Lost Portfolio Update

I heard from Christopher Bailey following my post about him the other day. He's living in the barn pictured above. It's in the northeast quadrant of the U.S. I won't say exactly where because his residency therein is not exactly...not entirely...well, you know. The local authorities might not entirely approve.

And here is one of the pictures from the Lost Portfolio:

I hope to do what's called a "studio visit" (a.k.a. go see the guy where he keeps all his art) sometime this year. Maybe between the two of us we can recontruct the Lost Portfolio.

The good news is that Chris is painting again. I really feel Chris would have been a world-class painter if he were able to concentrate on just one thing. It's not too late for that.

Mike

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Original contents copyright 2011 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.

Featured [partial] Comment by David Dyer-Bennet: "That's a fascinating picture. It's definitely got me playing 'Okay, now where was the camera mounted?' "

Mike replies: That's one of the interesting things about Chris—the camera wasn't mounted. He was holding it.

He used to go to amazing places to take pictures. One story he told was of walking out on a naked railroad trestle in the middle of the night. And a train came along. Chris wedged himself down through the ties and hung on to a railroad tie—hanging in free space—while the train passed above him. His only comment was, "The train took a really long time to go past, and my hands got pretty tired."

And he has lots of stories like that. I remember walking around downtown D.C. with him once and he saw a building and he said, "Hmm, you know, I could climb that." Before we knew it he was scaling the outside of the building. He got up four stories before we convinced him to come down, and when he got back to the ground he said, "I could have kept going. But I guess we don't have time right now." We were on our way to lunch or something.

There is another picture in the Lost Portfolio, if memory serves, that was taken from a flagpole sticking out from a building. Chris shimmied out on it to take the picture. The catch? The flag pole was something like twenty stories above the streets of Manhattan.

And the thing is, Chris himself never used to think any of this was the least bit unusual or remarkable.

Comments

[Tim McGowan]

Mike, when & if possible, please post pic's of Chris's paintings. Always interested in what you are interested in. It does photogs good to study paintings to see how they are constructed, good lessons to be learned.Try flipping thru some "How to Paint" books from the library, oils or watercolors. Take an educational diversion.

[JKLWOOD]

Like the photo (a lot) and like the barn -
wanna see more, please ...

Thanks

JKL

[Gary]

That's an amazing picture!!

[Sven W]

That might be an interesting debate: "it does photogs good to study paintings ... lessons to be learned". Another view is that it's better to study good photographs [from great photographers].

[V.I. Voltz]

Wow. If they're all like that it really must be a really amazing portfolio.

Voltz

[Chaz]

I think that is one of the most satisfying photos I've ever seen. Everything is exactly as it should be, and it feels like it would work in any size.

Just makes me desperate to see the whole portfolio though.

[Mike]

Mike

Really pleased that you heard from him and hope the visit goes well. Great picture too.

Mike

[Peter Rees]

What an astonishing photo.

[Lynn]

If that's just one of the pictures from Chris's Lost Portfolio, I'd love to see the rest...

[Tom Kwas]

...love that single picture, we all need to see more! I was thinking before: "...you can't just tell us it was great but not show us."

[Robert Newcomb]

The photograph "Baileypiloting" that was posted on Wednesday 2/9/11 is just beautiful! I should be so lucky as to be able to make such lovely pictures.

[Sean]

"I think this work is an expression of the sadness of that longing to be apart, to be an individual. Also, the inevitable failure of it. You’re always connected in one way or another, and need connection"

Alec Soth

You should definitely go see him. He'd be glad to see you

[David Nicol]

Wow, love that shot. So cool. I'd definately love to see the rest of this mythical portfolio.

[MJFerron]

"He's living in the barn pictured above"

You're kidding? Watch out Chris I use to photograph a fair amount of barns in similar condition when living in central Maine. On at least 1 occasion I drove by one of my photographic subjects and it was gone. Snow loads and nor'easter winds can take the old ones down.

[Bruce Krobusek]

That barn being in the "northeast quadrant" worries me a bit. It looks drafty, and we're not having the warmest of winters...

[Mike Johnston]

"Snow loads and nor'easter winds can take the old ones down."

Shhh...we don't mention snow loads around Chris.

To be fair, that picture was from when he bought the place. The barn/studio has had eight years' worth of work since, Chris tells me.

Mike

[David Dyer-Bennet]

That's a fascinating picture.

It's definitely got me playing "Okay, now where was the camera mounted?" :-).

Do go see your old friend! I find I keep trying to think of him as "unfortunate", but I really don't know enough about his life to have an opinion. Kind of an intrusive judgment to make about people anyway.

[yunfat]

I have often wondered if the iPhone 4 with retina display can substitute for the look and tactile sensation of the small 'lost folio' you describe Mr. Bailey carrying. I have impressed people with my photos on the iPhone, and it is certainly convenient, but now I get the feeling a moleskin or artsy box stuffed with 4*6's might make a better show of my work, and say more about my character.

And I have to echo the previous sentiments, that is quite a shot, I'm certainly glad I got to see it and feel great that there are folios like this and the Vivian Meyer archive for us to discover in the years to come.

[James]

Is the plane photograph a self-portrait, or a portrait of a rear seat pilot from the front seat? I'm trying to reconcile the image tag "baileypiloting" with no apparent way that he is hand-holding the camera. The nearest shoulder is clearly not in the right position, and the background and tail of the plane don't look like they're shot with a fisheye. The only explanation that seems possible to me is that he's got the camera on a handheld and jointed boom that he's operating with his hands inside the cockpit (well, more likely than 10 feet long, multi-jointed arms). Perhaps the long arms helped in climbing the buildings in DC?

It is however a great shot, that struck me as soon as I saw it. I don't really know why, but the angles work well and the softer printing works for me.

[Mike Johnston]

James,
He is not the pilot, "piloting" was his name for the file and I always put the photographer's name on the file so I stand a chance of finding it. It was a two-cockpit plane and the passenger rides in the front cockpit. My memory is that it was a biplane, but it might have been a single-wing stunt plane. Single prop, in any event. (I also took a ride--it was at an airshow.) I have no doubt that if Chris needed to undo his seatbelt and lean out of the cockpit to make a shot he would do so. I have a vague memory that the pilot yelled at him for doing just that. I'll ask him if he remembers. I know the shot was handheld, though. I also tried to make a similar shot on my ride but my picture was much less successful...probably because I am a chicken and Chris isn't.

Mike

[mike]

Sounds like something that would make for an interesting Spring print offer. Just sayin'.

[Marksteigelman.wordpress.com]

I really like that picture but I especially like your stories about the man. I'm often more interested in the photograph when I know the story behind it. Check out my blog which is about this very subject.

marksteigelman.wordpress.com

[Bron Janulis]

Mike, I'm ambivalent about the notion that your friend could be a "contender", if only he would concentrate; maybe the very qualities you like about his art can only be produced after a certain amount of exploration. Likewise, and without trying to open that can-o-worms of art vs. ART vs. craft, I'm not so sure about the 10,000 hours, voila, great art, either. The really good stuff is beyond technical mastery. An accomplished skill set is important, but not the only thing.

And letting others choose one's "best" seems akin to trying to satisfy a commitee, though I could be all "wet". Happens.

Bron

[Aaron]

Seeing a photograph that good makes my day.

[Mark Hespenheide]

Mike,

I don't want to poke my nose where it doesn't belong, but if the barn above isn't that fixed up, can we chip in to buy the guy a quality sleeping bag? A 5-degree or -10-degree mummy bag would go a long way towards making me worry less about losing a great artist to the elements. Which, for that matter, shouldn't happen to anyone if we're going to call ourselves civilized.

[crnigjuro]

“There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. Some kind of high powered mutant never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.”
Huntersjesse
Hunter S. Thompson

He seems to be a fascinating character, and I would very very much like to have, see, touch and read a photobook made by Mike, with the "lost" portfolio.

[Stan B.]

Add me to the chorus of voices that are absolutely amazed and captivated by that airplane shot! And if taken today with our wondrous digital recording devices, it would be absolutely grainfree and devoid of much of its mystery and wonder...

[Dave]

I second the nomination for a Spring Print Sale. I'm sure I could find the money somewhere.

[Christian Kurmann]

Spring Print Sale? Just what I thought. I'm in. Need to save money this year but I think this case warrants one more exception

[Richard Szczesniak]

What an amazing photograph. Please do let us know when (and where) we can purchase a proper print of it!

[John Minor]

People like Mr. Bailey fascinate me. They are like rare other dimension beings that have a special talent or skill we can only hope to posess, and a fearlessness to live and act in a way we mere mortals are unable or unwilling to exist.
The photograph "Baileypiolting" is mesmerising, and leaves me hoping, no, needing to see more.

[David Dyer-Bennet]

Ah; that would explain the point of view. There was probably quite a slipstream, and the pilot probably had to compensate for the change in air resistance, too.

It's a great shot.

Sounds like Chris has really good balance and hand and arm strength; or he wouldn't have made it through all those risks. I would never have considered shimmying out onto that flagpole you describe.

[Mike Johnston]

"I would never have considered shimmying out onto that flagpole you describe."

Nor I. In. a. million. years.

--Scared-of-heights Mike

[Filippo M.]

This is simply a perfect photograph and I wish I could own any print of it!