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I recently came across a photographer whose work and life are truly remarkable and inspirational - Ken Keen FRPS.
First of all I thoroughly recommend watching this video about Ken - it's 20 minutes long but it really is worth it:
https://vimeo.com/124642746
And Ken's web site is also well worth a visit: https://kenkeenandlightfromthedarkness.com/
In a very brief nutshell, in 2000, when Ken was in his late Sixties he had an operation on his nose which resulted in his optic nerves being damaged and he lost most of his sight. He can see things very close up and he can detect light and dark but other than that his virtually blind. Incredibly this didn't deter him from carrying on with photography, instead it spurred him on to new heights.
Even more incredibly he uses a 10x8 view camera, processes the film himself at home and produces his own prints. Watch the video to see how he does this.
Last week I got the chance to meet Ken and spend some time with him taking photographs in Gloucester Cathedral. He's 85 now, but still going strong.
Ken with his beautiful Gandolfi 10x8 camera. He can set the camera up, level it and set the focus all by touch.
He produces salt prints, which were pioneered by Fox Talbot in the 1830s - have a look at Ken's web site for examples of his beautiful prints.
Meeting Ken was an amazing experience and it's certainly got me thinking about my own photography. It could set me off in a different direction photographically - I guess we'll have to see how that pans out.
By the way, Ken travelled to Gloucester from his home in Buckinghamshire to Gloucester and took three shots - one more than he intended! He only takes photos that he thinks would make good prints.
Although my main purpose of going to Gloucester Cathedral was to meet Ken and watch him at work, I also took some shots of my own on my Intrepid 5x4. I was intending to print these on Ilford Warmtone Glossy and selenium tone them but half way through printing last weekend my enlarger packed up so these are scans of the negatives as close as I could get them to what I envisaged the prints to look like. (I think I've found the fault with the enlarger and hopefully it will be a relatively simple fix.)
Anyway, these were my efforts on the day:
Gloucester Cathedral Cloisters, Intrepid 5x4, Schneider Super Angulon 90mm, Fomapan 100
Gloucester Cathedral Cloisters, Intrepid 5x4, Schneider Super Angulon 90mm, Fomapan 100
Chapel next to the Whispering Gallery, Gloucester Cathedral, Intrepid 5x4, Schneider Super Angulon 90mm, Fomapan 100
I also stopped off at Beachley in Chepstow on the way home and took a shot of the Severn Bridge with the Intrepid.
First of all I thoroughly recommend watching this video about Ken - it's 20 minutes long but it really is worth it:
https://vimeo.com/124642746
And Ken's web site is also well worth a visit: https://kenkeenandlightfromthedarkness.com/
In a very brief nutshell, in 2000, when Ken was in his late Sixties he had an operation on his nose which resulted in his optic nerves being damaged and he lost most of his sight. He can see things very close up and he can detect light and dark but other than that his virtually blind. Incredibly this didn't deter him from carrying on with photography, instead it spurred him on to new heights.
Even more incredibly he uses a 10x8 view camera, processes the film himself at home and produces his own prints. Watch the video to see how he does this.
Last week I got the chance to meet Ken and spend some time with him taking photographs in Gloucester Cathedral. He's 85 now, but still going strong.
Ken with his beautiful Gandolfi 10x8 camera. He can set the camera up, level it and set the focus all by touch.
He produces salt prints, which were pioneered by Fox Talbot in the 1830s - have a look at Ken's web site for examples of his beautiful prints.
Meeting Ken was an amazing experience and it's certainly got me thinking about my own photography. It could set me off in a different direction photographically - I guess we'll have to see how that pans out.
By the way, Ken travelled to Gloucester from his home in Buckinghamshire to Gloucester and took three shots - one more than he intended! He only takes photos that he thinks would make good prints.
Although my main purpose of going to Gloucester Cathedral was to meet Ken and watch him at work, I also took some shots of my own on my Intrepid 5x4. I was intending to print these on Ilford Warmtone Glossy and selenium tone them but half way through printing last weekend my enlarger packed up so these are scans of the negatives as close as I could get them to what I envisaged the prints to look like. (I think I've found the fault with the enlarger and hopefully it will be a relatively simple fix.)
Anyway, these were my efforts on the day:
Gloucester Cathedral Cloisters, Intrepid 5x4, Schneider Super Angulon 90mm, Fomapan 100
Gloucester Cathedral Cloisters, Intrepid 5x4, Schneider Super Angulon 90mm, Fomapan 100
Chapel next to the Whispering Gallery, Gloucester Cathedral, Intrepid 5x4, Schneider Super Angulon 90mm, Fomapan 100
I also stopped off at Beachley in Chepstow on the way home and took a shot of the Severn Bridge with the Intrepid.
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