Laura Miner: Tiny Ghosts

My latest developing project involves staging ghost photography on a small scale. The goal is not necessarily to debunk images  of supposedly real ghosts. I want to challenge myself with the task of creating illusions with my digital camera without the aid of layering in Photoshop. In line with other projects of mine, I want to create images that are unsettling, yet soft in their delivery. Also in line with other projects, I will continue to work on a small scale.

©Laura Miner 2013

As a child, I loved playing in my doll house (featured in the photographs in this post). I would also make my own doll apartments on shelves and dresser tops all over my grandparents' house. My grandparents were much more patient with this behavior than my parents were. Shrinking down and living in the homes I made was a fantasy of mine.

 After I grew older and stopped playing in that way, photography facilitated that fantasy. I was drawn to photographing miniatures and dolls because in a photograph you edit the world around you. I could make the size of my small creations ambiguous; an easier feat making them my size rather than shrinking myself. 

©Laura Miner 2013

©Laura Miner 2013

I want to believe in ghosts, but I'm not completely willing to go all in without more proof. As a fan of ghost stories and as a photographer, I am attracted to supposed images of ghosts. What are the possibilities of recording beyond our line of sight?

With this series, I want the audience to ask themselves how it could be possible. I want them to be excited by the notion of apparitions and other worldly spirits, while also questioning the scale and reality of the room. 

These initial shots from my childhood dollhouse are exploring the terrain. These images give the impression of which angles I'm attracted to, the lighting scheme and the mood. I plan to go in again with more tricks up my sleeve to create the apparitions.

C.R.I.T. Quarterly: Issue 4 Release Party

Cover Image: © Kitty Ethridge

This Saturday, May 11th, from 6:00 till 9:00 pm, C.R.I.T. will be having their 4th book release party. Located at Refuge Cafe in Allston, MA, the members of C.R.I.T. will have their photographs on display from the day of the release till June 17th.

The Spring 2013 issue includes the works of Traverse Day Robinette, Laura Miner, Hannah Bemelmans, Michael Powers, Nichole Elkins, Dina Shaposhnikova, and Kitty Ethridge.

The introduction was beautifully written by Sarah Pollman, photo blogger and producer of the fine art photography publication 3200K.

Copies of Issue 4 will on sale at Refuge Cafe during the reception and will officially be available online at magcloud.com the same day.

Please join us for light refreshments, drinks, and always ... inspiring photography. 

Refuge Cafe 155 Brighton Ave. Allston, MA 02134

Saturday May 11th 2013 6pm - 9pm 

Poster Design © Doug Harry, Poster Images ©Laura Miner and Dina Shaposhnikova

Traverse Day Robinette: For Whom the Bell Tolls

February 2011 I went for a long weekend in Hancock Vermont. I had planned on shooting black and white landscapes.  Somehow I forgot my film and only had 10 sheets of 4x5 instant film and a two sheets of slide and two sheets of black and white film in my film holders. Times like these one wonders why does anyone still shoot film.

Self Portrait; For Whom the Bell Tolls, 2011 © Traverse Day Robinette

I did some hiking and a bit of shooting. Mostly I froze my fingers off while trying to make images in the icy woods of Vermont. I made a few instant images at Texas Falls and they were technically off. I had intended to have the scene back lit but my cold hands took so long to set up the shot that the sun actually moved from behind the tree. It is a sad day when the sun moves faster than you. I had two choices, 1) Move my camera to another vantage point and start over or 2) Stay put and make the image shooting straight into the sun. As you have probably have guessed I was not interested in loosing another race to the sun. I must say it was hard for me to let go and make an image where I knew I had given up control.

Snowfall, 2011 © Traverse Day Robinette

Life is a funny thing and photography is no less strange. My photography professor Nick Nixon once said “Make pictures now and ask questions later”. Unfortunately at the time this was of little use, while in college everyone wanted questions answered “now”.  These words have been echoing in the back of my mind since graduation. I consistently find myself photographing without reason or direction of events pertaining to daily life. Answers to these questions seem to surface years later and bring a greater focus to works already made. This is something I had never anticipated to happen.

It Tolls for Thee, 2011 © Traverse Day Robinette

I put these images aside and did not think of them for some time. They represented the scene not as I had wanted them to, but in a totally different manner.   After a year or so I found myself drawn to the quiet beauty they held.  I started to form a story and to think how they were like scenes from “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Ernest Hemingway. I had brought along this novel while on my trip and I found myself reading in the window. It was snowing outside and in the book. I look at these images from Texas Falls and they represent the snow fall and what was to come.  This sequence was also contrived with the purpose of representing my insecurities with what is before life and after death.