when I was first asked to do some work for National Geographic I thought you
for National Geographic I thought you
for National Geographic I thought you know are you sure you have the right guy
know are you sure you have the right guy
know are you sure you have the right guy you know which I think speaks also well
you know which I think speaks also well
you know which I think speaks also well about the vision that National
about the vision that National
about the vision that National Geographic has charted just a quick
Geographic has charted just a quick
Geographic has charted just a quick little background on some of the work
little background on some of the work
little background on some of the work that I’ve been doing since 1991 I had
that I’ve been doing since 1991 I had
that I’ve been doing since 1991 I had been looking at camera obscura
been looking at camera obscura
been looking at camera obscura illustrations for a number of years and
illustrations for a number of years and
illustrations for a number of years and essentially the idea is a small box or
essentially the idea is a small box or
essentially the idea is a small box or big room with a small opening in a dark
big room with a small opening in a dark
big room with a small opening in a dark room allows an image to actually enter
room allows an image to actually enter
room allows an image to actually enter the room so knowing that this actually
the room so knowing that this actually
the room so knowing that this actually could be recreated I I thought that
could be recreated I I thought that
could be recreated I I thought that maybe an idea would be to photograph the
maybe an idea would be to photograph the
maybe an idea would be to photograph the effect itself during my living room into
effect itself during my living room into
effect itself during my living room into a camera obscura cover all the windows
a camera obscura cover all the windows
a camera obscura cover all the windows put a little hole in there and let an
put a little hole in there and let an
put a little hole in there and let an image come in it’s sort of like this
image come in it’s sort of like this
image come in it’s sort of like this light bulb picture this is the most
light bulb picture this is the most
light bulb picture this is the most simple idea of photography a small
simple idea of photography a small
simple idea of photography a small opening like a lens allows a light bulb
opening like a lens allows a light bulb
opening like a lens allows a light bulb to come inside a box it’s not you know
to come inside a box it’s not you know
to come inside a box it’s not you know you don’t have to have the latest camera
you don’t have to have the latest camera
you don’t have to have the latest camera to love the basis of photography so with
to love the basis of photography so with
to love the basis of photography so with that in mind I made my first camera
that in mind I made my first camera
that in mind I made my first camera obscura in 1991 this image actually came
obscura in 1991 this image actually came
obscura in 1991 this image actually came inside the room it just took me a while
inside the room it just took me a while
inside the room it just took me a while to figure out how to expose this and it
to figure out how to expose this and it
to figure out how to expose this and it turns out that it was an eight-hour
turns out that it was an eight-hour
turns out that it was an eight-hour exposure its dim and film is slow but I
exposure its dim and film is slow but I
exposure its dim and film is slow but I was so encouraged I thought wow like
was so encouraged I thought wow like
was so encouraged I thought wow like inventor photography or something you
inventor photography or something you
inventor photography or something you know I really felt like Daguerre and
know I really felt like Daguerre and
know I really felt like Daguerre and Talbot and why not so here’s some early
Talbot and why not so here’s some early
Talbot and why not so here’s some early ones that I’ve made and in 80s and 90s
ones that I’ve made and in 80s and 90s
ones that I’ve made and in 80s and 90s and mind you this is just a whole
and mind you this is just a whole
and mind you this is just a whole letting this in
a more reason once a now in color but
a more reason once a now in color but take place over time a nice little
take place over time a nice little
take place over time a nice little apartment overlooking Central Park West
apartment overlooking Central Park West
apartment overlooking Central Park West Central Park allow me to make a spring
Central Park allow me to make a spring
Central Park allow me to make a spring image a summer a fall and a winter I
image a summer a fall and a winter I
image a summer a fall and a winter I really like Monet a lot and he felt like
really like Monet a lot and he felt like
really like Monet a lot and he felt like it was that kind of meditation on a
it was that kind of meditation on a
it was that kind of meditation on a place and changes in the seasons the
place and changes in the seasons the
place and changes in the seasons the more recent one which leads me to the
more recent one which leads me to the
more recent one which leads me to the work that I’ve done for National
work that I’ve done for National
work that I’ve done for National Geographic I was in West Texas a number
Geographic I was in West Texas a number
Geographic I was in West Texas a number of years ago and I really wanted to make
of years ago and I really wanted to make
of years ago and I really wanted to make a picture there but of course there are
a picture there but of course there are
a picture there but of course there are no rooms in the desert so I I thought
no rooms in the desert so I I thought
no rooms in the desert so I I thought that maybe if I work on the idea of a
that maybe if I work on the idea of a
that maybe if I work on the idea of a tent or a portable room with a wall I’ll
tent or a portable room with a wall I’ll
tent or a portable room with a wall I’ll show you sort of like this ancient of
show you sort of like this ancient of
show you sort of like this ancient of the air photography where a box can give
the air photography where a box can give
the air photography where a box can give you a kind of an image
you a kind of an image
you a kind of an image 90 degree angle then I thought about
90 degree angle then I thought about
90 degree angle then I thought about these early devices that artists used in
these early devices that artists used in
these early devices that artists used in photography in not a photography
photography in not a photography
photography in not a photography photography a tent with some kind of
photography a tent with some kind of
photography a tent with some kind of periscope on it allowing an image of the
periscope on it allowing an image of the
periscope on it allowing an image of the world to actually come down onto the
world to actually come down onto the
world to actually come down onto the sketch pad what a neat idea too to trace
sketch pad what a neat idea too to trace
sketch pad what a neat idea too to trace the world and this is again before
the world and this is again before
the world and this is again before photography so thinking about these
photography so thinking about these
photography so thinking about these devices made me think that a I should
devices made me think that a I should
devices made me think that a I should get my own device this is a large tripod
get my own device this is a large tripod
get my own device this is a large tripod holding a periscope with a lens so an
holding a periscope with a lens so an
holding a periscope with a lens so an image like that comes this way and then
image like that comes this way and then
image like that comes this way and then through a mirror gets projected down
through a mirror gets projected down
through a mirror gets projected down there at least that was what I wanted it
there at least that was what I wanted it
there at least that was what I wanted it to do and then somewhere I would have a
to do and then somewhere I would have a
to do and then somewhere I would have a camera photographing that event this is
camera photographing that event this is
camera photographing that event this is a reminding me of this wonderful
a reminding me of this wonderful
a reminding me of this wonderful Steinberg drawing where and the idea of
Steinberg drawing where and the idea of
Steinberg drawing where and the idea of the ground being deep not just in terms
the ground being deep not just in terms
the ground being deep not just in terms of light and sand all but doubt and you
of light and sand all but doubt and you
of light and sand all but doubt and you know duty and thinking about the ground
know duty and thinking about the ground
know duty and thinking about the ground having all kinds of meaning and milking
having all kinds of meaning and milking
having all kinds of meaning and milking something on the ground really made me
something on the ground really made me
something on the ground really made me excited
excited
excited this is in Texas our first experiment
this is in Texas our first experiment
this is in Texas our first experiment there were a number of us setting up
there were a number of us setting up
there were a number of us setting up this infernal machine to try to get a
this infernal machine to try to get a
this infernal machine to try to get a picture and so we really didn’t know
picture and so we really didn’t know
picture and so we really didn’t know exactly what was going to happen but
exactly what was going to happen but
exactly what was going to happen but eventually the tent was set up looking
eventually the tent was set up looking
eventually the tent was set up looking at a scene not real dramatic but
at a scene not real dramatic but
at a scene not real dramatic but interesting we’re looking that way
interesting we’re looking that way
interesting we’re looking that way anyway the picture that came out was
anyway the picture that came out was
anyway the picture that came out was this sandwich natural sandwich of an
this sandwich natural sandwich of an
this sandwich natural sandwich of an image in the nearby landscape actually
image in the nearby landscape actually
image in the nearby landscape actually projecting on the ground itself and that
projecting on the ground itself and that
projecting on the ground itself and that felt like hmm that’s a very natural way
felt like hmm that’s a very natural way
felt like hmm that’s a very natural way of being freaky in other ways what
of being freaky in other ways what
of being freaky in other ways what Photoshop can do right my daughter can
Photoshop can do right my daughter can
Photoshop can do right my daughter can do it for she up in two seconds I have
do it for she up in two seconds I have
do it for she up in two seconds I have to go to the desert and do it I like the
to go to the desert and do it I like the
to go to the desert and do it I like the idea of truth in photography so this is
idea of truth in photography so this is
idea of truth in photography so this is a number of other pictures that I’ve
a number of other pictures that I’ve
a number of other pictures that I’ve made with that device this is in Maine
made with that device this is in Maine
made with that device this is in Maine dead grass it’s almost a painterly
dead grass it’s almost a painterly
dead grass it’s almost a painterly effect and the Grand Tetons on a
effect and the Grand Tetons on a
effect and the Grand Tetons on a sidewalk
I grew up in Cuba so all I knew about
I grew up in Cuba so all I knew about the US was mostly westerns you know
the US was mostly westerns you know
the US was mostly westerns you know cowboy movies so my impression of the
cowboy movies so my impression of the
cowboy movies so my impression of the West was like wow you know it’s this
West was like wow you know it’s this
West was like wow you know it’s this grand thing and indeed it is grand so
grand thing and indeed it is grand so
grand thing and indeed it is grand so visiting these places memory realize why
visiting these places memory realize why
visiting these places memory realize why great painters made paintings of these
great painters made paintings of these
great painters made paintings of these remarkable landscapes so I went there to
the Golden Gate Bridge celebrating its
the Golden Gate Bridge celebrating its anniversary I’m now using a digital
anniversary I’m now using a digital
anniversary I’m now using a digital camera which means that it’s a shorter
camera which means that it’s a shorter
camera which means that it’s a shorter exposure it’s not ours it’s minutes so
exposure it’s not ours it’s minutes so
exposure it’s not ours it’s minutes so clouds can come in which feels very nice
clouds can come in which feels very nice
clouds can come in which feels very nice it feels like a moment in life rather
it feels like a moment in life rather
it feels like a moment in life rather than a generic six hours
we put the tent on the edge of the
we put the tent on the edge of the canyon and it was windy too so it was
canyon and it was windy too so it was
canyon and it was windy too so it was really weird to feel like you’re making
really weird to feel like you’re making
really weird to feel like you’re making a picture that all these tourists were
a picture that all these tourists were
a picture that all these tourists were like coming by and saying oh you can
like coming by and saying oh you can
like coming by and saying oh you can camp here ya know sometimes we realize
camp here ya know sometimes we realize
camp here ya know sometimes we realize it yeah of course just ask the guy but
it yeah of course just ask the guy but
it yeah of course just ask the guy but the idea of the structure the rock
the idea of the structure the rock
the idea of the structure the rock structure beneath me having a
structure beneath me having a
structure beneath me having a conversation with the largest structure
conversation with the largest structure
conversation with the largest structure out there having this meeting ground
out there having this meeting ground
out there having this meeting ground between earth to me feels like what I
between earth to me feels like what I
between earth to me feels like what I got into photography in the first place
got into photography in the first place
got into photography in the first place to make some kind of larger Union take
to make some kind of larger Union take
to make some kind of larger Union take place
place
place this is Yosemite Valley Thomas Hill
this is Yosemite Valley Thomas Hill
this is Yosemite Valley Thomas Hill painting and one of the America’s best
painting and one of the America’s best
painting and one of the America’s best artists Carleton Watkins who made the
artists Carleton Watkins who made the
artists Carleton Watkins who made the best you so many pictures I think ever
best you so many pictures I think ever
best you so many pictures I think ever and this is my version of it on a
and this is my version of it on a
and this is my version of it on a sidewalk that’s the the road
William Henry Jackson another great
William Henry Jackson another great American photographer may have been I
American photographer may have been I
American photographer may have been I think it was the first photographer to
think it was the first photographer to
think it was the first photographer to actually see all faithful so he made
actually see all faithful so he made
actually see all faithful so he made this picture in in the 1860s 70s and it
this picture in in the 1860s 70s and it
this picture in in the 1860s 70s and it must have been amazing and of course
must have been amazing and of course
must have been amazing and of course Congress eventually got to see these
Congress eventually got to see these
Congress eventually got to see these pictures and they said oh this is a
pictures and they said oh this is a
pictures and they said oh this is a no-brainer we got to protect this so I
no-brainer we got to protect this so I
no-brainer we got to protect this so I decided to go to that same place and to
decided to go to that same place and to
decided to go to that same place and to me I think the reason why I’m doing this
me I think the reason why I’m doing this
me I think the reason why I’m doing this kind of work like I do all kinds of
kind of work like I do all kinds of
kind of work like I do all kinds of other work is to maybe revisit what’s
other work is to maybe revisit what’s
other work is to maybe revisit what’s been worn out in our brains what’s
been worn out in our brains what’s
been worn out in our brains what’s become so cliche that we don’t even see
become so cliche that we don’t even see
become so cliche that we don’t even see anymore to kind of give maybe Old
anymore to kind of give maybe Old
anymore to kind of give maybe Old Faithful a second look thank you very
Faithful a second look thank you very
Faithful a second look thank you very much
”
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