Telling a Feeling
Hamish Reid’s videos document the deadpan juxtapositions and found surrealisms he sees around him in the deserts, forests, oilfields, and streets of California and Nevada. His videos typically tell a feeling or a (political or environmental) situation rather than a story — there are no characters or dialog in any of his featured videos. The typical video here is a continuous movement through a landscape (desert, oilfield, or urban) accompanied by a soundtrack he’s created from found sounds, or that’s the result of collaborations with local San Francisco Bay Area musicians. Hamish’s aim is not to hit you over the head with any particular message, but to let the the strong visual ambivalence he feels about the impact of humans on the natural landscape of the Western US evoke its own story (that impact has its own undeniably strange beauty — or at least homely attractions — at times, even in the midst of destruction). Hamish’s bio can be found at his main hamishreid.com site; his main photography site is Hamish Reid Photography.
Hamish’s videos are usually available on both his Vimeo and Youtube channels; the purpose of this site is to feature and showcase individual videos and explore them in more detail than is possible on either of those sites, using the Video Galleries page and the Featured Videos section below.
If you want to get in touch with Hamish, probably the most reliable way is to use the contact form on his Hamish Reid Photography site.
Featured Videos
Some of Hamish’s videos currently being featured; this selection will change (slowly) over time. Note that not all videos may be available or visible in every country due to weird Youtube and Vimeo embedding rules.
Video Galleries
Some curated galleries of Hamish’s videos (also listed on the separate Video Galleries page):
The Machine Age
A fascination or obsession with the way machines move through or interact with their natural environment… (like watching paint dry).
Desert Videos
Dead cars in the desert… the California and Nevada deserts have always fascinated and strongly attracted me.
Easy Viewing
Experimental backdrops for an imaginary noise band (like easy listening… but silent).
Drive-By
(Or maybe Fly-By…) A series of videos done from my car (or a drone) to try to give the effect of movement through a landscape (desert or urban).
Machine Moods
Just some short fragments and morsels taken above California and Nevada, coupled to fleeting soundtracks. Sort of the genesis of what became Promised Land.
Desert Trains
I’m fascinated by the way the trains you see snaking their way across the Mojave seem more natural inhabitants of the desert than the cars and trucks buzzing along the freeways and blacktops…