John Chiara Shows His Photography Workflow
Today I came across this video on Youtube of a photographer – John Chiara. The video takes 7 or so minutes and gives you an insight into the mind and process of a fairly unorthodox photographer using an extremely unorthodox camera. While it’s a film process and not digital I think there are some good things to take away from this photographer who made his own camera, who takes no more than one image per day and who spends considerable time and energy to get that single shot.
John’s process isn’t for everyone but I hope you enjoy this glimpse at his story.
Here’s one more video – similar the first but a little shorter.
Thanks to Gary Kelly (on Twitter) for the tip on this.
25 Responses to “John Chiara Shows His Photography Workflow” - Add Yours
October 8th, 2008 at 1:02 am
That was out of this world cool. Thanks so much for sharing that.
October 8th, 2008 at 2:17 am
wow, this is awesome. teaches us alot, really open my eyes. thanks Darren.
October 8th, 2008 at 3:57 am
Very cool story. But I really think the guy is crazy. I mean…I have a lot of respect for what he does and I think the images that he’s produced are absolutely cool. But with his talent…I don’t see why he couldn’t do this all with a large format camera.
The big takeaway that I have is one of his closing statements (paraphrased): “I like to spend time staring at my work. I think you really have to spend time with the work.”
One shot a day is fine. But he’s spending a lot of energy on the process when he could be spending that time “with his work”.
October 8th, 2008 at 4:23 am
Thank you for sharing! That was a bit interesting. However, all this process was very unnecessary. It’s probably fun for this photographer to do or that is the only way photography interests him. But its not necessary at all.
October 8th, 2008 at 4:39 am
Awe inspiring! This man can change the world. Love the process! What an incredible metaphor for life–joy in the journey. Thanks John –you’ve broaden my horizons.
October 8th, 2008 at 4:40 am
So amazing to watch and really inspiring. Each photo should be a process that one thinks about and plans and puts that much effort into, even if its on a smaller scale. Mind blowing. WD
October 8th, 2008 at 4:42 am
Fascinating!
October 8th, 2008 at 5:16 am
I love this video. I would never do this because I hate fidgeting with my stuff, but I love that he does one picture a day, I love everything about it. Thank you so much for showing this vid!
October 8th, 2008 at 6:34 am
Oh, I thought I was cool, when I was 10 years old and my brother just gave me a “brownie” type box camera…
but this guy sure beats that – had I only known back then!
:)
October 8th, 2008 at 6:55 am
Awesome. I so much admire inventive artists…
October 8th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Great! The line, “I’m not going backwards, I’m trying to create something that’s my own”, exactly!
October 8th, 2008 at 9:35 am
That was very cool. thanks for sharing that.
October 8th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
such a freak
October 8th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
BTW, this page demands that I permit *18* servers to script my browser.
You ever heard of security? secure browsers? ones that disallow scripting by default?
Since I can’t find this video on You Tube, from your description ( and won’t trash my system again with “shockwave”, a travesty of code, that thing ), I’m having to try enabling these servers to script my system, one by one, until I reach my tolerance.
IF I’ve been able to get through to the YouTube page you mean ( WHY hasn’t there been a SIMPLE DIRECT LINK to the YouTube page? WHY disallow all low-vision disabled people AND all secure-browser people? ) then I get to see what you apparently want me to be able to see.
If not -shrug- you made your site block low-vision people & secure browsers, you must have some reason for blocking us.
Peculiar determination, though.
PS. IF you fix your site so such links always come with a *plain* link to YouTube’s page, then please remove my comment, as it’d then be less-than-worthless.
Blessings,
October 8th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Nope, it blocks me unless I go through Shockwave, which can’t happen: Shockwave destroys this system ( had to recover from backup several times before – some kind of hostile incompatibility ).
Whatever, enjoy it, whatever it is.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Very interesting and unique. I likwe that he loves it and it shows in who he does it from start to finish! Thanks for sharing.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:00 am
Thanks so much for sharing!
I’ve turned a room into a pinhole camera, but just for school kids to view the image, we didn’t take any photos. Pinhole cameras certainly are fun to make & use and the images are amazing.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:31 am
Differengt and kind of geekish. He may achieve what he wants but why go through all this trouble that he is going through when he could get simmilar results the old fashioned way or digital. He limits himself with just one picture a day while with his talent he could blow the world apart with his art if he would do more. However, maybe 150 years down the road from now his artwork will bring a million dollars or more on the antique market. Though a DaVinci he is not
October 9th, 2008 at 3:02 am
John: Your processing of your art is wonderful. You work is truly unique. Easier and faster are not necessarily what it is all about. Keep challenging yourself.
Marion
October 9th, 2008 at 3:02 am
He got his way into this life,like he got the skills, and maybe he like the whole processed.Would be a great photographer if he would do all his works on large format camera.
But not everyone search for the money and wealth, maybe he’s just searching something within him, and find it with that kind of photography.
Really open up my eyes and perspective.
Nice Vids.!!!
October 9th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
He is inspiring
October 10th, 2008 at 7:39 am
I just love it ! You can only respect him for the way he treats photography. A way that a lot of photographer who never spent entire nights in a dark room can’t understand… but I’m wondering, how is he getting frome negative to positive? maybe a dumb question but with the size of the images this is quite a challenge… please, I need an answer !
October 11th, 2008 at 4:03 am
WOW ! That’s innovative and labor intensive. Imagine taking only 1 pic per day? And working hours to create it?
October 12th, 2008 at 7:44 am
Captain Obvious, here’s the link to the videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0ta32g9M6c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL2SZW4gWPY
November 22nd, 2008 at 6:38 am
Hi All,
I see the Youtube video was taken down but you can go to Mr. Chiara’s site and view his photography video.
http://www.lightdark.com
It’s still quite amazing as is his bibliography.
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