Close to Life
Trying to capture a feeling
Anton Corbijn has been one of my favorite photographers ever since I saw the CD booklet from Metallica’s “Reload.” All of the photos were of the band on tour, but there was something about them that was different from the other music photography I had seen in the past. I was a naive 13 or 14-year-old and didn’t know a thing about photography, but I remember it being the first time I had seen a photo and thought to ask, "Who shot this?!” I love those photos.
A big part of Anton’s style is shooting with pushed film and shutter speeds slow enough to give a little movement to his subjects. He said he prefers to shoot this way because “the blurriness and the grain that I use, for me, is close to life.” This quote came to mind the other day while I was shooting these photos.
The sky reminded me of Iceland; it was amazing. So, I decided to grab a camera and an ND filter to shoot some long-exposure seascapes. When I got to my first destination, it was much windier than I had realized, and I could barely keep the camera standing, let alone still. I lost my hat, and the tripod crashed to the ground as I was pelted with Lake Superior spray and a wicked north wind.
I tried again, this time holding the tripod in place as best I could, and I was pleased with the results. A few years ago, I probably would have dismissed these photos as not sharp, not in focus—just crap. But then I thought of Anton. These photos capture the rawness of the moment, with my hair whipping in the wind and my frozen hands gripping the tripod, hoping for some magic. They are close to life.
I like that these have just a touch of movement. It imparts a quality that ties the series together. Interesting!
Fascinating techniques, especially with film. I like what his concept of real life is and how he tries to translate that into his work.
The tree photos have more of a personal feel, I like that a lot!