Dog Days of Spring
Fun fact about me:
I’m a summer person; I love the summertime!
I’ve always enjoyed the summer months more than any other time of the year. Living where I live, in Texas, saying that you love the summertime out loud is grounds for people thinking that you’re not quite right in the head. Something’s wrong with you. Weeks of 100+ degree days are commonplace here, with a little break at night (a 90-something degree break, but hey, at least you get a reprieve from the sun!).
Summertime is also my most photographically active time of the year.
Why Laidric, you might ask?
Because there’s this energy in the air, at least to me.
It’s that road trip energy, pick a destination, get in the car, and go. Get sidetracked and lost along the way because those routes are usually where you make the best photographs.
Longer days and golden light, my day job is from 10-7, so right when I get off of work, I’m looking to photograph on my way home. It’s the perfect reset from what is usually a mind-numbing day. Besides, the last 2-3 hours of work, my mind is on photography anyway. Additionally, it doesn’t help that my office has floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing me to watch the light change.
Just more light in general, I even love that hot, overhead, high noon type of light. That light that gives you deep, sharp shadows and bright highlights. Believe it or not, that used to be my favorite time to photograph. I’ve shied away from that over the years, but for some reason, I’m feeling like revisiting photographing in those situations.
Spring can’t end quickly enough for me. I’ve always had terrible allergies, and the flowers blooming, dust, and tree pollen historically have made the months of March to May miserable for me.
Fall’s okay, I suppose. I never was much for the leaves changing colors. The leaves falling off the trees also give me issues with my allergies. Also, don’t care for the start of shorter daylight and cooler temperatures.
We’re not even going to talk about winter. I hate the cold. I count my blessings every year that Texas does not have a full four seasons, because I know that I would not be functional in a winter like those in the Midwest, Northeast, or Northwest United States. I know that “cold” varies from region to region. What’s cold here might not be considered cold in other parts of the country. 30 degrees Fahrenheit and below for me is a no-go!
Of course, there are downsides. During these months, I am full of nervous, easily misdirected energy, especially when trying to juggle multiple projects and project ideas.
I’m jumping back into my Photographs From Dallas series, which has been lying dormant for way too long. As I’ve been driving around the city, I’ve noticed spaces that I should have photographed that have disappeared. Additionally, I have some directions in mind for the series, which were inspired by a portfolio review I attended in Chicago in 2023. I’ll talk about that in an upcoming post.
New Zine update:
A couple of posts ago, I discussed zine ideas I had for the Dallas Art Book Fair that I wasn’t able to follow through on and complete. I’ve been digging through my old negatives to find some possible photos to use. I don’t know what theme or vibe I’m going for at the moment; I need photos right now. A pile of maybes, and “I think this might work?” It’s all a process!
A couple of maybes?
Now, while I enjoy archive digging, I dislike how my unorganized tendencies often make finding negatives a task in itself. Maybe I’ll throw that in the resolutions for next year.
Upcoming Zine Exhibition
some nights i can’t sleep will be featured in a photozine exhibition in Tokyo, Japan called Planet of Zines.
Afterwards, all selected books will be permanently held in Ephemere’s photobook and zine library.
I'm super excited about this; if I had the money and my passport were up to date, I’d fly out to Tokyo for this. Well, not just for the exhibition. I’ve always wanted to see Tokyo anyway, the exhibition would be the cherry on top.
Amateur Bookbinder’s Corner
3 practice projects this month.
3 Hole:
Last month I tried this stitching, and I messed up the order of which hole to go through and ended up with a knot on the inside and outside of the spine…
Well I got the order right this month, but I messed up punching the spine with the awl, and that’s because I wasn’t taking my time, which is super important, even when I’m just practicing. I want to get to the point where these will be artist books that I can offer for sale at zine fests and art book fairs.
5 hole:
While I kept the 3 hole practice book larger this time, I’d really like to use it for smaller, more compact booklets. For full size 5.5 X 8.5 booklets, I feel that a 5-hole stitch is a more sturdy bind. I actually got this one correct first try!
4 Hole Japanese Stab bind:
Now this binding has always been fascinating to me, from the basic 4 hole up to more intricate designs, for example; lotus flowers, butterflies, and elephants. While me binding like that is light years in the future (if I ever get to that point), the basic 4 hole bind is something that I’d like to incorporate on a regular basis.
Using this tutorial, I cut down some regular printer paper (at some point I am going to have to actually print out and bind some photos, but that is not today…)
Shame on me I didn’t stop to photograph as I was going through the process. I wanted to make sure I followed the tutorial and kept the binding tight!
I know what you’re probably thinking, when are you try doing to do a hardcover case binding? That’s coming, I’m trying to work myself up to it!
Until next time,
Laidric
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