On the Edge of Darkness         

by Jon Pfeiffer

On the edge of darkness is how I describe these examples of my photography.  As you look at my work, I want you to take a step back and walk into the darkness with me.  Feel the warmth of a summer night or the cold of a January snow.  Photography like this requires no special equipment beyond a 35mm SLR (single lens reflex) film camera, a tripod and a cable release for the shutter.  Before stepping into the darkness, a photographer must visualize night scenes during daylight.  I am always on the lookout for winding roads, streetlights and bright landmarks like our Capitol to create the science fiction-like scenes seen here.  When I am out at work, I am alone, at peace with my camera.  Strangers walking by ask if they will be in my way.  I tell them “Walk right through.  You won’t even be seen in my photograph.” Puzzled, they continue on their way.  I enjoy listening as they wonder about me.                    

At a Willy Porter concert I photographed, darkness set in on Cedar Creek Park in Cedarburg, Wisconsin.  On the way out of the park, I stopped my sister and said: “Just one more photo.” Tripod in hand, I set up to capture the waterfall photograph seen here on my table.  I gave Willy and his keyboardist, Dave Adler of Madison, discs of my photographs from the show with a photo of the waterfalls on the case.  My photography is on his website, willyporter.com.

Top of the line digital cameras can now produce most of the photographs seen here, but at a high price.  Regardless, there is little interest in film cameras like this Canon.  Instead of paying for it’s third rebuild, I replaced it with a like-new Canon AE/1 for $119.  A friend gave me one zoom lens for it and I purchased another for $65.  The only other equipment I occasionally use is at twenty dollar 4 stop neutral density filter.  It lets only ¼ of the light reach the 100ASA Fuji film I use.  400 or 800 speed film is for night photography, people think.  What they don’t realize is that the image quality of enlargements suffers.  As film speed increases, quality decreases.  I use a tripod for nearly all my time exposures and spend hours trying to get them blurred just right.  High speed film is counterproductive.