The Kingdom, the power, and the glory

Rochester Institute of Technology

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Theses Thesis/Dissertation Collections

5-1-1988

The Kingdom, the power, and the glory

Craig Varjabedian

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Recommended Citation

THE KINGDOM, THE POWER, AND THE GLORY

by

CraigVarjabedian

Submittedin Partial Fulfillment of the ReqUirements for the Degree

MASTER OF FINEARfS

MFA PHOTOGRAPHY PROGRAM

SCHOOL OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS AND SCIENCES ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

1988. MAY

Dr. Richard D. Zakia. Professor & Thesis Board Chainnan

School of Photographic Arts & Sciences Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester. New York

Dr. Mihai Nadin. Professor

Eminent Scholar in Art and Design Technology The Ohio State University

Columbus. Ohio

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

REPRODUCTION & COPYRIGHT STATEMENTS i.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii.

DEDICATION iii.

IN THE BEGINNING 1.

THE KlNGDOM: NEW MEXICO 3.

THE POWER: THE PHOTOGRAPHS 8.

THE GLORY: EMOTIONAL INTO SPIRITUAL 10.

WORKlNG METHODS 13.

COMMENTS ON TECHNIQUE 15.

SOME AFTERTHOUGHTS 17.

NOTES 19.

BIBLIOGRAPHY 20.

ILLUSTRATIVE MATERIAL:

• APPENDIX A: THESIS PROPOSAL

• APPENDIX B: EXHIBITION FOREWORD • APPENDIX C: THE BLACKROOM MANUAL

LIST OF PLATES:

CANON BLANCO RANCH, STANLEY, NM.

Photograph byKurt Vanderpile

DAWN, CHACO CANYON, NM.

RIO CHAMA, DAWN, ABIQUIU, NM.

FAJADA BUTTE, CHACO CANYON, NM.

PINE CONES, TENT ROCKS, COCHITI, NM.

WHITE ROCKS, DAWN, THE BLACK PLACE, BISTI WILDERNESS, NM.

EVENING STORM, HERNANDEZ, NM.

TUNYO, THE BLACK MESA, SAN ILDEFONSO PUEBLO, NM.

SUNSET AND EVENING STORM, CANONCITO, NM.

: 1

:2

:3

:4

:5

:6

:7

:8

REPRODUCTION STATEMENT:

I, Craig VaIjabedian, require that I be contacted each time a request for reproduction of my thesis, THE KINGDOM, THE POWER, AND THE GLORY is made. I can be contacted at the following address:

Post Office Box 8536

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504-8536

Craig VaIj abedian 30 May, 1988

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT:

Unless credited otherwise, all text and photographs Copyright© 1988 by Craig VaIjabedian

All rights reserved.

No part of this report may be reproduced in any form, by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the copyright holder.

ACKNOWLED GEMENTS:

To thank all the persons who have assisted and nurtured me through the past four years of stubborn effort would require at least a chapter or two. Itis no measure of my gratitude that those to whom lowe much are only mentioned in this general sense.

However. there are some who have earned mention for heroism above and beyond the call of duty:

The dedicated teachers who accepted the request to be members of my thesis board: Dr. Richard D. Zakia. Professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology and Dr. Mihai Nadin. Professor and Eminent Scholar in Art and Design

Technology at the Ohio State University. You have my unreserved gratitude for your patience and your confidence that helped me survive this long travail.

My assistant Kurt Vanderpile. who provides me with exceptional darkroom support. who assists me in schleppingthe many pounds of camera equipment required in the field. and provides me with friendship -- always.

My editor and friend Jill Fineberg. for providing enthusiasm and straightforward help in improving the text -- who gently but diligently prodded me to be clear with my ideas and inspired me with the courage to share them on paper.

And finally. to the future Master of Fine Arts student who finds this report on the shelves of the library archive -- may you discover something in this that gives you strength. patience and wisdom.

The most beautiful _thing we can

experience is the mysterious. It is the source ofall true art and science. He to whom this

emotion is a _stranger, who can no longer

pause to wonderand stand wrapped in awe, is

as good as dead. His eyes are closed. This insight into the _{mystery oflife,} coupled

though it be withfear, has also given rise to

religion. To know that what is impenetrable to us _really exists, _{manifesting itself}as the

highest charisma and the most radiant

beauty which our dullfaculties can

comprehend _only in the most primitiveform,

this knowledge, thisfeeling, and, I would say,

this

deep

belief, is the center _oftrue religiousness.

- Albert Einstein

IN THE BEGINNING:

Aphotograph _ofan _{incoming evening} storm and an oldNew Mexicanadobe church. _{Splashes of lightfrom}the _setting sunare scattered ontree tops and

outline telephone wires _{directionallypulling} the viewerinto the image. Dark

heavily contrasted withlight, ina_sweeping manifestation_ofnature. A stUlness

is_present, simultaneous with_{smoky breezes escaping}fromadistant_chimney stack, all _ofthis againsta _{backdropof commanding} and _impending storm

clouds.

This describes the composition ofthe image. Sunset and _Evening Storm, Canoncito, New _Mexico, and whatis so _obviouslyinherent on first_viewing it.

But the real _story is that days passed until the proper elements oflight and clouds came together so that I might make this statementabout a little church and its _relationship to the _nearby New Mexicanvillage. Itmirrors the feelings I

experienced when I stood there. Itwas exposed and developed to capture and communicate _my emotional response to the scene.

There was a power present that _day and it is _preciselywhatI had been waiting

for. The land seemed to open _up; the drama was _already orchestrated. Quite

simply all I needed to dowas be there, emotionally, _readyto _{have my heart} open

to the splendor, and _{technicallyready} with all _mypast _knowledge, to capture

whatwas I was seeing, _feeling and intending, on film.

And finally, within those emotions felt, and the power_{witnessed, my}inner

vision aligned with _my outer_reality and I succeeded in _{creating something}

reflective of_myspirit . . . something spiritualto be exact. I packed up my

equipment, feeling full and sustained and rejuvenated, as ifjust _having eaten a

delicious meal. I felt exhilarated _bythe process of_{being fully} awake, aware of

would be no _sleep that nightuntil the negative had been made real _by processing.

In each of_myphotographs there exist elements of composition and all the technical expertise I have achieved thusfar. However, at this point in _{my life} when I am notencumbered _by the process ofphotography, the proper use of

equipment, orthe limitations ofmaterials, _manyimportant elements that contribute to the precise moment _my soul meets the shutter come to light.

These include: _profoundlypersonal _emotion, the _curiosity and passion that push me around the next comer both professionally and actually, the dramatic and powerful _quality ofthis "land ofenchantment", and _mywillingness to rest_my spirit in these _solitaryplaces I have the _opportunityto explore.

Extensive and _involving projects such as this one I have now completed are rewarding, iffor no other reason than one simple fact: no matter howfar one

thinks he mightbe pushed in order to fulfill the requirements, the personal discovery and _stretchingis _{far beyond anything} that could have been speculated orimagined.

Herein lies the excitement ofthe work and _my craft. For as _long as I strive to

be an _{artist, my only} obstacles are the skepticism and confinements regulated _by

the controls of_my own mind. Therewill always be new risks to take and new visions to explore. _{By making}a conscious choice to drift into _{my senses,}

emotions, and gift of_trance, I know that _mycreative potential is limitless.

CraigVarjabedian

THE KINGDOM: NEW MEXICO

We are _certainly giftedwith _{many visually}exquisite power places on our earth

virtual treasure chests ofevocative images forthe photographer. _Concerning

this thesis, I might have chosen to capture the _foggyhorizons ofMartha's

Vineyard, the _rocky coast ofCanada's Cape Breton, orthe earth's regurgitations

through Hawaii's volcanos. Other choices mighthave been the beautiful

waterfalls at Yosemite National Park, the primordial world ofMichigan's Isle

Royale or the blood-red bouldered canyonlands ofUtah. And the list goes on

and on. Instead I chose New_Mexico, for reasons thatwere_barely clear atthe

beginning, and which are _{becoming increasingly}more focused as I call this

special place _my home.

There are _many common stories as to _whypeople settle here in New Mexico.

I have heard countless times thatsomeone was _driving through herewhen

their carbroke _down, and _they have been here ever since. And thatwas

fifteenyears ago. More often than not one hears howpeople were "guided"

here. And _theymean guided in a spiritual sense, in the_wayyou suspected I

might mean, butwere _hoping I was kidding. "Avoice told me to come to New

Mexico."

"I have an inner Indian spirit guidewho instructed me to move to

New Mexico, the land ofthe nativeAmericans, to do _mynext workin the

world."

Others have come because of a desire to _belong to thevast artistic community.

Manyartists, photographers, painters and potters included, come here

because the light is so unique. Paint companies test their products out here

because the light is so brilliant. You _actuallysee signs _along the road that _say

Contrast can be a problem _because it can foolyou into _believing a correct

negative has been achieved _onlyto printit later and find out otherwise. Southwestern light envelopes objects; it is a softer yet more intense kind of light, which one gets accustomed _to, then begins to crave like a drug, and

ultimately becomes prettypompous about.

Some settle here because ofthe _healing community. Alternative remedies and

techniques abound. There are five alternative _healing schools in the town of

Santa Fe alone, population 50,000. Some feel the _energyofthe land is _directly

connected to _healing properties.

The abundance of rituals and ceremonies, performed in praise ofthe land, the

sky, the animals, the four elements, and global directions have _longbeen

NativeAmerican traditions here. With so much communication betweenthe

land and the people on _it, there is a _deep connection thatcan be physically

experienced _{simplybywalking} around its mesas, mountains and arroyos.

The authorJohn _Nichols, in his book. If Mountains Die, describes his pull to

New Mexico in the _following way:

There has got to _{be something} else, _going deeper, _travelingfarther

back. When you wind _up in a place thatbecomes a real _home, you cannot _simply attribute your arrivalto casual accident, not in this nation ofinveterate rovers. And when the place is so much of a

home that almost _immediatelythe land backEast, where you did most of your _growingup, looks like a foreign and cluttered planet covered with _sicklygreen mold, you cannot _cavalierly slough off

this arid, wide-open _territory asjust another casual _watering spot

in the musical chairs oflife.

One ofthe oldest and most important humandrives is to locate, return _to, stake claims upon the _country ofone's origins. These

origins are physical, psychic, spiritual. _Many of us forgotthem generations ago perhaps ourforefathers, or our _"melting

discover them again. Others _among us areluckier: ourpeople

protected these sacred _origins, sometimes _{by refusing} to lose a

native language orto sell an old house or a piece ofland . . . sometimes _{by saving letters, diaries,} old photographs . . . and

sometimes _{bypassingdown, from} one generation to the next,

stories, history, and a special _{sensibility approaching}instinct to land, politics, religion thatbecomes almost a genetic trait in the

blood.

I set sail for this place, _{then, many}generations ago.

And I cannot lose it now, for I have always had it. It is as _strong in

me as the stone that rolls from the _top ofthe mountain to the

bottom ofthe gorge: it is as swift inme as the _darting swallows . . .

Before I even knewthe name ofthis place I could have proven to

you that it had always existed in _{my heart} and in the hearts of_my

familythatwent before me. . . .

When I got_{here, finally (when mybody} caught _{up to the} rest of

me), my life became a victory. 1

New Mexico is home to me now. Prior to _{my moving here} I _{had only}spent a

briefperiod oftime _experiencing the state inAugust of 1979. Much more

time was spent _dreaming of_beinghere. Itwas inthese dreams I felt

profoundlyconnected to a land I knew little about butfelt mysteriously drawn

to. Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings, which spoke so _clearlyto the sparse

grandeur, hinted always of what I suspected thatland to be about forme. New

Mexico was like a child _{persistently tugging} at _myshirttail.

Some people are overwhelmed _by the expansiveness ofNewMexico; it makes

them nervous: their heart feels it will open too farinto vulnerability. Others

welcome such rare expanse in our cluttered world: a chance to begrounded

in the earth and _{simultaneously}open in the heart and senses to unimpeded

possibilities of_being more _fullyalive.

I feel honoured sometimes to have thisvisual playground inwhich to make

the _energy to explore around the next comer, oraround the _upcoming ridge. Because it is home and I have come to know it so _intimately, I feel I can

recognize, understand and appreciate the subtle distinctions of_meaning

inherent in the subject matter.

Where another photographer _{may be} intouch with the precise moments that fogwill rise from behind docked boats and water's horizon lines atMartha's

Vineyard, I havebecome familiarwiththe softly-litformations ofNew Mexico

and knowwhen and where to search for that evocative shadow and particular

detail thatwill make _myimages distinctive.

Just as Georgia O'Keeffe used to ride over these _rockyand _dustydirt roads in search ofthe exact spot where _{light, colour,} and _glory allbecome enmeshed, I too engage in such a scavenger _{hunt for my}photographs. She carriedbrushes,

canvas, water and a chair in her old Ford _touring car. I _carryviewcamera, tripod, _focusing cloth, and film holders.

O'Keeffe worked _primarily in colour _here, and indeed one cannotdispute how

inescapably colourful New Mexico is. Perhaps a more obvious and more

authenticallygraspable film would be Kodachrome. For the spectrum of

colours are as varied as the _landscape, yet _equally as vibrant and alive: lavender

boulders, beet-red and mustard-yellow _clayhills, blue-green chamisa,

salmon-coloured cactus blooms.

But the black and white medium does something special to this landscape and

Portfolios ofAnsel _Adams. John Szarkowski describes wellthe challenge to the

black and white photographer:

To describe in a smallmonochrome picture the difference

between the twilight of_earlymorning and that ofevening, or between thewarm sun of_May and the hot sun of_June, requires

that _everytone ofthe _grayscale be tuned to a precise _relationship of pitch and volume, so that the picture as a whole sounds a chord that is consonantwith our memories of whatit was _like, or our dreams of what itmightbe _like, to stand in such a spot at such a moment. 2

It is _my passion for this land that makes _myphotographic_journey adventurous. I chose New Mexico because ofthe great_variety of subject matter that canbe

found here. Asingle day's work mightbegin in ourbackyard where the peach

tree has started to _blossom; while the end ofthe _daycould end _up at San Ildefonso Pueblo photographing anhomo oven or the greatkiva.

I also chose New Mexicobecause ofits unpredictableness. No matterhow

manytimes I have witnessed a particular New Mexico landscape, ithas never

looked the same. One _day it is showered in brilliant sunshine, not a cloud for

days, much less miles. Othertimes, the sun's rays are telescoped through

billowy clouds _spotlighting some particularhill, _leaving anotherin shadow.

Though I savour this unpredictableness, it can cause its own set of unique

problems. Itwas difficultto _keep a specific _itinerarybecause ofthe _very

nature of_my photographs. While indeed I had a plan to _follow, itwas _strongly influenced _byweather conditions and the unknown qualities ofa new place.

The mountains, Indian pueblos, arroyos, desert and rock formations are

enough to _keep an artist_visually and _{psychologically} stimulated for alifetime,

as is evidenced _bythe great _bodyofpaintings produced _byGeorgia O'Keeffe.

There are places in New Mexico that call to you from a hundred miles away, and more. _Theyhave been _calling men to their presence for thousands ofyears and _theyare still calling. _Many people go to these places _having no idea _{why they}go, and leave having no idea _whytheywent. 3

THE POWER: THE PHOTOGRAPHS

In 1950, Georgia O'Keeffe wrote in a letter to her agent and friend William

Howard _Shubart,

About _mywork ... I always have two opinions one is myway of seeing it for myself

--and for myselfI am never satisfied never really I almost always fail always I think now next time I can do it. Maybe that is part of what keeps one _working -- I

can also look at myself _bythat I mean_mywork from the point ofviewof

the _looking public and that is the_way I look atit when I think of showing. I have always first had a showfor myself and made _{up my} mind then after thatit doesn't matter_very much to me what anyone else says good or bad. 4

I have come to understand it is the work _{itself, both} the _body of negatives and

the prints made from _them, accomplished through _experience, as well as

thework _takingplace inside all of_us, thatlends power to art, whateverform

of expression it takes. Itseems _very clear to me thatprior to _expressing

anything to the world through a photograph, a _paintingon _canvas, or a great

piece ofmusic, an artist mustfirst recognize thatwhich is unique to him

alone.

This uniqueness involves

self-discovery and the _asking ofquestions. Itinvolves

inner exploration of strengths and weaknesses. It involves_{being fully} awake

and aware of all our personal experiences, even and perhaps most_importantly,

the timeswe must choose to take the difficult path over the easier and

perhaps more trodden one. Howcan a photographer _truly comprehend the

implications oflightand shadowifto some degree he has never explored his

personal light aswell as dark sides, his_joy aswell as his depressions? It is _only then that one can hold the rare power to see _deep into the significance of

things.

Within that _seeingand _knowingcomes clear-sightedness, and from that place we experience real vision and power. Then our_knowing, ourtechnique

becomes like that ofthe _lightningrod. We somehow _{sense, intuit,} and feel the power of aplace because it resonates with our own human spirit, and we instinctivelyrealizewithout a doubtthat this iswhere the soul must meetthe

shutter, and a new image is realized.

Capturing a portrait of a place's power is not an _easytask. Itrequires patience, openness and _sensitivity notto mentiontechnical skill to do it truly. When I photograph, I am _reacting to stimuli I can't _exactly identify. It is _something ephemeral. But there are _manyplaces in NewMexico that drawpeople. _They possess an inherent force. They're not indicated on _{any map,} but_they call, like

a telephone ringing, and you have to answer it.

I have come to knowthat poweris the _keyand _driving force behind the_whyand

what I am _making photographs of. What I mean _{bythis is that there} are subjects

out there that exercise some type ofinfluence or command over us. We have no choice but to respond.

An excellent case in point is Ansel Adams's account inhis bookAnsel Adams: An Autobiography ofthe _makingofhis famous photograph, _{Moonrise, Hernandez,}

9 : SUNSETAND EVENING

Driving south _{alongthe highway, I observed a fantastic}

scene as we approached thevillage of_{Hernandez. In the east, the moon was}

rising over distant clouds and _snowpeaks, and in thewest, the late afternoon sun glanced over a_{south-flowing} cloud bank and blazed a

brilliant white upon the crosses in the church cemetery. I steered

the station wagon into the _deep shoulder _alongthe road and

jumped out, _scramblingto get_my equipmenttogether, _yelling at

Michael and Cedric to "Getthis! Get_{that, for} God's sake! We don't

have much time!" 5

It is also apparent to me that a lot of whatit means to be a powerful

photographer is about_beingprivate. You have to make _upyour mind to be alone

in _manyways, because alone is where one gets acquainted with oneself and

grows _up and beyond. It is a commitmentto one's self and it translates into a

commitment to the _integrityofthe final product.

Commitment is a difficult _thingto describe. Iwould, however, suffice to _say it

means _crawling out ofbed at 4:30 on a _{freezing morning} so thatyou can get the

picture you want at sunrise. It's not _quittingwhen _something doesn'twork. I've

found that you can learn the most when you pushthrough frustration. _Woody

Allen said _somethinglike, "Ifyou're not _makingmistakes, you're _probablynot

learning anything." I believe that.

THE GLORY: EMOTIONAL INTO SPIRITUAL

Photography is a means of_learning on several dimensions, and then _transferring

thatknowledge into the expression ofthe emotional forthe satisfaction ofthe

spiritual. I would _say that _myphotographs are full expressions of_something that

I_feel, in the deepest sense, about what I am photographing, and are true

manifestations of what I feel about life. _Theyare images inwhich an attempt is

made to create a perfect_harmony of expression and revelation, ofthatwhich is

expressed and thatwhich is revealed. I want _myphotographs to _embody a _unity of selfand the worldwhere neither _{dominates the other, whereboth are}

present in perfect equilibrium.

The visual expression of_{feelingshould be understood as simple devotion to the}

medium. It mustbe a statement ofthe utmost_clarity and perfection possible with the tools and materials available. As I explore the world around me and the

world within _{me, my pictures attempt to communicate and mirror this process.}

To characterize _mywork, I would _say that itwas inspired _by the images ofAnsel

Adams, Alfred Stieglitz and Minor White. ItwasAdamswho struck me firstwith his _abilityto render the interpretation ofnature in _{sharply defined images,} with afull and _highly controlled tonal range.

Beyond the technical aspects ofthe medium, I learned from Stieglitz and White

an emotionalresponse to photography, _specifically that not _only can a

photograph interpretwhat is seen, it can also express what is _felt, and at times

what is _really there, or what seems to be there. In an article inAperture

magazine, _DorothyNorman quotesAlfred Stieglitz who describeswell what I am

talkingabout.

Iwanted to photograph clouds to find out what I had learned in 40

years of photography. Through clouds to put down _{my philosophy}

oflife to showthat _myphotographs were not due to subject

matter not to special trees, or faces, or _interiors, to special

privileges, clouds were there, for everyone

-no tax on them

-free. 6

When I make a photograph, I take mytime. I letthe subject speakto me in

some _way - to _attract

my attention, _myeye, mysoul - to the

most fundamental

visual harmonies oflight and form. But I am_waiting - in

a_way

-for something

more, as I stand there with _my camera. Iwant to lose a sense ofisolation, the

separateness of myselffromwhat is out there.

The separateness _is, of_course, a part of_{everyday life,} ofsurvival, forall of us.

Butfor the artist, it is an obstacle to _expressing the essence ofa subject. Tappinginto thatbigger connection iswhat I wait _for, because I have learned

that _onlywhen I lose myselfin a scene does the photograph become

transparent. _Only then is it an _openingthroughwhich theviewer ofthe print

can glimpsewhat the scene revealed atthe moment of exposure.

Something else is discovered in this process. The same essence I seekin

nature seems to exist within me as well. Or, perhaps whatI see and feel as the

visual _harmonyof a scene is _reallya _{harmony my} mind creates out of chaos.

Whetherthe harmonious vision of nature expressed in _my photographs is embodied in nature _itself, or _onlyin the contours of_my mind, is a question for

philosophers and critics.

I can _onlysay that this harmony is the most profound, spiritual experience of_my life, and _myworkis an effort to create a concrete formal equivalent ofthat

experience.

So I lose myselfin a subject _onlyto reappearin a photograph ofit. For better or

worse, _my photographs are expressions ofmy self and _myworld as I experience

it. _Mygoal is to experience all ofthis as _fullyand _directlyas I can - to

use _my

camera as avehicle for that experience - _{amode of}travelifyou will

- _{and a}

means of_expressingthe essence ofthat experience to theviewer.

I am_willingto betouched _by this force or essence that is part ofmy experience

-for it aids me _{in creating the} visions I see, both inside and outside ofme, and

even thosevisions that cannotbe seen. This is part ofthe communion I have

with photography. I will allowmyselfto be guided into spiritual spaces and power places in order to see beyond theusual. Therefore I often respond from

aplace oftrancewhere I can flow from _{guidancerather than from} a

mind-directed control.

Two miles down a _{rocky canyon road,}

only accessible_bya fourwheel drive

vehicle, _somethingcan be _calling me to be there. It is aninstinctive _receptivity,

and ifI _{follow it,} I am always led to a place ofpower. If I ignore it and allow_my

conscious mind to _intercede, I am often filled with regrets because I missed out

on a _{transformational experience.}

Out here in the high _{desert land} ofNew_{Mexico, my}heart quiets down.

Violence and world problems and business issues meander_away down river

paths, and I am leftjust _being and _drifting . . . present, awake, aware of

my soul,

and attuned to the creative process. _Mytime in NewMexico bailiwicks

engenders a _powerfully active _relaxation, where_working is centering, not

stressful.

WORKING METHODS:

Forthis thesis project, I produced _{approximately} one thousand negatives

certainly notall of which were masterpieces. I am moved to set _up the camera

to photographbased on emotional responses, but emotion is like the _gray scale

ofthe Zone System ten steps from blackto white

-sometimes _my emotions

are at opposite ends ofthe spectrum. Other_{times, they} are locatedin the

intermediate zones. I believe the photographs speak muchbetter ofthis than I

will ever be able to.

I can get excited about a series of_dancing clouds _moving across the Black Mesa

at San Ildefonso Pueblo and believe this could make a powerful image. When I

recognize a potential _{picture, I don't waste a}

second _{thinking about the position}

ofobjects. More often _{than not, the image will}

just appear on the ground glass.

I work _{extremelyfast, sometimes}

with an assistant to hand me a certain filter or

lens, _thinking all the time. I haveworked _{very hard} to _{simplifymytechnique so}

that theresponse time to a subject is kept to a minimum. _Myinspiration

doesn'talways come from previous work, but from what is _goingon in me at a

particular moment and what is outthere in the present world I am viewing.

Myproblem has always been to remain as free as possible fromwhat I have done

in the past to _completely understand the feelings that are _affecting me atthe

moment. In the bookWynn Bullock: _{Photographing}the _Nude, the photographer

states,

Growth in _photographyrequires that the photographer _continually

engage in a critique ofhisways of_perceiving and _thinking so that

he _may not be _{unconsciously}ruled _bythem. Whenever I have

found myself stuckin theways I relate to things, I return to

nature. It is _my principal _teacher, and I _try to open _mywhole

being towhat it has to say. Although sometimes it takes me quite a

while, _eventuallythese interactions enable me to break the constricting habits I've formed and resume _mywork with fresh

vigor. 7

When an image is formed on _my ground glass, it is as much a part of me as the

presentation ofthe subject. There are timeswhen I will work for days or even

weekswith _nothing happening. The critical issuehere is that since I never

knowwhen _something is _goingto break, or I might change, I must_keep

working, even if the images seem _easy or contrived. Once again to quote Wynn

Bullock:

You really have to give ofyourselfto make good pictures Well that givingtakes a lot out of_{you, and you}

simply can't operate atthat intense level all the time. Neither canyou _{predeterminewhat}

happens outside you. As a _{consequence, I have taken}

thousands of

mediocre pictures. _{The fact thatgood pictures are}

rare, however

has _{never slowed me down. Just}

goingout and _looking at things and _using a camera is _{therapeutic. I}

deeply love the whole

process. And I have found that I can learn from the poor pictures I take as well as from the good. 8

COMMENTS ON TECHNIQUE:

The photographer JoelMeyerowitz in _{his book Cape Light describes the}

affinity he has for his camera:

... I have been using _avintage 8 _x 10"

Deardorffmade in _1938, but ithasn't changed much. It still presents a _{shining mahoganyface,}

and its brass and leather reflect the _history ofits outings like the medals and decorations on the chest of an old veteran. As for me, I'm _beginning to feel the effects of_carrying around 45 pounds of

equipment. Still it gives me almost as great a pleasure _looking atit as _looking through it. 9

I too _{have been enjoying} an

8x10"

Deardorffcamera for a _longtime. The image I see on the ground glass and hidden from the rest oftheworld _{by myfocusing} cloth is upside down and _backwards, often _confusingupon _firstviewing.

However after _{studying for} a moment, the mind makes an _interestingreversal of

it and _everything in the mind'seyeis correct and _properly seen with what is out there. I use several lenses that include a 10 inchwide field Kodak _Ektar, a 14 inch Kodak Ektar, a 19 inch RodenstockAPO Ronar and a 24 inchMelles Griot (Dagor design). I _{particularly enjoy using} the 10 inch lens as its angle is _slightly

less than what we see but has the feel ofhowwe see when our eyes are focused

on a single point.

The film I use is called _Plus-X, ablack and white negative film. Ithas a film

speed of ₁₂₅ although I alter the recommended speed as _necessary to

compensate for expansions and contractions ofthe negative tonal _scale,

required for proper _{development. I have found this}

film, for mypurposes, to be

universal

-to cover all ofthe possibilities thathave been encountered thus far

in the field. Exposures can begin at one second and can last as _long as ten

seconds atJ/45. All filmwas processed in Edwal FG-7 _developer, 1 plus 3

dilution, with no additional sodium sulfite added.

The prints were made on a paper imported from France _by ZoneVI _Studios,

Inc. of_{Newfane, Vermont. At the time, itwas the paper ofchoice asit}

responded well to the information stored on the negative and seemed to be

evenly graded from grades one to five. However, in the lightof newproduct

development, I have been _makingcurrent prints on Ilford Multigrade Fiberbase

paper. This paper, with its multiple contrast capability, allows me to print a

negative on a single piece of paper and _byusing the multi-contrast capabilities,

contend with various local densities on the negative that would otherwise not fit

the scale of a single contrast paper.

The prints were made in _my darkroom using alight bulb on a rheostat and a

contact_{printing frame.} All prints were developed in Ansco 130 (see formula in

appendix under Blackroom Manual) processed in standard _stop bath and fixer

formulae. From there _theywere toned in seleniumof various strengths and air

dried on plastic screens. The process of_making a print could sometimes take

many hours (and sometimes days) to achieve an image thatwas subtle, luminous

and true to what was seen and felt at the time the shutter was released.

SOME AFTERTHOUGHTS:

I'm sitting, nestled into the pocket of_{some toweringprehistoric, once under}

water, mountain range. What is left ofit now is _{slowly being} eroded _awaybythe

winds that can pick _up with a _furyand the rainswhich seem to arrive _every April.

It's a_very tranquil place rightnow, with _onlywhispers of wind as _they pass _by

these monolithic rocks. The silence is _{broken onlyby} the occassional click of

the shutter on _my assistant's camera. The moon is just _sitting above a distant

cloud bank in the eastern sky. As I sit _here, I'm _thinking ofthe things that

mustbe said _regarding a project thatwas started several years ago.

I feel somewhat distressed _{by being} putinto a position of_{discussingsomething}

that _{really has only}just begun and forwhich I havejuststarted _{reaching my}

stride. For me all artis process. It is _up to the critics and observers to view it

and _stamp their approval (or disapproval) on it. And whateverthe outcome, I

would still continue to express myselfin the _wayI have done.

There is an _incongruityin _{spendingtime writing} about a visual medium. In the

end analysis, a piece of art mustbe seen to be understood. In _myown _mind,

words have notbeen created that could ever dojustice to the actual _viewingof

anypiece of art. The Native American Indians believe thatwhen you photograph

them, it steals their soul. I believe too, _something similiar happens when one

picks _up the pen to discuss avisual medium. Feware blessed withthe facilities

ofdual expression in equal ability; in this instance creating deeplymoving

photographs and _being able to write about them.

I believe the mission ofthis thesis endeavour has been fulfilled

- to _make

photographs that are _essentially evocative - to understandwhatis going on

around me and in me

-to use nature and acamera as vehicles for this search.

This entire _essay hasbeen about what transpired.

The sun hasjust touched the crest ofthe hill thattowers to _myrightwhile

streaks ofbrilliant orange lightrake across the distant hills covered with

juniper and pinon pine. The moon is now_{directly overhead,} and the _evening

winds havejust started _up the dust devils.

I am reminded ofthe _closing of aletterwritten _by Georgia O'Keeffe to William

Howard Schubart. She wrote:

. . . pin up the moon

--not as fine as itwill be the nexttime I

give it to you

--pin it _{up along}withthat star The star is smallerbut such a fine glitter I always think ofthe desert

peoplewho have looked atit and figured out thingswith it

--or about it --G. 10

NOTES:

1. John _Nichols, IfMountains Dip (NewYork: _{Knopf, 1979), 11-12.}

2. John _{Szarkowski, Introduction to AnselAdams, The Portfolios}

ofAnsel Adams, (Boston: New York Graphic _{Society, 1977),} viii.

3. Daniel _Pearlman, "Places of_{Power: The Photographs} of_Craig Varjabedian"

(Exhibition _foreword, Santa _Fe, New _{Mexico, 1986)}

4. Jack Cowart andJuan _Hamilton, Georgia O'Keeffe: Artand Letters. (Washington: National _Gallery of_{Art, 1987),} 254.

5. Ansel_Adams, Ansel Adams: AnAutobiography. (Boston: New YorkGraphic Society, 1985), 273.

6. In _Dorothy Norman, "Alfred Stieglitz," Aperture 8: 1 (1960), 36.

7. Barbara Bullock and Edna Bullock,eds., Wynn Bullock: Photographingthe

Nude. (Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith Books, 1984), 26.

8. Ibid., 79.

9. Joel Meyerowitz, Cape Light. (Boston: Museum ofFine Arts, 1978)A Note onTechnique.

10. Cowart and Hamilton, Georgia O'Keeffe: Art and Letters. 260.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Materials are listed _{in correspondence with chapters}

ofthispaper.

THE _{KINGDOM: NEW MEXICO:}

Abbey, Edward. Desert Solitaire: A Season in the_{Wilderness New}

York-Simon and _{Schuster, 1968.}

Adams, Ansel. Photographs ofthe _{Southwest With} an _Essayon the land _by

Lawrence Clark Powell. Boston: New York Graphic _Society, 1976.

Adams, Ansel. The Portfolios ofAnsel Adams. Introduction _byJohn

Szarkowski. Boston: New York Graphic _Society, 1977.

Nichols, John. IfMountains Die: A NewMexico Memoir. Photographs_by William Davis. NewYork: AlfredA. _Knopf, 1982.

THE POWER: THE PHOTOGRAPHS:

Adams, Ansel. Ansel Adams: An Autobiography. With _Mary StreetAlinder. Boston: NewYork Graphic Society, 1985.

Arentz, Dick. Four Corners Country. Text _by Ian Thompson. Foreword_by

Philip Hyde. Tucson: _University ofArizona Press, 1986.

Clift, William. Certain Places. Santa Fe: William CliftEditions, 1987.

Cowart, Jack, and Juan Hamilton. Georgia O'Keeffe: Art and Letters. Letters

selected and annotated _by Sarah Greenough. Washington: National Gallery ofArt, 1987.

Lisle, Laurie. Portrait of anArtist: ABiography ofGeorgia O'Keeffe. New York: Washington Square Press, 1980.

THE GLORY: EMOTIONAL INTO SPIRITUAL:

Aperture, Inc. MinorWhite: Rites and Passages. His photographs

accompanied _by excerpts _{from his diaries} and letters. Biographical essaybyJames Baker Hall. Millerton, NewYork: _{Aperture, Inc.,} 1978.

Bullock, Wynn. "The Concepts and Principles ofWynn Bullock, 1970"TMs [photocopy]

Bullock, Wynn. "The Photograph as _Symbol, 1976". TMs _[photocopy]

Jussim, Estelle and Elizabeth Lindquist-Cock. Landscape as Photograph. NewHaven: Yale _University Press, 1985.

Lowe, Sue Davidson. Stieglitz: AMemoir/Biography. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1983.

Robertson, David. West ofEden: A _History ofthe Art and Literature of

Yosemite. n.p.: Yosemite Natural _HistoryAssociation and Wilderness Press, 1984.

WORKING METHODS:

Bullock-_{Wilson, Barbara, and} Edna _Bullock, eds. Wvnn Bullock: Photographing

the Nude. Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith Books, 1984.

Newhall, Beaumont, and _Amy Conger, eds. Edward Weston Omnibus: A Critical Anthology. SaltLake City: Peregrine Smith Books, 1984.

COMMENTS ON TECHNIQUE:

Adams, Ansel. Natural-Light Photography. Boston: New York Graphic Society, 1952.

Adams, Ansel, with the collaboration ofRobert Baker. Polaroid Land

Photography. Boston: New York Graphic Society, 1978.

. The Camera. Boston: New York

Graphic Society, 1980.

. The Negative. Boston: New York Graphic

Society, 1981.

The Print. Boston: NewYork Graphic Society, 1983.

Davis, Phil. Photography. Dubuque: William C. Brown _Publishers, 1986.

Keefe, Laurence E., Jr., and Dennis Inch. The Life ofA Photograph: Archival Processing, Matting, Framing, and Storage. Boston: FocalPress, 1984.

Meyerowitz, Joel. Cape Light. Foreword _by Clifford S. Ackley. Interview_by Bruce K. MacDonald. Boston: Museum ofFineArts, 1978.

SOME AFTERTHOUGHTS:

Rand, Ayn. The Fountainhead. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1943.

MISCELLANEOUS :

Caponigro, Paul. Megaliths. Boston: New York Graphic Society, 1986.

Castaneda, Carlos. Joumevto Ixtlan: The Lessons ofDon Juan. NewYork: Simon and _Schuster, 1972.

APPENDIX A:

THE EMOTIONAL _{QUALITY OF PHOTOGRAPHY}

by CraigVarjabedian

Thesisproposal submitted inpartialfulfillmentofthe requirementsforthe degree MASTEROF FINE ARTS

MasterofFine Arts Programme Rochester Instituteof_Technology School ofPhotographic Artsand Sciences Rochester, New York 1984, _May

Dr. RichardZakia, Professor, Chairman Fine ArtPhotographyDepartment RochesterInstitute of_Technology

Rochester, New York Thesis Chairman

Dr. Mihai Nadin

WilliamA. Kem Institute Professor,Rochester Institute of_Technology ProfessorofLiberalArtsandDesign Rhode Island School ofDesign Providence, Rhode Island

Directorofthe InstituteforVisual CommunicationandSemiotics Thesis Board Member

Mr. Daniel Pearlman Photographer SantaFe, NewMexico Thesis Board Member

1. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The intention ofthis thesis is to make _{photographs that are}

essentially

evocative. _{By doing so, I hope to}

understandwhat is _going on around me and

inme. I intend to _{use nature and a camera as vehicles for}

this search.

2. _BACKGROUND

This section _{has been divided into two parts which}

deserve explanation. The firstis self which refers to _my inner _feelings and thoughts. The second is other whichrefers to things that are _{external; outside processes and persons}

who have inspired me _by theirdoings ortheir sincere remarks made while

looking at _myphotographs.

2. 1 Self: The _making ofphotographs that are evocative is_veryimportant to me. I do not want to prescribe some sortofresponse to aviewer, but rather,

Iwant the viewer tobe moved and to gain some recognition of what I was

seeing and _feeling when I made a particular_photograph, to stirhis memories

of what it_{may be like} to be alone in anuntouched world. It is then hoped

the experiencewill release _something inside theviewer _{that takes} him back to a particulartime and place. When I photograph, _myinterest is not inthe

description of_{objects, trees,} rocks and the _like, but rather, with the

description ofthe light that _they modulate, the light that justifies their

relationship to each other. AnselAdamswrote inthe preface to his Portfolio I, Somephotographers take _reality as the sculptors takewood and stone and

upon it impose the _{dominations of}theirown thought and spirit. Others

come before _reality more_tenderly and a photographto them is an

instrument ofloveand revelation.

I have no ideahowthe world is supposed tobe_{there is no}

wayof_measuring this, so I believe _myphotographs are _very much approximations. The

making ofphotographic images is a _consumingpassion on _my partto find out

what is _happeningin and around me. I believe this act of creation with a

camera is a search to find a home for myselfin thisworld. It is this ideaof

homethat I wish to evoke in persons who look at_myphotographs. The use ofa camera is a _{way for} me to _{tap something that} lies dormant orlatent and

make an image ofthat moment ofrevealment. I am a child inthe process _of life, that to me is a mystery. I need to be able to more _fully and _consciously experience this process. Once experienced, I wantto respond to that

process with a camera, in a freshand alive, verypersonal way. _Myinterest is

not in a cliche or a _copy of other pictures. This is the

responsibility I accept with the undertaking ofthis thesis. Photographyis a

someone a photograph is a_{wayto communicate;} a_wayto share _something and letothers knowwho I am, and fromwhere I am coming. This _sharing

allows me to avoid a path that would lead me to isolation. _By someone's

response, I will learnwhere others have _been, and where _theyare in their

life process. Ithas been _my experience that _sharingis _verymuch atthe

center of_mylife, and I would be _greatlyhandicapped _bynot _doing so. _By

making photographs _then, I am able to share, and thus communicate. I want to challenge and to be challenged, to growbeyond the cliche, to go

forward and break new _ground, which the experience ofthis thesis will allow me: The poetUlrich Schaffer wrote "Ilook forward to newlevels and

insights and toexperience things that Ican'tyet imagine."

2.2 Other: I _{have had many} influences in _{my life} which include _mywife,

family, teachers, friends, acquaintances and other photographers. Although there are many, I would like to mentiontwo persons whose influence guided my direction as a photographer: One is _mywife, who has supported me with praise at moments when Iwould have quit _making photographs altogether.

She has _deeply understood _myneed to express myself. Ansel Adams,

photographer and conservationist, has been another influence. He presents

in each ofhis images an ultimate reality-a complete description of what he photographed as passed through his brain, onto a photographic negative and

finallyan exquisite print. This isbest shown _by his codification of sensitometric principles, known popularly as the Zone System. Itis a

technique that allows for previsualization ofthe image to be made inprecise

tonal relationships from black to white and recorded as such onthe

photographic negative whichtranslates into a print ofthe utmost fidelity of

light. This gives the photographer the ability, as John Szarkowskiwrote in

The Portfolios ofAnselAdams. To describe ina small monochrome picture

thedifference between thetwilight _{ofearly morning} and that_ofevening, or

between the warm sun_ofMay and the hotsun _ofJune, requires that_every

tone _ofthe_grey scale betuned to a precise relationship ofpitchand volume, so that thepicture as a whole sounds a chord that is consonant with our memories _ofwhatit was like, or ourdreams _ofwhat it might be like, tostand

insuchaspot at such a moment.

I want _my images to also strike a chord, a unique chord oftheir own, one

that is consonantwith _mymemories and dreams. I see _mypersonal

application ofthe Zone System, not as an exercise or an end in

itself butas a

3. PROCEDURE

3.1 I will continue tolook at _{photographs, paintings and other types of}

representations _being made _byartists,

particularlyinvolving nature or

associated themes. Music has played a large part in _mylife, and I sense a

parallel exists between the act of_{experiencing a photograph and the actof}

experiencingmusic. I wish to explore this formyself, to see if the parallel

exists.

3.2 To explore the use ofphotographic filters (i.e. KodakWratten Gelatin

Filters) as _{they make possible the alteration orcorrection ofblack to white}

values when photographing. I believe _they could be a tremendous_help in further expressing what I have to _saywith _my camera. I have not _seriously

employed filters in currentwork.

3.3 In December of 1984, I willbe _moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico to

inaugurate this thesis. There are _manyreasons for this which include some

health considerations, but more particularly, the_beauty and _spiritualitythis

place has forme. In _{reading books by} Carlos _Castaneda, and his

apprenticeship with aYaqui Indian sorcerer, he mentions areas in _Mexico,

which are _very similar to areas in NewMexico. The _reading ofCastaneda's books took place after_beingin New Mexico and offered me some explanation

to the feelings I experienced, and inspired feelings not _previously known.

3.4 I will work _closelywith _mythesis board to _keep them informed on _my

progress and get their input on current work. After _movingto Santa Fe, I will continue _mycommunications with the thesis board _{by sending monthly}

copies of_myjournals and copies of current photographs to each member.

When there is sufficient need for direct contact, I will make trips back to Rochester, New Yorkand Providence, Rhode Island. Since Mr. Pearlman lives in New Mexico, we will meet _{regularly to} discuss the progress of _my

current photographs and thoughts.

3.5 It is _myintention to publish the photographs and text_{from my}journal in

the form ofa book. I havewritten several publishers _regarding their interest

in this type of project.

3.6 I willbe purchasing all photographic supplies in New York _City so as to

ensure _consistencyand _availabilityofproduct.

3.7 _Mybudget for _{executing this} projectis as follows:

Airplane Fares *134O00

Film, Photographic Paper & Chemicals _1000.00

Mounting and _{Matting Supplies 500.00}

TOTAL $3340.00

4.TIME TABLE:

The time table belowis included to guide the direction ofthis thesis and is intended to remain somewhat _flexible, as _mygrowing and _learning cannot take place under a rigid structure.

4. 1 Summer Term of 1984 Iwillbe involvedwith continuedwork with

sensitometry and the _study ofphotographs. Plans for departure to New Mexico are to be made. Alsoto start_readingand continue local photographic

work.

4.2 Fall Term of 1984 I will beinvolved with filter experiments, and the

study and _makingof photographs. I will also be involved in _reading and

listeningto music. A _trip to Providence, Rhode Islandwill be made to

discuss work _being done. A preliminary_trip to settle matters in NewMexico will be made in October or November.

4.3 In December 1984, move to SantaFe, New Mexico.

4.4 _January 1985 to_February 1985willbe spent _{setting up} a darkroom and

lookingfor a partimejob.

4.5 March 1985 to _February 1986 willbe the actual time spent _making

photographs, writingjournal notes and correspondingwith thesis board.

4 6 _February 1986 to April 1986 will be spent_making finalselection of

prints for thesis exhibition, mounting and _mattingphotographs and writing the prologue for the exhibition. The design ofthe exhibit space will be

considered as well as a small portfolio of prints forboard

members.

4.7 Subject to the approval ofthe R.IT. Gallery Coordinator Elliott

Rubenstein, I would like to have _my thesis exhibition inApril 1986. This was

applied for on 2 May, 1984.

4.9The tentativetitle for the thesis exhibition will be The Emotional _Quality

of_{Photography-Photographs by CraigVarjabedian.}

5. BIBLIOGRAPHY _{(representative):}

5.1 General reading:

Castaneda, Carlos, A Separate Reality: Further Conversationswith Don Juan. NewYork: Simon and _Schuster, 1971.

Castaneda, Carlos, Joumevto Ixtlan: The Lessons ofDon Juan. New York: Simon and _Schuster, 1972.

Castaneda, Carlos, Tales ofPower. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1977.

Dillard, Annie, Pilgrim atTinker Creek. New York: Harper and _Row,

Publisher, Inc., 1982.

5.2 Critical reading:

Newhall, Beaumont, ed., Photograpv: Essays and Images. Boston: New York

Graphic Society, 1980.

Newhall, Nancy, P.H. Emerson. The Fight forPhotography as Fine Art. New

York: Aperture, Inc., 1975.

Van Duren Stern, Philip, The Annotated Walden: Walden: Life in the Woods

bv Henry P. Thoreau. New York: Bramhall House, 1970.

Wellington, Hubert, ed., The Journal ofEugene Delacroix. New York: Cornell

University Press, 1980.

5.3 Technical Books:

Adams, Ansel, Rvamples: The Makingof40 Photographs, Boston: New York

Graphic Society, 1983.

Henry, RichardJ., Pnntrols in Bla^ anH White Photography, California: Angel

Stroebel, Leslie; Todd, Hollis; Zakia, Richard D., Visual Concepts for Photographers. Breat Britain: Focal Press _Ltd., 1980.

5.4 Portfolios ofPhotographs:

Adams, Ansel, Yosemite and the Range ofLight. Boston: New York Graphic

Society, 1979.

APPENDIX B:

PLACES OF POWER: The Photographs of

Craig

_Varjabedian

An

Essay

by

_{Daniel Pearlman}

This essay was used as theforewordforthe thesis exhibit attheRochester

Institute_ofTechnology

There are places inNew Mexico that call to you from a hundred miles _away,

and more. _{Theyhave been callingmen to their}

presence forthousands of years and _{they are still calling.}

Manypeople go to these places _having no idea

whythey go, and leave _havingno idea_whytheywent. _"Prettyspot."

Before

white men even knew ofthis country, men had lived in these places _{for many}

generations, and _{theyknew whythey}were here. Thesewere the placeswhere

the world was created, the scenes ofthe most _fundamental, mostdecisive

interactions between spirit and matter, the places where gods had _literally

walked the earth and had left signs on which men and women could base a

civilization.

Black and white _photographyis a primitive artform. Far from _describing

literal visual impressions of scenes of_beauty, as the Western American schools

of_painting tried to do (sometimes with _breathtaking success), blackand white

photographs are more akin to the petroglyphs and hide drawings left_by

people who lived in NewMexico athousand years ago

artwhich set forth

visions ofplaces and events_{visions ofindividuals} and of peoples.

To some petroglyph makers and hide painters theworld was an _unrolling of

events in time. Their art (like the art of some New Mexico photographers of

modern _times-DannyLyon, for example)was the art of_placingthe "things

To others, works of art were a means of

expressing through symbols and

metaphors some personal or _{cultural conclusion orbeliefs}

about the

significance ofaspects of_reality, of_order, of_chaos, of_life, ofdeath.

But there have alwaysbeen _{certain people whose artwas neither to describe}

the world nor to drawconclusions from it. Instead _theycreated works to serve as a kind of_{lightning rod, to take in the forces of}

existence and ground

them in the lives ofthe people. As celebration, as_myth, or as _exorcism, such

arts had communal roots and _purposes, but the artists who created them did

so _byopening their own _beings to forces most men never touch. _They took into _{themselves, usually} in a state of_trance, some primal _reality and _by acting,

dancing, drawing, sculpting, singing, talking, _living the reality, gave to their

communities ritual forms for contactwith the most_frightening and the most

inspiring depths and heights of spiritual life.

This is the tradition in NewMexico ofthe Hopi snake _dancers, the Zuni

Shalako kachinas, and _many others. It is art done in a trance, throughwhich

spirit speaks on the earth. It is a tradition _manycenturies old in New_Mexico,

a tradition so fundamental that its essential characteristics are found in rituals on the opposite side ofthe earth. (Awesternerin Bali was told _by aHindu

after a Kris dance that if_{he really}wanted to see _{something he} should go to New Mexico. . . . New Mexico and Tibet are to some Hindus the two most

sacred places in the world.)

Itis in this tradition the photographer _CraigVarjabedian works; at leastthat is

mybelief. I do not _saythis because I have talked to him about it; I have not. I

sayit because I have seenhim workand have spent agreat deal oftime looking

at his photographs. His work is done in a trance. He chooses places to

photograph not out ofa guide book or an artbook or an _anthropologybook, but

people to these places. He does not photographwhatis mostbeautiful, he

photographs those places which call to _him, or which strike him like a bolt of

lightning. His "technique"

is that ofthe _lightning rod. The invisible energy,

the power ofthese places passes through_him, and through the ritual form of

film holders, dark _{slides, and shutter openings to alight sensitive membrane}

stretched flat and tightlike an animal skin in some dark secret place. The

resultis akind of visual _music, which like the centuries old songs ofthe

American _{Indian, celebrates the timeless forms and cycles oflife and}

nature_{an aria}

to the manifest powers ofthe spirit.

These are manifestations of what cannot be seen. _They are_visionary pictures,

in that _theyhave the powerto inducevisions. _They have thispowerbecause

they are the product of a man's communion withforces thattouch us when we

are_willingto be touched. _CraigVarjabedian makes these pictures because itis

his fate to do so. But he makes themfor us, ifwe have the inner eyes to see

the spiritthat shows itselfthrough this man.

Daniel Pearlman

APPENDIX C:

The Blackroom

MANUAL

DEVELOPER FORMULA

Kodak D-23

Film

Developer:

1 liter 4 liters 8 liters

Waterat 1 25degrees F. 750ml 3000ml. 6000ml

Elon(Metol)

7.5g. 30g. 60g.

Sodium Sulfite 100g. 400g. 800g.

Add cold waterto make 1.0 liter 4.0 liters 8.0 liters

yields a negative that has full shadow detail and is _slightly soft.

A white scum of calcium sulfite

frequently

occurs on films processed in high sulfite, low _alkalinity developers like D-23. This scum is soluble in an acid _{stop bath,} and fresh acid _{fixing baths, especially} if the film is well agitated.

Without replenishment, developerwill _{safely develop} 3 rolls (each roll

being

80 square

inches)

per liter.

I

develop

_{film using two} trays of _developer; each _containing one gallon of

developer and change film from one _tray to the other _during agitation.

I would suggest _developing 6 negatives at a time if the subjects consist of

rocks, or other subjects where the chances of unevenness are slight. For clouds and landscapes with skies _{develop only} 2 or3 negatives at a time.

Replenisher:

1 liter 4 liters

Water at 1 25 degrees F 750ml. 3000ml

Elon _(Metol) 10g. 40g.

Sodium Sulfite 100g. 400g.

Kodalk 20g. 80g.

Cold water to make 1 liter 4 liters

Add 3/4 ounce _(20ml.) ofthe replenisherforeach sheet of 8 x 1 0 film

developed (3/4oz. per 80 square inches of film)

FILM DEVELOPMENT

Kodak Plus-X: Develooment Times

in

D-23

Develooment Factor EL Time

NORMAL 50 12min.

N-1 32 8min.

N-2 16 6min.

N-3 10 4min.

Tray

agitation at 30 second intervals

FILM DEVELOPMENT

Kodak

Plus-X:

Development in

Edwal FG-7

Decelopment Factor N+2/3 E.I. 70 Dilution 1+2.5 Time 10min.

N+1/3 50 1+2.5 8min.

NORMAL 40 1+10 12min.

N-1 32 1+10 10min.

N-2 20 1+10 6min.

N-3 12 1+10 5min.

N-4 10 1+10 4min.

Stop

Bath Dilution

28% Acetic Acid

water to make

1-1/2ounces

32ounces

6ounces

128ounces

Edwal Quink Fix Dilutions:

Dilute 1 part fixer concentrate to 5 parts water.

Add 1 ounce hardnerfor each 8 ounces of concentrate used.

DEVELOPER FORMULA

Ansco 120: Soft

Working

Paper

Developer

Stock Solution

1 liter 4 liters 8 liters

Water _@ 125F Metol