Launch Date!

FYI--- 17/August/2016 @ 12:00
The official launch date of Reciprocity Failure's latest incarnation...  

BASED ON A TRUE STORY...

And So It Goes...

Photo: © Stan Banos

As you can plainly see, practically ALL of the photos below on this entire site (post 8/2011) have simply... vanished. I unknowingly deleted them while "cleaning house" on some SOB Google related site that had accumulated a seemingly random collection of my photos along with a host of other unrelated odds and ends I had never seen and had somehow gathered under my name. Of course, I had no idea I'd also be deleting content from my blog (Google purchased Blogger)- but there you have it. 

At this point I have neither the time, will, nor energy to repair and restore 10 yrs of said damage, even if I could- perhaps nature's way of telling me the time has indeed finally come to end this little endeavor. I will soon start work on (self) publishing three photo books- 2 B&W and one color, which I have every intention of completing this coming spring. And lord knows I still have a shitload of B&W files and restorations (last year's mega-catastrophe) yet to complete thereafter. 

Again, thank you one and all for having dropped by. Perhaps, I will again return at some later date- under a new venue. But right now... I'm tired, not in the best of health, and need to regroup just to keep keeping on. This is the last thing I expected to do today- but then, life has a way of doing that. All my best...

Blog/Restoration Update

Photo: @ S. Banos

Yes, I know I said I was quitting ye olde blog this past spring; no, it was not yet another idle threat/cry for attention. I really did need to stop, unsure what the future held- except that I did need to concentrate on restoring the remains of my work, and attend to various family matters. Blogging was nowhere on the list and had become a burden I was quite relieved to unburden...

Fortunately, with a dozen restorations (65 MB files) under my belt, I now feel fairly confident I can restore the vast majority of my work. The remaining 10% or so are probably still reclaimable, waiting for my PS skills to improve or for restoration experts to happily volunteer their remaining days for the sake of art and humanity. Meanwhile, my main restorative kit consists of: patience, more patience, and a heapin', helping shitload of yet more (patience).

I can average one restoration about every 4-5 days, about 4-5 hrs per day (rough approx). Some take considerably longer, but little by little, pixel by pixel, they're getting done- to exhibition quality standards. Of course, one can't keep that pace up on a regular indefinite basis, particularly in one's "spare" time. Work, the family matters I've previously alluded too, and all the other crap life throws one's way have a habit of getting in the way. Sometimes, I now even enjoy throwing up the occasional blog post minus the voluntarily set schedule to adhere to as before; so do come round from time to time...

A coupla years down the line, I should have enough to self publish something to show it hasn't all been in vain  (already got a working title); and hopefully, before I get to call it a day, I should have a body of work that will testify to a life lived a few fractions of a second at a time- for laughs, for kicks, for the simple satisfaction that someone simply... noticed.

SB on B...

I "discovered" Blake Andrews a few years back. Two things you realize right off: the guy's good (that's rare enough), and... he's also funny. Lord knows most comedians are painful to watch or listen to- the great ones are not only rare, but extremely observant and often insightful. And successfully translating some modicum of humor into photography on a consistent basis (which B does) is an extremely rare achievement! But enough about him...

Actually, the man has been kind enough to interview your humble servant on his own home turf @ B...

Been A Swell Ride- FAREWELL, AND PEACE...

I was looking at my website recently, and despite my plethora of art world rejections (as regular readers will attest), couldn't help feel some small sense of accomplishment. It was short lived. This weekend I discovered that much if not all of my 'photographic legacy' had been damaged to some extent by some insidious mold, fungus, whatever. Losing one's original images is every photographer's worst possible nightmare- losing all one's equipment is a cakewalk in comparison. You can never get back yesterday, the year before, let alone any decade previous.

Photography has been my one personal joy (and torment), and my photographs, more than anything, are my... friends. They accompany me throughout life, some go back aways and we know each other well, others, newly formed acquaintances, and we're just starting to have fun. But young or old, new or familiar, we were all family- and I wanted to protect them.

And protect them I did in a small, fireproof safe- but it was my very precautions that would prove my undoing. I 'upgraded' to a modestly priced safe that was not only fireproof, but also supposedly waterproof, complete with rubber linings. It helped put my mind even further at ease- not only would my precious negs not melt into an unrecognizable blob, they also wouldn't suffer water damage form the fireman's hose. I'll never know if those seals would have ever done their job of keeping water out, unfortunately, they were more than capable of keeping moisture in, therefore providing an excellent environment for negative devouring fungus/mold. How's that for some wicked Greek tragedy?

So now I get to wake up every morning for the rest of my life, and the first thing, the very first fuckin' thing to come to mind is- how does losing some of the most important moments in your life for the last forty years feel, Stan? Hhhhmmmm???

People tell me tomorrow is another day, there'll be other pictures to take. They mean well, and yes, there (hopefully) will. But how does one relive and redo the fleeting moments of forty years of youth? When you're about to break that most disgusting of numbers... 30 may be the new 20, 40 may be the new 30, 50 may be the new 40, but 60 is still fucking 60, and it sucks any way you look at it. And yes, I fully realize there are people throughout the world with much greater and much more pressing, real life problems- like... where are they going to eat or sleep at day's end? Granted.

I always strive to turn things around in some positive manner when hit by one of life's seemingly endless supply of pernicious, personal injustices. One of the reasons I feared this one so, is because I full well knew there would be no recourse, no positive spin, no happy face to put on it. Still, deal with it I somehow must- if only for my own sanity.

I took the following day off work (I could barely function), sat down and started cleaning said negatives with Edwal's film cleaner (Isopropyl alcohol) and managed to get through 350 strips of negatives (from 9AM to 1AM)- and that is just the start. I hope to salvage around 60% (maybe more) of my work- the alcohol actually cleans up some of the fungus on the less affected negatives and should cease any further damage; those more heavily damaged can only await some miracle software of the future. After cleaning, my first move, my only move, is to make high resolution files of what remains and go about restoring them as best possible with my admittedly limited skills. Hopefully, I'll be able to salvage enough to ultimately self publish what remains. Point is, that's one helluva load of work that starts now, and ends...

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Which means my friend, that Reciprocity Failure has finally come to the end of its run. Perhaps, I'll post something in a fit of rage, or perhaps in a year or two to update my progress; but for all practical purposes- it really has been fun. Thank you, one and all (truly) for dropping by. Keep caring, keep shooting- and best to all...

And So It Goes...

Writer's block? Don't know, particularly since I can't exactly call myself a writer. Am I a better writer, or photographer? Wouldn't know, particularly since I don't exactly get compensated for either, save for that which I reward myself.

Most likely, it's more that I've said most of what I've wanted- save for what I've yet to... So until those times occur, however infrequently- tomorrow I'll do what all aging, has been bloggers do- revisit my youthful past (and I mean just that), and repost an all time, personal fave...

All Ahead, Impulse...

This SOB cost me endless hrs, days... probably weeks to finally get right- Photo: © Stan B.

It's winter, and I usually undergo a quiet panic round this time each and every new year. When will I take my first worthwhile photo(s)? Every year, same story, guaranteed. And here in San Francisco, it's not even cold, so the pressure's even greater- in New York, you could always blame the weather. Fortunately, I've learned the photos will come on their own time, of their own accord (provided, of course, you do your part).

In the interim, I try to keep myself occupied, amused and somewhat productive. I explore my most recent monographs that I have yet to familiarize myself with, get busy with Photoshop, order my now traditional, 20in, annual print (see left)- and just generally try to hurry up and wait, and somehow calm the nerves. Addressing the latter, it's a guilty pleasure to catch up on: Shorpy,  Tokyo Camera Style,  In Your Bag,  Burn...

With the added realization that I probably won't be posting on Reciprocity Failure as regularly as before, comes both relief, and anxiety. Together with some serious familial obligations I'll have to begin attending to this year, well... I just ain't gonna can't sweat it.

And we'll go from there... Meanwhile, as someone has dutifully reminded me on a very timely basis, this is also the season when the opportunity to humiliate oneself is most nigh...

Hey!

A few weeks ago I was sick with the flu- wouldn't wish actually, vengeful fuck that I am, there's a mile long shit list of folks I'd wish it on, starting with: W- The Decider, Rummy- The Prick in Chief, 4X Deferment Cheney... Yeah, a whole lotta people I'd wish it on. It seriously kicks ass, and I'm still far from 100%.

Anywho, a few minutes blogging each day kept my spirits up, but now I'm pretty much- spent. Actually, I'm working on an interview that I'm really looking forward to putting up early next week. And then... the ol' blog may go on respite, slow to the proverbial trickle or maybe, just maybe, it'll be time to finally call it a day. I know, I know- I've threatened this before, so I'm not going to go through the motions yet again. Like I said, probably just need to recharge... then again, just in case- it's been a blast!

Lists, Conspiracies, and Point of Origin



9/23/14 NYC- Photo: © S. Banos

Although there is no doubt whatsoever that Washington is awash in AIPAC $$$ (thus thoroughly compromising our Middle East foreign policy), "rest" assured that the remainder of America, and the world (from ruling WASP elites to average working stiffs of every color and denomination), is still thoroughly entrenched knee deep in anti-Semitism. The above is one conspiracy theory that has been around for centuries- and one that should have been put to rest just as long ago...

Reciprocity Failure: San Francisco Peaceniks, conspiracy theorists, and the marginalized silent majority   -via B

I knew it would happen one day- if I was knowledgeable enough, dedicated enough, sincere enough.  Reciprocity Failure would finally (FINALLY!) make it onto a "best of" list! Well, kinda, sorta... not really. But it was... a list!!! Strangest part was being associated with- San Francisco.*

Anyway, the positive side to all this (yes, there actually is one) is that there were some really good sites mentioned on said list that I've just either never got around to including, or just plain didn't know about- which you can now find (due right), thanks to Blake!

*So why exactly did I move to San Francisco? After all, it's been well over a decade now and I've yet to mutter dude or Awesome, that would just be hella gnarly. Well, there were three possible options in NYC: A) Start a family, like most folks, B) Make it big in whatever area of your choosing, C) Turn into a dithering old man muttering nonsensically on a street corner. I chose not to do A;  B kinda just didn't happen- trust me, there are plans in place right now (won't get into details) to deal with those who prevented that from happening; and  C... I just really wanted to avoid.

Bloggity Blog Blogger...

UPDATE: OK, OK- I have no idea what the hell happened yesterday morning, but when I clicked to embiggen my photos on Blogger, not only was there the apparent lack of contrast (which has been manifesting of late), but the resolution and overall sharpness were shot to absolute shit. It was scary- so I took them down, and out of their misery. Tonight, I reposted one of same said photos for the hell of it, and although the lack of contrast was still apparent, the resolution had indeed... returned! So, I guess I'm more or less back in the game, more or less...

 

9/21/14 NYC- Photo: © S. Banos

 

What's Up With Blogger???

Took down two most recent photos that I posted here. Reason? They look like shit on Blogger- particularly when embiggened. The loss in contrast became apparent in recent months, but now the loss in sharpness and resolution is truly frightening. Don't know what's going on, perhaps it only affects scanned B&W (is that even possible?)- but it wasn't like this before...

From now on, think I'll just link to them on Flickr while keeping them small here- RIDICULOUS, yes, but the best work around I can think of...

UPDATE: Apparently, Google (which bought up Blogger) now has a new algorithm thingie for uploading photos which automatically "enhances" your photos on Google+, and if you're not on the latter, I can only guess it automatically fucks them up for good measure, as is probably the case here. I have no desire to join Google+ (since it would cause a host of other unrelated changes), so I'm kinda stuck between fucked and screwed- kinda like in real life...

Fabrice Fouillet @ Lens Culture

If you haven't been over to Lens Culture of late, they've gotten one helluva makeover- love the new layout; that said, it still wouldn't matter none if they had nothing to look at. Fortunately, that's hardly the case and there's something, if not a lotta things, for everyone. And they're really quite up on promoting new photographers and their work.

I particularly turned green with envy upon seeing this essay entitled Colosses by Fabrice Fouillet. History, humor, the conventional tourist photo op turned on its head for one surreal, oversized travel treat. Positively green...

The Photo/Blog Drought of '14

In the meantime, check out the wife's Neato Photos on Pinterest...

Things have been running on impulse power these days, photographically and blogwise for that matter. Funny, ever since last October when I had finished taking my "dick pictures," as one reader (Hi, Dave) called them, I came home with the distinct feeling I wouldn't be getting much for a few ... months- and I was right. Been slim pickins since, nothing but an almost here and an almost there week after sordid week. Some people love winter light- I'm not a particularly big fan. Anyway, I finally ended the great drought of  '14 (not anywhere as huge as CA's by the way) by getting a portrait last week which really did me proud (no, not quite as good as the one at left). 

Of course, no telling when the next lucky moment will come- and things haven't been exactly jumping over here either. Seems fairly quiet on the blogosphere all around of late, or maybe it's just me. Usually, something comes just in the nick of time... but it sure has been dragging of late!            

I wish I could say I've been taking this time to make my long overdue web site, alas, such is not the case; but I haven't been completely stagnant, been making some high res scans in the interim. Precious few, mind ya, silver negs are a mother! And I have entered a coupla select items in a coupla select places- my annual penance to the photographic gods (you'd think I would've acquired the necessary indulgences by now).

Actually, there is one thing I'd like to get off my chest right now concerning a few pictures I took back a ways, but I'm holding off on that till the proper time (for good reason), if ever that time comes, which I'm hoping it does- and soon. In the meantime, I don't reckon on going into warp here anytime soon, but the mission continues, just need to hold orbit a spell...

The Art Of Photoblogging...

Well, not really. More like the hierarchy of photoblogging...

Recently I had someone suggest that I might catch a break in a photo competition since I was a... photo blogger- something I've been doing for the last nine years. The mere suggestion of which sent my mind reeling back to the seventies when I remember some folks thinking that I would naturally catch a break in the photo biz since I was a... "minority." I suppose both could be misconstrued as 'logical' assumptions- which could not be further from the truth. But I digress...

As with most anything else, there are established hierarchies in (photo) blogdom. Blogs run by technical photo experts, blogs run by pro photographers, blogs run by represented artist-photographers, blogs run by professional reviewers, teachers and print columnists... They're the first column of power- and rightfully so since they have a foot in the actual biz. There are also the super commercial, latest product blogs, the aggregates with a little bit (ie- a lotta) of everything, and the videographers who grant us the privilege of actually viewing the most obvious and long established photographic axioms in the most watered down, obvious manner imaginable (inexplicably popular).

And then there's a whole 'nother echelon, the rest of us- guys like me. The bottom of the barrel, the pissing in the wind crowd, the no respect guys- like most everyone else in blogdom. We do it for the same reasons we continue to photograph without fanfare- although we may aspire to bigger and better, after a coupla years, it becomes obvious it's because we want to, have to. For better or for worse...

 And the reward is, the reward is whatever we find of it within ourselves.

Ruminations At Year's End...

Photo © S. Banos

If I ever get the time, energy and focus to scan and edit sixty of so silver negs to make a book of my:  a) greatest hits,  b) sign related images,  c) pictures taken on daily constitutionals- this will probably be the title and cover photo. Can't possibly get any better at ultimate lifetime statements. Or maybe just the lead photo, been actually fancying photoless covers of late. It's a helluva lot more convenient doing post on a computer screen, but a whole lotta work nonetheless as I'm repeatedly reminded when doing submission scans.

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Last weekend a large, hysterically amped up female came blundering down a San Franciscan hill, yelling and screaming in my general direction. When she got within twenty feet of me she stopped, and after panting a few rounds to regain her breath, lunged towards me threatening to smash my *@#!! camera. "You can't take my picture, it's against the *@#!! law. Give me the *@#!! camera, I'm gonna smash it right now!" Oh, so that's what she was screaming.

Holding my camera at arm's length beyond her reach, I considered my options, all the time quite amused by the extensive "legal knowledge" this obviously law abiding individual had at her possession. I had just had a fairly productive afternoon snapping a few possibilities here and there in the Tenderloin, enough to earn myself a beer on my return, and was feeling rather contemplative and mellow a coupla blocks from home. Analyzing and deciphering the fine legalities of photographing in public were not going to persevere here, and fortunately, I didn't feel particularly threatened. I definitely had the reflexes to flee, and if push came to shove I had the confidence to take her despite her obvious weight advantage. Still, should she latch on- it would definitely turn ugly fast, and I just wasn't in the mood to risk getting scratched, gouged, bitten, etc.

Yelling back (my first reaction, just to send the message I wasn't gonna fold under her aural onslaught) was definitely gonna get it on, so I tried the more diplomatic approach. "I wasn't taking a picture of you, my camera wasn't even pointed at you!" It got the expected response- more cussing and threats, but it effectively took it down a notch. Actually, this episode was very much a repeat- I had gone through a very similar episode with a parent in a classroom once who came in (it quickly dawned on me) with the express intent of fighting me- incite your opponent with verbal mayhem, and then.... That time the Vice Principal saved the day (one split second before I had decided to make the first move) by calling me out of the classroom saying I was "needed elsewhere," this time I knew to say my peace, and keep walking. Guess, that was the point all along...

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Finally, sad to see Lenscratch jettison the commentary section- doesn't exactly further conversation and the free exchange of ideas, does it? I can understand why if you have a popular blog; it's extra work, but then- it is one of the very purposes of a blog. As for the inevitable assholes, prohibit Anonymous commenters (why would anyone have to comment anonymously on a photography blog anyway?) and spam the rest. But then, blogs are more and more passe with each and every year I suppose. Regardless, I'm not about to do Face time (talk about old news), and I don't fancy commenting in Haiku via Twitter. So... we'll see how it goes another year, or not...

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Oh, and on the international front... Japan Solves Chronic Unemployment/Homelessness!

 Happy New Year!!!

#2,000+

Just a Rascal away...  Photo: Stan B.

As in # of posts- not some tweetin' hashtag. Considerably more if you counted the posts from R-F's previous incarnation, but I guess minor league hits don't count. Anyway, as always- thanks for dropping by!

If I had any self discipline, I'd instead be making hi-res files of my greatest hits, doing post and preparing 'em for posterity. But then, I'd have nothing to do when it's finally time to invest in my very own Rascal. Honestly, I'm surprised to be still chuggin' away here, even if things have slowed a tad. Seems everyday I think will be my last... along comes something of interest at the last second to help keep it all good...

BTW... I've asked it before, and I'll ask it again- where the freak are all the yung-uns? Shouldn't they be out in the forefront forging, leading and blogging the way to the brave new (and retro) photographic universe? Where the hell are all their voices? Have they all instagrammed into an alternate reality far from the sight of this analog relic?

Speaking of the future... This planet will be a significantly different place at the end of this century, and not for the better. We are an amazingly self destructive species, I wish I could be more positive, but I suspect lot smarter species throughout the universe never made it past this period of their own civilization- the part where they finally achieved the power to destroy themselves countless times over, not only with their own weapons... but through their own greed, short sightedness and apathy. I had hoped we had the capacity to not only read all the signs around us, but to actually take the necessary steps to save ourselves while we still could. Instead, we have chosen to embrace the denial that will minimize our daily pain, and trash the future of our very existence.

And we'll have cameras to document it- every sad and quickening step of the way...    Peace.

$1,025 USD!!!

Ran into this the other day looking to log on from another computer:

Reciprocity-failure.blogspot.com is ranked 3,758,367 in the world (among the 30 million domains). This site is estimated worth $1,025USD. This site has a good Pagerank(5/10). It has 134 backlinks. It's good for seo website. Reciprocity-failure.blogspot.com has 10% seo score.

 

And make no doubt, sure as you're sitting there- I'm gonna be ranked 3,758,366 by this time next year!

PS- And BTW... I'm not one to name names (but unlike some other photobloggers- yeah, you know the ones)- I haven't tested positive on any of my performance enhancing drug tests.

Credit Where It's Due

A while ago I took PDN to task for not selecting a more racially diversified panel for one of their photo juries.That was not to say that they were intentionally prejudiced; the fact is, they have put forth considerable effort to be more inclusive on various other occasions (as I also mentioned then). I was however trying to draw attention to the fact that in this 21st. century, it should not be a sometime deal, a special occasion deal, some kind of special anniversary or celebration deal- it should simply be... business as usual. Just as assembling a large group of male only judges in this day and age would be considered unconscionable.

So kudos to Photo District News for running an article in their November issue (Helping Communities Speak For Themselves, p47-50, print only) concerning the participation and empowerment of disenfranchised people throughout the world in their own media portrayals and productions. It's an issue that doesn't get a lot of press- mostly because media has traditionally (ie- always) placed and promoted themselves exclusively on one side of the lens and poor, minority, indigenous people (ie- "subject matter") on the other. It's been a totally lopsided equation which until recently has not elicited a lot of (ie- any) attention or analysis, (the one regular and consistent exception being Duckrabbit). So it's good to see PDN present and promote the issue in a more "mainstream" photography publication, highlighting projects mutually initiated by both photographers and the people they photograph in locations worldwide.

 I was particularly intrigued as to how Aaron Huey responded to questions from the community he photographed at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation- specifically when asked what had he accomplished when all was said and done. He could have simply dismissed those critiques and went on to his next project. Instead, he went about the task of figuring out how that community could publicize their own life stories, their own viewpoints, their own first hand, inside accounts. And he did it by securing and utilizing grants, fellowships and organizations such as National Geographic, which eventually led to the establishment of the Pine Ridge Community Storytelling Project which has 220 stories to date.

Photographer Emily Shiffer is a photographer who, along with a number of other artists and organizers, was able to found a campaign called See Potential in the South Side of Chicago that supports a variety of local, community based projects. "I'm always looking for ways to use photographs in a way that's tied to real life and real change. I don't feel that publishing a photograph in a magazine is tied to change. Awareness? Sure. But change? No..."

Hopefully, these projects (along with the several others featured, and more like them) will be increasingly examined, encouraged and supported on a regular basis not by any blog or magazine, but by mainstream, international media which will in turn initiate the sea change in thinking and facilitating necessary to expand and propagate such vital, mutual exchanges between peoples.

Very Much Needed...

Has come to my attention that I've somehow managed to overlook No Caption Needed recently. Very much my loss, as witnessed here, and countless other posts. Lots of catching up to do...

The Kid Is Back!

...and the new computer running! Still working out various little quirks with Windows 7, and am going to try out Paint Shop Pro X4 on trial basis if only not just because it has a full set of Curves, but it also supports 16 bit editing- unlike Elements... which actually costs more! Understand it has its own quirks, but definitely seems worth a try...