In Our Own Image: The Genesis of Photography and the Contemporary Eye

I’m excited to share that I’m part of an ambitious photography exhibition at the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio. In Our Own Image: The Genesis of Photography and the Contemporary Eye juxtaposes wonderful and varied examples of 19th Century Photography (daguerreotypes, tintypes, carte de vistes, ect.) against the work of contemporary alternative photographic processes practitioners such as David Emitt Adams, and Francis Schenemburger among others.

Jointly curated by Arnold Tunstall and Scott Ferris the show runs from September 9th – December 31st, 2017. In this exhibition,  I’ll be showing an series of large format 16″ x 16″ ambrotypes of individuals named Stephen titled ‘A Case Study of Stephen,‘ as well as  a three tintype collages.

I’ll be holding a number of “open studio days” in which I’ll shoot a series of 4″x5″tintype portraits of visitors that will be collaged and evolve throughout the course of the exhibition. The next open studios days are:

Saturday, November 18, 11:00am-3:00pm

Saturday, December 16, 11:00am-3:00pm

For more info, please see  http://www.decartsohio.org/exhibitions.html

The Decorative Arts Center is located at 145 E. Main St.|Lancaster, Ohio 43130.

Gallery Hours are Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 4pm and Sunday 1 – 4pm

Exhibition at Bluffton University

Brownie In Motion In Color

People sometimes ask me if I can shoot color photographs with Brownie In Motion. “Yes,” I tell them, “but, I don’t because of the toxicity of color chemistry. Plus, it’s really hard to get your hands on Cibrachrome these days!”

That said, my friend and fellow photographer Jeremiah Stilson recently unearthed a color photograph that he made in 2014 using Brownie In Motion while I was visiting North Carolina.

This is a 4×5 Kodak Portra negative shot from inside Stephen Takacs’ Brownie In Motion. Taken in Asheville, NC by Jeremiah Stilson.

What a surprise! I’d totally forgotten about  Jeremiah shooting this test photograph of me with 4×5 film pinned inside of the Brownie! For numerous health/logistical/economic reasons, I don’t intend to start shooting color photos with this camera anytime soon but it’s nice to know\show that it can be done!

-Stephen-

Jeremiah Stilson studied Fine Art at The Ohio State University, and currently resides in New York.  See his work at StilsonStudio.com .

Ken Rinaldo

Stephen Takacs standing beside a prototype of Brownie In Motion in the Haskett Hall sound stage at The Ohio State University, circa 2011.

 

I’d like to thank Kenneth Rinaldo for his generous contribution to the Brownie In Motion campaign. Ken has been a driving force in this project since the  very beginning. The prototype of Brownie In Motion was actually created during his New Media class at Ohio State while I was a graduate student. Without Ken’s technical knowledge and enthusiasm for this interactive camera, this project may never have existed.

Please check out Ken’s work at: http://kenrinaldo.com/

 

614 Magazine Article on Brownie In Motion

Chris Gatten wrote an awesome article on Brownie In Motion in this month’s 614 Magazine, which  is illustrated with photos by the talented Chris Casella! I’d like to thank the whole 614 team, including editor-in-chief, Travis Hoewischer, for including me in their magazine! If you haven’t pick up a copy yet, do it soon before they disappear from the newsstands!

I’m proud to say that the band featured on the cover of this month’s issue are my long time friends Damn the Witch Siren! They just release a new EP earlier this month called Super Delicious. This rump shaking record, which channels both Madonna and early Nine Inch Nails, is like a bowl of coco-puffs – processed, crunchy and oh-so-sweet!

I want to remind you that there are only 5-days left to support Brownie In Motion on indiegogo, please donate today and help us make it happen!

 

Thanks to the Amazing Agnes!

I’d like to thank Agnes Burris for her generous contribution to Brownie In Motion!

Agnes, your support means so much! THANK YOU!

Agnes is an artist as well, please check out her website @ http://agnesburris.com/

THANK YOU KAREN JOHNSON!

Brownie In Motion at the Steam Punk Carnival @ COSI

We greatly appreciate your contribution to Brownie In Motion!

 

Thank you Dary Rees!

Thank you Dary Rees for supporting Brownie In Motion on Indiegogo! Much appreciated!

Test Driving a Brass Lens

Stephen Takacs testing out a huge brass lens on his camera obscura at the OCCS Show and Sale, courtesy of Tim Carrig. Photo by Sage Lewis.

There is only 10 days left to support Brownie In Motion on Indiegogo. Please help Stephen bring his traveling camera obscura across the US by donating today!

This is Dave.

Dave and his beautiful beard are flanked by two large photographs taken with Target Six-16 @400 West Rich Studio in Columbus Ohio.