Grainy as Knotty Pine

Back in June, I shot a LOT of film while at Photostock in Harbor Springs.  Usually I am pretty serious about the camera and film combinations, and Photostock often affords me the opportunity to try out some things in a serious way, and to also go off in the other direction--  as in shooting something that will probably completely suck, or be surprisingly amazing.   This time, I used a roll of Kodak Ektachrome 400 that expired in 1999, and was of uncertain provenance.  I shot it in my Lomo La Sardina, which of course, gave me little chance for a good exposure.  Slide film in a simple camera is usually asking for trouble. Expired high-ISO Ektachrome in a La Sardina is just pissing in the wind.

With low expectations, I opened the box of developed and mounted slides.  My fears were founded. The images were badly overexposed on film that had lost some latitude to begin with.  In bright sun, the camera is about 1/100th sec at f8.  So, it was already about 5 stops overexposed.  I finally scanned them in last night and opened the images in Paint Shop Pro.  Some post-processing to tame the highlights and bring out the details at least gave me something.  A little fine-tuning and I have some typical Lomo-esque shots -- which is what I guess I was asking for.  The grain is really something, I'll say.

Anyhow, I'll let the photos speak for themselves...

Packing the Camera Bag(s)

In a couple of days I'll be leaving for northern Michigan to attend Photostock 2015 near Harbor Springs.  I went to my first Photostock in 2008, and have been to most of them since then. Photostock is organized by Bill Schwab, a fantastic photographer, and is attended by photographers of all kinds. Film and alternate processes dominate the scene, but there is no snobbery -- just a bunch of folks with different gear, interests, and methodology.  It's a great way to meet other photographers, learn something new, and basically, have a great time shooting film and laughing with others.  It's fun to reconnect with people I only see there each time, and to make new friends.

Each time I go, one of my biggest decisions is figuring out what cameras I will bring.  One year it was the Pentax 6x7 and a few other 35mm, plus Holgas, etc.  Another time it was Nikons and the Hasselblad, etc.  Well, the Pentax 6x7 is gone as is the Hassy system I had.  This year, I'll bring my beautiful Mamiya C330 Professional, the Leica M2, Minolta X700 and XG-M (a new buy), and a couple of plastic cameras.  I haven't yet decided if I'll bring something like my Nikon 1J1. I may leave all the digi stuff home.  Though for shooting video, it would be worthwhile bringing it.

Then, the film.  I ALWAYS bring more than I will use in 4 days, but who knows what I'll end up shooting?  Better to have too much than not enough!

Weatherwise, this year may be wet and cool.  It doesn't matter though.  There will be enough to keep us busy.

I am looking forward to getting away for a few days. It seems like forever since I have been on the road doing any photography.

Always bring lots of film...