See globally, pinhole locally

I watched a recording of "The Hole World," a global zoom meeting featuring notable pinholers in support of the Pavlovka Pinhole Festival in Kiev, which remarkably is going on despite everything. The videoconference was organized and hosted by that lovable goof, Justin Quinnell. I had to view a recording because technology. 

It was a bit disappointing not participating live, but overall I was impressed by the program. I admire the amazing display of organizing ability of the participants who put on some of the bigger festivals, particularly Yulia Belska who transformed Pavlovka from just a celebration to a major statement. It was interesting listening to zen-of-pinhole master Ed Levinson about nearly losing interest in photography because of the continual technical and marketing advance of the industry and then discovering the ultimate simplicity of pinhole. Wayne Belger backed into pinhole from a background as a machinist which led to major art world status and really dedicating, and sometimes risking, his life to pursuing emotional projects integrating camera and image. Tom Miller gave a very concise statement of the inclusive philosophy of Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day, and a description of his dedication to Jay's large potato chip cans. Justin concluded with a coherent explanation of how the lack of a viewfinder strengthens your previsualization muscles.

I had to download a recorded copy. The file is no longer available at the link I eventually was sent. I'll update that if it gets a new home (later edit. The file has been on YouTube for a few months, but I was never told.) . The fundraiser for the Pavlovka Festival is at this link.

One notable theme was that pinhole wasn't some cult philosophy to be adhered to but seemed to conform to the individual artist's background. Diane Bos and several others in the call with backgrounds in other visual arts noted being inspired by the more dreamy and distorted imagery available with pinhole. Alas, I'm an old guy who got my early lessons from William Talbot, the Photo Secession, group f64, the FSA documentarians and the fashion stars like Avedon and Penn. I often worry that people think I'm trying to make lens-like photographs with a pinhole, and to some extent that's true. I'm trying to do the same thing I did before with lenses, just with a pinhole. My current photographs have a similar tonal quality as my youthful work.

Several people talked about making cameras, both ultimately simple and artistically magnificent. One theme that didn't come up is that with pinhole, anyone with a minimum of skill can make a camera on your kitchen table that is just as good as any pinhole camera you can buy. (Maybe not as durable.)

Where do I fit in to all this? There's only one way to find out. I recently had fun with Long John Pinhole and the 35mm front on the Variable Cuboid so I just reloaded them with Arista.edu 100.

Then, out on the streets with my two most common accessories, my Specialized Sirrus bike, and my newly restored Manfrotto 785B tripod which went everywhere for years including standing in as a cane for a while. I was trying to get a lost quick release adapter for its replacement when I discovered the leg which had broken was still available as a repair part.

Echoing the brutalist Civic Center Mall across the street from it is the US Bank building. I once attended a meeting behind those top floor windows. I wonder if those buttresses are functional in the structure of the building or just decoration. Kind of amazing how grainy Arista.edu 100 gets when it's overexposed.

At the corner of Tenth and Oregon is T&O Lanes, closed because of the pandemic and not yet reopened. They were notable for all the scorekeeping still being done on paper sheets.

Just down Oregon Street is Witzke's Tavern, another recently closed landmark. While I was setting up,  squeezed between a light pole and the curb in the only spot with a view without power lines or poles, a couple came by. The lady, roughly my vintage, told me about going down to the south side to Witzke's to hang out with the old men when she was in college. She got banned for a while for dancing on the bar and knocking the moose head off the wall. The building is labeled Oshkosh Brewing Company on the top, directly competing with the Milwaukee-based Schlitz Beer Hall on the north side. I think one of the reasons that my pictures remind people of historical photographs is that many of those were done with view cameras or folders with rising fronts and that's part of what you recognize. 

Four blocks east from Witzke's down 17th Avenue was the Brewery itself, but I don't think this building was part of it. The fact that pinhole records a passage of time rather than an instant was noted by some of the participants in the video. I've always thought the backs of buildings with artifacts from numerous eras visibly apparent had the same sort of time-spanning charm.

                  

Because there were cars parked on both sides of the corner, I concentrated on the turret in a previous picture of the Bauman Building, but this time both streets were empty. This is one of those photographs that you probably wouldn't question if I told you it was made in the 1950's. Maybe I'm reverting to my childhood.

In the category of I-can't-believe-I've-never-noticed-this-before,  a restored Sinclair gas station with three Chevy pickups and "The Red Zeppelin," a VW Microbus Camper. Another bicyclist stopped to take pictures and said I had a "crazy old camera." I replied that it wasn't very old but it was crazy.

 

Some kind of city utility building just over the tracks from Lake Winnebago dappled by the trees.

A regular window encased in glass block protected by steel bars in the back of a welding supply company.

The cage in which they keep the high pressure tanks of Acetylene and other explosive gasses. When I worked in my Dad's factory, I had to unload them off the truck. I always had in my mind what might happen if I knocked off one of those valves.

The rooflines of the buildings on the other side of the parking lot.

The back of Blended Waxes. The gate was open but it didn't seem prudent to walk in to get closer. Maybe I'll go back with the 200mm front. 

Construction is proceeding on converting the old Miles Kimball building to apartments. The former featureless white walls now are pierced by numerous windows. The camera was on top a 7 foot construction dumpster for this one.

Modern problems. The state inspectors found a worn gear in the Jackson-Oregon Street Bridge and it's now locked with one span open for boats that will still fit. In addition to recording the historical development of Oshkosh, I hope it's apparent that I'm doing this at a particular moment in history. I'm not trying to make things look antique.

The first solar installation at the University was atop the Albee Gym addition. These heat the water for the pool and for the shower rooms.

In the opposite direction is the newer wing of Reeve Union. This section includes the rooms at which I attended hundreds of meetings including the Provost's and Chancellor's staffs.

The back of the University's Student Recreation Center.

An emergency exit at the back of the US Bank building.

Wasn't there somebody around here complaining about people pointing wide angle cameras up at tall buildings?

The stage door of the Grand Opera House with it's right angle corner bent back by the wide angle camera. What first caught my eye were those reflections of sunlight from the first floor windows across the alley onto the bottom of the north wall of the Opera House .

The County Archeological Society's restored Morgan House dappled by large oaks.

The 35mm front on the Variable Cuboid has a .25mm pinhole on a continuously adjustable rising front. Long John Pinhole has two .40mm Gilder Electron Microscope Apertures 120mm from the film, one on the axis and one 10mm above it. Both have 6x6cm frames. The film is Arista.edu 100 semi-stand developed in Caffenol.