"case studies" - schedule update

Dear all,

just to let you know we now know "case studies" will be on in the Market Hall Cinema till Sunday, the 12th of July. Make sure you come and visit the exhibition and the amazing old cinema if you're in the area!

 

Meanwhile, we're off on a short break and we'll be back at the beginning of July. Andy-the-camera is coming with us, so if you'd like to see it, you'd have to wait - but Andy's collage face will be still on display.

See you soon!

"case studies" opening - some more photos

Afternoon!

Here are some photos from the opening of "case studies". The exhibition continues for at least another month in Brynmawr's Market Hall Cinema, with both Dafydd's photographs and some of his home-made cameras on display. Check the Cinema's schedule or give them a call to make sure it's open when you visit! (it's open all day most days though)

"case studies" - opening

Evening,

we're happy to report the opening went very well - a big thanks to all the visitors and everyone at the Market Hall Cinema for the lovely evening! The exhibition is now open during Market Hall's screenings, so if you're travelling to Brymawr from far away, make sure you check their schedule (you can find some directions and Cinema's telephone number here). "Case studies" will last for at least month, we'll update you on the closing date as soon as it's set.

More images coming soon!

"case studies" - installation

Dear all,

here are a few shots from last night's installation in Market Hall Cinema in Brynmawr. The installation was accompanied by the rather disturbing sound of Poltergeist being screened behind the wall, but it went well nonetheless: the photos are up on the walls, the postcards are warming up on top of the popcorn dispenser and a cabinet has been put together to display Dafydd's homemade cameras. We're ready for tonight's opening at 6!

 

"case studies" - Grandiflorum

Mornin',

here is Dafydd's third camera, an 8" by 10" Grandiflorum, made last summer in Wales.

Like the others it has full movements, but it also has the focal plane shutter of an old speed graphic on the front, which means it can use older brass/barrel lenses.

The bellows is made out of light-tight material, cardboard and an old duvet cover.

The ground glass is used for focusing:

***

"case studies" is opening tomorrow at 6 in the Market Hall Cinema in Brynmawr.

 

"case studies" - Andy

 Mornin',

today we're introducing Andy, the second camera that Dafydd built and rebuilt, and then rebuilt more. 

 

The camera was made in Naples, again with pieces of wood (this time not foraged), a bellows made from a second-hand scarf and cereal boxes. But because of a lack of tools and space to work (mainly because we were living and working in a travel hostel at the time), some of the sawing and drilling was done as favours by a few of the family workshops that are still littered throughout the city.

It was then assembled on the table of said hostel in the hours between the coming and going of tourists.

The camera was built to use bigger film than its predecessor, but to also be smaller and lighter so that it could be taken to and carried around Sri Lanka - which it was, and which it survived, much to our surprise. Using different backs, the camera can use a variety of film and sizes; 6x6 roll film, 3x4 polaroids, sheet film and paper negatives up to 4x5, and is currently being used for experiments with home-coated glass negatives.

Later on, Andy was given a handy handle made out of an old screwdriver, got several focus rail upgrades and a facelift due to being dropped, which unfortunately means the eponymous Andy of the front was retired. 

"case studies" - Polyphemus

Mornin'

While living in Warsaw, and after experimenting with modifying existing cameras and film backs, Dafydd decided to try large format photography, but because of the cost involved and after looking at so many examples he decided, maybe foolishly, that he could just as well build himself a camera (a field/view camera).

The idea was to build a small lightweight camera that could use up to 3x4" film (so technically still medium format I suppose), but that could also still use roll film, and that would have full front and back standard movements - front tilt and swing for focus and back tilt and swing for perspective control.

And so now we have, Polyphemus (named by a friend and fellow photographer, beginning the tradition of naming)...

The camera was made with rudimentary tools, on the floor of our flat from recycled materials and scavenged wood found in courtyards around the city. The bellows (lined with a light tight material) is made from a paisley shirt bought in a second hand shop and card strips cut from a cereal box.

The front collage was made by poet, collagist and friend Richard Leach - after measuring and cutting the lens board, it was sent to America where Richard put together his wonderful collage and then dropped it back in the post to Poland, finishing off the handmade camera.

"case studies" - Agloh

Dear all,

in the run up to the exhibition, we'll be posting photos of Dafydd's camera modifications and handmade cameras. This is Agloh, a Holga modified to have a pinhole camera on the back, as well as the standard lens on the front.

The modification means that it's possible to take double exposures by exposing the front and the back of the film. It's also possible to just take photos through the back of the camera, which are then red scale (giving the photos a red/pink hue).

"case studies" - more info

“case studies” is an exhibition of photographs by Dafydd Williams, an experimental photographer and camera maker born in 1984 in Abertillery, opening on the 9th of June in the Market Hall Cinema in Brynmawr.

Dafydd is a self-taught analogue photographer and for the last 5 years he has been modifying and making cameras, having built a camera in each country he’s lived in – Poland, Italy and Wales. He’s also a co-founder of the*kickplate*project.

As opposed to the current trends in professional photography, Dafydd does not work in series of photographs and usually captures a given subject in only one image. His photographs focus on the uniqueness and singularity of each visual experience, giving equal attention to people, landscapes or objects. The exhibition is both a review of different techniques and Dafydd’s travels during the last few years, presenting photos taken in Wales, Poland, Italy and Sri Lanka.

The exhibition will present images taken in a variety of formats, from 35mm through medium to large format, and with a variety cameras, including a modified double-sided Holga, Polaroid double exposures and photos taken with Dafydd’s three homemade cameras: Polyphemus (3” by 4”), Andy (using different size film, ranging from 6cm x 9cm to 4” x 5”) and an 8” by 10” field camera Grandiflorum.  

It is the second exhibition, after “standing still”, organised in the Market Hall Cinema as part of a cooperation between the*kickplate*project and the Cinema, aimed at bringing visual arts to Brynmawr. 

You can find Dafydd’s images on his page.

"case studies" by Dafydd Williams

more info coming soon!