One needs only spend a few minutes perusing the photos of Josef Koudelka to find 100 reasons why I’m no Josef Koudelka — none of which weigh in my favour. His panoramic work inspired my own forays into the format, while simultaneously leaving me rather dispirited by the wideframe oeuvre I’ve produced. Two of his standard format books — “Gypsies” and “Exiles” — both contain more perfect photos than I could create in a dozen lifetimes.
As apparent as these 100 differences are to the naked eye, there’s a 101st that isn’t as overtly obvious — philosophy. Koudelka once said, “I never stay in one country more than three months. Why? Because I was interested in seeing, and if I stay longer I become blind.” I’ll admit to having always envied his nomadic lifestyle, but it was never going to mesh with the drudgery of my day job. And since there were 100 readily apparent reasons why I’m no Josef Koudelka, there were also 100 reasons why my photography earnings would never supplant that day job. But here’s the thing: Being forced to photograph the same environment — day after day, month after month, year after year, decade after decade — is exactly what taught me TO see.
I walk over 1000 miles/year taking photographs — the vast majority of which are snapped within a 4 mile radius of my condo. I have photographed every inch of that radius hundreds, if not thousands, of times. And yet each photograph is different than the ones that came before it. A change in my mood; a change in the light; a change in season; a change in context; a change in camera, lens, or film; a change in the subject itself. Each results in an entirely different photograph — none of which could ever be the “definitive” photograph of the subject, because no such thing can possibly exist.
Being confined to a single environment forces you to see past a subject’s surface and deep into its entanglement with the universe. Photography may indeed be easier when everything in front of your camera is new — but it’s more spiritually rewarding when you’re forced to face the familiar, and work to see it in a different light.
That’s not to say I wouldn’t love the opportunity to travel to new places and photograph new things. I absolutely would. It’s exhilarating when you can stand in one spot and a hundred photographic possibilities flood your eye. When you photograph a single environment for decades, that flood turns to drought. 99% of everything I pass triggers the same thought — “I’ve already taken that photo.” But that 1% — where something reveals itself in such a way that it never revealed itself before — that’s the ultimate reward.
So I must humbly disagree with Koudelka. Being in one place for too long doesn’t make you go blind. Rather — it simply unlocks a different way of seeing. So, even though there are still 100 reasons why I wish I could take photos like Koudelka, there’s one that makes me very glad to be me.
© 2023 grEGORy simpson
ABOUT THE PHOTOS: All these photos were shot in spots I’ve traversed nearly as frequently as the hallway in my condo, yet each reveals something not seen in all the previous shots taken in exactly these same locations.
‘Meta‘ was shot with a Konica Hexar AF on Fomapan 100, and developed in Rodinal 1:50. ‘Over the Under Overpass‘ was photographed with a Widelux F7 on Rollei RPX100, and developed in Rodinal 1:50. ‘Fetch‘ was snapped with a Nikon 28Ti on Ilford Ortho Plus 80, and developed in HC-110 Dilution H. ‘Andy‘ was shot with a Leica IIIc and a 35mm f/3.5 Elmar LTM lens, on Tri-X, and developed in HC-110 Dilution E. ‘Redundant 1‘ was photographed with a Konica Hexar AF on Rollei RPX100, and developed in Rodinal 1:50. ‘Redundant 2‘ was shot with a Contax G1, fronted with a Contax 45mm f/2 Planar lens, using Delta 3200, which was developed in Rodinal 1:25.
REMINDER: If you’ve managed to extract a modicum of enjoyment from the plethora of material contained on this site, please consider making a DONATION to its continuing evolution. As you’ve likely realized, ULTRAsomething is neither an aggregator site nor is it AI-generated. Serious time and effort go into developing the original content contained within these virtual walls — even the silly stuff.
Those who enjoy a tactile engagement with photographs are encouraged to visit the ULTRAsomething STORE, where actual objects, including ULTRAsomething Magazine, are available for purchase.
IMPORTANT: Speaking of ULTRAsomething magazine, this will probably be the last month that I offer free shipping in the US and Canada… so if you’ve been holding off purchasing an issue or two (or three), now’s the time to grab it!
Sorry, Egor, I have to say it again: hair. This is the fundamental matter for anyone aspiring to achieve something.
Koudelka means ruffled hair (long and dirty on most occaisons, too) so with such a name the guy was given a head start on the birth.
And as for these three months of seeing: maybe after that time spent in one place his hair was starting forming a veil over his eyes and once he started moving it naturally started moving back his head?
I’ve had the same experience as you, Egor. I’m constantly walking the streets in Portland, seeing the same subjects, which I’ve already captured once, if not more. It’s challenging to see the same scenes differently, which requires heading out at different times of the day and taking a route that is never the same, for the most part. And I keep going out into my neighborhood, because I’m amazed at how many times I’ve walked by something that I never noticed before. The light may have not been right or I was distracted by a singular focus on a different subject which prevented me from seeing what has been there all along. But, when the chance comes up to go somewhere else with my camera, I’m outta here!
This also has a lot to do with my addiction to old film cameras and lenses. Each one (not to mention the film stocks and processing choices) imparts its own character, which can further abstract or alter a previously seen scene, allowing me to extract maximum photo potential from my surroundings. The pressure of needing to publish the next issue of a magazine helps as well. 😉
Nice article. – I see, on myself, the influence of age as well. When young I had to have strong impulses to create. New places, new situations, new experiences. – Then, I was flooded with the usual work/parent/husband/… storms. Not many great photos besides family stuff. – And now, the older I become the more happy I am with taking almost the same pics at the very same spots and simply savouring subtle differences in light, the scenery, clouds, etc. – I have the time, I have the patience, I no longer rush anywhere. – Nice as well.
Koudelka is some talent. People skills too, to get so close like he does.
I’m poorly suited to travel, it just wipes me out, so I’m dug in as deep as I can be right here. I’ve been watching the landscape slowly change around me over the years but none of that really catches my imagination.
Mostly now I’m just trying to photograph things I can’t even see. Perhaps it would help if I was blind? I seem to spend a lot of time peering up at rooftops. At least there are no damn cars up there.