Welcome back for another installment of the “30 Questions With Photographer…” series. For this project, I ask photographers to answer 30 questions about themselves and their photography. I also ask them to share some of their work. The goal of this project is to spread the word on photographers who have impacted my photographic journey; photographers I think you need to know about.
The next photographer I’m featuring is a personal favorite. Whether they’re images from his morning run, or amazing portraits, they are instantly recognizable and stand out as unique.
He also is another photography from across the northern border that I’d love to meet in person some day. Hopefully the borders will open soon, as we continue to battle this awful pandemic.
I also want to send out a heartfelt apology to this photographer for taking so long to get this blog post up. He did his part months ago (I’m not exaggerating) and you should have been reading this much sooner than now. Sir, I apologize and thank you for your patience. When we meet up for a photowalk, the film is on me!
The next photographer I want to introduce you to is Jamie Marcellus.
Q: What is your name and where do you live?
A: Jamie Marcellus. Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.
Q: How can people contact you?
A: www.jsmarcellusphoto.com. @jsmarcellusphoto. I am on Flickr as well, FB, all the socials!
Q: If we’ve met, how do we know each other?
A: In true 2020 fashion, on Zoom, does that count?
Q: What is your earliest memory of taking a photography?
A: Over the past few years I would take photos during my morning run, mostly sunrises and such with my phone. I remember taking photos growing up, but basically started with film a little over 18 months ago, with a serious push over the last 10 months. Over a few months I have worked at exposing a ton of film, developing a consistent style and really studying some of the masters.
Q: Of the cameras you currently own, what is your favorite (you may choose one of each format if applicable?
A: In 135 my go to is my slightly bruised black paint OM1 – my first film camera. Fitted with a 50mm/f1.4 can’t be beat. I have recently jumped headfirst into 4x5 – I was gifted a Cambo SC from a fellow photographer John M. My go to lens on it is a 10.5cm Tessar f3.5 shutterless barrel lens.
Q: Is there a camera you’ve always lusted after and hope to acquire someday? What makes you desire this camera?
A: I think one always lusts after Leica’s and such, but I have really put that aside as I am generally really happy with the handling of and the quality of photos I get from all of my current cameras. I guess now I am really looking at 8x10’s and maybe larger as I contemplate wet plate photography.
Q: Is there a camera you no longer have that you miss?
A: No, I have only been doing this for a short time, and haven’t really bought a pile of cameras.
Q: What type of photographs do you most enjoy taking (portraits, landscapes, street, etc) and why?
A: I really enjoy portraits and landscapes. Portraits because I find you can really pull emotion out of the frame and build a story out of it. Landscapes because I hike and run and really enjoy the outdoors. I try to find that same soul in landscapes though certainly it is much tougher. Mostly I end up creating these sort of dream like pictures when it goes well.
Q: While most of us shoot both digital and film, I believe we all have a tendency to prefer one over the other. What do you prefer and why?
A: I am 99% film. I know with Adobe Lightroom and photoshop, you can pull film like qualities in digital but to me there is something special with creating something by hand. I also print and quite like the pace of it. Also, film allows for these happy accidents which is why I purposely am sloppy in the development process as well as rarely using a meter. While I fail way more than when I succeed, when I do, it is magical. The other part is magic. When you develop film, the process is otherworldly. You never quite know what you’ll get, and that is just really special.
Q: How often/much do you shoot photographs (rolls per week, month, etc)?
A: Back in the spring when I was really putting in the work to get better, I was going through 15-20 rolls a week. While I have slowed a bit, I have made up for that in 4x5 sheets. I probably expose a dozen or so sheets a week, with one or two printing sessions through in there.
Q: Do you prefer to photograph with other people, or would you rather shoot alone? Please explain.
A: I mean portraits mostly require another person, so that counts right?
Q: What is your favorite black and white film right now and why?
A: In 4x5, I am really enjoying Fomapan 100. It has a nice tonal range and the with the lens I produce really soft dreamy images which I like. In 135 I have been very partial to Ilford hp5 usually at 800, though I forgot how great Tmax was when you nail it. The midtones are just wonderful. I also use Arista Ortho in both formats as it has natural happy accidents when you develop in exhausted paper developer.
Q: What is your favorite color film right now and why?
A: I rarely expose colour. I think I made 3 rolls out of probably 300-400 rolls this year. It never looks how I imagine it should and so I have just stopped trying.
Q: Complete the following sentence: “I am a photographer because…”. What do YOU get from photography?
A: It is a wonderful creative outlet for me. It’s a time to use my small brain in another way and there is something pleasing with making something by hand.
Q: Best experience while taking photographs?
A: I think every time you take the film out of the developer/fixer and there is an image is pretty special. I still get excited every time.
Q: Most emotional experience while taking photographs?
A: I have been really fortunate to have a couple of photos selected for publication which is overwhelming as I still feel like a total beginner. But I am immensely humbled and grateful.
Q: Worst experience while taking photographs.
A: Maybe I am lucky, but don’t think I have had one.
Q: Tell me about something related to photography you want to learn.
A: I am really interested in wet plate. The aesthetic, the process and the weirdly magical accidents that will likely happen as I am not the most particular when it comes to measuring temperatures, chemicals etc. I take a lazy, haphazard approach, which I imagine will make wet plate even more interesting.
Q: Tell me about something NOT related to photography you want to learn.
A: I am pretty linearly obsessed. I am sure there are other things, but photography is all-consuming for me.
Q: What does your family/loved ones think/feel about your photography?
A: I think they recognize it brings me joy, and so they are at peace with it. And my kids, who are often my models, have reluctantly accepted it. They have each had a portrait or two published so I think that gives me street cred with them.
Q: What is the last photography related book you’ve acquired?
A: Sally Mann’s ‘A Thousand Crossings’ is probably the latest addition – I absolutely love her work, and it has a big influence on me and what I am looking to achieve. I have also been looking at a ton of Julia Margaret Cameron books I got from our local library. Her stuff is incredible, I am currently obsessing over her work.
Q: Name one of your favorite accounts on Instagram and explain what draws you to this photographer.
A: @jtinseoul who is a mentor who really worked with me this past spring – his work is wonderful and he has really great story telling. Another is @nicholasdominictalvola – he is an absolutely amazing artist. His printing is amazing.
Q: Have you ever sold or have thought about selling any of your photographs? Would you do it again? Any advice for others thinking of selling their photographs?
A: I have sold a few prints and also did some specific work for clients. I would absolutely do it again. The client work is stressful because you are really trying to please someone else. They probably select you because of your style, but it is still nerve-wracking as you want to ensure they see value in the work. This is different from my usual stuff as I make it for me and what pleases me. If someone is also happy with it and would like to purchase, that’s a bonus, but I generally find this more peaceful type of work. Though I would do both. My advice is make photos for you. If you do that, maybe the other stuff will follow.
Q: Are there any photography related projects you’re working on that you’d like to tell us about?
A: I am working on a series called consuming nature – a series of self portraits and landscape/nature photos taken on my 4x5. I have made about 75 plates I am happy with, though I will continue to work on this over the next year to year and ½ and then cull the work. There is an odd accumulation that happens. You make a great (to you) photo, and then you have to make a better one to follow. And so the bar keeps getting raised where you are chasing this constant improvement. I wonder how it will be when I look back on those early plates and wonder if I will still love them.
Q: Are there any non-photographic related projects you’re working on that you’d like to tell us about?
A: Not especially so.
Q: Where is your favorite location to shoot (specific place or type of place)?
A: There is a large natural forest near us called Rouge National Park. I have literally run hundreds of miles through there and hiked just about as many but always find something new and interesting or changing as mother nature works in her wondrous ways.
Q: Is there a specific object you’ve found yourself photographing over and over again? If so, why?
A: Portraits – the same people, but with different light, emotion, feeling. It is part of the amazing thing about film – light is always a little different and the film reacts a little uniquely each time.
Q: Favorite thing about the photographic community?
A: Everyone is so welcoming – as a newbie starting out, people have been exceptionally patient with all the questions and the local community in Toronto has been really great – people are always gifting, trading or generally offering up film, gear and advice, its really amazing.
Q: What do you think the photographic community is missing?
A: Probably a really great place to share work. FB, IG and other places are ok, but don’t really allow for the ability to study work and take it all in. it’s a little too instant. Some say the original Flickr was like this, but I wasn’t into photography then.
Q: Biggest photography related pet peeve?
A: Its probably self-inflicted. Stupid things like not loading film properly, or dropping cameras and such.
Q: What do you hope your photographic legacy will be?
A: I’ve not really though of it. The photos are mostly for my own desire and opportunity to be creative. If someone can enjoy or make sense of it all, I guess that would be swell.
Q: Who is the one person (living or dead) that you’d like to photograph and why? Describe the type of portrait you’d shoot, and the message you’d want this portrait to communicate about this person.
A: My grandfather. Unfortunately he passed away before I really started into photography, at least in any meaningful way. He was my father figure growing up, and taught me my love for the outdoors. I would love to have him sit for me and take a lovely long exposure portrait of his kind smile.
If you aren’t already familiar with Jamie’s work, I do hope this inspired you to visit the various social media outlets where Jamie share’s his work and give it a look. I am personally amazed by the emotion Jamie is able to capture in this photos. He is truly an inspiration to me.
