Bye bye Kodachrome

Bye bye Kodacrhome
Originally uploaded by e_pics

 [right] Kodachrome slides taken in Marida Mexico, in the Yucatan. Shot with an OM-4 and processed at the Kodalux lab in Findlay Ohio in 1988.

Sometime today the last roll of Kodachrome film will be developed at Dwayne's Photo in Parsons Kansas. It is the final end of an era. Much like John Lennon's quip about Elvis, for me they killed Kodachrome when Kodachrome 25 was discontinued. That was in 2001. In reality I had long before switched to E6 films.

I learned photography shooting Kodachrome. I took pictures of trains with my dad and my uncle John, in those days you weren't a serious railfan unless you were shooting Kodachrome. We shared images via slideshows and that's what the magazines wanted, not that I ever felt good enough to submit images to any magazines. The credit in the rail magazines wasn't just "photo by..." it was "kodachrome by ..."

 I think shooting slides is a great way to learn photography, you see very clearly what changes in exposure can do, what differences in the color temperature of light can do, what color can do, what light itself can do. There was also that excitement in getting the yellow box, and the smell! Memories.

My family shot stills, slides, we didn't do home movies at all, so that is something I've come to later in my life. If you haven't had the experience, home movies on Kodachrome are amazing. Simple, magical slices of time. There really is nothing else like that. That ends today too.

I am happy to say that among the mountain of film that Dwayne's got this week is one roll of slides and three rolls of super 8 film from me. Film shot in tribute to the great American invention: Kodachrome, and for a life  happily spent (so far!) in photography.

Farewell Kodachrome.

Camera Obscura by Design

Saturday October 9
ISB Parking lot - at the corner of North Main and Waterman Providence
across from the bus tunnel

10:00 to 3:00, rain or shine, free and open to the public.

check out some pics here, but better to see it in "real time".

bike tour video

Gallery Night Providence Bike Tour from erik gould on Vimeo.

Talking Back

Ever want to talk back at work?

So the economy pretty much sucks right now, maybe you have a job, or maybe you are looking for one, or maybe your hours have been cut, but we all have work to do. Sometimes it’s work with a capital “W”. Sometimes it’s just a dirty job and someone has to do it.
As part of a project looking at the impact of the Great Recession (or whatever this is) I am talking to people, all sorts of people about their jobs and their work.
What does work mean you? What do you think about on the job? What would you say to your job if you could?

I’m currently collecting audio interviews and taking pictures, and I would love to talk to you, dear reader. If you are interested, get in touch... OR if you can:

Stop by my booth at the indiearts fest, Providence RI, July 31.
12 noon to 8:00 PM. info: http://indieartsfest.com/

Hope to see you there!

Background music by AREA C.

Gallery Night Bike [photo] tour

Dear Wheelers, it has fallen to me to lead the second ever Providence Gallery Night bike tour. On this tour, in which we endeavor to cover the waterfront, and all within the brief span of two short hours we shall visit art galleries of great renown such as: Launch Gallery, Bert Gallery, Gallery Belleau and Peaceable Kingdom AND more.

We will also see such landmarks as the corner of Roger and Williams and the Narragansett Improvement Company, as well as numerous sites where such and such used to was. Will wonders never cease?

Well, probably eventually, but... Did I mention: you, you and your bike are invited? Because you are, and it will be much more fun for all of us if you join in.

There will be riding, yes and places to rest and refresh ourselves as well and the evening promises to be historic, folkloric and if so inclined, caloric.

Where do we start? At the Regency Plaza in downtown Providence. Where? you may well ask... here is a helpful google map. The tour will also conclude at this very same location.

When?: Thursday, June 17. Tour commences at 5:30 PM.

Bring your helmet if you have one, if you don't, why don't you?

Bring a camera too.

For a complete rundown of Gallery Night activity follow this linkage.

Projo Review

The Providence Journal's Bill Van Siclen reviews the Fidelity Investments show at the Art Club. Mentioning our photographer he says: "In purely physical terms, for example, Erik Gould’s “20 Roadside Memorials” is one of the show’s larger entries. Yet it’s the small details — the close-ups of crosses, candles and other tokens of remembrance — that make this grid-like array of photographs at once so fascinating and so poignant."

Here is the whole review.

(i corrected his spelling -ed.)

20 Roadside Memorials @ Art Club

20 Roadside Memorials
Originally uploaded by e_pics

On view now at the Providence Art Club.

The latest iteration of the Memorials grid. Opened today, up through March 19.

This work was chosen to be included in the annual Fidelity Investments juried show.

Recovery Act Works -- One year on

Survey gets RISCA Project Grant

Amid a busy summer and fall where I had my hours cut, I worked for Obama's Recovery program, was mesmerized by the balloon boy and tried my best to keep track of Tiger's friends with benefits, I've also been working on something else. We received a State Council on the Arts Project grant to examine and relate the effect of the Great Recession on this great state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. We are humbled and thankful and working steadily along. More will follow, rest assured.