4.30.2007
Paparazzi in Training
Sunday afternoon: a fun way to finish off partially used rolls of film!
Ilford Pan F and Rodinal. I can get used to this low speed combination.
Too much dust on the negs today. A lot of it is mineral deposit. I will need to change the water filter. And maybe use distilled water for the final wash.
She has this really cute way of looking through the viewfinder. And the smile. Kinda like Mickey's eyes and expression.
The Olympus' light shutter release takes a bit of getting used to.
Now, somewhere on the net some "experts" said the zeiss 50/1.4 planar's bokeh was harsh. The info you get on the internet...
This lens in ZF form will set you back quite a bit. Same with the 85 Planar (used for the first three shots). But in Contax mount, you can now get them for a song. Can't mount them on a D200, though. You will need to shoot film. Too bad.
Some people buy a fast lens for the narrow dof. Then mount it on an APS sensor digital. Then wax on about the narrow dof.
What's that? The ZF lenses have a different formulation? I guess that justifies the huge price difference. Like Zeiss suddenly discovered a breakthrough formula to make their already legendary lenses twice as good. Yeah, I know, internet experts...
There's an ass for every seat.
4.23.2007
Points of View
There comes a time, on every single tour bus I have been on, when the bus makes a 5-minute stop at the side of the road, and everyone files out to take in the "panoramic view." Usually of a city you are approaching (or leaving).
"We will stop for 5 minutes to take pictures."
More often than not, the view stinks. But you all take pictures anyway.
Like this.
Well, I guess it could have been worse. It could have been high noon.
But sometimes all you need to do is to think outside of the box, change your point of view a little, and you may see something more interesting.
"We will stop for 5 minutes to take pictures."
More often than not, the view stinks. But you all take pictures anyway.
Like this.
Well, I guess it could have been worse. It could have been high noon.
But sometimes all you need to do is to think outside of the box, change your point of view a little, and you may see something more interesting.
4.22.2007
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Taught Rica how to develop film this afternoon. She has helped me do it before, mostly as the "timekeeper" holding the stopwatch. This time she did it all from start to finish. Except I loaded the reel. And yes, washed everything when we were done.
She wrote "developing is cool" in our logbook. And she thought fixer smelled bad.
Teaching my 9 year-old how to develop film - what a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
OK, time to go. The film is dry.
4.17.2007
Red Oxx Air Boss
I got the Air Boss as a gift recently, to replace my sagging, formless ETBD carryon. The old bag was with me in Morocco last month (heh), but the frequent packing and unpacking made it clear how having just one big compartment, while flexible, can be a pain. Despite the use of packing cubes.
My wife never liked that bag. Problem is, now she wants my Air Boss!
The quality of materials and construction are just worlds apart. You get what you pay for.
Probably more. The thing comes with a lifetime warranty. And the folks at Red Oxx were really nice and helpful. Hard to come by that combination nowadays.
The bag's layout is very well thought out. Travel writer Doug Dyment helped design the Air Boss, and it is particularly well suited for the business traveller. You can read more about it here.
I'll be trying it out when I go to DC next month for a weeklong conference. Stay tuned.
4.11.2007
Airplane Shooting
I must confess, I have never done this.
We were on our way back home, and I still had 10 frames of Ilford HP5 left in the MP. The camera will go in for a VF cleaning and sealing (thanks, Tony Rose) when I get back, so I figured I'd take some shots in the airplane.
The quality of light in the plane is actually very nice. Yes, that is the Great Eisenheim looking on.
We were on our way back home, and I still had 10 frames of Ilford HP5 left in the MP. The camera will go in for a VF cleaning and sealing (thanks, Tony Rose) when I get back, so I figured I'd take some shots in the airplane.
The quality of light in the plane is actually very nice. Yes, that is the Great Eisenheim looking on.
Smokes and a Movie
Leica MP, 35/2 ASPH
Leica MP, 35/2 ASPH
4.08.2007
Midlife Crisis
Well here it is, I am 40.
This post is a couple of days late. I may be getting forgetful.
My nephew asked me how it feels like being old.
I don't know. I don't feel any different.
Except I have to stretch my arms farther to read the restaurant menu.
I look back at the past 40 years and all I can say is I am blessed.
My wife, my kids, my family and friends.
Great people to work with. A job I love. Having made a difference, even just to a few.
A diversion I am passionate about.
Places I have been, people I have met.
Mentors I have learned from. Students I have learned from.
Opportunities I have been given still stagger my mind. The responsibilities that follow stagger me even more.
The choices I have made.
The mistakes I learned from.
The hard work. The late nights.
The time to relax. Sunday mornings cuddling in bed with the kids.
Crisis? I guess I am just a half-full kind of guy.
This post is a couple of days late. I may be getting forgetful.
My nephew asked me how it feels like being old.
I don't know. I don't feel any different.
Except I have to stretch my arms farther to read the restaurant menu.
I look back at the past 40 years and all I can say is I am blessed.
My wife, my kids, my family and friends.
Great people to work with. A job I love. Having made a difference, even just to a few.
A diversion I am passionate about.
Places I have been, people I have met.
Mentors I have learned from. Students I have learned from.
Opportunities I have been given still stagger my mind. The responsibilities that follow stagger me even more.
The choices I have made.
The mistakes I learned from.
The hard work. The late nights.
The time to relax. Sunday mornings cuddling in bed with the kids.
Crisis? I guess I am just a half-full kind of guy.
4.05.2007
Film and Megapixels
"Film is dead."
I have heard it so many times I don't even listen or read beyond this statement anymore. And I don't care. I have enough fim in the freezer, and developer, to last me for more than 10 years. I scan my negatives, and make my own prints. Film can go the way of the dodo tomorrow, for all I care. I am self-sufficient. For color, I am happy with digital.
I wonder how true that statement is, however. It may be so in the western world, or in developed countries in general. Certainly, these are the people hanging around online forums heralding this doomsday prediction. But what about the rest of the world. What about in third world countries. Where many households don't even have computers, let alone photoshop. Where people do not have the luxury to chat idly on the internet?
Counting India and the People's Republic of China, that would probably describe half of the world's population.
Let's talk about my recent trip to Morocco. Almost all the western and Japanese tourists were using digital camera's. The "pro's" (using that term loosely) at the usual tourist spots were using old 35mm SLR's. One guy sold us a group picture - taken with an old AE-1. Local tourists visiting the major cities - many still used film cameras.
Yes, film sales are down. That's just natural since an alternative is now available when once it never existed. And becoming more cheaply available. Same thing happened to hotdog sales when hamburger was invented.
Sure, Kodak is pulling out of film. They're also pulling out of digital and concentrating on cellphone cameras. Doesn't mean digital is dead. Just that Kodak can't compete profitably with Fuji, Canon and Sony in a contracting market.
Talking about digital...
Of the digital users I saw on the trip, only a handful had DSLR's. Point and shoots made up more than 99%. I think this reflects the digital market in general.
Typically, these people use their cameras on vacations, birthdays and special occasions. They do not travel with backup batteries, let alone backup cameras. They often have just one memory card. They shoot with image quality less than fine or large jpg, because they want to be able to shoot 500 images on their one card.
Many non-enthusiast DSLR users (typically those migrating from film SLR's) that I have seen are like this as well. And they have no other lens than the kit lens that came with the camera. They have no interest in switching lenses. They just want a zoom that will cover their foreseen needs.
These people don't use photoshop. They bring their cards with their medium quality jpegs to walmart or CVS, choose the images they like, and make glossy 4x6's.
This is the majority of the digital market.
That is why manufacturers provide features aimed to please this market - in camera processing and sharpening, vivid saturation settings, etc. Things that don't really matter, or you actually don't want if you shoot in RAW or do your own post-processing.
People will buy digital if they like the unedited 4x6 pictures straight from their memory card off the 1 hour photo kiosk.
They will buy digital if these pictures surpass what they used to get with film.
That is another reason why megapixels are important. A med quality jpg from an 8MP camera looks better than a med quality jpg from a 5MP camera. They don't care about maximum print sizes.
Going back to film... no, I don't know if it is dead. Or dying. But the answer lies far beyond the skewed opinions debated in niche groups on the internet. Ironically, it lies with the masses of consumers who, really, couldn't care less one way or the other.
I have heard it so many times I don't even listen or read beyond this statement anymore. And I don't care. I have enough fim in the freezer, and developer, to last me for more than 10 years. I scan my negatives, and make my own prints. Film can go the way of the dodo tomorrow, for all I care. I am self-sufficient. For color, I am happy with digital.
I wonder how true that statement is, however. It may be so in the western world, or in developed countries in general. Certainly, these are the people hanging around online forums heralding this doomsday prediction. But what about the rest of the world. What about in third world countries. Where many households don't even have computers, let alone photoshop. Where people do not have the luxury to chat idly on the internet?
Counting India and the People's Republic of China, that would probably describe half of the world's population.
Let's talk about my recent trip to Morocco. Almost all the western and Japanese tourists were using digital camera's. The "pro's" (using that term loosely) at the usual tourist spots were using old 35mm SLR's. One guy sold us a group picture - taken with an old AE-1. Local tourists visiting the major cities - many still used film cameras.
Yes, film sales are down. That's just natural since an alternative is now available when once it never existed. And becoming more cheaply available. Same thing happened to hotdog sales when hamburger was invented.
Sure, Kodak is pulling out of film. They're also pulling out of digital and concentrating on cellphone cameras. Doesn't mean digital is dead. Just that Kodak can't compete profitably with Fuji, Canon and Sony in a contracting market.
Talking about digital...
Of the digital users I saw on the trip, only a handful had DSLR's. Point and shoots made up more than 99%. I think this reflects the digital market in general.
Typically, these people use their cameras on vacations, birthdays and special occasions. They do not travel with backup batteries, let alone backup cameras. They often have just one memory card. They shoot with image quality less than fine or large jpg, because they want to be able to shoot 500 images on their one card.
Many non-enthusiast DSLR users (typically those migrating from film SLR's) that I have seen are like this as well. And they have no other lens than the kit lens that came with the camera. They have no interest in switching lenses. They just want a zoom that will cover their foreseen needs.
These people don't use photoshop. They bring their cards with their medium quality jpegs to walmart or CVS, choose the images they like, and make glossy 4x6's.
This is the majority of the digital market.
That is why manufacturers provide features aimed to please this market - in camera processing and sharpening, vivid saturation settings, etc. Things that don't really matter, or you actually don't want if you shoot in RAW or do your own post-processing.
People will buy digital if they like the unedited 4x6 pictures straight from their memory card off the 1 hour photo kiosk.
They will buy digital if these pictures surpass what they used to get with film.
That is another reason why megapixels are important. A med quality jpg from an 8MP camera looks better than a med quality jpg from a 5MP camera. They don't care about maximum print sizes.
Going back to film... no, I don't know if it is dead. Or dying. But the answer lies far beyond the skewed opinions debated in niche groups on the internet. Ironically, it lies with the masses of consumers who, really, couldn't care less one way or the other.
4.04.2007
My Cure for G.A.S.
Many of us have our own little (or large) ensemble of cameras that we have accumulated over the years. Some we have hardly used in recent months, or even years. Each with its own little special something that has kept us from putting them on sale. Unless your aim is to be a collector, this tends to become a problem sooner or later.
Affectionately, the term GAS or Gear Acquisition Syndrome has been coined to describe this, shall we say, affliction.
In medical terms, the closest name would be camera-mania.
It is a real problem. Something of an addiction. Credit card debt. Concealing purchases items from spouses. Winning an auction on ebay for something you really don't need or even want. Not being able to resist a "deal." These are all "humorous" stories you commonly hear on many online forums.
Not only that, it interferes with your actually improving as a photographer. Kinda like Tiger jumping around from Callaway to Taylormade to Ping, and so on.
Fortunately, I think I have found a solution, at least for myself (disclaimer). Reverse psychology. Huh?
One day, I looked at the stuff I had, and realized that if I put these all together, I would have enough for a really good camera and a handful of lenses. Really good ones. Ones that I have always thought to be too expensive or excessive. Ironically, this turned out to be an example of "false economy."
My wife asked, "Why don't you get something you really like, and get rid of the rest?"
So, to make a long story short, I thought of my "dream camera." Then I sold off enough to buy it. I still have a bit of the old stuff, but you know what? Now they do not appeal to me as much. I have been able to "let them go" and have started to sell them to new owners who will hopefully put them to good use.
One thing I can say is that I have used each and every single camera I have owned. Not only that, I know them inside out. In retrospect, it was a lot of fun learning about them, restoring them, using them, and appreciating them. It was part of the fun. Part of the hobby. Without going through this process, I don't think I could have figured out for myself what it is exactly that I like. I would not know what I know now. And now it is time to move on.
Yes, I will be holding on to a handful of favorites, just for some variety, but that's it. I'm done.
Yes, I bought an expensive camera, and my wife could not be happier.
Wait a minute... come to think of it, I think she planned this all along...
Affectionately, the term GAS or Gear Acquisition Syndrome has been coined to describe this, shall we say, affliction.
In medical terms, the closest name would be camera-mania.
It is a real problem. Something of an addiction. Credit card debt. Concealing purchases items from spouses. Winning an auction on ebay for something you really don't need or even want. Not being able to resist a "deal." These are all "humorous" stories you commonly hear on many online forums.
Not only that, it interferes with your actually improving as a photographer. Kinda like Tiger jumping around from Callaway to Taylormade to Ping, and so on.
Fortunately, I think I have found a solution, at least for myself (disclaimer). Reverse psychology. Huh?
One day, I looked at the stuff I had, and realized that if I put these all together, I would have enough for a really good camera and a handful of lenses. Really good ones. Ones that I have always thought to be too expensive or excessive. Ironically, this turned out to be an example of "false economy."
My wife asked, "Why don't you get something you really like, and get rid of the rest?"
So, to make a long story short, I thought of my "dream camera." Then I sold off enough to buy it. I still have a bit of the old stuff, but you know what? Now they do not appeal to me as much. I have been able to "let them go" and have started to sell them to new owners who will hopefully put them to good use.
One thing I can say is that I have used each and every single camera I have owned. Not only that, I know them inside out. In retrospect, it was a lot of fun learning about them, restoring them, using them, and appreciating them. It was part of the fun. Part of the hobby. Without going through this process, I don't think I could have figured out for myself what it is exactly that I like. I would not know what I know now. And now it is time to move on.
Yes, I will be holding on to a handful of favorites, just for some variety, but that's it. I'm done.
Yes, I bought an expensive camera, and my wife could not be happier.
Wait a minute... come to think of it, I think she planned this all along...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)