Chad Cheverier Photography

Sometimes you need a break from the work week, really, I prefer little work in my break week but I am still figuring out how to do that. Along with an escapee, Tashena Burroughs, we made a pilgrimage to Salvation Mountain for a night of camping in Slab City. Then, after evading border patrol officers, we made it back to San Diego for a dip at Wind an Sea. These photos are from my Yashica TLR with really old Fuji Astia cross processed. A little much, but I think they turned out ok.

I have a confession to make. I am lazy, especially on a computer. I do not like to photoshop anything. Most of the time I like the way film looks as is, then I don’t do anything in the computer. My life is easier and it gives me more time to do nothing. I actually work more when I shoot digital. Almost all of the photos I have shown you from London don’t even have a curves adjustment. I corrected one horizon. Thats just my style. Lazy. I do like to spend a lot of time working on one image at a time in the dark room though and I will work when I have to, but I don’t like to work. I just like to create, get it right in the camera first.

Medium format snapshot of a cab. I actually walked almost everywhere and never took a cab. My legs aren’t lazy.

If you shoot film, you have to deal with security at the airport and hopefully they will hand inspect your film so it doesn’t go through potentially harmful airport x-rays. The USA does this for me every time, everywhere else hates me, and I don’t think its cause I’m an American. Then there is the back up plan, a lead lined x-ray bag. In order for every roll to be in that bag, means there can’t be any in the camera. These shots are the last shots I took while in London and actually some of my favorite.

This is my friend Saul Ashby, he got this electric guitar the day I arrived and he couldn’t put it down. This was his routine every night before bed. My favorite thing to photograph is candid lifestyle photos, basically documentary or journalism type photographs. This is an example of that.

I guess I am supposed to take photos of the monuments that people come to see when they visit somewhere. I figure most of the time postcards capture these places at the right moment in the right light etc. Because of this, I don’t usually bother, but I had to have some of my own right?

Big Ben

The Natural History Museum, I scrambled to catch this when the light showed through, I am not sure what the black is but I didn’t think it took away from the image, so it stayed.

My first hour in London I got pooed on by a bird,

probably not this bird

but I was standing right around here

I LOVE when light shines down a street. This is my absolutely favorite thing about big cities. Here are my two favorite examples of that from my trip.

So, when I travel, I don’t like to bother people except for my friends with photographs. SO I take pictures of buildings, which in turn has given me an interest in architecture. Naturally I love geometry and shapes and line and composition. Thats how my brain is wired. Here are some shapes and lines that I enjoyed.

I really appreciated how there can be so many different buildings right next to each other that are so many years apart.

blow

Upon first arriving in London, I really did think big deal, just another European city. I have always wanted to come here and see it and even fantasized about living here. My feelings started one way about the city and ended another way. I do like London, but photographically I wasn’t that impressed at first.

Whenever I go anywhere, people always say you better take lots of photos. I probably have mentioned on here before but, I HATE that. One photographer once told me, “go on a trip without a camera.” I think sometimes it’s easy to just look for photos without actually truly observing and enjoying. “Photographs are for people who can’t remember” is what George Clooney’s character says in the movie “Up in the Air”. I kind of agree. We often remember the picture but not the actual moment. With that out of the way. I thought the light was terribly boring in London, and the architecture not as interesting as I had hoped. Then the sun came out and the city changed. As quickly as it had come, it disappeared again. These were splendid moments that I anticipated and hoped to get on film.

Most of my photos I took with the intent of making a little photo book with a friend back home, until that is ready here are two images that are completely different in a matter of light. More through out the week.

no light

let there be light

I was gone in London a week ago and haven’t had much internet. Sorry if you have been constantly looking and find nothing. Here is a photo of me in London. I have a bunch more photos to prep and blog but enjoy this for now.

When I went back east, I also went to Boston. I haven’t been there since I was 12 and it was just as I remembered. Lots of bricks. I liked it.

These photos were taken with my broken and now sold Rollei 35s. That camera is great but guessing distances (to focus it) is difficult for me. These shots were exposed using the in camera meter, and I am quite please with the results that the Ilford HP5 400 film yielded. I am often captivated by light, specifically the shapes it helps define and the shadows created. It is all geometry and composition to me with a little flare. Dig it.

I am a lover of light

Subway antics