My first book will be out soon. ‘Critical Mass : Celebrating Friends’ will be available in a few short days. It is a collection of photographs over ten years I have taken following the cycling event Critical Mass. 224 pages with close to 200 photographs, 9″x7″. Colour and black and white. All proceeds go help cyclists.
I took this about ten years ago, maybe a little longer. It has always looked like there is bust of a women or child holding a bouquet of flowers midair. People who have seen it before I said anything have seen the same or similar.
The photo was taken using Kodak HIE infrared 35mm film and a red filter. It was the only photo in a series that I took of the same scene, tri-pod mounted camera, that the “ghost” appears. The lighting was the same in all of them though exposure changed a little. It is not a processing error. I tried to repeat it by using a person in the photo but no luck and I could not get them to hover a couple of feet of the ground.
For all of you ghost believers it was unclear but there may have been a significant tragedy in the property next door to this house. At the very least the house next door burned down in the early 1900’s.
I have been experimenting with 360 views of of the image. Right now I particularly like this one. Problem is that it does not lend itself well to a small viewing area. Click on the thumbnail for a screen size view.
OK. This is worse than the last. I think I am getting off this kick.
Not a trick question, I don’t either. Absolutely no thought went into this at all. I just looked up and took the photo, though I may have made a slight position adjustment. I could have probably closed my eyes and taken the photo too and it would have turned out just the same. Is it any less impressive, while not being impressive at all, if I had spent all day under the trees trying to frame this up and capture it? While I do not see god in those trees I do see one of those yappy Schnauzer dogs with an elongated neck.
These images, or at least three of them, are from a show I did years ago called “Move”. It took a couple of years to do it and thousands of images. Subtle differences could make or break the photo. It was also quite a production to produce them. I did 20″x 24″ fibre based prints toned in a copper tone, the slightest error would destroy the print. I think I had one good print for every three or four that I tried. It gave them an eerie red tone. Unfortunately it does not produce very well on-line and you could probably not duplicate it with a digital printer unless you could add a shelac to it. The toner would strip the gloss away from certain tones giving the print a 3D feel.
Here are some photos from 2001, they are all Polaroid negatives. Kay-Dee was a very mysterious subject, her expressions spoke of a very strong personality. I met her as she was retiring from her modeling career. She was experimenting with trying ideas on a whole different level. We did several images in this series, this is just a sampling from the beginning.
Well I did it. I could no longer resist and joined the FB craze. Anyways that is the greatest relevation I have for the moment. You can try me at darrenstehr at gmail dot com.
COME AS YOU ARE
I LEFT IT AT THE DOOR.
DARREN STEHR
MAY 1 - 31
OPENING MAY 10, 6 - 9PM
An exhibit of nudes. Couples at play. A cat with a question. Been there, done that. Do you love my feet? A chair with no table. Sex in the kitchen. I am so bloody annoyed. What the hell are they doing? One size fits all. Is that my neighbour? Is that even legal? Size eleven. Milk does the body good. Focus people, focus.
701 Queen St W, Toronto M6J 1E6 MapQuest
Wheelchair access
Mon - Wed 11am - 7pm, Thu - Fri 11am - 9pm, Sat 11am - 6pm, Sun 12 - 5pm
T 416 504 7934
E info@comeasyouare.com
W venue website
E darren@darrenstehr.com
W exhibition website
Well this is my third try of getting my blog together. I think I am over being bitter at all the search engines using my work for content. Eventually I will get around to posting some photos and new projects.
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