By Jef Theysmeyer - at 2:33 pm on Sunday June 19‚ 2005

Toronto, Canada - Zoe and I and our friends Renee and Lynn all decided to do this. Zoe is abudding hobby-ist photographer, and does not go anywhere with at least 1 or 2 camera’s on her. She has been participating in some on-line photo-blog style programs over the last years that are similar in concept, such as “Photo Friday” (photofriday.com). Every Friday a new “theme” is shown, and everyone taking part, posts an image that fits the theme. At any rate, the prospect of doing a marathon of this, locally, and working actually in film was an appealing challenge and good fun, and we all decided to join in.

A simple premise. Show up for the kick-off in Christie Pitts Park, get your film, and then get an “Assignment” sheet of themes to take images for. Everyone gets a roll of 12 exposure 100 ASA film, and 12 themes to shoot. Return 24 hours later and drop off your film. Simple right?

Well….having run the green-tea judging competition I’d expect organizationally that the event organizers are facing the same sort of challenges I did when I did that, not the least of which is that you send 50-60 rolls of film out into the city with nigh-strangers, and you just have to have faith that not only do most of them make it back, but also are completed within the bo! unds of the rules, at least enough so that you can produce the results of this event. Time will tell if they are successful in this.

We get to see the results at the “2nd Annual Photography Marathon Exhibition Night” held Tuesday June 28th, 8:30PM @ Xpace, 303 Augusta Ave. (Kensington Market)
w/
Miss Holler and the Blues Callers
Mulambo Groove
Miss Bliss and the Where is Bill Band
(for info contact Lalo: (416) 879 0797)

I was struck by the DIY, intimate setup of this event. Clearly this is not an over-organized, sponsor-co-opted event. It appears that it’s just word of mouth getting people involved in this. There were only about 50-60 people taking images as part of the marathon. Indeed, the only reason the 4 of us were there was because Zoe read about it in the UM posting, and in turn got the rest of us to come, and that there represents about 10% of the turnout. Very roots based support. Cool. Makes you feel like more than just! a number in some event.

Working in film is an interesting challenge (no digital allowed). It’s been years since I took an image on film, and I was struck that there is something un-nerving about not being able to see the image you have just taken. Something I now take for granted in the age of digital. Also unnerving is that given the 12 diverse themes, and rolls of film that only have 12 frames, you really absolutely need to get every shot you take right. Once you have exposed the film there is no going back. You can’t take several shots and pick the best one. You can’t screw up your timing and end up with your subject out of frame. Each shot needs to be taken just right, or not, and then you move on. It felt weird traveling to all corners of the city to show up, set up a tri-pod, select a lens, and then snap one shot and pack it all up and get moving to the next place you think you might catch your next themed image. Very disconcerting. If I really want to get an image,! I’m used to shooting it at least a couple of times so that I can pick a good image from out of the group, but such are the confines of the rules, and so be it. Finally, it occurred to me after shooting all this stuff, if I never make it to the exhibition, I may never see my images. I could never have any idea if any of these shots turned out, let alone look good, as such this toil has a taste of futility that is slightly odd, but I’m up to the challenge.

This Year’s Themes (and what I tried to shoot):

“Rhythm” – the Rhythm/Treble switch from my Les Paul
“Face” – grandfather clock face (yes, I have a grandfather clock, no, I’m not 70)
“Fire” – not finding anything ablaze, I ended up shooting a Fire station
“Opposites Attract” – I took a picture of a compass. Get it? May require some thought
“Speed” – moving car. Tracked on a tripod with a long exposure, should have a blurred background
“Love” – Zoe and My hands, w/ wedding ri! ngs, touching. Awww… I know….
“The Islands of St. Clair” – St. Clair @ Oakwood, looking west. Used zoom to get a detail of 2 or three street car islands off in the distance.
“Symmetry” – 2 flying V’s
“Loneliness” – the empty field/band shell in Woodbine park. (Note to us: If UM events get to be about 1000 people large, this would make an excellent out-door venue. Powered stage, and room to play about, and parking and TTC accessible. Very nice)
“Colours” – 3 primary coloured park tables from the Christie Pitts park
“Sweat” – people playing beach volleyball
“The sky is the Limit” – a shot of not but Lake Ontario of the overcast sky o f yesterday, shot looking south east from the Beaches park, on the spit out by Ashbridges bay.

Hopefully I can make the exhibit. I want to know if any of these turned out, and if so, how I faired in comparison to the other “photogs”. I’m also most interested to see how other people interpreted and then shot th! ese themes. As with all my visual art, I suspect my work is a bit 2 dimensional, however, I guess we’ll see later.