We've been following Dan Rubin's photography for a while now so were really pleased when he agreed to take part in our Lockdown Sessions.
Shinagawa Station, Tokyo, 2016. Ilford HP5+ @ 400, Leica M6, Summicron-M 50/2 (Scanned by Canadian Film Lab)
This was my first full day in Tokyo, on my first visit to Japan in 2016. The memory of wandering through the station during rush hour and letting the entire experience wash over me, is held in this image. It was also the first negative I had printed in the darkroom (most of my workflow is still digital, with scanning as the norm), and as an edition of 100 giclée prints based on that original darkroom print — so it’s my most-purchased image to date. Though I love so many of the images I’ve captured, this is one of a select few I never tire of seeing.
I’m a designer, photographer, musician, and teacher, originally from Miami, based in London, and currently stranded in Florida due to the pandemic. I’ve been a professional creative for over 25 years, and a photographer for a little less than half that time, shooting everything from instant film to large format.
Though I shot film at some point when I was younger (mostly random rolls from my teens, all from disposable cameras), I didn't see photography as a creative tool at the time. I clearly wasn't curious enough back then to really dive into photography — I also suspect the results I was getting weren't that inspiring either.
Then, around 2008, some good old ‘fear of missing out’ changed everything: A few designer-friends introduced me to the Polaroid SX-70: a folding, Transformer-esque model from the early 1970s, covered in tan leatherette and a brushed chrome finish. The minute I saw that camera I wanted it as a design object. This was shortly after Polaroid had announced it was discontinuing the film, so naturally I wanted to shoot some of that film before it was gone forever. I figured I’d shoot a few packs of film so I could tell my eventual grandchildren that I had, before the film became extinct, then put the camera on a shelf.
Instead, I fell in love with the first few images I made with the SX-70, which made me rethink my entire relationship with photography and cameras. That camera and film literally changed my life.
Somewhere between Cartier-Bresson and Clyde Butcher. Both found joy in mastering the creation of images, and though their subject matter couldn’t be more different, I connected with their images long before I knew who they were. The more I learned about them, their stories, and their approach to the work, the deeper that connection became.
Someone once told me — soon after I’d purchased my first digital SLR — to ‘bolt on’ the 50mm prime lens for the first 6 months. Their intent was for me to learn how to compose without having to look through the viewfinder, and to remove the distraction of swapping lenses or changing focal lengths on a zoom. The advice served me well and I’ve been passing it on to others for years.
TAKE CONTROL. Don’t wait for permission to make decisions, don’t wait for clients to get in touch, don’t wait for the government to tell you things are going back to normal (that won’t really happen anyway, not in the way we like to imagine). When we feel like we lack agency, it can be near-impossible to feel creative.
As I’m currently stuck in Florida with family, I’m not entirely sure when I’ll be able to safely get back to the U.K. where most of my gear lives — let alone anywhere else. So, for the time being, I’ve quickly adopted a non-travel mindset: by not even thinking about potential destinations (not in a practical, forward-thinking sense), it frees my brain to focus on what’s right in front of me. As someone who has traveled as a lifestyle for 3 of the last 4 years, that might seem strange, but I’ve always been fairly quick to adapt to new situations — which isn’t to say it’s easy, but it’s easier for me than constantly missing being in airports and planning itineraries for multiple destinations each month.
I always want to return to Iceland (which was to be my next destination in March before getting stuck here), and Vienna, Edinburgh, the Faroe Islands, Sri Lanka, Japan, and many, many other favourite places, as well as all the spots I’ve yet to visit (and so many I’ve only been once, and need to make my first return visit — like Copenhagen!)
Wherever I go, it will be to see people I miss the most — and then I might head somewhere on my own and just hang out with nature for a bit…
As for kit: I’m missing my Pentax 67 and various 4x5 cameras like mad, so those will certainly be in my bag wherever I go.
BrusselsSeeing the massive decrease in worldwide pollution, makes me happy. Seeing people walking where they would normally drive, makes me happy. People appreciating being outdoors and active, makes me happy. Seeing people coming together to try to help others, makes me happy. I’d love to see everyone who’s been named an ‘essential worker’ get paid more for all that usually-invisible work we all rely on. I’d like to see the world reflect on what really matters, and invest more time, money, and passion in those things.
@minhyunwoo_
His images are consistently stunning. Wonderful exposures and composition, and great art direction throughout.
@paeulini
Chantal’s work always features such a delicate attention to light — and her thoughtful captions and commentary are always worth reading. Her images make me want to try my hand at self-portraiture.
@jakewangner
I found Jake’s work late last year, and his images immediately became favourites. Always a joy when his light-play appears in my feed.
Wales
Breaking the rules here, because there are three labs that have made a difference in my film photography:
ahhhhhhhh NO FAIR! I own too many, and covet a few too many beyond that number… so I’ll go with a favourite over the last few years, the Leicaflex SL. As much as I love medium format, this underrated manual SLR from Wetzlar impresses me even if there’s no film loaded.
This is always changing, as the cameras I pack always seem to be on rotation… that said, I always have these on hand regardless:
LR44 batteries (my M6 is always with me),
Cable release
Feisol CT-3441S Traveler Rapid Carbon Fiber Tripod
Acratech GP-ss Ballhead
Acratech Universal Quick Release Plate
Domke lead-lined film bag
My dad’s Nikon F — he gave it to me just over 10 years ago, not having used it in years, and though I was still at the beginning of my photographic journey I knew it was a lovely thing to hold, and use. Naturally, it still works like a dream.
Faroe Islands
HP5+ @ 800
When I first started shooting HP5 I was shooting it at 400, and I wasn’t always thrilled with the results. They were good, of course. — I have a handful of my favourite images shot on those first few rolls — but, as with many emulsions I tried in my early days of shooting film, I didn’t know much about it, and didn’t experiment enough at first. If anything, it was too clean for my liking. Once I started pushing HP5 to 800 and 1600, it immediately became my favourite B&W stock. The increased contrast and grain were what I wanted to see, and knowing I could have such a bulletproof film for a wide range of lighting situations made it my go-to from that moment on. I now consider HP5 an 800ISO film (at minimum), and my most-used B&W stock.
Jahan Saber / @doyoudevelop
I’m a designer, photographer, musician, and teacher, originally from Miami, based in London, and currently stranded in Florida due to the pandemic. I’ve been a professional creative for over 25 years, and a photographer for a little less than half that time, shooting everything from instant film to large format.
You can find me on Twitter / Instagram @danrubin
An in the future :-
