Yours Truly

Photo Mentors & Influences

Ansel Adams - Visited him, studied his work and books, used and taught his techniques

Morley Baer - Attended his classes at San Francisco Art Institute

John Collier - Attended discussion group at San Francisco Art Institute

Ricki Cooke - Attended 12 day workshop

Imogene Cunningham - Studied her work and visited her at her home

Bruce Davidson - Studied his work

Phillip Hyde - Studied his work

Jacques Henri Lartigue - Studied his work

Elliot Porter - Studied his work

Blair Stapp - Attended his classes at San Francisco Art Institute. Blair was also head of the photo department when I was an instructor there.

Edward Steichen - Studied his work

Alfred Stieglitz - Studied his work

Jerry Uelsmann - Studied his work

Brett Weston - Studied his work and visited him at his home

Edward Weston - Studied his work and autobiography, used some of his darkroom chemical formulas

Minor White - Studied his work and attended intensive 10 day workshop

Teaching and Course Materials Creation Experience

    San Francisco Art Institute - 3 years

Taught all levels of photography students. Developed all my materials and assignments, taught field work, lab work and classes. Taught both basics for beginners and Ansel Adam's Zone System for advanced students.

 

    Touring Audio Engineering - 3 years

Created and taught a series of 12 week classes in all aspects of audio engineering for Rock 'N Roll touring. Class included sections on electronics, audio engineering, acoustics, touring and tour planning.

 

    Use of Personal Computers - 15 years

As part of my personal computer consulting company, I teach the use of personal computers, operating systems and applications programs. 

Personal Photo History
Approach To Photography

I started making photos at around the age of 9. My father gave me a 35mm camera at about age 14 and I began developing my own film and making contact prints at about 16. Was my High School's photographer. Learned the basics of photography and applied it to most of my many other interests.

Following High School in Southern California, I enrolled in a Junior College near San Francisco as an art/design major with some photo courses. Fortunately, they didn't have a specialized photography major, so I was in with the art students and learned a lot about the theory, tools and skills of general visual communication.

Enrolled in the San Francisco Art Institute Photography Department. Bought a view camera and learned Ansel Adam's Zone System. Studied the masters of painting, sculpture, graphics, writing and photography. Did photography full time for the first time. Of course, I had to hold down 2 part-time jobs to earn tuition - as well as working summers as a laborer. I attended some great workshops and discussion groups and visited with many of the region's fine art photographers.

Studied the photo and darkroom techniques of such masters as Edward Weston and Ansel Adams. Built a darkroom and began mixing my own darkroom chemicals, selecting better materials, using a densitometer and getting quality lenses and other tools to improve the technical quality of my work. Viewed many photo shows and books and began working in earnest on my own creativity and vision.

I completed some science experiments for myself and the science requirement of my degree. In one experiment, I created 100 1"x 1" chips, evenly stepped from black to white. I had both graduate photo students and people off the street try to arrange these in the correct sequence from black to white. The idea was to see if trained photographers were any better than average at seeing subtle tonal values - they sure were!

In another experiment, I wore deep red filtered goggles over my eyes for 5 days and nights, to see what would happen to my color and tonal perception. Strangely enough, in a few days my vision adjusted and I started perceiving color again from the subtle color differences that got through the filters - and almost as well as before. But when I finally took the red goggles off, I really experienced color!

I graduated with the usual Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (with a minor in printmaking and coursework in oil painting).

A year later, the head of the San Francisco Art Institute Photography Department asked me to sign on as an instructor - I was delighted to do so. The San Francisco Art Institute had a very wise and unusual arrangement with their instructors, preventing the kind of stagnation and bureaucracy that plagues most colleges. All instructors received the same hourly pay, had the same rank, could not teach more than three classes per term, had to maintain an active art career outside the school and could not teach for more than three years in a row. Also, there was no tenure.

I taught Saturday and night students, as well as full-time day students at all levels. I specialized in teaching beginners, in teaching advanced students the Zone System and in giving creativity driven assignments.

After deciding to leave the Art Institute when my first three year teaching assignment was complete, I also decided again against a career in commercial photography. I had seen too many photographers loose their joy and creativity after taking on commercial work. Because I have many interests, I have been able to develop several money earning careers over the years from my various "hobbies", while still doing some photography for myself.

For example, my interests in electronics and audio led me to make a living as a recording studio technician and engineer and later as the head touring soundman for the Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna/Jefferson Starship music group. I also took courses in Electronics and Electronics Math at the College of Marin, as time allowed. I designed and built a lot of audio circuitry, invented a new kind of noise canceling microphone and helped design and develop the band's touring audio equipment.

After leaving the band in 1980 (after 8 year on the road), I started my first business, designing small listening rooms, recording studios and sound systems.

Later, I built on this experience to become an Acoustical Consultant and Sound and Vibration Engineer. Eventually, I helped found a high tech engineering partnership in Acoustics and Vibration.

My long time interest in computers (I built my first PC from kits and scrap in 1975 and bought Bill Gate's first product - basic on a punched paper tape) led me to become the personal computer expert for our engineering company. When I decided to leave the partnership and head out on my own again, I started a one-person personal computer consulting service and that's what I'm doing for a living today.

During all the years since the San Francisco Art Institute, I have kept doing photography, though with some long gaps when my other activities consumed all my time.

Major Interests Outside of Photography

    Light and light projection machines:

Because of my life-long interest in color, light and projection effects, I have built several "light machines" and projection devices. Some of these have been based on the work of others and some are my own inventions. This interest lead me to help found the "Holy See" light show. We pioneered many projection effects and did all the light shows for Bill Grahm's first Fillmore Auditorium in the earliest days of the Haight Ashbury scene, during the 1960's in San Francisco.

 

    Electronics:

Electronics has long fascinated me, and I have designed and built many interesting circuits and devices. I am especially interested in brain wave monitors and direct visual stimulation systems. I also invented and developed a feedback preventing "differential" microphone for use at loud live music events.

 

    Science & Science Fiction:

As soon as I learned to read, I became an avid reader. Most of what I read is science fiction, science, technology, cosmology or futurism. Buckminster Fuller and Richard Feynman are among my heroes.

 

    Flying:

Flying has also been a lifelong interest. After building a hang glider from a kit, I attempted to launch a low cost flying hobby. One of my most safety-conscious instructors was killed before I got very far and I decided to find a safer way to fly. So, I learned to fly sail planes at a glider port in Calistoga California. Space flight and interplanetary exploration are extensions of my interest in flying. In this realm, Chuck Yeager is one of my heroes.

 

    Computer graphics:

I have learned many personal computer graphics tools. The tools I use the most are Adobe PhotoShop and Microsoft Image Composer. All of my photos on this site have been improved from the originals with PhotoShop. Some of this is required to correct for the effects of having my slides transferred to a Kodak Photo/CD format meant for television. Other uses help me to crop images, correct exposure, balance color, sharpen focus or remove grain.

My newest interest in computer graphics is to use parts of my own images to create "photodigital collages". There is some great work being done in this area, but most workers use parts from any image they can get. I'm hoping that by using only parts of my own images I can synergistically enhance the emotional/spiritual content.

I would greatly appreciate any feedback you might wish to send by E-Mail or by using the Everyday Magic Guest Book.

Last creative photos page update: June 18, 2000
Copyright © 1996-1999 jim coe. All rights reserved.