- I hold my camera wrong
- My workflow is slow and antiquated
- Stop increments of 1/3rd confuse me
- I'm too critical of my own work
- I don't shoot enough

www.jasonpaulroberts.com
A worker removes the “Lance Armstrong” sign from a “24 Hour Fitness Lance Armstrong Sports Club” in Denver. Armstrong was a major fixture at this location, kicking off the grand opening in 2005, and giving lectures as recent as 2010. Inside the club, Lance Armstrong photographs and quotes decorated the walls. Olympic flags and bicycles hung from the ceiling. And accents were painted in Armstrong’s signature “Live Strong” yellow. When I approached the man removing the sign, he simply said, “I guess he got in a little trouble”. © Jason Paul Roberts

A worker removes the “Lance Armstrong” sign from a “24 Hour Fitness Lance Armstrong Sports Club” in Denver. Armstrong was a major fixture at this location, kicking off the grand opening in 2005, and giving lectures as recent as 2010. Inside the club, Lance Armstrong photographs and quotes decorated the walls. Olympic flags and bicycles hung from the ceiling. And accents were painted in Armstrong’s signature “Live Strong” yellow.

When I approached the man removing the sign, he simply said, “I guess he got in a little trouble”.

© Jason Paul Roberts

Denver School Bus Painted as Prison Bus. After making this picture, the school director and his 13-year-old son walked over and asked me what I was doing. My immediate thought was, “uh oh, here we go…” They were actually really nice and eager to discuss their thoughts on the prison themed graphics. Both the school director and his son said they hated the negative message of the design. The young boy said he always tries to sit at the front of the bus because he is embarrassed to sit in the prison section. I asked the director why the school agreed to have the prison graphics painted on their school bus. He said they had no choice; it was the decision of “Ace Scholarships”, and they rely on “Ace Scholarships” grant money to keep the school open. “Polaroids of America” project. © Jason Paul Roberts, 2012.

Denver School Bus Painted as Prison Bus.

After making this picture, the school director and his 13-year-old son walked over and asked me what I was doing. My immediate thought was, “uh oh, here we go…” They were actually really nice and eager to discuss their thoughts on the prison themed graphics.

Both the school director and his son said they hated the negative message of the design. The young boy said he always tries to sit at the front of the bus because he is embarrassed to sit in the prison section. I asked the director why the school agreed to have the prison graphics painted on their school bus. He said they had no choice; it was the decision of “Ace Scholarships”, and they rely on “Ace Scholarships” grant money to keep the school open.

“Polaroids of America” project. © Jason Paul Roberts, 2012.

A couple of months ago I ordered a Leica Monochrom, which for me, will end my relationship with 35mm film. Once it arrives I plan on selling my Leica M6 TTL. While I wait for the Monochrom to arrive, I am aggressively hitting the streets to burn through a refrigerator full of film. So here’s the problem - shooting only film over the last few weeks has rekindled my affection for it. Not the quality so much (the Monochrom will blow away 35mm film IQ) but the process. No immediate LCD preview, thinking in black and white, loading the film spools, the smell of the darkroom, etc. There is something about the process that feels more relaxing – less like work, more like art. That said, my decision to sell my M6 stands. I’ve become more comfortable with the digital workflow, the flexibility of digital files suits my needs much more than film, and the cost of film is becoming prohibitive. But hey, I’ve still got lots of film to go through, so ya never know… Photo: “Homeless man washing cloths in Platte River”. Denver, Colorado. 2012 © Jason Paul Roberts

A couple of months ago I ordered a Leica Monochrom, which for me, will end my relationship with 35mm film. Once it arrives I plan on selling my Leica M6 TTL. While I wait for the Monochrom to arrive, I am aggressively hitting the streets to burn through a refrigerator full of film.

So here’s the problem - shooting only film over the last few weeks has rekindled my affection for it. Not the quality so much (the Monochrom will blow away 35mm film IQ) but the process. No immediate LCD preview, thinking in black and white, loading the film spools, the smell of the darkroom, etc. There is something about the process that feels more relaxing – less like work, more like art.

That said, my decision to sell my M6 stands. I’ve become more comfortable with the digital workflow, the flexibility of digital files suits my needs much more than film, and the cost of film is becoming prohibitive. But hey, I’ve still got lots of film to go through, so ya never know…

Photo: “Homeless man washing cloths in Platte River”. Denver, Colorado. 2012

© Jason Paul Roberts

“I almost died two years ago. Now I sell antiques for old people who can’t do it on their own. I bring the antiques to my house and sell them on craigslist. It keeps me going. Sometimes I drive old people to the store and appointments too. And listen to them talk; that’s real important. But not for too long, after a while we get sick of each other.”  - Mary Lee. Denver, CO. 2012 “Polaroids of America” project. ©Jason Paul Roberts

“I almost died two years ago. Now I sell antiques for old people who can’t do it on their own. I bring the antiques to my house and sell them on craigslist. It keeps me going. Sometimes I drive old people to the store and appointments too. And listen to them talk; that’s real important. But not for too long, after a while we get sick of each other.”

 - Mary Lee. Denver, CO. 2012

“Polaroids of America” project. ©Jason Paul Roberts