Donald W. Eddy at 103
September 10, 2008. My brother, Paul from Nevada, and I drove to Sarasota, Florida to see Dad. Our sister had called a few days earlier saying that Dad was most likely on his last legs and the inevitable would probably happen within a week or so. He’d been in bed for about two weeks not wanting to get up, not wanting to shave or eat. He’d said he was tired . . . (more)
Being a photographer within Eastman Kodak Company’s research facilities in Rochester, took me to many areas of new ideas being hatched by the many young scientists working a great variety of projects. Each staff member was required to sign a non-disclosure agreement that basically said nothing could be revealed about the work being done within a one year period of leaving the company. (article)
For whatever small reason, a sidebar link at the New York Times site Kodak Article, I took a short trip back in time via the Net to see what was going on at Kodak Park today, August 2008, especially in research where I’d spent five years in Building 59 from 1966-71 at the experienced ages of 27-32. Maybe this was triggered because my boss at Kodak, one of the very few creative and future thinking people I’ve ever known at Kodak had recently died, Earl Kage.
Earl, Director of the Motion Picture Research Studios, as a supervisory person, did not play the power game as so many at large corporations do. He was dedicated to having his photographers, seven including himself, produce the finest output of images possible.
I was the most recent hired photographer having been offered the job and lured away from the George Eastman House where I’d been on staff for three years. I was also the only college educated photographer having studied at Rochester Institute of Technology and had considerable knowledge of the chemistry, physics, and processes that Kodak used.
The studios main objective was the testing of every Kodak produced film product for still and motion picture cameras. This also included all competitors’ products for comparison. In between testing assignments Earl would have us use the studios or to go out and shoot whatever we wanted just as long as the images were excellent and creative. These would be used to present at various times to Kodak employees showing everyone how excellent were the Kodak films as well as promotional and recruiting.
This is the first installment of the power games supervisory people play as they have occurred to or been witnessed by me over the past forty years. The NY Times article quite infuriated me because of the truths contained within it! The arrogant viewed superiority and narrow mindedness of those in charge of research, and no doubt many other departments, was a direct, as I saw it, impediment to Kodak’s future. It probably continues to this day and is certainly a major reason for Kodak’s decompression. Check out the NY Times link above.
Here’s an example that took place many years ago.
A typical corporate chemistry lab during the 1960s. Unknown person.
Sam Campanaro, my immediate supervisor and first under Earl Kage, and I were assigned to do some photography in a newly built research building on the banks far above the Genesee River a block or so north and across Lake Avenue. We loaded Sam’s car with lights, 4×5 and 35mm cameras, ancillary items and lots of film. We expected to be shooting for about three full days. The photos would be used in a variety of publications and displays.
We set up in one or two of the many excellent labs in the tall, newly constructed building. Break time came in mid-morning and so with our hosts, the lab researchers, headed down to the excellent cafeteria. It was, as I recall, on the first floor and in the southeast corner of the building with window looking out over the river’s gorge to the east and south. It was light and airy with high ceilings and many tables and chairs. The scientists were filing into the room lining up along the long serving area where snacks and refreshments were readily available.
Since we were almost first to form the line our hosts verbally guided us through the procedure of getting coffee and doughnuts. Sam and I took our trays, selected a nice table close to the windows and sat down. Our hosts came over but would not sit down. They stood at the end of the table. Nor did anyone else sit down. Each took their tray and left the cafeteria! Sam and I didn’t know what to think of this but were informed that we could not sit in the cafeteria—we had to return to our assigned labs and partake of the refreshments there! It was, we were told, a directive from the Head of this research building.
Sam and I looked at each other, drank our coffee, ate our doughnuts and talked with our hosts while they continued standing at the end of the table. Every person in the line both coming in and leaving looked over at us but said nothing as they continued on their directed ways. It was obvious that we breaking the rules.
For the afternoon break our hosts sat with us at the table but were not comfortable at all. A few people stopped by momentarily to ask questions. Since the photographers in our studio were always sharing everything to do with supporting our in-house customers, we could come up with solutions to the problems given us. It was always the way and always a win-win situation. Together we bounced ideas off each other. Why in heaven’s name did the myopic director of Building 81 (as I recall the number) segregate so much knowledge and idea people. The break times would enhance the transfer of ideas, in our view.
By the completion of our work on the third day, the cafeteria was filled with conversation from the seated scientists at each coffee break! Ideas were flowing as well as excitement with the sharing. Our photographs took second place, as Sam and I saw it, to the new environment we had instigated. We later learned the directive had been withdrawn following our revolution!
More to follow.
The flight from Los Angeles to San Jose fairly well started along the coast and over the Pacific. A huge fog bank lay just off the land extending for miles to the north. Eventually we headed inland flying over mountainous areas. I saw no direct flames from fires but there were definite signs of smoke rising from localized areas. Some photos I took while over the Santa Cruz mountains prior to landing contain plumes of smoke, but no flames.
I took the AirBus from San Jose airport down to Monterey and again, saw no signs of fire nor fire fighting equipment moving along Hwy 101 or Hwy 1. Several years ago during some massive out-breaks of fires when I lived in the Monterey area and drove down to Big Sur to be with friends above River Inn, there was a steady stream of in-State and out-of-State fire equipment as well as a huge contingency of men and equipment near Point Sur lighthouse including a vast array of helicopters. But then, we were not driving down Hwy 17 into Santa Cruz nor beyond Monterey down to Big Sur along Hwy 1.
What I did see at the new Safeway in the Carmel Crossroads shopping area was a large plywood board on which were several notices concerning the Big Sur fire and the East Basin Complex, as they called it. The first two mornings of getting bagels and OJ from the store I told myself I’d photograph the display but forgot both times, leaving my camera in the car. The first morning there was a nice heavy fog with lots of water being deposited from it. No rain, but cool and moist. The third morning, Saturday, July 26, I did take pics. Not spending a lot of time of reading the notices I went on about my business. Not until I returned to Houston did I take the time to read them all. However, the letter from the agency to the people of Carmel Valley I did read and while driving down to the Carmel Highlands, noticed as before, all the signs by the mailboxes and gates thanking the fire fighters for their great efforts.
I decided to add the shots of the board and notices to this blog and have added the text as you might not be able to read it from the photos. Here is an address for the most up-to-date information. It leads to a lot of different places: Big Sur Fire information.
In front of the Carmel Valley Crossroads shopping center’s new Safeway.
Map outlining the various locations of fire fighting facilities and available water for helicopters.
This info sheet from the Monterey Ranger District, Los Padres National Forest, Dated Saturday, July 26, 2008, 7:00 AM:
Fire Stats:
Acres burned: 162,818
Acreage increase (last 12 hours): 0
Fireline to build: 0 miles
Date started: 6/21/08
Percent contained: 79%
Expected containment: 7/30/2008
Structures threatened: 677
Structures destroyed: 26 residences, 32 other
Resources:
Crews: 25
Engines: 74
Helicopters: 9
Dozers: 17
Total Personnel Assigned: 1,124
Suppression cost to date: $74.7 million
Unified Command: USFE, CAL FIRE, and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office
There is a lot more information about this huge fire area. Please see the link to it above.
Here is the text of the letter from the fire fighting agency
To the Community 0f Carmel Valley
Friday, July 18,2008
Dear Friends:
California Interagency Incident Management Team 1 would like you to know how grateful we are to you for your support, your votes of confidence and you patience during our assigned tour of duty on the Basin Complex.
We very much appreciate the support of your community. Your families and friends gave us plenty of evidence in the form of terrific posters for the firefighters to read as they traveled to and from the fire line each day.
It is a true compliment to your kind and compassionate character as a group that so many of you went far beyond the posted signs along your streets. The generous and creative outpouring of so many delicious baked goods and other items, from socks to flashing yo-yos, from books to dominoes, was just plain wonderful.
But you didn’t stop there. At the community meetings, each of our information officers and our management leaders came away with stories of personally delivered messages of encouragement to us. Every person, every time.
So please accept our short note of thanks to you for making us feel welcome, for making each of us feel appreciated and most of all for making us feel like part of your community.
We shall go to our home units with fond memories, thanks to you.
Sincerely,
Jerry McGowan
Incident Commander
California Interagency Incident Management Team 1
This page tells the people what will happen after the fire is contained. It spells out all the things that will be done to the land, both public and private during restoration. It is quite complex and includes replacement of fences and gates and damages done by equipment.
The people of Big Sur, as in most close-knit communities, begin rebuilding even before the event is fully over. The fire was contained 100% on July 28. This Big Sur Rising happening for raising funds for the Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade and Relief Fund happened on July 26. Lots of local bands and musicians played for all those who drove down to Big Sur to give support.
Visit to Monterey, California
During a one week July visit to Monterey and Carmel, California, scoping out the place to once again return to, I conducted a Sunday night photo workshop that was not only quite successful in image making, but a serendipity event took place during the first hour of getting to know and hearing needs and questions from the students.
Conversation about the previous night’s sunset at Carmel beach and the fact that it is so dog friendly brought up viewing some photos I’d made that very evening, which included people around beach fires, playing Frisbee, and walking with their dogs. From the bordering footpath above the beach I’d taken numerous pics. In several of them a couple and their dog had been walking in my direction. As two of the students, a married couple from Greece, he attending the Naval Post Graduate School, looked at the images on the computer screen they suddenly exclaimed, “That’s us! And our dog!” I went through several photos and in each enlarged them to full size. Sure enough, it was them!
If this wasn’t synchronistic a few more pictures brought another exclamation, “Those two women are friends of ours!”
It just goes to show you what photographers bring to the table!
The trip started out just as weird. The Southwest Airlines’ plane from Houston to LA and on to San Jose contained a similar happening. The aisle passenger in my row, I wanted the window seat in front of the right side engine to take photos from, asked half-an-hour into the flight where I was from. “Houston,” I answered.
“Where abouts in Houston?”
“Bellaire.”’
“What street in Bellaire?” he asked.
“Laurel, just outside the 610 Loop,” I answered again.
“What number?”
“4708.”
He then said, “Guess what my number is.”
“4707,” I replied.
“4706,” he came back, “but on Willow.”
He was two houses past the front of mine across the block!
We had good conversation into LA where he was checking on construction of one of several projects totaling $180 million! He had a stack of yellow pads he was writing on, each a different project.
I gave him my card!
The workshop itself.
We met at Morgan’s coffee and refreshments establishment in Sand City, about two major city blocks north of Monterey, known locally as the Ol Factory and the West End (I don’t know why it’s the West End since it’s the east end of the building, the south edge of tiny Sand City, population like 92, or was it 29?). No matter, the workshop would begin here for answers and questions and getting to know a little about each other.
The two who showed for the workshop were married, from Greece and the husband was in the Air Force studying at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey. Those that didn’t show missed a very good workshop. Maybe I should be more strict and require payment up front but I’m just a softy when it comes to money. Everyone tells me to get real. I’m too trusting.
Since the sun doesn’t set until around 8 PM, we had plenty of time for questions and answers and explaining techniques they were not familiar with. I set my camera onto a coffee mug and tethered it to my MacBook Pro. From it I could control the camera completely, although the camera does not have real time viewing. After some manual changes to shutter and aperture, some interesting photos began to appear. We were watching the monitor and paid little attention to the camera. Folks around us were completely unaware that the camera was working! Darkness came into the coffee shop so we were able to make some interesting time exposures. With the programs available for modifying colors, the blue from the dimming daylight coming through the huge windows could be neutralized to match the tungsten setting the camera had been set to.
The pull-over on the back of the chair had been a saturated blue because of the daylight. The moving bartender is not seen behind the bar, nor the person who got up and left a bar stool. It’s amazing how long a person can sit still while at a computer. This exposure time was 8 seconds.
We left the coffee house at twilight stopping by a small lagoon that reflected the Embassy Suites in Seaside. Numerous Canada Geese were along the shore and slowly moved into the lagoon as we left our parked cars to see if we wanted to begin shooting here.
We decided to continue on into Monterey and both wharfs, beginning at the commercial wharf where a couple of 65 foot commercial fishing boats were preparing to leave. From this wharf we had an excellent view of the tourist wharf, Fishermen’s Wharf as well as the side of the long metal building housing the cleaning and packaging of fish on the wharf we stood on.
Numerous people were using fishing poles from this wharf as no fishing license is required in California for fishing from a public pier.
As the large vessels pulled away we began taking time exposures. Only their running lights and reflections in the harbor waters were captured.
From the commercial wharf with the fish cleaning and packing building on the right. An anchored commercial boat in the center, the tourist Fishermen’s Wharf in the distance.
We then walked over to the other wharf taking several photos of the tourists leaving for it was getting close to closing time on Sunday night. The ghost images of the moving people created strange pics.
This is from an observation deck surrounding Rappa’s restaurant at the end of the wharf looking back towards Monterey.
Five of many dinghies tied to the wharf, the means for boat owners to get to their moored boats in the outer harbor.
As we walked the length and fingers of the wharf there were many good images to be captured. Several show the commercial and pleasure boats within the inner harbor. I used to live on a 45 Jenneau sailboat on a mooring in the outer harbor and tie up on H tier in the inner harbor. Sea lions can be gotten used to, most of the time. The sea gulls and their droppings were another thing!
A main channel into the inner harbor. The largest boats were in this area and as you moved further into the harbor the boats were smaller. The commercial wharf is seen in the distance.
The weather was perfect, the clouds held nicely above the city and the light was fabulous!
??????BOOK REVIEW
The Cost of Power in China, The Three Gorges Dam and the Yangtze River Valley
Photographs and Narratives by Steven Benson
Introduction and Afterword by Dai Qing
Essay by A.D. Coleman
Interview by Jens Friis
Published by Black Opal Press, P.O. Box 405, Lake Orion, Michigan 48361, USA
Copyright 2006
224 pages; 162 duotone photographs
The pages are not numbered so I am taking Steve at his word in emails back to me. The first in September 2006:
“Thank you for your interest in the book. Your patience is greatly appreciated during the production period.
“The book is at the printer and you’ll be happy to know that since the time of your purchase, the book has grown from 144 pages and 90 photos to 220 pages and 158 photos! This is all at no additional cost to you.”
And again in February:
“The book grew a little more, 224 pages and 162 duotones.”
In some cases, growth is most appreciated!
This book is a precursor to a fate for a large community in south central China. The fate is in actuality taking place at this time but will enlarge many fold as the years pass by. It is a precursor in the same sense that W. Eugene Smith’s Minamata is the aftermath documentation of a community within a fate that in all probability had been known but ignored or deliberately hidden.
As I sat with the book leafing through page after page I became aware of subtle feelings—I was being introduced to a part of China that was 180 degrees from what I’d seen on PBS television specials of young couples visiting China. What I was seeing now were vast amounts of uncontrolled air, land, and water pollution. It was not until the middle of the book that I was almost startled by seeing sharp, sun-cast shadows! The captions and running commentaries certainly supported that but only rarely were there signs of sun or clear skies. One of Steve’s comments at the end of the book added to my growing feelings and thought it might have helped me as a reader if it had been at the beginning of the book.
Steve, from the interview:
“. . . The other strategy at work here is what I call the ‘Beautiful Poisonous Snake Aesthetic.’ The images are gentle and respectful while the text is hard hitting and political. Actually, I would also add the way that I decided to print these photographs. The quality of the prints in terms of tonality function as a voice for the images and it is a soft voice. I spent a great deal of time on the prints, more than I have with other images from other projects and there seems to be a particular importance about ‘the voice’ of them.’?
I was seeing people living in a gray. There are three groups of people within these pages: the refugees to be; the workers constructing the project; and the invisible government people who pushed the project even after having been warned by world experts.
Steve:
“The disappearance of 36,000 square miles of our planet was not the result of an erupting Mt. Vesuvius—it was the result of the human decision making process at its most destructive. It is my hope that this body of work, in conjunction with the photographs and written records of my colleagues, might somehow function as a warning to future generations to never make this mistake again.”
This is a book that cries out to be seen and pointed to and learned from.
I first met Steve Benson at the Meeting Place during FotoFest 2006, Houston, Texas where he was showing to those waiting for portfolio reviews, both photographers and reviewers, his mock-up of his dynamic and thought provoking book. His work on this enormous project in China is reportage and documentary, a genré that to my eyes appeared lacking in the majority of photographs being brought to FotoFest. Few Magnum type photographers were present as the majority of reviewers represented museums and galleries, places where emphasis moves along the lines of fine art, design, and manipulations via processes. The reviewers had been reviewed by the attending photographers, which in and of itself determines strongly what images will be brought to FotoFest. Therein lies the irony of FotoFest. Some of this book’s very same images were in a featured exhibition at FotoFest 2004. Steve traveled the entire length of the proposed reservoir in 1999 thus a five year time frame from shoot to show.
For those of you who work in the documentary arena and have questions about getting into FotoFest, you might just contact Steve, purchase his book and maybe get some answers.
After I went through the images Steve asked if I had time to look at other photos he’d been working on over quite a long period. They were paradoxes—discoveries of everyday things we all see but then move on. Steve stops, ponders, and shoots. One of them is at the very end of his book, six pages from the end. It supports his last answer during the interview by Jens Friis. I can only report on parts of the two images, back to back—”NEW! HOT AND FRESH BAGELS” and “PRAY 4 OUR AMERICA”.
Welcome to this first page and, hopefully, many more. To get started I suggest you take a moment to read the “About” (top right) which will describe how this site came into being. It’s not long.
This site is not and will not become another of the hundreds, perhaps thousands, that present galleries upon galleries of photographs. It will, however, be relative to those seriously involved in visual imagery, be it through photographs, drawings, paintings, poetry, or prose—all of which create images in the sight and mind.
For starters I have included the cover to Second Image Volume 1 Number 3, which, as shown, is dated 2001, not 1992 as initially intended for. This is the first public showing.
Contributing artists: Thomas Ward, Carl Rhoden, Chuck Powell (deceased), Ronda Stone, Gary Maul, John Benjamin, Ron Lutz, Evie Hickman (deceased), John Sorbie (deceased), Don Eddy
The full publication is available only in PDF form, 864KB. Financing for ink on paper continues to be the main hurdle.
The first issue of Illustrated Light included photographs from Hal Gould’s Camera Obscura Gallery in Denver, Colorado that were being shown at the Illustrated Light Gallery in Fort Collins, Colorado. This issue is out-of-print but could be gotten through this site.
The second issue included a 1963 photograph of Minor White with RIT students in his class. Articles included: Should Photographs Be Manipulated? with supporting Polaroid in-camera composited images; statements by Minor White from the first Aperture quarterly, 1952; excerpts from Aperture by Nancy Newhall; book reviews and gallery showings including Shelby Lee Adams upcoming exhibition at the Illustrated Light Gallery. Less than twenty copies remain of issue two.