In conversation with .... Graham Cowan (gcowan)

[Donald]

In conversation with Graham Cowan
Location: Sydney, Australia

CiC: Thanks very much for taking the time to talk to us today.

It is my pleasure.


Perhaps we can start by you telling us something about your general back-ground. What about your work history û anything interesting?

I live in a southern outer suburb of Sydney, near the Royal National Park. I am an engineer and have worked in the rail industry for more than 30 years. Retirement beckons. Oh and I have been lecturing a rolling stock engineering course at a local university, to help provide the next generation of rolling stock engineers.


And what about your family life?

I have been married for 36 years. We have two children, our son is married and is a scientist and our daughter is a performance artist.


If you were staying in tonight, what would you choose as one of your favourite books and/or films to keep you entertained, and what you be having as a favourite meal?

I read everything so favourites are difficult. The books I regularly re-visit are by Tim Winton his recreation of place and personality is almost photographic, Ian Rankin I love the way that Edinburgh is a major character in his books.

Lately I have been looking at Vanishing Landscapes and reading Umberto Eco’s book On Beauty and Henri Cartier Bresson’s journal.

You know that there is so much exciting food here that it is difficult to answer. We would probably have an OZ red wine with it though.


OK, photography is a given, but what about other hobbies or personal interests?

Hobbies? Full time work, commuting and I play piano and guitar poorly.

EDITOR'S PICK #1

Let's get on to photography - how long have you been a photographer, and what got you interested in the first place?

I probably took my first photo with my mother’s Kodak Brownie Box camera. When I was about 12 years old I watched a friend make contact prints. When I first saw the image appear in the developing tray I was hooked. I have never tired of the magic of that image appearing in the bottom of the tray.

My first real camera was a Practika 35mm SLR, when I was 21. I used to process and enlarge in a store room and bathroom. I really struggled until I got a really sharp lens and an Olympus OM1 and a really good enlarger with a Schneider lens and worked out how to manage temperature.


What type of photography are you interested in, and why?

I have really eclectic tastes, but I am mainly focused on landscape at present. Deep down I am a documentary photographer, and that flavours all of my photographic interests. Until I went digital about 3 years ago I only had an Olympus with a 50mm Zuiko lens and a 24mm Zuiko lens. I had been struggling to find a way to do justice to Australian landscape and then I discovered panoramic cameras. Hasselblad XPAN and the Linhoff Technorama.

I decided that the XPAN was for me and started discovering the joys of that format and those lenses, which so suit our wide horizons. I have just ordered a panoramic head for my digital camera. I am still struggling with making good images of our local bush and landscape though as we live amongst ridges and scrub. It is hard to get sense amongst the busyness of it all.


Any particular photographic influences?

My photographic influences are varied. I have all of Ansel Adams wonderful technical books, and a number of his landscape books and three of his prints on my wall. (Not printed by his own hand though.) I saw an exhibition in Chicago in 1982. The Australian wilderness photographers Olegas Truchanas and Peter Dombrovskis, W Eugene Smith, David Moore, whom I did a documentary course with in 1979, and recently Mark Lang (www.marklangscapes.com) I did some street and architectural photography years ago, so a documentary view is how I see the world.


What do you hope to achieve through your photography - or what have you achieved already?

I have won some competitions on CIC which has greatly impressed me, and I have felt flattered. I am fascinated by light and how it defines our view of the world. I want to photograph our landscape and our interaction with it in such a way as to bring pleasure and some understanding of how we affect it. I also want to make a series of portraits documenting enthusiasts, people with particular interests or hobbies.

What you think of CiC? Any way it could be improved? Where should it go from here, in your opinion?

I really like the friendliness and helpfulness of the people, and the tutorial side is unequalled on the web. It has really helped me over some humps with converting from film to digital. I really like the intellectual and problem solving side of photography, but I think the forum gets a little bogged down in technical detail. I know that most people are trying to learn technique, so that is inevitable, but I think that the biggest problem we face as photographers is communicating ideas. I think we could improve the philosophical and ideas side of the discussion. (All others take note - Ed)


Getting more personal if you don't mind...what keeps you awake at night, apart from Photoshop?

Aside from working long hours nothing.


I have to ask this! What photographic gear do you own, and what software do you use for editing?

I have almost every camera and lens I have ever owned. For 30 years I used an Olympus OM1 with a 50mm f1.8 Zuiko, and a 24mm f2.8 Zuiko lens. For snap shooting I used an Olympus XA and I still have it. I took the OM1 out for an outing to the beach recently with some Fuji Velvia, and I was shocked at how bad the ergonomic design of modern cameras is in comparison.

I have and use regularly a Hasselblad XPAN II with a 49mm lens and a 100mm lens currently loaded with Fuji Velvia ISO 50. A Hasselblad 503CW with a 150mm Sonar and a 40mm Distagon and an A12 back, which is loaded at present with Ilford 400 ASA B&W film. Though they are all about to be sold with the now redundant 5D. Canon EOS Ds1 Mk111 + Really Right Stuff L Plate. Canon EOS D5 Zeiss 21mm f2 ZE Zeiss 100mm f2 Makro ZE Canon 24 to 104 L IS USM Canon 50mm f1.4 USM Canon 70 to 200 f2.8 L IS USM Canon 300mm L IS USM Sekonic light meter.

Canon Speedlight 530EX and some reflectors and an umbrella and stand, with a cheap and unreliable no name radio trigger, and a collection of torches. Until I bought the XPAN I had never used an automatic camera.

I have dismantled my darkroom since a possum found its way in and trashed it. I only use it now to load film into a developing tank.

I use Adobe Photoshop CS4 and bridge with HDR effex pro plugin and Topaz, PT GUI Pro for stitching panoramas and Focal Blade plugin for sharpening. Because I have Hasselblad cameras I have their Phocus program (free download), which is equivalent to light room and really good to use, but I prefer to use Adobe Bridge, Camera Raw and Photoshop CS4.

EDITOR'S PICK #2

It's a tough one to answer, but how would you rate your photographic skills and ability?

I am an amateur, and I guess that I am an advanced amateur, whatever that means. I have found that skills and ability grow to accommodate the task. At present I only shoot what I like, and clearly that limits my development. I know that when I have an assignment imposed on me I learn new techniques, so until I take up photography full time, that is where I will remain. I would like to make a new career of photography, when I retire from engineering.


What will the digital camera be like in 2020? And will you still own one?

Given the terrible controls on modern cameras I am hoping that Canon and Nikon try to improve the ergonomics and useability of their cameras. They are really capable instruments but they are really frustrating to use, they are not the least intuitive. Pick up an Olympus OM1 or a Hassleblad C and see how easy it is to focus, set speed and aperture, lock up mirrors pre-view depth of field. There really is no excuse for this not to be fixed by 2020. I might mortgage my house or sell the car and buy a digital back for my 503CW.


Are you in a position to help or encourage others in their photography?

Not at present as I am committed to teaching my profession, though I do help when asked.


Another tough one for you - do you consider photography to be art?

Photography is an excellent art form, but like all visual art it is limited in communicating ideas. People with a visual language understand, though others often get an unintended message, I guess that tension is what makes it so fascinating. Not all photography is art, because of its intent. I take a lot of photos in my line of work purely to record information or to illustrate the way a piece of equipment is constructed.


How do you feel about having your own shot taken?

I like to stand behind the camera.


What single piece of advice do you think is most useful to someone starting out with photography?

Take time to look and be fascinated by light; and then take lots of photos with a simple manual set up with a prime lens to record your images. Constructing images with a fixed focal length lens forces you to find the right place to stand, to get the depth of field and point of view and perceived distortions. It removes variables and simplifies the learning process. Work to make the image in the camera using the whole frame. I am not a good exemplar here because I love printing (formerly darkroom work) and will work for months on an image to retrieve it.


Can we see two of your shots that mean something special to you, and could you explain why.

Evening Panorama 1

The first is of rocks at sunset on a high plain in our alpine region. This is my first attempt at a multi-row panorama. There are 4 images shot without the aid of a panoramic head very with my very new digital camera. I was disappointed with the softness of the focus, but I was using f22 to get depth of field and fell foul of diffraction limits. I learned a lot with this one image. This is a very special place for the aboriginals of the area near a cattle station called Currango. It is extraordinarily beautiful, in a very quiet way. It sits above the head waters of the Murrumbidge River and was shot in the heights of our 15 year drought. All of our rivers are now in flood with thousands of people forced out of their houses.




Shane Smoking Ceremony

The second is a portrait, taken a couple of years later, of Shane, who is one of the discovery rangers of the Snowy Mountains National Park. He is preparing for a smoking ceremony for a welcome to his country. We were a group of photographers, there for a workshop and an introduction to the local aborignial culture. He has his didgerrido over his knee and I feel that I have captured the quietness of his personality and the intensity of his preparation. He is a Wirradgerie man.




Finally, can you give us one interesting/weird/silly thing about you that we probably don't know?

Well there is a lot you don't know, and I don't know that I am qualified to judge what is weird or silly about me, and I don't know that I am very interesting; but I did get a real insight 2 years ago into chance and disability. I was travelling with my wife to a walking holiday in Italy via an overnight stay in London. A chance visit to the Tower Bridge exhibition involved us in a lift accident and we were both in hospital by 2:00pm, me with one broken leg and my wife with 2. I spent 10 days in a wheel chair in London. I thought I would use the opportunity to explore photography from a wheel chair. It didn't work, I just couldn't do it. Nothing is set up for mobility, you are thrown onto the charity of passers by, and wheel chairs are appallingly designed. Oh and picturesque cobble stone paths are impassable.


That's all we have time for, Graham. Thank you for taking the time to take part.

No thank you for the opportunity. I am sorry that I took so long to reply I have been travelling and concentrating on my professional work.


Read all the other interviews in the series by going to this link

[marstar]

Very nice interview!
I like the Wirradgerie man shot.

[Wendy Stanford]

Thanks Graham, great interview, wonderful images

[FrankMi]

I appreciate your willingness to share your very interesting background, Graham. Given the images you produce, you are being very modest at referring to yourself as an advanced amateur!

[Colin Southern]

Great to learn more about you Graham!

By the way, I think "retirement" is the most beautiful word in the English language!

[jeeperman]

Always enjoy meeting the one behind the camera and this was no exception. Nice interview and great works Graham.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Graham,

Thanks for an interesting read

I'm shocked and sorry to hear your visit to London was so memorable for all the wrong reasons

Having an interest in railways, can I ask whether you specialised in freight or passenger rolling stock?

I guess we're of similar age and the film beginnings and darkroom history rings many bells, even if most of the kit was slightly different.

Cheers,

[gcowan]

Thanks Mars,

I have misspelled Wiradjuri unfortunately.
Shane is a very gentle and friendly man, who was a very great source of inspiration for the photographers present.

Graham

[gcowan]

Thanks Graham, great interview, wonderful images

Thanks Wendy,

I was down in the high country of Victoria over Easter. Sadly I didn't produce any worthwhile images. Do you ever get there?

Graham

[gcowan]

I appreciate your willingness to share your very interesting background, Graham. Given the images you produce, you are being very modest at referring to yourself as an advanced amateur!

Hi Frank,

Thanks for your comments.

I don't mind being called an amateur photographer. I don't earn my living from photography. I would like to though.

I don't like being called a hobbyist though, as I think I am trying to do more with my work than that implies. My work is a bit disjointed at present as I am still trying to develop a consistent style and approach with this new technology. It takes a long time when you are sharing time with a full time job.

Graham

[gcowan]

Great to learn more about you Graham!

By the way, I think "retirement" is the most beautiful word in the English language!

Hi Colin,
It is a relative concept though. I would like to get back to your part of the world again one day. It is just beautiful.
Graham

[gcowan]

Always enjoy meeting the one behind the camera and this was no exception. Nice interview and great works Graham.

Thanks Paul. I had to sit in front of the camera this time. I was experimenting with focus and natural light and the only subject I had to put in front of the camera was myself, so I used part of one for the headline photo.
Graham

[gcowan]

Hi Graham,

Thanks for an interesting read

I'm shocked and sorry to hear your visit to London was so memorable for all the wrong reasons

Having an interest in railways, can I ask whether you specialised in freight or passenger rolling stock?

I guess we're of similar age and the film beginnings and darkroom history rings many bells, even if most of the kit was slightly different.

Cheers,

Thanks Dave,

I will come back to chase lawyers around soon and have a better look. I really love London though, the light is really interesting for someone from OZ. Those Turner paintings are a challenge for a photographer.

I don't know that I have specialised in either freight or passenger rolling stock. I have been a bit more of a generalist I think. If I have specialised it really has been in traction equipment and locomotives. I have done design work on passenger rolling stock at the beginning of my career and again just recently. I spent some time in the UK a few years ago on the Eastern Region in the old BR days.

Graham