PORTFOLIOHAO HSIEH
wwSUMMARY
ww2404MIRROR 12GLACIERISOLATION 1620A LOST TECHNIQUE: PEEL-APART FILMMESMERISM
4A LOST TECHNIQUE: PEEL-APART FILMINTRODUCTIONTHE POLAROID BIG SHOT (1971–1973) WAS A UNIQUELY LARGE, RIGID-BODY INSTANT CAMERA DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR PORTRAITS. IT FEATURES A 220MM LENS, SINGLE-SPEED MECHANICAL SHUTTER, AND FIXED-FOCUS RANGEFINDER WITH A PRESET CLOSE DISTANCE. TO FOCUS, PHOTOGRAPHERS PHYSICALLY MOVE CLOSER OR FARTHER FROM THE SUBJECT — A METHOD KNOWN AS THE “BIG SHOT SHUFFLE.”IT INCLUDES A BUILT-IN FLASH DIFFUSER TO SOFTEN SHADOWS AND REQUIRES DISCONTINUED MAGICUBE X FLASH CUBES FOR PROPER EXPOSURE. THE CAMERA USES NO BATTERIES, RELYING ON ITS MECHANICAL SHUTTER SYNCHRONIZED WITH THE FLASH, PLUS A STANDARD LIGHTEN/DARKEN EXPOSURE CONTROL AROUND THE LENS.
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6MAGICUBES (X-FLASHCUBES) WERE INTRODUCED IN 1970 AS A MECHANICAL UPGRADE TO TRADITIONAL FLASHCUBES. UNLIKE EARLIER VERSIONS THAT REQUIRED A BATTERY, MAGICUBES WERE TRIGGERED BY A SMALL METAL BAR STRIKING A PIN COATED WITH FULMINATING MATERIAL — ELIMINATING ELECTRICAL CONTACTS AND SIMPLIFYING CAMERA DESIGN.THEY LOOKED SIMILAR TO STANDARD FLASHCUBES BUT HAD A SLIGHTLY LARGER SLOT, WERE MARKED WITH A LARGE “X,” AND USED A PIN-BASED IGNITION SYSTEM, MAKING EXTREMELY LOW-COST, BATTERY-FREE FLASH CAMERAS POSSIBLE.
ANDY WARHOL —ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY—FREQUENTLY USED THE POLAROID BIG SHOT, A SIMPLE $19.99 PLASTIC CAMERA PRODUCED FOR JUST OVER A YEAR. DESPITE ITS MODEST DESIGN, IT BECAME THE TOOL BEHIND HIS ICONIC SILKSCREEN PORTRAITS THAT NOW SELL FOR OVER $100 MILLION.IN COMPARISON, DIGITAL CAMERAS REQUIRE HIGHER UPFRONT INVESTMENT, TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE OF LENSES AND EDITING, AND SIGNIFICANT STORAGE SPACE, BUT THEY OFFER VERSATILITY AND COMPREHENSIVE IMAGE CONTROL.**FILM CAMERAS** DEMAND CAREFUL ADJUSTMENT BASED ON ENVIRONMENT AND STRONG TECHNICAL SKILLS. THEY INVOLVE ONGOING COSTS FOR FILM AND DEVELOPMENT, MAKING THEM MORE TIME-CONSUMING AND EXPENSIVE OVERALL.7
8PEEL-APART FILM
9THE RESULT OF PEEL-APART FILM
FP-3000B / FP-100CFUJIFILM DISCONTINUED FP-3000B IN 2013 AND FP-100C IN 2016, CAUSING RESALE PRICES TO SURGE. NO OFFICIAL REPLACEMENTS EXIST, THOUGH SOME PHOTOGRAPHERS USE EXPIRED STOCK OR MODIFY CAMERAS TO ADAPT OTHER INSTANT FILM FORMATS.10
PRESERVATIONBEFORE USE:STORE FP-3000B AND FP-100C SEALED IN A REFRIGERATOR AT 5°C FOR LONG-TERM PRESERVATION.AFTER USE:ONCE THE CHEMICALS HAVE DRIED, PRESS THE FRONT OF THE FILM AGAINST SMOOTH GLASS WITH CLEAN WATER. SOAK THE BACK IN A 1:5 DILUTED BLEACH SOLUTION, GENTLY SCRUB OFF BLACK RESIDUE WITH A TOOTHBRUSH, THEN REMOVE EXCESS CHEMICALS BY RUBBING LIGHTLY WITH YOUR FINGERS. AIR DRY IN A COOL, SHADED AREA. AFTER FULLY DRY, SEAL BOTH THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IN A ZIPLOCK BAG FOR STORAGE. 11
12MIRROR
13ME AND THE MIRRORS ALL OVER THE WORLD
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15CAPRI, 2025
16ISOLATION IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF THE WORLD, BUT THE PERSISTENCE OF EXISTENCE AFTER CONNECTION IS LOST.
17ISOLATION IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF THE WORLD, BUT THE PERSISTENCE OF EXISTENCE AFTER CONNECTION IS LOST.ISOLATION
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20GLACIER
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GLACIER OBSESSIONGLACIERS FEEL ETERNAL, YET THEY ARE CONSTANTLY DISAPPEARING.MY OBSESSION WITH GLACIERS IS NOT ABOUT LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY, BUT ABOUT TIME — COMPRESSED, LAYERED, AND SLOWLY DISSOLVING.A GLACIER IS A BODY THAT REMEMBERS.IT CARRIES CENTURIES WITHIN ITS FROZEN MASS, YET IT STANDS IN SILENCE, DETACHED FROM HUMAN URGENCY. IN ITS STILLNESS, THERE IS BOTH PERMANENCE AND FRAGILITY.THIS PROJECT EXPLORES GLACIERS NOT AS GRAND NATURAL MONUMENTS, BUT AS ISOLATED PRESENCES — DISTANT, COLD, AND INDIFFERENT.THEY EXIST OUTSIDE OF US, YET MIRROR SOMETHING DEEPLY INTERNAL: EMOTIONAL DISTANCE, SUSPENDED TIME, AND THE QUIET EROSION OF MEMORY.TO OBSESS OVER GLACIERS IS TO OBSESS OVER WHAT CANNOT BE HELD ONTO.THE CLOSER WE LOOK, THE MORE WE WITNESS DISAPPEARANCE.23
24MESMERISM
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