I know nothing this morning. But first of all, just in case you think your camera is too big and kind of a pain to lug around, look at this. Here's another view.
Exclamation point.
I think this is Vegar Moen's son Svante holding his father's "new" Graflex, but I know nothing. I think Vegar is Danish, because, where his captions are in another language, that's the language Google Translate detects. [Ragnar says Vegar's Norwegian. See below. —Ed.] And I think I heard about Vegar through Kent Phelan, because I know Kent and I notice his name on the Facebook page. David A. Goldfarb's name also showed up, and he used to read TOP, although I don't think he does any more. But it could have been someone else; it was a commenter, anyway.
And of course I am a fish out of water on Facebook (and that's the way I want it—I don't approve of centralization), so I can't tell you how to look around and find all of Vegar's work. There are a few more that come up if you click on his name. There seem to be quite a few more here, including the one that Kent (or whomever) first sent me, which is this one. But I know nothing.
Anyway, beautiful work, which seems to come across OK even onscreen. Of course I'd rather see prints, if the prints were well made, but you can't have everything. Anyway, a pleasure to look through. Pick three favorites! I have mine.
Nice to get to know Vegar Moen.
Mike
ADDENDUM: Ronny A. Nilsen found a Wikipedia page! Unfortunately it's in Norwegian (per Google). Google Translate works.
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Featured Comments from:
Ragnar Våga Pedersen: "Big is the word...impressing on several levels, and an interesting and celebrated artist. I really adore the Danes, but for the record, Vegar is Norwegian. Very similar languages, though. All the best, Ragnar the Norwegian."
Mike replies: Thanks for the help Ragnar!
David Drake: "Thanks for posting Mike. Some stunningly beautiful work. I love this one of Signe. Wow! Classic and gorgeous picture. Just when I had come to accept the idea that I can no longer shoot film (at least for the time being), you post this!"
Sal Santamaura: "A 5x7 Home Portrait Graflex. Just like the one Paul Strand used. Can't tell if Vegar Moen's got a 12-inch lens on it like Strand did."
Unable to see any of the references on Facebook. I’m not a registered user but it looks like it’s been removed. Also his web site has been removed.
Posted by: Kenneth Tanaka | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 09:30 AM
How would you even take a selfie with that? No thanks.
Posted by: Michel | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 09:36 AM
Nice to get to know Vegar Moen.
Posted by: ep 14 | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 11:14 AM
Links to Facebook don't work for me. Although I am a "techie" by most definitions. I was a CompSci major in the late-60's and early 70's and have owned computers (multiple and continuously) since well before Apple was formed. I have chosen to avoid Social Media in favor of more traditional social interactions. I cannot be the only one.
In the interest of full disclosure, I probably still have a LinkedIn account, but it has been dormant since I retired.
Posted by: John Abee | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 11:46 AM
Hej Mike! Vegar Moen is Norwegian but he lives in Lomma, Sweden which is very close to Denmark.
Posted by: Christer Almqvist | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 12:16 PM
Any of the urban landscape compilations by George Tice. View camera, black and white. After a presentation, I asked him how he managed to make such a wide tonal print of a Cherry Hill water tower, in the evening. His secret: three exposures. Darkroom HDR.
The exhibition was at the Berman Museum on the campus of Ursinus College, Collegeville PA, 2015. A mix of gelatin silver prints, and platinum.
Posted by: MikeR | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 12:58 PM
Thanks Mike, but like lots of folk I no longer have access to Facebook. I expect Vegar knows that
Posted by: Richard Tugwell | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 01:19 PM
No no no, someone is wrong on the internet, again.
Vegard Moen is not Danish, he's actually Norwegian. Currently living in Sweden according to the Norwegian wikipedia. https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegar_Moen
Thanks for bringing this one to my attention Mike.
Posted by: Thomas Tveit Rosenlund | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 01:26 PM
Mike: . . . just in case you think your camera is too big and kind of a pain to lug around, look at this.
Admittedly, it’s big, but it lacks the character of my steampunk camera.
[Come now, that's AI! Shouldn't this be an AI-free zone? As If I could ensure such a thing.... --Mike]
Posted by: Chris Kern | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 02:12 PM
He is from Norway, but lives in Sweden now.
https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegar_Moen
Posted by: Ronny A Nilsen | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 02:41 PM
Feeling as if you “know nothing” is a sign of intelligence. The irony here kills me. 😂👍
Posted by: Jeff1000 | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 03:28 PM
A 5x7 Home Portrait Graflex. Just like the one Paul Strand used. Can't tell if Moen's got a 12-inch lens on it like Strand did.
Posted by: Sal Santamaura | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 04:01 PM
Or take Thoreau:
Men say they know many things;
But lo! they have taken wings, —
The arts and sciences,
And a thousand appliances;
The wind that blows
Is all that any body knows.
Posted by: Jeff1000 | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 04:21 PM
Thanks for posting Mike. Some stunningly beautiful work. I love this one of Signe https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158566619729400 Wow! Classic and gorgeous picture. Just when I had come to accept the idea that I can no longer shoot film (at least for the time being), you post this!
Posted by: David Drake | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 04:23 PM
Big is the word.. Impressing on several levels, and an interesting and celebrated artist. I really adore the Danes, but for the record, Vegar is Norwegian. Very similar languages, though.
All the best, Ragnar the Norwegian
Posted by: Ragnar Våga Pedersen | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 04:33 PM
Mike, FYI. Links to Facebook require login to view. Like you I don't do Facebook so I can't see anything from the links in the post.
Posted by: Mel | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 10:42 PM
Sigh, I have the stereo version of that camera. Bought and had it rebuilt, got the crazy weird Graflex not Graphic 5x7 holders and rebuilt them, got 5x7 darkroom gear. Then life happened, had kids and a real job and after 30 years the never used shutter roll is sticking to itself again. The little 4x5 still works though. I so love Graflexes
Posted by: hugh crawford | Thursday, 26 October 2023 at 11:49 PM
The page states a 380mm Petzval portrait lens. The Graflex predates 35mm SLRs by about 50 years but the principle is the same.
Very large format film is a nice complement to small digital cameras like the Oly Pen-F.
Posted by: Joe | Friday, 27 October 2023 at 12:55 AM
Camera lurch, rather than camera shake.
Posted by: Timothy Auger | Friday, 27 October 2023 at 05:06 AM
In a similar vein, look up the 8 X 10 Gowlandflex, a Peter Gowland (R.I.P.) designed and built twin lens reflex that shoots 8 X 10” sheet film, with at least one pic of someone hand holding this beast.
Posted by: Bob Casner | Friday, 27 October 2023 at 07:32 AM
Check the work of Ben Horne… he hikes and backpacks with an 8X10 view camera. Even if landscape and nature isn’t your “thing” you have to admire his dedication to his craft.
Posted by: Craig Stocks | Friday, 27 October 2023 at 09:56 AM
Only thing missing is a soda can pull tab!
Posted by: Michael | Friday, 27 October 2023 at 08:31 PM
I just went to China and Hong Kong with my 4x5. 25 lbs on my back for days and felt angsty every time I had to subject the film to scanners whenever I had to use the subway or go to a venue such as a historical site or a museum - we will see if the films survived. Quite an experience.
One reason was to attend the annual World Science Fiction Convention, which was held in Chengdu this year. Anyway, I was a finalist in the Best Fan Artist Hugo award based mainly on my 4x5 portrait work of SF authors and artists. I am honored to have won the award.
Posted by: Richard Man | Sunday, 29 October 2023 at 09:36 PM