This photo of Mike was taken the same day as this photo of Xander B. Like the portrait of Xander, this photo was also way over exposed….and the focus is a little off too, but I like it!  My order of dark room chemicals came in the other day and I keep reading and re-reading directions on how to mix the chemicals, development times, etc…I’m a little nervous to get started! I’m sure it will be fine once I just spend an hour or so with no distractions :) I have a few sheets to process and I’m excited to see how they came out :) 

This photo of Mike was taken the same day as this photo of Xander B. Like the portrait of Xander, this photo was also way over exposed….and the focus is a little off too, but I like it! 

My order of dark room chemicals came in the other day and I keep reading and re-reading directions on how to mix the chemicals, development times, etc…I’m a little nervous to get started! I’m sure it will be fine once I just spend an hour or so with no distractions :) I have a few sheets to process and I’m excited to see how they came out :) 

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This is an overexposed image of Xander shot on tri-x 320 using my 4x5. I sent this out to be processed and scanned the negative with my Epson V700.  One of the draw backs to my 4x5 is that the lens has no shutter, so all exposures are manual. Actually, I think I should rephrase that and say the draw back is that I’m not experienced enough with the lens/camera combo to know what I’m doing…yet :) This was taken in the middle of the afternoon under the shade of many trees. At the moment I have a box of tri-x 320 and so I set the aperture to f/11 and metered for those setting. Of course the suggestion was about 1/36 which is not possible without a shutter. At the time I had completely forgotten about pushing/pulling film so I just used my hand and covered/uncovered the lens as quickly as I could and sent it out to be processed fully expecting total failure. Results?  You guessed it, way over exposed.  I still think it’s lovely. It has that antique glow to it doesn’t it? Most importantly I knew what I was doing wrong and I know how to fix it. I think a slower speed film is in order as well as testing out some filters. While I’m waiting for my order of t-max 100 to come in I’m going to try pulling the 320. *fingers crossed* 

This is an overexposed image of Xander shot on tri-x 320 using my 4x5. I sent this out to be processed and scanned the negative with my Epson V700. 

One of the draw backs to my 4x5 is that the lens has no shutter, so all exposures are manual. Actually, I think I should rephrase that and say the draw back is that I’m not experienced enough with the lens/camera combo to know what I’m doing…yet :)

This was taken in the middle of the afternoon under the shade of many trees. At the moment I have a box of tri-x 320 and so I set the aperture to f/11 and metered for those setting. Of course the suggestion was about 1/36 which is not possible without a shutter. At the time I had completely forgotten about pushing/pulling film so I just used my hand and covered/uncovered the lens as quickly as I could and sent it out to be processed fully expecting total failure. Results?  You guessed it, way over exposed. 

I still think it’s lovely. It has that antique glow to it doesn’t it? Most importantly I knew what I was doing wrong and I know how to fix it. I think a slower speed film is in order as well as testing out some filters. While I’m waiting for my order of t-max 100 to come in I’m going to try pulling the 320. *fingers crossed* 

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I’ve posted a few images and talked about my 4x5 camera and how much I love it, but I’ve never talked specifically about the camera itself. I wanted to share some images and my experience with the camera for a few reasons; one, I have no idea what kind of camera it is, where it was made or who made it; two, I’ve only used a large format camera a few times in college and I’m super excited to learn all I can about this contraption and share my mistakes and successes as I go.

As you can see it’s quite a clunky looking thing. Some knobs are missing and others have been replaced with hardware store finds. The rails look new but everything else has signs of much love. There was a hole drilled into the bottom left of the front plate. I stuffed it and wrapped it in black electrical tape. I’m handy like that.

It has a metal frame, not wooden. Looking through antique turn of the century cameras showed all wooden frames. The bellows seem to be made of the same material that the bellows in my Pocket Kodak Jr, which was made in the late 20’s. Even with that information I have no idea what to even guess the manufacture date is on this thing. If you have any ideas, please share :)

There are no serial numbers or manufacturers names on any part of the camera. And the lens, seems to me to be quite old. The only thing printed on the lens is the aperture settings of 4, 5.6, 8 and 11 and REF. No14A/1101. There is no shutter.

I’m super in love with the lens and the unique quality it gives to the images. I love the antique portrait glow that they have. I’ve always wanted to recreate it somehow and now I have that ability. I may not know much about where the lens came from or who made it but I love it just the same.

So far the camera and lens have worked great. Any issues where determined to be user error - in other words I need to work on my metering. I am planning on purchasing a modern lens with a shutter, just to have something around with more control. But, I’m not in a hurry….

I just  received my order of darkroom supplies today. I have everything I need to process my own film which will save me tons of money. Also, Mike bought me a scanner for christmas so I can scan my own negatives. This feels good, it feels like the right place to start again :)

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Xander B loves bubble baths! Mike gifted me a few packs of Impossible Project film for Christmas. I’ve been using it in my SX-70 with unpredictable results. Most of the slides are a blobby mish mosh and some have small sections that were exposed but the rest is the blobby mish mosh. The filter that is suggested for use with an SX-70 doesn’t want to stay put and one exposure will be fine while another exposure of the same subject/lighting/etc…is just a mess. Last year we had the same problem and I think we were hoping the film would be more stable after letting a year pass, but out of 3 packs of film I have maybe 5 shots that are useable. Sad. I think we will be buying Fugi in the future. In all honesty I’m not sure why we haven’t been buying Fugi from the get go…. I do love this shot, it’s a little flat but I don’t mind. Xander reminds me of some sort of human/algae eater mutant :)

Xander B loves bubble baths!

Mike gifted me a few packs of Impossible Project film for Christmas. I’ve been using it in my SX-70 with unpredictable results. Most of the slides are a blobby mish mosh and some have small sections that were exposed but the rest is the blobby mish mosh. The filter that is suggested for use with an SX-70 doesn’t want to stay put and one exposure will be fine while another exposure of the same subject/lighting/etc…is just a mess. Last year we had the same problem and I think we were hoping the film would be more stable after letting a year pass, but out of 3 packs of film I have maybe 5 shots that are useable. Sad. I think we will be buying Fugi in the future. In all honesty I’m not sure why we haven’t been buying Fugi from the get go….

I do love this shot, it’s a little flat but I don’t mind. Xander reminds me of some sort of human/algae eater mutant :)

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Xander and I went to Kentucky for Thanksgiving. This was taken on the one day it was not raining and cold. It was a beautiful day, warm enough for Xander to run around in the creek without his shoes. We hung out with the dogs, searched for fossils and tiny water creatures and got super muddy feet! After cleaning up we then traveled into town to have Thanksgiving dinner with my Mom’s side of the family. It was a great day.

Xander and I went to Kentucky for Thanksgiving. This was taken on the one day it was not raining and cold. It was a beautiful day, warm enough for Xander to run around in the creek without his shoes. We hung out with the dogs, searched for fossils and tiny water creatures and got super muddy feet! After cleaning up we then traveled into town to have Thanksgiving dinner with my Mom’s side of the family. It was a great day.

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Mike and I went on a road trip (to celebrate his 30th birthday) from LA to the Salton Sea stopping at Disneyland, San Diego and Julian along the way. We took along my 4x5 view camera. This shot was taken the morning of Mike’s 30th birthday in our hotel room in San Diego.  I love this camera! I’ve been wanting one since college but never invested in one. Since testing it I think I’m going to invest in a scanner and a lens with a shutter.  This was taken on Tri X 320 f/4 for 3 seconds. I had forgotten my meter and just guessed on the exposure. My exposure guesses worked for this shot but I *way* over estimated exposure times on some other shots of the desert and they aren’t usable. Oh well, lesson learned!

Mike and I went on a road trip (to celebrate his 30th birthday) from LA to the Salton Sea stopping at Disneyland, San Diego and Julian along the way. We took along my 4x5 view camera. This shot was taken the morning of Mike’s 30th birthday in our hotel room in San Diego. 

I love this camera! I’ve been wanting one since college but never invested in one. Since testing it I think I’m going to invest in a scanner and a lens with a shutter. 

This was taken on Tri X 320 f/4 for 3 seconds. I had forgotten my meter and just guessed on the exposure. My exposure guesses worked for this shot but I *way* over estimated exposure times on some other shots of the desert and they aren’t usable. Oh well, lesson learned!

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Several months ago a friend from college gave me an old 4x5 view camera. There is no name or serial number on the camera or the lens. The lens seems quite old and has no shutter, so all exposures are made by me setting the aperture and taking the lens cap off and on.  It’s fabulous! It took me a while to purchase the film and holders, and I was nervous spending money on film to use in a camera that I wasn’t entirely sure was going to work. Long story short I love it! I realize this particular shot isn’t mind blowing, but I wanted to test the camera out on a subject with lots of different elements and textures.  At the same time I didn’t want to photograph something that would break my heart to lose if the film didn’t turn out. The little row of bobble tipped weeds is my favorite in this photo. I just love the texture that film and this particular camera and lens creates. 

Several months ago a friend from college gave me an old 4x5 view camera. There is no name or serial number on the camera or the lens. The lens seems quite old and has no shutter, so all exposures are made by me setting the aperture and taking the lens cap off and on. 

It’s fabulous!

It took me a while to purchase the film and holders, and I was nervous spending money on film to use in a camera that I wasn’t entirely sure was going to work. Long story short I love it! I realize this particular shot isn’t mind blowing, but I wanted to test the camera out on a subject with lots of different elements and textures.  At the same time I didn’t want to photograph something that would break my heart to lose if the film didn’t turn out. The little row of bobble tipped weeds is my favorite in this photo. I just love the texture that film and this particular camera and lens creates. 

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On November 11 Mike turned 30. I had a surprise party in the works, hoping to make it a memorable birthday, but through a technical gliche in our iPad he found out! We decided to cancel dinner and go on a road trip for 5 days. Our first stop was Disneyland! Then we headed to San Diego, Julian and finally the Salton Sea. This panorama is taken somewhere between Julian and the Salton Sea on CA 78 in the Anzo-Borrego State Park. We love the desert and mountains and this area had plenty of both, it was fabulous. 

On November 11 Mike turned 30. I had a surprise party in the works, hoping to make it a memorable birthday, but through a technical gliche in our iPad he found out! We decided to cancel dinner and go on a road trip for 5 days. Our first stop was Disneyland! Then we headed to San Diego, Julian and finally the Salton Sea. This panorama is taken somewhere between Julian and the Salton Sea on CA 78 in the Anzo-Borrego State Park. We love the desert and mountains and this area had plenty of both, it was fabulous. 

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Fresh: I’ve been in LA for a year now. It’s crazy how time can pass so quickly. There are many things, both personal and professional, that should have been accomplished by now. But, the best laid plans often go awry….or get messed up because you’re a lazy bum. This is the first post for my new blog. A blog free of extraneous information with a focus on all things photography. My photography, your photography and some other photography stuff will be included too…I am sure of it.  First things first, my website is getting an overhaul with some help from my amazing Mike. Now I’m busy writing some post to be queued up so we can get this party started!  xx

Fresh:

I’ve been in LA for a year now. It’s crazy how time can pass so quickly. There are many things, both personal and professional, that should have been accomplished by now. But, the best laid plans often go awry….or get messed up because you’re a lazy bum.

This is the first post for my new blog. A blog free of extraneous information with a focus on all things photography. My photography, your photography and some other photography stuff will be included too…I am sure of it. 

First things first, my website is getting an overhaul with some help from my amazing Mike. Now I’m busy writing some post to be queued up so we can get this party started! 

xx

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