Diana Bloomfield > 2010 December – Featured Pinhole (lensless) Photographer

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Diana Bloomfield is an artist living in Raleigh, North Carolina (NC) and she is the December and last pinhole photographer feature on www.chriskeeney.com for the year 2010. It is a pleasure and a honor to be able to have her part of this ongoing series. I hope everyone enjoys her photos like I do. So here we go...

Portrait of Diana Bloomfield - 2010 December Pinhole Photographer

Portrait of Diana Bloomfield next to her Zero Image pinhole camera

"One of the limitations Iʼve always found with still photography is that the images are so, well, still — sometimes even stilted. Photographs are captured images, frozen and selectively composed slices of time, and they typically arenʼt anything close to what we actually see or experience. When we walk around, just looking, movement is all around us. Events are going on in our peripheral vision; people and landscapes seem to be constantly in motion — even if itʼs only the wind moving through the trees. And, for me, pinhole images possess that sense of movement and fluidity that is often lost in a perfectly sharp lens-based image. Pinhole images have a much more filmic type of quality and can seem like tangible memories or dreams — which I love — because I really think thatʼs how we mostly see and visualize and remember. I literally do not see as sharply as some of the lens-based photographs that are often exhibited, and so I sometimes find them very jarring in that regard, and — strangely enough — not even realistic.

And while I think this is an incredible time to be a photographer — so many tools and opportunities for image-making at our disposal-- not to mention the incredible ability to make digital negatives — I also have the sense that photography is a much more expensive proposition than in decades past. I have some wonderful old film cameras which I still use — many of them completely manual — and as long as someone continues to produce the film — those cameras will never depreciate in value. Today, when you buy a digital camera, itʼs almost like buying a car. As soon as you walk out of the store with that camera in your hand, you've just spent a lot of money on what is already yesterdayʼs technology. And a good digital camera is not inexpensive — not to mention all the various accoutrements that go hand-in-hand with that camera. And, truth be told, we all see a lot of really bad digital images out there, made from very expensive digital cameras and lenses that require little to no brain function to operate. Of course, that does bring up the age-old question — is it the photographer or the camera that makes (or breaks) the image?

So I like using pinhole, because itʼs so far removed from that realm and also distills photography to its basic essence — simply that of light hitting film or paper. No dealing with bells and whistles, no menu with countless head-spinning choices, no pixels, no endless “apps” — itʼs just you and your simple light-tight container. And if you can make compelling images with a simple light-tight box, some film or paper, available light, and a little time on your hands — and, okay, maybe a trusty roll of duct tape — well, what could be better? Of course, youʼre still left with that age-old question — is it the photographer or the camera that makes the image?

But I do relish the idea of being able to make images without having to contemplate taking out a bank loan. Thereʼs also something just a little bit rebellious (and, therefore, appealing) about breaking away from the digital herd and its comfortably predictable outcomes. I like that element of surprise, the guesswork involved, and all the happy accidents that can, and frequently do, occur with pinhole."

CK - Imagine walking up to a small garden cottage in a beautiful part of world and meeting a very nice person that wants to share a romantic vision with you. After chatting a while with this artist, she begins to show you some moments in time she has fused together in photographs. She explains that the camera she uses doesn't have a lens and that her love for this art form is truly from the heart. Who wouldn't want to see more of that? So when Diana agreed to be this month's pinhole feature and to know her photos will wrap up a year of inspiring pinhole photography. Another wonderful thing about 2010 and pinhole photography is that I finished writing a book called "Pinhole Cameras - A DIY Guide", which will be published this Spring 2011 by Princeton Architectual Press. Writing this book has been a lot of work for me but my contact at the publisher (Sara Bader) was very friendly and made the whole process of creating the book enjoyable. Also having the creative design of Princeton's graphic designer (Deb Wood) behind you makes everything even better. [please note the cover for this book has changed]. Writing this book and fortunately being very busy with my own photography work is one of the reasons why I haven't been posting a lot of my own photography. Well, that will change in the upcoming year. I have teamed with two very talented individuals who are working with me to create a new and exciting website to be launched in Spring 2011. I have decided to go with www.chriskeeney.com and will be channeling all old and new art through that portal. The website and blog will be finally be one url, very exciting stuff to be able to announce, so stay tuned. Many thanks to Diana for sharing her amazing pinhole photos here please know I wish you all the best wherever your creative path leads you. -Chris

Title: HandMask - (cyanotype over platinum/palladium print) - pinhole photo by Diana Bloomfield