So excited to be featured along with other Polaroid lovers in the latest issue of Pamplemousse Magazine.
Shot when I was teenager.
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| The American West, 1977 |
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| The Magazine |
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| The Spread |
Professor John Nordell teaches courses in the Arts, Media, and Design Program at American International College in Springfield, Mass. He blogs about the creative process at johnnordell.com Instagram: john.nordell
Pacey Foster from the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive at UMass Boston connected me with Jaypix Belmer, as Belmer was curating an exhibit on Boston Hip-Hop at Black Market Nubian in Roxbury, MA.
During our initial phone conversation, Belmer and I hit it off. We discovered a mutual love of creating multiple exposure photographs. We also both find inspiration in the work of photographer Eugene Richards.
I was honored to have my 1980s images of the Boston Hip-Hop scene on view along with Belmer's contemporary images. The exhibit coincided with Hip-Hop's 50th anniversary.
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| Photo by Jaypix Belmer |
The Boston Globe's James Sullivan attended Moment of Focus and wove vignettes from the event into his article: In the early days of hip-hop, Boston made its own history.
He made mention of me and my work:"His photos from various venues around the city were a prominent feature of the recent “Moment of Focus” exhibit, and they made up the bulk of “Hip-Hop: Seen/Unseen,” an exhibit that ran from August until mid-November in Dewey Square on the Rose Kennedy Greenway.
“When I see my photos, it’s about the youth,” said Nordell, now a professor at American International College in Springfield. He recently donated his negatives to the Hip-Hop Archive."
My images were used to illustrate the article.
A history of Hip-Hop in Boston without acknowledging Rusti Pendleton, shown above scratching with his toes, would be woefully incomplete.
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| Photo by James Bynum |
A scant few of my Boston Hip-Hop images were published in the 80s. The rest would still be unseen if record store owner and historian Brian Coleman had not tracked me down to find out if I had more. Thanks again Brian!
A big thank you as well to Jaypix Belmer for including my work in the Moment of Focus Hip-Hop Exhibit.
Professor John Nordell teaches courses in the Arts, Media, and Design Program at American International College in Springfield, Mass. He blogs about the creative process at CreateLookEnjoy.com and teaches online Zentangle drawing workshops.
I infuse teaching the creative process into my Arts, Media, and Design courses at American International College.
As several of my students play on the men's soccer team, I set out to engage in the creative process myself, aiming to increase my chances of successfully capturing key moments from the game against New Haven.
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| Vying for corner kick (or maybe a free kick). |
I researched tips and techniques for photographing soccer to build on my expertise of fifty years working as a photographer. (I am only 64, but was first published as a teenager.)
I found 11 Tips for Breathtaking Soccer Photography from Digital Photography School somewhat helpful in guiding my approach to the challenge. However, Sports Illustrated photographer Peter Read Miller's video Tips for Shooting Soccer proved to be an invaluable resource. His advice was clear, precise, encouraging and empowering. I knew what lens, aperture and shutter speed to use, optimum vantage points and angles, as well as key game moments to anticipate. |
| Shot List: includes the jersey numbers of my students. |
After deepening my knowledge, I generated a shot list of types of images to focus my shooting. I also emailed Coordinator of Athletic Communications Seth Dussault, inquiring about the logistics of covering the game. He got back to me, "Basically, just don't cross the yellow lines. Other than that you're pretty free to do as you please."
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| A tackle. |
I enjoyed the challenge of working to capture the types of images from my shot list.
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| A header. |
This is as close as I came with a header. I wanted the moment of a head making contact with the ball. In many shots, the ball was 10 or more away from the point of contact.
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| Soaring. |
At one point I noticed a hawk soaring above the field. I took a short break from the game and photographed in the majestic bird. I marveled and the apparent confidence and freedom of the bird, took a deep breath, and tried to infuse these qualities to my photographic efforts.
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| Manuel Schwarz shoots to score his 3rd goal of the day. |
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| Schwarz's teammates swarm to celebrate with him. |
Though I watched Miller's video only once, it was as if he was coaching me via a headset as his voiced explanations lingered in my head.
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| The Professor at Work - Photo by AIC student Jalen Jordan |
In the video, Miller demonstrated photographing from a lower angle to enhance the perceived stature of the players. I wish that I had the kneepads he was wearing!
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| Arty. |
I experimented with using a slow shutter to create an impressionistic rendering of the game.
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| Pain. |
Looking at the images later on my computer, I reveled in reaching the photographic goals outlined on my shot list. Not all the images are perfect examples, but it was exhilarating capturing what I could.
Ah... the power of the creative process.
Below is one of my first published images, shot when I was thirteen.
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| From The Harvard Bulletin |
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| Bridge to Somewhere, 2022 |
I photographed Bridge to Somewhere on a frigid January morning in Boston. View more images from this shoot.
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| Bridge to Somewhere, published in F-Stop Magazine |
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| Black Sheep (Snow, Sun, Trees), 2021 |
You can learn more about the context of creating Black Sheep(Snow, Sun, Trees) in my blog post "The Glory of Mistakes".
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| Black Sheep (Snow, Sun, Trees), published in F-Stop Magazine |
Along with the above selected digital offerings, I submitted other black and white images, including some shot on 120 film using a cheap plastic toy camera called a Holga. More on this camera and my explorations with shooting film.
Neither of these images were selected for publication. I still love them. And I am fond of the way the rough, soulful, earthy feel of film contrasts with controlled digital sharpness and precision.
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| Connecting to Spirit, 2022 |
Speaking of soulful, one of my early mentors, Jerry Berndt, encouraged me to use different kinds of cameras to struggle with adjusting back and forth between different gear with different controls to combat complacency and routine ways of capturing images.
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| Myles Standish Above the Sea, 2022 |
I miss you Jerry.
Professor John Nordell teaches courses in the Visual and Digital Arts Program that he created at American International College in Springfield, Mass. He blogs about the creative process at CreateLookEnjoy.com and teaches online Zentangle drawing workshops.
The Montague Reporter chronicled my artistic life and teaching experiences. (After the clicking the link scroll down to page B1.)
The report mentions upcoming exhibitions of my art as well as my December online Zentangle drawing workshops.
My double exposure using a film camera, Now and Then, is in a juried group show at The Lava Center, 324 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301 On view: 11/5 - 12/17, Opening reception 11/5 11 am - 2 pm
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| Now and Then |
Artist Statement: I shot film as an internationally travelled and published photojournalist in the 1980s and 1990s. As I shifted to teaching in the 2000s, standard camera gear shifted to digital. I discovered with my digital camera that I could purposefully create in-camera multiple exposures, layering images to abstract reality. In the late 2010s, I picked up film cameras again. Employing techniques refined using modern digital tech, I used old school tools in a new way. I currently teach visual and digital arts courses at American International College.
Speaking of digital in-camera multiple exposures, Sea, Sand, Sky, from my Reality-Based Abstraction series, will join the work of my teaching colleagues in the Massachusetts Art Education Association Members Exhibition at the Worcester Art Museum, Higgins Education Wing, 55 Salisbury St, Worcester, MA. Please use the entrance on Lancaster St (off Salisbury) On View, November 2, 2022 – December 2, 2022 Reception: Saturday, November 12 , 2022 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. |
| Sea, Sand, Sky |
This set of images evokes in me the excitement I felt 5 decades ago watching my first photographs emerge in a developing tray. Today I eagerly watch the screen on the back of my digital camera as the machine develops a series of exposures into these multilayered offerings. As the image combining occurs in-camera, the spirit of my art is photographic rather than digital.
The raw files that emerge, however, are flat and gray looking, so I use a computer darkroom to reveal rich detail, texture and color.
The art of the Cubist painters shimmers with life. These painters have inspired me to utilize multiple views simultaneously to portray the essence of a subject.
Engaging light and graphic beauty draw me to subject matter, which usually relates to the constructed environment.
The “zzt” sound of the camera’s shutter encourages me. I joyfully bend, stretch and strain while photographing. Heart, technology and technique combine to reflect the overlapping planes in which I see the world these days.
I have been working on this series since 2007.
A print of Art Museum Columns resides in the collection of The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
John Nordell teaches courses in the Visual and Digital Arts Program that he created at American International College in Springfield, Mass. He blogs about the creative process at CreateLookEnjoy.com and teaches online Zentangle drawing workshops. Instagram: @john.nordell
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| Inside Looking Out and Outside Looking In |
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| Open Windows - Incomplete or Completely Better |
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| Portal to the Past and Present |
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| Digital Prism |
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| Reflections on the Inner Light |
