Today has been eye-opening

[Little Prince]

After a long slump, the arrival of my 'new' Ikonta from Jurgen Kreckel motivated me to do something. I told myself that if the body wasn't going to catalyze into action today, I just ought to lie down and die.

So I took a roll of 3-yrs expired ektachrome with me on my first attempt at unmetered/ scale focus shooting! Talk about bad choices. But that was what I had on hand, and I thought what the hell. I took only one roll, as I usually find nothing to shoot 😱 . Today I happened upon this little piece of action with a car on fire and lots of smoke billowing up into the air and police and firefighters arriving on the scene. I was a little excited and emptied my roll without stopping to think. No I didn't have my lens cap on 😉 . But I had finished my roll before most of the above-mentioned people arrived on the scene! I also then saw this fun shot where the car is burning away like mad and 3 firemen are dousing it and there's an electronic billboard in the background that just starts saying '.. time to use lighter fluid .. blah blah..' something or the other. I'd have been so happy to take a picture of that if I hadn't run out of film 🙁 .

Anyway, no loss. For all I know I'm grossly wrong on all my exposures, the expired film has gone wacky and everything is out of focus. Won't know until Monday, and even if not my life didn't depend on it. Of course, I'd have loved to go in closer (having a fixed normal lens) but was afraid the police would be mad at me. What would you do?

So all this made me think it's not so bad. There are things happening and pictures to take. You win some, you lose some. I'm now again a believer.

None of this is a bid deal if I look at it in hindsight. Probably happens with most of you a lot of the time. But getting things moving is sometimes rejuvenating. In the wake of this, I came back home and saw a couple of links on PNET. I'm not an avid reviewer of other people's works but I saw some stunning photos there today.

Please visit: www.korchenko.com and look at the 'Dogs' picture and the first picture in 'Statues and Monuments' (among others). They're great. Then go to http://www.luxcamera.co.uk/pages/Plaubel/Anticomar.htm
Exceptional pictures.

There, I've had my ramble. It's your turn.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Kinda like that... I was at home not even half an hour ago, maybe less, I don't know, when my wife told me our neighbors grandkids were outside sporting leaves as hats and that they looked cute and should take their pictures. I was struggling with a sentence for my tenure file (and following an M3 auction at the same time) and growled at the prospect of photographing kids (not much of a kid person, sorry), but I went with my Sekonic in my pocket and the M3 in hand.

I have no clue about how my exposures were, because I took only one reading and then shot according to light variations, opening or closing one stop or two as I saw it fit. But I had fun. Nothing beats shooting a meterless camera! Now I know what Ralph means.

My Leica meter is on its way to Quality Light Metrics for a cure of a minor ailment. It'll be fixed at no charge and all I'll pay will be shipping.

But life is fun anyway. Had my little ramble too. Now your turn! 🙂

 

[wlewisiii]

There was a 25th anniversary party at the local railroad yard today (Wisconsin and Southern RR.) and to celebrate they brought in an old Soo Line 2-8-2 #1003. Needless to say my son needed to see that. I brought along the Speed Graphic and my 2 holders. I took 3 shots of the locomotive (one known bad due to a darkslide boo-boo... 🙁 ) and one of a B-17 (!!!) that flew over head while we were standing there. It'll be interesting to soup those.

No meter, grey day (rained soon after) and guessing the exposure. I went with f22 (for DOF) at 1/25 and 1/50 with Tmax400. Maybe they'll work, maybe not. But it was a hell of alot of fun to do my old press routine when the plane was overhead. Freaked a few digicam users... 😀

William

 

[Doug]

Farmers' market this morning, fine opportunity to see if the Olympus Pen that came yesterday works ok. I had a 12-exposure roll of Fuji Superia X-tra 400 that I'd been saving for a half-frame job, as then it would produce 24 or so exposures.

No meter in this camera, so I took along my favorite old Gossen Super Pilot. Sunny day, but the seller booths were shaded, so I had basically two light levels, so like Francisco I just mostly left the meter in my pocket and worked off those two basic settings.

It started off slowly, and I got a few nice shots. Fewer vendors today. Then a few situations where I shot off several pics as situations changed. There was a local nut protesting corruption in the office of the university president. Chatted with him and took a few photos.

After while I noticed the film counter, which is numbered only every 4 pics, was indicating I'd shot some 30-odd. Should have stopped around 25... I covered the lens and shot a blank, then tensioned the rewind crank a bit and wound the film, and the crank did seem to move a little. Hmmm. But by the time I got to 40 I was deeply suspicious. I rewound the film back into its cannister, and it felt/sounded normal.

But I'm certain that the stiff film wind masked the extra pull at the end of the roll, and the sprocket teeth churned a pair of slots in the edges of the film... as maybe 15 or more shots were multiply-exposed on that last bit of the roll. I've had this happen on a different Pen before, so I'll see for sure when the film is developed.

Well, I enjoyed taking those 40+ pictures, even though only 24 pictures will actually result! Good luck to you, Anand!

 

[Pherdinand]

I went with f22 (for DOF) at 1/25 and 1/50 with Tmax400.
William

For the B-17 that flew over your head, I am very curious about the results🙂
No i am not sarcastic...i really am curious!

 

[Richard Black]

Whenever I feel a bit of the dispair that started this column, I force myself to take a camera, any one, and go out and find one thing in my community. This is not Italy or Budapest , just N.W. Oklahoma. Within in a hour I usually find 4 to 5 images I like. Doors, grain elevators, ponds, flowers, just anything to trip the shutter. Works for me!

 

[Pherdinand]

Richard, what makes you think Oklahoma is less than Italy or Budapest.
I think every place offers alot of photo opportunities. We might just get too used to a place and can't see it with a fresh eye anymore, after some time.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Pherdi... you're right. That's a good attitude!

In your honor, I'm taking my M3 to the farmer's market today!

Again... 🙄

Heck! Why not! 🙂

 

[Pherdinand]

Francisco...If you want stg new, try new perspectives. Say, take all of the photos from lower-than-hip level with a 35mm or wider lens. I bet there will be some very interesting ones.
But be careful not to do it when ladies in skirts are around. I don't want to blame myself if you get a few slaps from a large farmeress.

 

[Richard Black]

Pherdinand,
You are correct. I see the same things everyday that those of you living in other countries see daily. They become mundane. I attempt to find the common and take photos from different perspectives or with different lenses to get something that is unusual. That said, I have traveled in Spain, Portugal, Germany, and Turkey and I have to say the light is quite special in those areas. I would love to tour Tuscany via bicycle to enjoy the light. Here in Ok. the light is strong and nearly whitens the sky to a very pale blue. Late in the day or early morning is the absolute best. We do have thunderstorms that are quite spectacular but I usually avoid being out in them due to the lightening. Sure messes with the electronics! Thanks for the comment, though.