My Exa

I really love my Exa - the way it feels in my hand, the mass and tiny size are really very nice - especially compared to today's hulking DSLRs. I need to check it's seals and stuff and make sure it's working right. Tends to take thin somewhat fogged looking negs. Oh well they have a very interesting look.

Clouds

I think clouds are fascinating. Growing up in Colorado I used to lay down in the grass and watch clouds roll off the mountains and head out across the plains to Kansas. I could imagine almost anything in them and they were always changing. The clouds in the Bay Area are much less massive but fly so low and speedy that can almost seem like time-lapse movies.

Mel's Diner - instant nostalgia

So after a few hours at the Exploratorium, nothing hits the spot like burgers at Mel's down the way on Lombard. It's also a ready made nostalgia machine with lots of very interesting shiny surfaces, colors and characters. And the food's okay too :)

my Zeiss Ikon Ikonta 6x9 521/1

Just for equal time here's my Ikonta - it's very nice I've shot a lot of neat photos with it. It's un-coated so it hazes a bit, and I always forget to close the little film counter window and do a lot of double (or more) exposures. My daughter helps me develop the film which is very nice :)

Exploratorium

The kids and I went to the Exploratorium on Thursday while they were on Spring Break - it's one of my all time favorite places to photograph. The light is always interesting, there are weird technogadgets and old fashioned mechanics and electronics, and all in an exposed steel girder construction. And those statues! wow.

I went there with my two kids my Rodenstock 4.5x6 and my Ricoh gx200. Left with both kids and both cameras - all in all a good thing. I'll develop the 120 film at some point but I wanted to put up one shot from the day before I get down to the business of cleaning the clutter of my closets. I think this one has a lot of the elements of what I like about photographing the Exploratorium.

History Painting

I've noticed recently that there seems to be something in my pictures that borrows a lot from Western History Painting. I'm not quite sure exactly what - the compositions, sense of scale, themes? Oh well - it's something I've decided to investigate a bit. I've mad a Flickr group for "History Painting"

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1050311@N20/

I hope it generates some interest - I think it's fascinating how we're informed by visual history.

I think this one has a certain History Painting feel. It's frontal, contained in a proscenium, the actions imply a coherent narrative, though here the story of washing up from the beach is not exactly the heroic stuff of yore.

My Rodentock 4.5x6

I really like this little camera. It folds up tiny, but takes some very interesting pictures. I wouln't exactly say the lens is "tack sharp", but honestly, as I get less sharp. my lenses can as well. Hey if I'm as sharp as this lens when I'm in my 70's that'll be pretty good. It's also a 2.9 70mm so it's pretty fast to boot. I want to get some of that Ilford 3200 120 film and take it on the train. Anyway, here it is.

Creosote Photo

I will attempt to photo blog - got no real idea how to do it or really what to put in it, but we launch into tomorrow with a spirit that desires.


























This is a picture I took with my new old Rodenstock 4.5x6 120 folder. I really like the format and I like the feel of the camera. It's hard to put my finger on why, but there's something grounding about it. This picture is taken out at the Pacific Shores conglomeration of green glass boxes that are floating on the Bay in a salt marsh. I used to work there and still have many friends who do. It's still a fascinating place to take pictures.