be aware of this and realize that someday it will all be gone. That looked like a fun project too. Can't wait to get my Chamonix.

Thanks again to all of you. I knew there was something to shoot as soon as I saw all those clamps in the morning sunlight coming in from the windows.

I should probably spend a few more hours in there next time I visit. Sometimes I get distracted by the landscape and forget to shoot what's closer to home. I shot these 4 sheets and then was out of film for the day.

I shot a few images on 35mm but the tonality and feel of the LF is vastly superior.

Thanks for sharing the picture of your family. You are motivating me to shoot my woodworking shop too. It has been closed and become a storage after I retired from guitar making. I will have to do some cleanup. Here is a sample in 35mmhttps://farm9.staticflickr.com/8753/...c1861545_z.jpgVoigtlander NOKTON 35mm f1.2 ASPH II by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

Your grandfather has a well kept shop! You should see the mess I make in my shop, kind hard to avoid with a woodturning lathe. I like the snap of the tones in your pictures.

Gary, he's unfortunately not been able to turn much lately, or anything. He started making segmented bowls in retirement.

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Corran

Gary, he's unfortunately not been able to turn much lately, or anything. He started making segmented bowls in retirement.

Thanks!

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Do not wait to photograph him.

Tell your grandfather that he has an amazing shop. You did a good job shooting it.

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Originally Posted by Corran

Gary, he's unfortunately not been able to turn much lately, or anything. He started making segmented bowls in retirement.

Thanks!

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Have you considered learning to do his craft from him? He would probably get a kick out of passing what he knows to you. I find making segmented bowls pretty interesting. Just made my first open segment bowl lat week.

Great shop pictures! My grandfather had a less photogenic basement shop which I have good memories of.

Sometimes the people in poorer health late in their life don't want a photograph made showing their physical state which isn't what their body has normally been like and doesn't show their mental toughness or kind spirit. if they can be convinced the photo is not about their temporary physical condition, good news. A vintage camera is good too. Some family of an older lady at church asked me to stop over and do a portrait. We knew each other well and she was pretty cold to the idea of sitting for a picture. But I got out a rolleiflex and then she was ready and willing for a photo.

Bryan, this is some of my favorite work of yours. Please photograph your grandfather. And maybe some closeups of his hands with some of his favorite tools? I didn’t shoot my grandparents enough, even in their older age. You have a great series going here-keep it up.

Thanks Brandon, and good idea on the closeups.

As many of you say, I need to make some photos with him. Will do soon. Never got a chance with my other grandfather.

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Originally Posted by jerrybro

I bet Grandpa thinks he doesn't have enough clamps.

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no matter how many clamps a woodworker has, there is always room and need for more.

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Originally Posted by aaronnate

no matter how many clamps a woodworker has, there is always room and need for more.

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. The same goes for chisels.

Or planes. My father had about forty of those. I have only three. But I do have things that will plane if they're plugged in.

Not pictured are his planes - he has actually collected them for years. Some of the ones in the shop were not in a photogenic place. I will perhaps get him to pose with them. That would honestly be the most appropriate shot due to his love of them.

The tonal range and detail is very pleasing to my eye, very yesteryear, great Work!

I photographed with my grandfather Thursday morning in his shop as he worked on turning a big piece of juniper. He got the bowl down to the rough form and called it quits for the day. Here's a photo of him first starting to turn it. Taken with my Polaroid 900 and 135mm f/3.5 Xenotar wide-open, on HP5+:

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/pho...dpa-2837ss.jpg

Wonderful shot, one to keep for generations.

Beautiful... It's my hope to be able to be a grandfather like yours, preserving these skills and crafts, even though I did not have the fortune to learn from my own grandfather...

Nice!

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Originally Posted by Corran

I photographed with my grandfather Thursday morning in his shop as he worked on turning a big piece of juniper. He got the bowl down to the rough form and called it quits for the day. Here's a photo of him first starting to turn it. Taken with my Polaroid 900 and 135mm f/3.5 Xenotar wide-open, on HP5+:

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/pho...dpa-2837ss.jpg

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Thanks all. I have some more I will post when I get them scanned. Also shot a roll of 120 with my Rolleiflex, but I guess I'll put one of those in the Everything Else subforum.

Cherish him.

I never was allowed to know my grandparents by my parents!

And they were not that far away....

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Originally Posted by Corran

Thanks all. I have some more I will post when I get them scanned. Also shot a roll of 120 with my Rolleiflex, but I guess I'll put one of those in the Everything Else subforum.

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That is an excellent photograph. Bravo!

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Originally Posted by Gary Beasley

Wonderful shot, one to keep for generations.

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Gary I concur. Good job Bryan.

Continued thanks from all of you.

Here's another, a close-up of his hands and chisel. This one was taken with my Chamonix 45n1 and a beautiful Meyer-Gorlitz 15cm f/3.5 lens, stopped down about a stop and with a little swing to bring both his hands into the focus plane, or near it. It was difficult to focus and shoot this - he didn't pose, he was just working. So it's a tad back-focused.

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/pho...dpa-2855ss.jpg

I Like!

I bet he does too.

I used to have a Delta lathe like his, a pleasure to use just too small for me now. I know he likes that one. Woodturning is a fun creative outlet. Has he given you any of his work?

I hope there's more images coming... I'm myself just getting into wood turning...

I think he has a bigger lathe on the other side of the shop but he prefers the small one. I have a couple pens he made but most of the bowls, especially the segmented bowls he's done, are in their house. I didn't want to ask him for one but... :).

We were talking about his collection of planes and he showed me one that was really cool. It has a curved edge that can be adjusted to whatever radius. He mentioned they were used for barrels and similar things. This one was in great condition so I took a photo of it. Could probably do better next time. The big collection of planes, I want to shoot next trip as I need my 6x17 for the composition I want.

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/pho...dpa-2858ss.jpg

Very nice Bryan; I like the 2nd one very much since it shows motion and hands nicely

very impressive. i enjoy the wood lathe as well. its great when youve got a good sharp chisel n get those beautiful ribbons of wood coming up like orange peel.

i dont see many of those adjustabl radius planes anymore. i inherated a pair from a barrel maker in my neighborhood.

beautiful work Bryan.

Thank you both. Here's the last shot I took, when he was sanding the bowl after getting it into rough shape. I focused on him this time and not the bowl, to make this more of a portrait of him in his place and de-emphasize the bowl.

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/pho...dpa-2856ss.jpg

Good job.

YES!

Way better, the slight blur of the bowl shows it is actually turning. The plane of focus is excellent.

He also looks undistracted, which is most important when close to a machine operator.

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Originally Posted by Corran

Thank you both. Here's the last shot I took, when he was sanding the bowl after getting it into rough shape. I focused on his this time and not the bowl, to make this more of a portrait of him in his place and de-emphasize the bowl.

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/pho...dpa-2856ss.jpg

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Thanks Randy.

Really enjoyed the photo's.

Bryan these are very nice!!! Hopefully your Grandfather is passing some of his knowledge onto you. I had a nice workday today, one on one with a 1st period apprentice carpenter. We were the only ones working today so I got to spend “quality time” with him.

Roger

Well done!

These environmental portraits are always the most interesting - at least to me. And - for the family - tell the story of the subject best.