tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87179812012-01-23T16:51:28.589-05:00My thoughts and activities in photography, camera collecting, current events, and photographic tips.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.comBlogger4051100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-40705998076612882372012-01-22T12:24:00.002-05:002012-01-22T12:24:35.393-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I placed an order from Freestyle Photo for 25 rolls of Kodak's Tri-X in 120 size, and 2 bulk rolls of 35mm. That's 200 feet of Tri-X. With all of the news coming out about Kodak's impending Chapter 11 filing, I felt that I should stock up, not because I thought Tri-X was going away, but the prices might go up due to uncertainty in the supply chain, as well as people

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-50294753990994581312012-01-15T21:39:00.004-05:002012-01-15T21:40:41.886-05:00

For some time, I have wanted to get another M-42 screw mount body, but one that takes modern batteries, has a working meter, and a metal shutter. I have been through way too many aged Pentax Spotmatics, Prrakticas, etc. I had a manual for a Yashica TL Electro X in my collection of printed materials, so I decided to look for one on Ebay. After some failed bidding attempts, I found a nice

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-24039124443208929292012-01-01T22:53:00.002-05:002012-01-01T22:53:27.867-05:00

I have owned a Pentax 6x7 since about 2001. It was given to me by my now-deceased mentor, Bill Brudon. It is not a camera that I use frequently, but I go through periods when I use it a lot for a short period. Mostly I use it on a tripod, as it's a pretty heavy beast, and that's one reason I don't use it for much than landscapes or portraits. The last year saw me trying something different

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-12609935513003255862011-12-27T12:20:00.000-05:002011-12-27T12:51:01.641-05:00

I have divested myself of most of my 127 film cameras, but the Kodak Brownie Reflex I have recently shot with is one that sat on a shelf for a number of years before I finally put some film in it. I had a roll of 40+ year old Kodak Verichrome Pan in 127 size,(the best film ever for box cameras), so I figured that I may as well finally try out the Brownie. While it looks much like a TLR,

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-37674754547068323632011-12-11T10:05:00.001-05:002011-12-11T11:04:47.216-05:00

If you are a collector of cameras, or a user of vintage cameras, there is one model that you should own -- the Kodak Retina IIa. You really would be hard-pressed to find another camera that fits in a pocket, has an all-metal construction, completely manual, and has a 50mm 2.0 Xenar lens. First, a little bit about the Retinas. With the exception of the Kodak Ektra, The Bantam Special,

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-37144037512217289632011-12-04T13:39:00.001-05:002011-12-04T14:07:46.813-05:00

Olympus has long made some legendary cameras. While the OM-1 and its descendents qualify as some of the great compact 35mm SLRs of all-time, some "lesser" cameras are deserving of cult status. Consider the Olympus Trip 35 -- Not a whole lot to adjust. It needs no batteries, as a selenium cell surrounds the front of the lens. There are two shutter speeds - 1/40 sec and 1/200 sec, as the camera

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-83207441946982810972011-11-23T11:46:00.001-05:002011-11-23T12:14:11.737-05:00

The past few weeks have seen a lot of postings on various forums about Kodak dropping various films, the discontinuation of Kodak's Plus-X, good announcements on new products from Harman-Ilford, and the usual speculation about the role of film in the movie industry. With all these things in mind, maybe it is time to list them and provide some good links and commentary about the roller coaster

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-45186143693147363702011-11-13T22:17:00.001-05:002011-11-13T22:37:16.070-05:00

Back in early October I picked up an Olympus macro photography stand with the matching bellows for an Olympus OM-series camera. It's quite similar (but better-constructed) than the Minolta macro set-up that I used to own. I rarely use film for macro-photography anymore, but at a price of $25, I could not pass up the Olympus macro stand. As you can see in the photograph, I have it it set

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-27497962615210911252011-11-05T03:30:00.004-04:002011-11-05T08:20:35.804-04:00

I was at my local Barnes & Noble bookstore and picked up this book for $15.96 (hardcover!). 500 Cameras is a wonderful book for anyone that loves the history of photography, old cameras, or just likes looking at and reading about beautiful mechanical things. This is Mr. Gustavson's second book on the subject, a sort of pared-down version of his 2009 book "Camera: A History of Photography

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-22781477770990570612011-10-30T13:46:00.002-04:002011-11-03T11:01:00.764-04:00

Back in mid-September I purchased a bit ratty-looking Yashica J-P SLR when I was in Kenton, OH. I paid ten dollars, which I felt was a fair price, given it's condition. After I got it home, I cleaned it up, and ran it through some dry-firing. It seemed to work okay, although sometimes the mirror wanted to hang a bit after the shutter fired. Unlike the later Yashica SLRs, the early models

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-33989749704963487482011-10-19T10:10:00.000-04:002011-10-19T10:10:20.776-04:00

I probably should have posted on this a bit earlier, as the show opening is this Friday, October 21, from 6 - 9 pm. The official press release follows: The Argus Museum proudly presents Sunday Afternoon on the Porch: Reflections of a Small Town in Iowa, 1939-1942, photographs by Everett W. Kuntz. The exhibition runs from October 21st through November 18th, 2011. As a teenage farm boy in

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-79184598202465907792011-10-13T22:09:00.003-04:002011-10-13T22:11:55.380-04:00

I was in Marquette from Oct. 6-9, in the midst of a heat wave. It was something having temperatures around 80, and for the first time, I wished I had brought shorts with me. I have been there in mid-summer when it was cooler. However, it was nice having such fine weather without biting insects, and the angle of the sun made for some awesome shooting. The leaves were almost at their peak

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-46785842145757409222011-10-01T12:59:00.000-04:002011-10-01T13:03:03.391-04:00

Back in April I blogged about buying Jeff Lamb's Nikon FM and have been using it periodically since then. I have been pleased that it works smoothly, and meters as it should. Back in mid-August, I did some night shots with it, as well as a variety of shots with different lenses - all on expired Kodak Gold 400 film. I expected things to be a bit grainy, and they are. I might as well put some

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-32541036326494460082011-09-30T13:00:00.000-04:002011-09-30T13:02:21.043-04:00

I had thought that I'd covered my trip pretty well, but realized that I hadn't included any FILM images. In addition to the D90, I shot XP-2 film in my Nikon N8008 and Holga 135BC, and Tri-X in my Hasselblad. I haven't finished the roll in the Holga yet, but here are a few images from the Nikon N8008 (by the way, it's a highly capable AF SLR that easily uses and meters with manual lenses,

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-7451813762396568342011-09-26T13:11:00.002-04:002011-09-26T13:56:57.549-04:00

After we left Findlay, we took route 68 towards Kenton. I had heard that there was a major haul of photographic gear and images, books etc. there, and that the place might be open. But first, I decided we would go S to Mt. Victory, and check that town out, as I had photographed the mill there in 2005. We eventually got there, as I had forgotten that route 68 went to the SW, and we had to

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-41221568996522521702011-09-19T12:52:00.003-04:002011-09-23T06:21:00.972-04:00

On Saturday, my friend Abby Alvarez and I went for a drive into NW Ohio, driving first to Findlay, and then to Mt. Victory, and back to Kenton, with many small towns in between. I think of such trips as fishing expeditions, one never knows what the catch will be. First of all, Findlay grew a lot during the late 1800s when petroleum was found in the area. It's the seat of Hancock County, and

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-64919491142152004962011-09-11T11:18:00.003-04:002011-09-11T11:19:01.019-04:00

I was at the local Barnes and Noble boostore last weekend, and found a new book on pinhole photography that might just be the most useful one that I have seen. Chris Keeney's "Pinhole Cameras - A Do-It-Yourself Guide" is a well-presented guide to making your own pinhole cameras from a variety of containers. He does not leave anything to chance, and provides all the steps necessary for the

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-20253280317494082502011-09-06T19:55:00.003-04:002011-09-06T21:56:57.069-04:00

A recent eBay purchase, the Ricoh SLX 500 is a solid 35mm SLR with limited choice of shutter speeds, featuring an all-black metal body, a hot-shoe, PC flash connector, stop-down metering, and an M-42 lens mount. It was introduced in the mid-1970s as a cheap beginner SLR, and also takes a Mercury battery. The camera I bought is in excellent cosmetic shape, and the Ricoh 50mm f/2 lens seems

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-75510207960117513152011-09-01T22:07:00.001-04:002011-09-01T22:54:31.766-04:00

Back in early July I won an auction on eBay for a new Great Wall PF-1, paying $59 for it. I was actually surprised that I got it at the starting bid, as they routinely sell for about $100 new. Considering that Dianas and such go for about $60, it's a pretty good deal. One might wonder why I would bother buying this camera which features: -One shutter speed (I think) -Non-interchangeable lens

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-37602878969348656802011-08-24T16:31:00.005-04:002011-08-24T18:20:27.055-04:00

About a year ago, I posted about my thoughts of my daughter and her partner leaving Marquette and coming down to live in Ann Arbor. To be honest, I did not know when I would be returning to visit Marquette. In May, my wife and I purchased a cottage along the Chocolay River in Harvey, about 4 mi. from downtown Marquette. Jorie and Stephanie are now living there, and Adrienne and I have a place

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-54036026399824937582011-08-15T23:21:00.014-04:002011-08-16T12:01:39.184-04:00

Last month, I received an e-mail from a Lomography representative, asking if I was interested in writing something about the two new films being offered under the Lomography label -- "Earl Grey" and "Lady Grey." I offered to test the films and write up a short review about them. But first, let me preface this review with some comments about the Lomography brand. There are those people that

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-34141919773810885032011-08-08T20:31:00.016-04:002011-08-08T21:20:59.900-04:00

Back in July, the fine folks at the Film Photography Project announced that they were giving away rolls of Kodak's newest film, Portra 400. I'm always eager to try a new film, and having been delighted with Kodak's Ektar 100, I sent FPP a short email describing my blog and that I would be happy to test it out. A week or so later, I received a package in the mail.. I loaded the film into my

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-10954100062660686122011-08-07T19:55:00.009-04:002011-08-07T21:10:38.007-04:00

Every now and the I read where someone asks what he or she should do in photography, as if running out of ideas is what's consuming them. My advice -- start a project -- something long term, and see how your approach and your depth of understanding changes as you become more engaged in a project. It doesn't have to be unusual, trendy, or arty. Pick something that you'd like to know more about

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-37366903895152426432011-07-31T15:33:00.011-04:002011-07-31T16:04:53.517-04:00

If you are a follower of this blog, you know that most of my reviews are of film cameras, but I certainly do have a few posts on digital cameras. I just don't go through them the way I do with film cameras. Here is my review of the Takashi FX 521, available from Ultrafine Online.The Takashi FX521Sometime last year I read about a camera that was described as the equivalent of a "digital Holga."

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-72364848378663247102011-07-29T08:46:00.001-04:002011-12-15T08:31:23.402-05:00

UPDATE (12/15/2011)! Gabriel Velasco got the roll of VR1000, and has posted his results on Flickr. He compensated for the loss of sensitivity by rating it at an ISO of 200, and his results are pretty darn good. It just goes to show that you have to think "outside the box" and rate an expired film appropriately to get the best results.

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-8556499165298769842011-07-22T08:32:00.004-04:002011-07-22T09:11:15.854-04:00

I suppose the Rupert Murdoch scandals and other topics have taken top spot in the news lately, but for those of you that buy books, and especially books on photography, the news that Borders will liquidate and shutter all their stores is a big topic here. Here is in Ann Arbor, where Borders began as a small bookstore, grew larger, became synonymous with great service and wonderful selection, grew

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-52595598638284593852011-07-17T12:42:00.004-04:002011-07-17T12:57:05.240-04:00

I have only put one roll of film through this camera so far, and having bought it a few years ago for $10, it's about time that I showcased it here. Produced by Ansco in Binghamton, N.Y. the camera differs from the typical "Buster Browns" in that the front drops down and the bellows travels along a rail and the lensboard locks into a fixed position. The typical Buster Brown cameras are

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-31060873689504218082011-07-03T12:02:00.006-04:002011-07-03T12:33:47.366-04:00

Before I left for Photostock last week, I picked up a used Pentax ZX-5 at Huron Camera for a bargain price. I decided to bring it along at the last minute and shoot with it (which obviously violates the common-sense of never bring an untested or new camera on a trip). The ZX-5, unlike some of the later models of AF K-mount cameras, has a real dial on the top for Aperture priority and shutter

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-57654070525539424002011-06-22T23:26:00.005-04:002011-06-22T23:43:57.168-04:00

Every year for the past few years (except last year) a bunch of film photographers meet up N of Traverse City MI in late June to attend what has become Photostock (you know, like photography Woodstock). Bill Schwab hosts the event in Harbor Springs, and it's a very laid-back time. It's great to reconnect with other photographers with similar interests, and spend time talking about photography,

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-22026297914197872102011-06-18T22:36:00.009-04:002011-06-18T23:17:29.810-04:00

The Chinon Bellami, a little 35mm camera with zone focus and "barn doors" covering the lens, is a very desirable pocket camera. Introduced in 1981, the Bellami shows some similarities with the much-loved Olympus XA series. Approximately the same size as the XA, the Bellami has a retractable lens that is covered by two doors that flip open when you advance the film, which also turns the camera

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-51156700253653295332011-06-03T23:06:00.012-04:002011-06-04T08:02:00.836-04:00

If you like photographing flowers and gardens, late May and early June is truly a time to not stand still. There are daily changes in what's blooming, and it comes and goes very quickly. I am very fortunate that my wife Adrienne is a horticulturist -- the fact that we have wonderful gardens with beautiful perennials is all due to her talent and hard work. Me, I dig holes and plant things where

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-25556485379641516162011-05-24T22:49:00.012-04:002011-05-24T23:35:18.509-04:00

Your basic plastic tube with a single lens, the Sima Soft Focus 100mm lens is a 1980s-vintage accessory that predates the Holga and the Lensbaby line. Nominally a maximum aperture of f:2, the lens has inserts with smaller diameter openings (much like the original Lensbaby) that allow for greater depth of field and less aberration. An additional bonus is that the lens also can be used as a macro

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-75256240330156457282011-05-17T12:51:00.004-04:002011-05-17T13:05:13.017-04:00

This is actually a very easy-to-use 127 camera that appeared about 1958-59. With its electric eye and automatic aperture control and large viewfinder, it made picture -taking relatively easy. Of course, the big problem is that 127 film is now fairly hard to come by, and that's really too bad, as there were some fun cameras and some very well-made cameras that used 127. I have sold off most of

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-35368190312685057152011-05-10T12:30:00.005-04:002011-05-10T12:43:51.025-04:00

I just saw a blog hosted by B&H and the latest -- "Signs that you are a hipster photographer." sort of ticks me off. Seeing that nice Pentax ME at the top of the page, says more about the lameness of the posting than anything else. A real hipster uses a damned iPhone with the hipstamatic app, not a film camera that requires some knowledge to use properly...Maybe one is a hipster if that person

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-10393781914380117582011-05-07T22:40:00.010-04:002011-05-07T23:34:16.194-04:00

...Lens, that is. The original Pentax SMC 40mm f2.8 lens is a classic lens with a well-deserved reputation. It's angle of view is not quite as wide as a 35mm lens, but wider than a 50mm normal lens. It's very compact - about 3/4" long in front of the body, making it a very compact package when paired with a camera like the Pentax ME. I have tried other "pancake" lenses, such as the Minolta

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-24361757111741276532011-04-28T12:21:00.008-04:002011-04-28T13:10:31.520-04:00

Bill Bresler, with his Oly C5050 at the Corner Brewery.One of my buddies (Bill Bresler) has for years, praised the merits of the Olympus C5050Z, a 5.0 MP that came out in 2002. I admit that when I bought my Fuji Finepix S7000 in 2004, that the choice was between the C5050 and the S7000. I think I chose the Fuji because of its feature set and zoom range, and used it with great success for a year

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-26273569050650727792011-04-17T20:30:00.020-04:002011-04-17T21:35:27.863-04:00

From WPPD 2009.This April 24th is WPPD, and I know that I will be out and about doing some pinholery. Pinhole cameras are the most rudimentary cameras imaginable. To make one, it doesn't take much more than a light-tight box with a tiny pinhole at one end, and a piece of film or photographic paper at the other. Compared to some of my Ann Arbor Area Crappy Camera Club photographers, I am just

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-5366918264115807122011-04-05T12:48:00.013-04:002011-04-05T13:24:17.690-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I purchased a Nikon FM from the estate of Jeff Lamb, who died on March 22. I don't know the history of the camera, and where Jeff shot with it, but it had sentimental appeal to me, and it's an all-black FM (with brassing in all the right places and no dents) and I have always wanted one that worked properly. I put in new S-76 cells and the camera seems to work just fine.

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-3320824206655816712011-04-04T20:21:00.003-04:002011-04-04T20:28:25.972-04:00

I got my exhibit hung today, with the help of my buddies, John Baird and Marc Akemann. The hardest part was figuring out the procession of images, but it looks good. The hanging system used at The Common Cup is actually easy to work with, but I really do like nails in the wall better. Anyhow, it's up and I need to tweak a few things before Thursday. Hopefully, I will have a crowd at the

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-51932400245737291652011-04-03T19:50:00.010-04:002011-04-03T20:22:14.637-04:00

I have been getting my work ready for a solo show that I am hanging tomorrow at The Common Cup, 1511 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor (runs from April 5 to May 6). Coming on the heels of my exhibit of water/ice photos at Matthaei Botanical gardens, this one has been a lot more work and angst. With 30 pieces, this exhibit shows some of my photographs taken roaming the roads of Michigan, and is titled

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-48359915716095370222011-03-24T21:27:00.015-04:002011-03-25T17:47:47.313-04:00

Jeff in 2009.Jeff Lamb, fellow photographer, citizen of Ann Arbor, and friend to many, slipped away from the living on Tuesday, due to cancer. It's hard to believe that he'd gone so quickly. I visited Jeff in hospice last Friday, and there were moments when I could sense a tiny bit of the old Jeff, but his condition really shocked me. I think he had been diagnosed with liver cancer only three

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-75180016435789485592011-03-19T22:08:00.007-04:002011-03-19T22:53:52.541-04:00

Last Sunday, four of us took the MegaBus from Ann Arbor to Chicago to take in the Vivian Maier exhibit at the Chicago Cultural Center. Arriving a bit after 11 Chicago time, we did some sightseeing/photography on the way to the exhibit. The Union Station in Chicago is a very photogenic building, both exterior, and interior. I love the way the shadows from the columns hit the pilasters.We

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-80944911408306524972011-03-12T19:44:00.003-05:002011-03-12T19:53:49.492-05:00

A small group of us are taking the Megabus from Ann Arbor to Chicago to see the Vivian Maier exhibit at the Chicago Cultural Center. I'm looking forward to the whirlwind stop in Chicago, and given the price of gas right now, $41 round trip seems like a bargain for one person. On top of that, the drive there and back won't be a problem. We leave about 7:30 local time, and arrive at Union

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-18656455817197168722011-03-03T15:15:00.009-05:002011-03-04T10:36:29.151-05:00

I'm teaching an adult ed class on Sunday and Wednesday, titled "Water Photography." True to my procrastinative self, I have of course, put off getting my presentation ready. I will probably finish my Powerpoint slides today, but most of my effort really goes into deciding how in-depth to cover a subject in a few hours. Any aspect of photography, any subject one can think, undoubtedly has

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-28058116341968007542011-02-22T06:12:00.003-05:002011-02-22T06:23:48.648-05:00

When Kodak introduced Ektar 100 a few years ago, I was very enthused about it. That film has an Ektachrome-like palette that scans well and is fun to shoot with. Kodak has now introduced a new film, Portra 160 that replaces the 160VC and 160NC. It's obvious that Kodak is simplifying its line of films, and given the market niche, it probably makes sense. This is not 1990, when the Kodak film

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-1982862636063562862011-02-17T20:44:00.009-05:002011-02-17T21:42:40.160-05:00

I recently received an e-mail from a neighbor, asking if I might be interested in a camera that he no longer needed. It was a Minolta X-700 that had been given to him about 15 years before by my now-deceased mentor, Bill -- who was also the previous owner of my house. I went over and chatted with my neighbors for a while, and we talked about photography, and also about Bill's generosity of time

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-56624061199306310552011-02-10T12:39:00.008-05:002011-02-10T13:32:48.003-05:00

A few posts ago, I described getting materials ready for matting and framing for an exhibit. Now, I can tell you a bit more about it. The exhibit, "Phase Change - Water In Winter" will be at Matthaei Botanical Gardens from February 18 to March 27. MBG is located at 1800 North Dixboro Rd., Ann Arbor. Getting the images together - some of which started as digital, some as film, is perhaps the

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-72528789777729251382011-01-28T22:34:00.005-05:002011-01-28T22:52:23.820-05:00

I don't shoot all that much slide film these days. A decade ago, I was easily shooting 30-50 rolls a year. Now, it's down to less than 10, including the cross-processed stuff. It's pretty simple really, C-41 and b&w are cheaper, and most of my color photography is done digitally. However, the true test of a camera has always been how it handles (and how the photographer handles, for that

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-27395418824882367832011-01-26T12:28:00.009-05:002011-01-26T13:04:41.510-05:00

On January 16, I decided to do a little shooting with a couple of odd films that were in my fridge. I have been gradually accumulating a body of work that features winter shots on the Huron River, and I figured that some high-contrast films might lend some different results. Of the three cassettes shown here, the only one that I have any experience with is the TechPan -- an ISO 25 film that

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-69022245167803976792011-01-23T11:51:00.004-05:002011-01-23T12:02:04.257-05:00

From the 2010 show at the Recycle-Reuse Gallery. Note all the different frames.As I have been getting ready for an exhibition, I had to choose what type of frame I was going to use. Most of my past shows have been with 11x14 inch frames. That's a decent size for 7x7 and 8x10 sized images, but going larger demands bigger mats and frames. If you have a stock of 11x14 metal frames, they will

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-72861395355902703102011-01-10T12:29:00.008-05:002011-01-10T13:27:15.278-05:00

I have at least two shows coming up in the next few months, and each will require me to use larger frames than I have in the past. So, I am shopping around for 16x20 inch frames. I am a stickler about matting and framing, which I do myself. Over the course of hanging a number of exhibits, including my own work, I have a checklist of do's and dont's for photographers that exhibit their work. Of

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-9305418249108556892010-12-30T09:20:00.012-05:002010-12-31T16:00:57.523-05:00

I was going to work on some grand and profound final blog post for the year, but I have so many little things to finish up, that I will spare you my profoundness. If there has been ONE recurring theme in the photographic world this year, it has been the final demise of Kodachrome. I swear, between on-line forums and the news media, you would think that the end of photography as we know it was

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-91183518840819477582010-12-22T22:53:00.008-05:002010-12-22T23:11:29.478-05:00

Coolpix 800I was doing some organizing and cleanup at work last week, and rediscovered the ancient (1999) Nikon Coolpix 800 that has been sitting in a cabinet. It was dropped by a student out in the field around 2001, which effectively broke the camera, as the front lens assembly detached, causing it to rattle around in the camera. You can imagine that I was not happy about it at the time.

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-77421837342373965182010-12-09T21:40:00.004-05:002010-12-09T22:00:04.987-05:00

A bunch of us from the A3C3 (that's the Ann Arbor Area Crappy Camera Club)collaborated on a project using simple disposable cameras loaded with Ilford XP-2 film. I edited the book, and published it on Lulu.com. I like the fact that Lulu allows you to upload your own design via PDF, rather than have you pick out a design template for the content. Our book, "Monochrome In My Pocket" contains 48

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-16593743120270503462010-12-05T21:08:00.006-05:002010-12-05T21:37:47.502-05:00

Last week I finally developed an old roll of Kodak Tri-X that I removed from some old camera a while ago. It was a 20-exposure roll in the old green and yellow cassette that dates from the late 1950's to mid-60s. The film had quite a bit of base fog, but the negatives were easily scanned. After I viewed the dried negatives, I started laughing, as every person in the photos, except for an

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-89782367369034220672010-11-25T23:28:00.003-05:002010-11-25T23:36:15.348-05:00

Today is Thanksgiving Day, an annual ritual of stuffing one's self (not to mention the turkey). Adrienne and I made it an easy day -- and did not go overboard on the food. With just the two of us having dinner this year, there's no point in cooking up too much. However, the pumpkin AND the pecan pies were very, very tasty. Before I got the turkey breast in the oven I made a little trip over

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-32259595255722286182010-11-24T13:55:00.010-05:002010-11-30T09:08:44.516-05:00

Although I do a fair amount of photography in the winter, it’s not my favorite time of the year to be holding a camera. However, if winter’s short days and cold temperatures force you indoors, you may as well take advantage of it. It seems that these things happen in bunches, and here are some upcoming and current photography exhibits that bear visiting. In the case of the Met... I DEMAND that

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-89694820073149709882010-11-06T12:12:00.008-04:002010-11-06T12:36:49.236-04:00

I was looking through some ancient back issues of "The Ark" for some information about a particular expedition. The Ark was a newsletter published by the UM Museum of Zoology back in the 1920s. It's filled with a lot of interesting information about the museum before and shortly after it moved to its present location in 1928. However, I stopped at one page from the March 1923 issue and

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-78322240424958244782010-10-31T10:00:00.004-04:002010-10-31T10:24:28.244-04:00

I like autumn and the change of seasons. The sunlight quality in October/November is different -- while the weather may be warm at times, the sun is low in the sky, and there can be a lot of haze from dust/leaf debris in the air. The light is definitely more "golden." Sunsets can be spectacular, as well as sunrise, and with the sun rising so much later than mid-summer, it's not hard to get out

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-46652084937140305682010-10-27T20:07:00.002-04:002010-10-27T20:20:04.975-04:00

The weather over the past 48 hours has been awesome. While Michigan seemed to be slated for tornadic winds, etc., it was not as dire as the predictors said. The clouds today were really something -- as was the wind, and I wish I could have taken the day off to go to the shore of Lake Michigan to see and photograph the tremendous waves that were supposed to be piling up. By the time I left work

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-13897659661480622092010-10-21T22:10:00.005-04:002010-10-21T23:04:51.929-04:00

I was in Lansing on October 12 and on the way back, I stopped at an Antique Mall in Mason, and picked up a forlorn-looking Pentax Spotmatic with a slightly moldy Pentacon Electric 50mm lens. It was only 12 bucks, and I figured that it needed a good home. Once I got it home, I realized that the mirror was staying up at speeds below 1/125th sec. Otherwise, the camera was in reasonable condition

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-63020267398793905212010-10-01T22:08:00.006-04:002010-10-01T22:50:35.491-04:00

Back in May, my daughter and her partner were in Japan for a 3-week class, and I hoped that they would bring back some film from Japan for me. I didn't think that they would bring back a camera, though in this case, it was a Fuji one-time use (OTU) camera. The strange thing is that even though most of the packaging was in Japanese, the wrapper stated that the camera was assembled in the USA!

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-36996139138249298412010-09-28T12:29:00.011-04:002010-09-28T13:04:23.192-04:00

My first experience with cross-processed film was a bad experience. Back in 1980, I had mailed a bunch of slide film off to be developed, and somehow, one of the rolls was developed in C-41 chemicals, and I got very green prints back. That might have tinged my view on cross-processing (xpro) just a bit. Over the years, xpro has been one of those odd bits of photographic practice that when done

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-85149286574221784932010-09-18T09:51:00.004-04:002010-09-18T10:03:34.964-04:00

Back in late May, which seems so far away now, I spent a week in Marquette, MI and spent most of my time there doing photography. I think it was a very productive time, and I ended up with a number of really good images. Some were digital and some were film. I sometimes take a while getting around to developing the films from such bursts of creativity, and the last of the 35mm was done a few

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-10352680624626267902010-09-11T18:03:00.007-04:002010-09-11T18:33:03.679-04:00

No Kindles or Nooks Here!On Friday and Saturday (9/10 and 9/11) I went over to the annual book sale of the Ann Arbor chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW). The AAUW sale has been held at Washtenaw Community College for a number of years, and is a great place to shop for books. Usually, I look for books on photography and history, and whatever else catches my eye.

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-2546587713045291732010-09-05T08:58:00.004-04:002010-09-05T09:42:37.593-04:00

A few posts ago, I reviewed the Nikon One-Touch, a very capable 35mm 2.8 AF camera that is still a pretty decent model to carry along. This post is about the Canon equivalent, the AF35M. The AF35M was Canon's first autofocus compact camera, and was introduced in 1979. The AF35M (also called the Sure Shot later on) features:38mm f/2.8 lensCdS photocell on front of lens assemblyISO 25-400

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-46160719226159816462010-08-28T12:30:00.002-04:002010-08-28T12:35:48.764-04:00

I ordered a dozen of these One-Time-Use cameras for an upcoming Crappy Camera Club project. Each participant gets a camera that's loaded with C-41 b&w film. In a month they will have shot every frame, and are to bring the scanned results to show at the following A3C3 meeting. We'll pick out the best images, and then have the photographers write some text describing their experience in

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-24308271699271684222010-08-21T13:15:00.011-04:002010-08-21T13:53:17.497-04:00

I recall reading in 2002, of a b&w one-time-use (OTU) camera that was being sold by Konica. That article was probably in Popular Photography or Shutterbug magazine. The review was quite favorable (although in general, most reviews of items sold by companies advertising in photo magazines are favorable, but that's another story) and certainly the OTU market had not addressed b&w very well until

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-47886109014118525622010-08-15T11:56:00.002-04:002010-08-15T12:05:31.432-04:00

Last week I picked up a nice little Nikon One-Touch (known outside the USA as the L35AF2) at a local shop for $15 - with the box and instructions. Normally, that’s more than I would want to pay for a recent-vintage 35mm P&S camera, but I remember having a similar camera long ago, and thought the results were pretty good then. Of course, back in the 80s I was not doing real photography. Pretty

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-10175350474468739942010-08-11T22:33:00.002-04:002010-08-11T22:45:12.324-04:00

Taken in October, 2007 from Marquette Mountain.I am back in Marquette, MI for just a brief trip. Adrienne and I are here to get Jorie and Steph and their two cats and box turtle packed and moved back to Ann Arbor. It's really hard to believe that it's been 4 years since Jorie started college at NMU. She graduated in May, and has had an enviable summer up here. I know I would have a real

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-92131455521278622812010-08-09T22:19:00.003-04:002010-08-09T22:30:48.099-04:00

Tuesday, August 10 is the tenth annual Argus day, or Argust 10th. I didn't do the first one, but I did do the second, and have been every year. A day to get the Argus out of the drawer or cupboard and go shoot with it. What Argus camera will you shoot with? I'll be using the Argus 40, a nice little TLR, and maybe the C-4, my favorite Argus.Just in case you wondered, yes the Argus C-3 (and

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-12008050453011313172010-08-08T15:37:00.003-04:002010-08-08T15:44:14.742-04:00

Dexter Film ScrambleOriginally uploaded by Voxphoto. The photograph above, taken by Ross Orr, shows what are definitely un-crappy cameras-- especially Denis' Leica M6.Last Tuesday we had our monthly Ann Arbor Area Crappy Camera Club Meeting. I set up the activity for the evening as something to get people out of their comfort zone just a bit. The rules were simple. Everyone participating had

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-26124454336905895162010-07-23T19:20:00.005-04:002010-07-23T19:36:48.077-04:00

Last week I finally finished off some remaining frames from an Agfa Le Box Go! “disposable” camera that had been sitting around for so long I had no idea what was on it. After getting the film processed, I realized that I had owned it since at least 2002. That got me to thinking, and I believe it was from perhaps 2001, when I bought a bunch of them (quite cheaply) for use by some 4-H kids in a

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-90389652527867309412010-07-21T22:36:00.006-04:002010-07-24T14:53:40.590-04:00

On Sunday, my buddy Mike Myers and I went on a photo excursion that took us through some back roads of Washtenaw County and west on US-12 as far as Coldwater. I shot some memorable photos along the way, and found a cemetery that I had never been to before. We stopped to look through some antique stores in Allen, which is about a dozen miles E of Coldwater. In one of the stores I found an

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-82541315938667161732010-07-17T23:09:00.003-04:002010-07-17T23:22:53.582-04:00

I was eating dinner on the deck last weekend (and if you don't know this, our shaded deck overlooks our wooded backyard, and we see a lot of nature from there) and saw a small piece of bark on the table. We had enjoyed some recent rain, and the piece of bark was green with lichen. I was going to drop it off into the yard, but then I saw the tiniest mushroom I have even seen poking slightly

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-56241783775860969972010-07-10T17:33:00.007-04:002010-07-18T09:15:43.592-04:00

My daughter Marjorie and I were reviewing some cameras from her collection that she wanted me to sell on ebay for her. I pointed to one small 35mm and asked "What about that one?" "It's not mine, it's yours" she said. I recall buying it at a local antique shop, but I don't recall if it was mine or hers, but I'll take her word for it. I do know that I never ran a roll of film through it, so I

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-7511946436739494382010-07-04T08:25:00.002-04:002010-07-04T08:30:45.765-04:00

I was at the Ann Arbor Recycle- Reuse Center yesterday. I found some really useful photography books, a Vivitar 75-150 lens for my Olympus OM-1, an AC slave strobe that was new in box, and a Metz 45 CT-4 Potato-masher style flash. I think I spent $30 for all that. One thing I photographed there, but did not buy, was the above photo of a man with his Pentax. The photo looks to be from the

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-90391332775215398852010-07-01T21:30:00.005-04:002010-07-01T22:13:37.489-04:00

[Not part of the MRPP essay, but this was rambling along M-119 in 2008]Several months ago, I was contacted by Doug Aikenhead, one of the people involved in the Michigan Radio Picture Project, to see if I might be interested in submitting some of my images for a photo essay. The MRPP website was created and is managed by Nick Meador, and I have to say that it has had a very interesting series

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-48228999503601418062010-06-21T23:24:00.006-04:002010-06-22T00:04:22.289-04:00

I confess that after all these years, I had yet to actually use an Olympus OM-series SLR. I have several friends that given high praise to the OM series, and I have repeatedly read about the wonderful compactness of the Olympus OM-1 SLR. Last Friday I picked up a box of cameras that had been donated to the Michigan Photographic Historical Society (MiPHS). In the box, among the digital P&S

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-35828603865962457112010-06-19T21:29:00.007-04:002010-06-20T23:25:54.963-04:00

Last week I obtained a like-new Pentax K1000 SE from my neighbor. Wanting to give it a quick try-out, I shot a roll of C-41 film over the course of a couple of days. Now, I am pretty good about keeping long-expired film away from my every-day film stash, but it's obvious that I should have had second thoughts about the roll of Kodak Gold 200 that had some special logo in the canister. This was

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-18107771935549673732010-06-05T16:21:00.007-04:002010-06-05T16:44:50.569-04:00

Lest anyone think that my latest photographic trip was a digital fusillade with the Canons, I did manage to shoot over a dozen rolls of film. I still have some half-shot rolls left in a couple of cameras that will eventually get processed. The b&w rolls will probably get done next week. The C-41 color has all been processed and scanned at the lab, and I am quite pleased with the results from

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-6005213713578520952010-05-30T22:31:00.004-04:002010-06-05T10:59:51.277-04:00

Well, I arrived in Marquette a week ago tomorrow. It's been a relaxing time for me, and being all by myself, I have been keeping a strange schedule, with each day unfolding as it may. I had hoped for some overcast days for some waterfall work, and it looks there may be rain the last day that I'll be here. So, I have been getting up early some days and doing some shooting before the sun gets

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-3376765096279554382010-05-25T22:25:00.003-04:002010-05-25T22:41:10.300-04:00

As in it's been over 90 deg. F the past two days...and it's May. I certainly have never seen it like this up in Marquette. Even when it's been hot in midsummer, there would be thunderstorms to cool things off. So, to say the least, this is unusual weather. The kind of pervasive heat that dulls your ambition. However, evenings near the lake have been very nice. This evening I shot 3 rolls of

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-58565263718302974712010-05-22T11:03:00.002-04:002010-05-22T11:06:52.599-04:00

This morning has been a misty, overcast day. Not raining hard enough to deter me from photography, yet too wet to do yard work. One of those mornings where sipping a cup of coffee and sitting on a front porch can be a delicious psychological treat. The garden is luscious with all the recent rain, and the lilac's perfume is heavy. It's one of those times when all can seem right with one's

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-16377463645988437362010-05-12T22:29:00.009-04:002010-05-12T23:12:50.700-04:00

A few posts ago, I warned you that I would soon post something about a Canon DSLR. Well, I got rather lucky on ebay a few weeks ago and picked up a Canon 1000D from someone in Michigan. If you are in the USA, you are probably wondering "What the heck is the 1000D?" For some reason Nikon and Canon have often labeled non-pro SLRs differently in the USA from the rest of the world. For Nikon,

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-14886432773801547832010-05-02T20:52:00.006-04:002010-05-02T21:18:15.267-04:00

Adrienne and I arrived in Marquette Friday morning for a 24-hr visit to see our daughter Marjorie's work at the DeVos Art Museum at NMU. It was the closing of the Senior Show, marking 4 years of college for our daughter. One great thing about art is that there are so many creative people out there, and the Art and Design students at NMU really shine at this event. Photography, mixed media,

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-86994443496363046562010-04-28T21:03:00.005-04:002010-04-28T21:31:29.288-04:00

Last week, I bought a Nikon D40 refurb from Cameta Camera on ebay. It cost me $242. I've paid more for film SLRs, to be honest about it. Why would a someone that's a fairly adept photographer buy the low-hanging Nikon fruit? I mean, shouldn't I be buying a D300 or at least a D90? I already have a well-used D70s that I bought new back in 2005, so why would I want yet another 6 MP DSLR? Well,

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-30570063891773471812010-04-07T18:17:00.003-04:002010-04-08T18:07:59.702-04:00

As you may have noted over the past four months, I have been acquiring and using a number of vintage (and some not vintage) Canon SLRs. Back in February I purchased a Canon AL-1 QF camera. The QF refers to the "Quick Focus" system on the camera. No, not auto-focus, but a green LED indicator to tell the photographer when the subject at the center of the viewfinder is in focus. Not really as

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-82107598204287304932010-04-05T22:14:00.008-04:002010-04-05T22:41:55.033-04:00

I read in today's New York Times that Peter Gowland, the famous glamour photographer, died at the age of 93 on March 17. According the the obituary, it was from complications from a fall. Mr. Gowland published over two dozen books on pin-up and glamour photography, and his images were always well-done. Not only was he an accomplished photographer and author, but he also designed and sold the

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-11150954394835886362010-03-28T10:11:00.003-04:002010-03-28T10:46:51.947-04:00

Not what's ON your camera bag, as in the photo above. Photographers often put more thought into acquiring a camera bag than they do buying a new appliance. Camera bags can be very utilitarian, such as the Domke F2 bag, or very specialized, such as some of the photo backpacks or camera sling-packs that are now popular. I prefer the Tamrac bags because I like the simple design and flexibility of

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-33384751077268028842010-03-20T18:22:00.004-04:002010-03-21T11:02:06.493-04:00

I've been a pretty dedicated Nikon user for the past 10 years, ever since I got serious about photography. Canon, pffft.... Well, I am sure Canon users said the same about Nikon. However, when it comes down to images, you can't tell what camera was used to take the photo. So, really, aside from the idiosyncrasies of any particular camera system, it comes down to personal preferences, and

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-13226043557225273982010-03-06T17:31:00.004-05:002010-03-06T17:52:54.373-05:00

I drove out to Dexter-Huron Metropark this morning to see if I could get some photos similar to some very serendipitous images I got about a year ago. We had some pretty cold weather in early March after a bit spring thawing had gone on. The resulting ice was filled with bubbles that created some amazing abstract images. Like any natural phenomenon, it's never the same, and as the saying goes,

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-31022403987710507752010-03-03T21:18:00.003-05:002010-03-27T00:04:37.059-04:00

I picked up this Canon Rebel G SLR with a nice Lowepro camera bag, remote shutter release, manual, strap, and 35-80mm lens for $38.01 on ebay. Sure, it's a low-end Canon film SLR, but it's lightweight, has a huge array of lenses, and it is like-new condition. In fact, I actually picked this up because of the camera bag, and the rest was really a bonus. I know I'll get some crap about this

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-3152326363898010522010-02-14T11:09:00.005-05:002010-02-14T11:40:16.099-05:00

Last Wednesday evening, I gave a presentation to the Saline Photo Club titled "Great Photos from Crummy Cameras." I had a bunch of "crappy" cameras with me as well as a nice presentation in Powerpoint format (although done entirely in Open Office and used with a Dell mini-9 under Linux). The evening went very well, and I had a lot of good exchanges with the audience. I delved into the art

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-77932602870814970712010-02-06T16:38:00.005-05:002010-02-06T16:47:02.947-05:00

I have been doing more photography of ice for a long-term project. Ice can take so many forms and abstract patterns, that the photos are a lot of fun to do with no two days ever being the same. Photos I took last year under certain conditions are not likely to be repeated. Moreover, I have to do them when it's cold out, which is always another set of challenges. Anyhow, the Huron River and

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-49240435487370988382010-01-18T12:16:00.008-05:002010-01-18T13:03:14.987-05:00

Last month I bought a 35mm adapter kit to use in one of my Holga cameras. The ebay seller in China was offering them as a Buy-It-Now with shipping for about $13. I figured that I may as well go for it, as the prices elsewhere were much higher. A few weeks later the item arrived in a neat little package. It consists of a new back, mask with film holder, and two stickers (more about them later)

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-78569456445225278672010-01-14T22:22:00.005-05:002010-01-14T22:44:39.754-05:00

I was at the local Urban Outfitters before Christmas, and I picked one these cameras up for my daughter. It's the camera marketed by Superheadz that's a replacement for the much sought-after Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim (VUWS) camera. With a 22mm lens, this camera is much wider in the field of view than any other cheap point and shoot. It's got a cult following now, too. Unfortunately the VUWS

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-1315677001647971512010-01-12T13:05:00.005-05:002010-01-12T13:18:20.529-05:00

In early December I purchased a Gakken-flex kit from a Flickr contact (mijonju) in Japan. The Gakken-flex, for those that must never have looked online, is a 35mm twin-lens reflex plastic camera kit. It's a shame that there are no equivalent US magazines like that of Gakken's Otona no kagaku (大人の科學) magazine. However, the US-based MAKE Magazine is now selling many Gakken kits online, including

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-74575768218413988562010-01-03T19:38:00.006-05:002010-01-04T07:02:03.022-05:00

It was almost three years ago that the Ann Arbor Area Crappy Camera Club (A3C3) held it first exhibition of members' images. In the spring of 2007, we had Cheap Shots at a gallery on the second floor of Nichols Arcade. It was a tremendous success, and we gained a bit of exposure because of it. Since then, we have had some smaller shows, though the one in the fall of 2008 at the Argus Building

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717981.post-81052940466895582012009-12-24T15:52:00.005-05:002009-12-24T16:19:57.938-05:00

A few years ago, I picked up a Canon EX EE, which was a strange SLR, to say the least. Other than shooting with a Canon T70 for a month, and borrowing a Canon Rebel 35mm SLR and using (for years) a Canon Canonet 17, that was the extent of my film shooting with Canon cameras. Although I have managed to acquire and use a number of SLR systems, Canon has not bee one of them until very recently.

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229417718013779882noreply@blogger.com0