Tag Archives: bicycle

Artist Feature

Studies in Motion – Jean-Christophe Denis

One of my favorite features of the pinhole camera is its blurring of time. In other photographic pursuits it is not unusual to see motion blur used creatively. However in pinhole, it’s nearly a constant aspect of the resulting image, which results in us having to always consider the passage of time as an unspoken subject of the images.

Jean-Christophe Denis is a French artist from Strasbourg who wields his pinhole camera to bring us some unique representations of motion and time. He describes himself as “keen on alternative photographic techniques. [His] world carries us off into dreamlike images, or staggered delicate portraits. By constantly pushing [his] practice of photography into a corner, [he] reveals [his] vision of the visible.”

The following images are a sampling of a couple avenues of approach that Jean-Christophe (or JC) has explored. First are some of the “staggered delicate portraits” which show the beauty of human movement in stutter-step detail. The second are from a stunningly energetic series of self-portraits while riding his bike.

He provides the following intro to the “Ride My Bike” self-portraits:

“For someone hidden behind a camera it is not easy to find yourself on the other side, the first self-portrait of a photographer is full of meaning, Hippolyte Bayard, the pioneer of photography represents suicide in his first staged photograph.

While integrating egocentric codes of contemporary society, like the  selfie and Gopro phenomenon, I nevertheless take the opposite view of technology with the aim of building an image to fit into my time, my way.”

I hope you enjoy the following selection from JC as much as I have! To discover more of JC Denis’s excellent work, head over to Flickr or check out his personal website – he has more great pinholes and other photographic works.

Haré Pola
[singlepic id=263 w=600]Haré Pola, ©Jean-Christophe Denis[/singlepic]

 

Untitled
[singlepic id=270 w=600]Untitled, ©Jean-Christophe Denis[/singlepic]

 

Untitled
[singlepic id=271 w=600]Untitled, ©Jean-Christophe Denis[/singlepic]

 

Ride My Bike
[singlepic id=269 w=600]Ride My Bike, ©Jean-Christophe Denis[/singlepic]

 

Ride My Bike Front Back
[singlepic id=268 w=600]Ride My Bike Front Back, ©Jean-Christophe Denis[/singlepic]

Ride My Bike 3
[singlepic id=264 w=600]Ride My Bike 3, ©Jean-Christophe Denis[/singlepic]

 

Ride My Bike 4
[singlepic id=265 w=600]Ride My Bike 4, ©Jean-Christophe Denis[/singlepic]

 

Ride My Bike 5
[singlepic id=266 w=600]Ride My Bike 5, ©Jean-Christophe Denis[/singlepic]

 

3 Beers Later
[singlepic id=262 w=600]3 Beers Later, ©Jean-Christophe Denis[/singlepic]

 

Ride My Bike Color
[singlepic id=267 w=600]Ride My Bike Color, ©Jean-Christophe Denis[/singlepic]

 

Artist Feature

Luca Baldassari: A Pinhole Camera in the North Cape

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Editor’s Note: All images in this article are ©Luca Baldassari 2015

[singlepic id=106 w=150 float=right][/singlepic]For this week’s artist feature we’re pleased to take a bicycle trip with Luca Baldassari to the North Cape region of Norway. He was was able to fundraise on indiegogo to pay his travel expenses. Luca made this trek in 2014 on his trusty Surly Ogre bike loaded down with panniers. His camera for the trip was his homemade camera that he’s dubbed the “baldaV” – a worthy 4×5 that he kept loaded with Fuji FP100. The FP100 was, in our humble view, the perfect film for this landscape, as it oozes with blues and greens, especially when exposed through a pinhole.

Luca lost his father in December 2013, and the trip was a tribute as his father had wanted to go to North Cape.

“I feel lost and [know that] I’d lost something and someone forever. I feel that now I have to face travel [held off] for a long time because of fear. I made [the trip to] rediscover who I am and [who] I lost, [knowing] it’ll never be like before. ​I’m leaving with the bike and pinhole with the hope and consciousness​ that they’ll help me to restore, redefine who I am. [I headed in the direction] to North Cape for my first bike travel following EuroVelo 7’s route, from Stoccolma, 2600km. 48 days on my own but with the support of all those who believed in my project.”

 

[singlepic id=110 w=150 float=left][/singlepic]Luca found the following passage from CSI’s song, “In Viaggio” particularly moving:
“Viaggiano i viandanti viaggiano i perdenti più adatti ai mutamenti
viaggia Sua Santità
Viaggiano ansie nuove Sempre nuove…
Cadono di vertigine…”

 

 

 

So without further adieu, Luca Baldassari: A Pinhole Camera in the North Cape

[singlepic id=117 w=500]Norway Sea and Clouds, ©Luca Baldassari 2015[/singlepic]

 

[singlepic id=116 w=500]Norway Nordkapp 1, ©Luca Baldassari 2015[/singlepic]

 

[singlepic id=115 w=500]Norway Knivskjellodden 1, ©Luca Baldassari 2015[/singlepic]

 

[singlepic id=114 w=500]Norway E69 Nordmannset 2, ©Luca Baldassari 2015[/singlepic]

 

[singlepic id=113 w=500]Norway E69 Honningsvåg Skipsfjorden 2, ©Luca Baldassari 2015[/singlepic]

 

[singlepic id=112 w=500]Norway E69 Honningsvåg Risfjorden 1, ©Luca Baldassari 2015[/singlepic]

 

[singlepic id=111 w=500]Finland SS93 Lake Sotkajärvi 4, ©Luca Baldassari 2015[/singlepic]

 

[singlepic id=118 w=500]Svezia E10 Puoltikasjärvi Lake 2, ©Luca Baldassari 2015[/singlepic]

 

[singlepic id=119 w=500]Svezia Uttersjöbäcken Lake 3, ©Luca Baldassari 2015[/singlepic]

 

 

Inspiration

Get Inspired – Twilight Cycle – Diptych 2

Today we turn the notion of motion capture a bit on it’s head.

Twilight Cycle – Diptych 2
[singlepic id=90 w=600]Twilight Cycle – Diptych 2, ©James Guerin[/singlepic]

Often times in pinhole photography we see motion used to bring an inescapable sense of drama to an image. For this image, James chose to mount his pinhole camera to the very object in motion. The result, as I’m sure you’ll agree, is absolutely wonderful. Well done!

More of James’ work can be found on Flickr. Notably, James is the man behind the Reality So Subtle pinhole cameras – a brand that has gained quite a bit of notoriety (and has been used to great effect on some of the images featured on ƒ/D as well).