Minimalism in photography can arouse emotions and leave other observers indifferent. It’s an enigmatic ‘genre’ – or does it even deserve that accolade? Perhaps it’s only a tendency, even? After all, who sets the rules on how minimal an image needs to be in order to be considered minimal? Let’s explore the thoughts and images of some members of the Film Shooters Collective.
May 1 is traditionally observed in many countries as May Day, a holiday celebrating the worker and his/her contributions to the greater good. It is most known in Communist and former Communist countries. In analog film circles, this day has come to be celebrated as Commie Camera Day, a day to pull out and dust off your old Smena, Kiev, Lubitel, Zorki or whatever your favorite clunker from this era might be. A number of Film Shooters Collective members own one or more of these cameras and are quite fond of them. This year, we asked them to send us some of their favorite shots and a few words about their cameras, in honor of these sturdy hard working cameras and their often impressive lenses.
While I was planning my photography packing for my family's seaside holiday in Whitby last year (I love this bit - deciding on cameras and lenses, sorting through the accessories and the film stash, narrowing it down to a lean 30KG of totally essential gear in no more than four formats including instant) it occurred to me, since nothing says BLACK AND WHITE quite like a Holga, or indeed quite like infrared film, that I should really put the two together.
