This year, I jumped at the chance to add a unique image to my Floating World project during the April 8 solar eclipse, doubling down on the peculiarity of the cruise ship environment. Several months earlier, my wife had discovered this intriguing photo-op offered on the Holland America Zandaam, and we booked it immediately.
Eugène Atget's Eclipse, 1911
I had driven up into Wyoming from my home in Northern Colorado for the 2017 eclipse, where I learned that the most dramatic moments pass in a flash. Planning and preparation were critical. I was hoping to create a response to Atget’s famous image in the style I’ve established for my work, and that reflects on the society we’ve become today. Of course, that called for a crowd of people looking up and wearing those cardboard glasses, but I wanted to express the sense of place so vital to my project. So, I needed to be looking down onto a large, open deck that included the edge of the ship, the sea and a bit of horizon and sky. Many of those high viewpoints are up by the smokestacks and other infrastructure—strictly off-limits to passengers. I contacted Holland America’s corporate PR office in Seattle, explained my project and asked if they could arrange a “fixer.” They were quite receptive, and we even found a nice bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne waiting in our cabin!
I had several days before the eclipse to scope things out, and decided the best place to be was accessible to everyone, so I didn’t need any special access after all. That also worried me a bit, not knowing how many other people might have their eye on the same spot. I got up there at 5 a.m. on the big morning and found there was plenty of space, probably because I was there to observe the passengers and everyone else was there to observe the heavens. My wife showed up shortly after, bringing coffee and a light breakfast as we established our little nest for the five-hour wait.
During those two weeks on the ship, the critical moments came down to 15 minutes of shooting and only during the final five minutes before totality were most people looking upward at the same time. As the sun became a tiny sliver of bright light, the edges of shadows looked like black paper cut by a razor blade. I got the shot, and then came the darkness.
Publications
Earlier in the year, I sent some images to Street Photography Magazine, a nice online enterprise headed by Bob Patterson, and asked if they thought my Floating World project counted as “street photography.” I received an enthusiastic “yes,” which resulted in:
An article I wrote for their magazine, targeted to their audience of street photographers and fans of the genre (so I included a lot about my process and working methods). Since it’s a membership website, I’ve converted it to a PDF you can access here.
An article by Ashley Riffo, “Russell C. Banks: How to Land a Solo Exhibition,” about my experiences scheduling shows this year and next. (also behind their pay wall)
And an hour-long interview for their podcast, with a lot of my backstory.
It was nice to get the attention, but I think the biggest benefit was the time spent thinking deeply about what I’m doing.
Speaking of articles, The Photographic Journal (Los Angeles, Miami, etc.) featured my project in May.
May Exhibit at the Viewpoint Photographic Art Center in Sacramento
Viewpoint Photographic Art Center
I had a great experience working with curator Mircea Ouatu-Lascar and the rest of the team there, shipping them 25 prints in 20 x 24 mats, which they were able to put behind their own stock of acrylic sheets. I wish more galleries had that resource. There’s no way I could have afforded to frame and ship a show of that size. Just the printing and archival matting was a substantial expense. Framing would have tripled that!
As a nice side-benefit, I attended the gallery’s reception and got to spend a few days with my daughter and her family that live in the Salinas-Monterey area. This included about six hours of round-trip driving between their house and Sacramento. That’s the most time I’ve had time alone with my lovely daughter in years! Precious time.
Colorado Photographic Arts Center 2024 Members Show
Silent Disco, 2022, was accepted by juror Brent Lewis, a photo editor based out of New York City. The show runs through August 10 and includes work from 33 other photographers.
And for the second half of the year...
As usual, I’ll be doing a lot of traveling, much of it on a variety of ships. I also expect to do some preliminary planning with curator Eriq Hochuli for next summer’s show at the Foothills Art Center in Golden, Colorado. A few weeks ago, I visited their fabulous new exhibition facility and I’m looking forward to working with Eriq on something really special.
And finally, after the Sacramento show I’m sitting on 25 ready-to-show prints I could pack up and ship quickly if anyone has space and a time slot. Just sayin’.
Regards,
Russell
