Prolific Hasselblad H3DII-50 User Returns from Road Trip

Photographer Alec Soth (www.alecsoth.com), based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, just returned from a road trip during which he worked on various editorial assignments, institutional speaking engagements, and a critiquing session with the undergraduate class of the University of Pennsylvania fine arts program.

Soth produces much of his work during such road trips throughout the United States. "Put me out in the world, let me wander, and I’m pretty good at finding something rich and unexpected to photograph," he says.

Since the fall of 2008, Soth has used the Hasselblad H3DII-50 as a natural compliment to his film-based large-format work. When asked about his experiences with the new Hasselblad digital platform, Soth explains, "With the H3DII-50, I have increased mobility during capture, and digital files that give me more control in the printmaking process. The camera merges the portability and functionality of medium-format digital photography with the sumptuous quality of large-format photography."

Earlier this year, Soth was invited to New Zealand, with photographer John Gossage, by AUT School of Art and Design, to present a three-day workshop, “Strategies for Developing Your Own Personal Style.” He spent another week making pictures with his new H3DII-50. “Auckland was beautiful, friendly, and culturally interesting, but I felt that the happiness of the place was creating a sort of wall that kept me from finding pictures. Eventually, I found my way over and under the walls,” he recalls.

An articulate, insightful speaker, Soth has a number of speaking engagements scheduled for the coming months. Highlights include “An Evening with Alec,” to be presented as part of The Austin Center for Photography’s Icons of Photography lecture series, on June 4. In the fall, he will be the featured speaker at the SME: Midwest Regional Conference “Freeze/Thaw: Cycles in the American Heartland,” October 29-31.

For more on Soth’s creative M.O., read his User Profile on the Hasselblad website. Features and reviews on his website shed further light on his working methods and approach to illustrating stories through photography.