Tim Soter… blog.

The evaluation begins when I take the 4×6 prints just outside the lab on 22nd street, to be viewed in natural light.  I do a quick shuffle looking for a hit, a photo worthy to join the others that have made it to the final edit.  It’s honestly crushing when there isn’t one in there, it really brings me down for a few hours.  The evaluation is based on a feeling and it happens right away when I look at the photo.  It truly has to be a case of love at first sight… or it’s simply not there.  Some other criteria… the inanimate subject has to be the right distance away; too close and it’s distorted, too far and the “subject” is too small in the environment.  I’m looking to create the right icon, to make an exciting tarot card.  I don’t like stray items creeping into the corners and I don’t like to crop because then I’m changing the size of the subject in the frame.  Plus the 4×6 print is a part of the finished process.  There’s a degree of the unknown when shooting – the Olympus Stylus shows a bit less in the viewfinder then is on the shot negative.  The thin white borders finalize the crop.

These three photos were on the same roll I got back yesterday – none of them are hits, but they’re close.  Actually they work really well together and I’m still really responding to them, they’re resonating with me.  I’ll maybe never fall in love with them but we can still have a good time.

I’ll call you.

I could see myself holed up in the geodesic fortress above except it’s not in the woods of Pennsylvania, it’s in Florida so… best just to leave it as a photo.  The house below isn’t my style but I do enjoy the idea of coming home to a front lawn that’s intentionally overgrown.  This house isn’t abandoned, the landscaping is by design.

Scans made from a Mamiya 7 contact sheet, everybody’s favorite medium format rangefinder.  It’s been retired for awhile but out of every camera I’ve used or owned it makes the most satisfying, subtle (and quiet)  …  “click”  …

Shot out in Amagansett, NY on the relaxing property of photo editor Michelle Egiziano.  Thanks to Jonathan for his arm.

The Ship Escaped website is now expanded with new work, please go take a look. Great seeing everybody (and such an amazing variety of books and materials) at the NY Book Fair at PS1.

This gem came in the roll I processed this week, it goes well with the other work in this series and I’m always happy if there’s one shot like that on the roll.  Doesn’t always happen.  These images aren’t things that I can find, they just have to be in range, sending out the vibe.  Sometimes it can take me a month to get through a roll, so I often forget what exactly is on it. There is a special type of excitement in getting back a set of prints and thumbing through them to see if a gem is in there.  Crackerjack.