Roll 18: Blues, Blacks & Whites

blues man 4 R18, originally uploaded by shaunwilliamcallahan.

For 2 years in High School and 5 Semesters in college all I shot was Black & White. I also developed all my own rolls and developed my own prints. At some point life happened $$$$ and I switched majors from photo journalism to just journalism and photography became casual, digital and pocket sized...

When Film Photography and I made a mends the thought of shooting in Black & White didn't even cross my mind. This city is overwhelmingly colorful. Yet now on the brink of winter with rain, temperatures and colors dropping I felt like now was the time to get back to my roots a bit a buy a roll of Ilford B&W.

At the same time I have recently gotten back into all things Blues music (documentaries, books, albums, movies and doing my best to play some myself). Like photography, blues is something that has always been there and can get me where I need to be (good times or the not so good times).

On a typical hungover morning off I re-watched one of my favorite films of all time "Crossroads" with Ralph Macchio (not to be confused with the Britney Spears flic). Though it has some obvious flaws the overall tone, culture and direction of the film is fantastic. One particular scene always hits me where over a bottle of whiskey, Blues Harp master Willie Brown sits while Lightning Boy plays his guitar in a broken down hostel. At this point Willie says one of the simplest lines in the movie but hits me like a brick in the chest every time.

"The blues ain't nothin' but a good man feelin' bad, thinkin' 'bout the woman he once was with. "

Anyway I wanted to take a chance and pay respects to the overall tone and quote in this scene with a few shots (inspired by an assignment from my friends in the "Keep It Light" photo group.

I unfortunately lost a good amount of photos due to the clutch failing when rewinding my film. But the good people at 60min on 14th and a lil photoshop work myself I was able to save a few shots.


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much love,

-the third