Pinhole Day 2014

Post-Script: It appears that WPPD 2014 was a roaring success. All eight paper negatives came out fine, while I will have to wait for the results from the Holga 120 pinhole camera, as the Kodak Ektar 100 will require lab processing.

It was a blustery day at the zoo, but not too bad. The light was variable from direct sun to cloudiness, and so metering and exposure was a bit tricky.

I especially enjoyed meeting fellow pinhole photographer Becky Ramotowski and her husband Shane. After several hours of creating photographs, we ate at a very nice Mexican restaurant.

I processed these paper negatives later this evening, then rinsed and dried them (via my usual method of squeegee and a hair dryer), then scanned them into TIFF files. Only minor levels adjustments were made in Photoshop.

Typecast via Royal Futura 800, which seems to be working fine after the work I did to it last week.

Bonus Images:

Sitting Idle

Post-Script: I've tried to make it a habit not to typecast about typewriters too often, but sometimes it becomes an inevitable subject of one's life, especially if, like me, typewriters are one of your passions. Regarding my disparaging comments about this Royal Futura 800 sounding like an old Chevy, I'm not sure if that comment insults either or both machines. Certainly, I've never been a Chevy guy, while I've owned some nice Royals in my day.

I was pleased with the work I did to this machine. There's a bit more to be done before I can call it completely mechanically sound, but this next period of intensive use, followed by more idle time sitting in the closet, should prove its mettle.

Photo via Fujifilm X10, typecast via Royal Futura 800.

Empty Chairs

Post-Script: For more information on Bruce Gilden, check out his website, and be sure to watch a few videos of him in action on the streets. An entirely different method from mine, to be certain.

I only discovered my fondness for empty chairs as a recurring theme in my photography after studying my work in retrospect; I haven't seemed entirely conscious of this preponderance beforehand; although now that I've written about it to some extent, I suspect I'll now become much more self-conscious when happening upon the subject in my future photographic ventures.

Typecast via Royal Mercury, images via Lumix G1. Be sure to check out my entire set of empty chair images, here.

Our Visitor

Post-Script: After a night's sleep, I find Edward isn't saying much. I think he had second thoughts about visiting, after all.

Images via Fujifilm X10, typecast via Royal Mercury.

Bonus Images:
Edward with raven:

Edward with bunny:

Edward on pachinko machine:

Edward with pig:

The Mystery of Marfa

Post-Script: We drove back home last Tuesday, wherein I spent a few hours in the back seat with composition book and fountain pen, writing up this piece, then napping out while my better half was at the wheel. Marfa was deceptively laid-back while embracing an undercurrent of subtle sophistication, easy to miss on a sleepy Monday morning in all of its west-Texas small town casualness.

Photo via Fujifilm X10, typecast via Royal Mercury. Here's a set of photos taken during our Marfa visit, taken with both the X10 and the Panasonic Lumix G5. I must say, despite the G5's bigger sensor and selection of interchangeable lenses, the depth of focus and dynamic range of the little X10 was superior. The only advantages exhibited by the G5 were its flip-out LCD screen and under low-light conditions with the f/1.7-20mm lens, or when shooting video where the G5's lens selection offered some advantage.

Marfa Beergarten

Post-Script: Around dusk we drove out highway 90 east of Marfa and stayed a few hours at the Marfa lights viewing area, where we watched nightfall descend and the stars come out. No mysterious lights were seen that couldn't be explained by normal means, but any excuse to get outside and look at the evening sky is a good excuse. I brought the Lumix G5 and tripod, with which I captured a few images of the landscape after sundown.

Images via Fujifilm X10, typecast via Royal Mercury.

Do What You Want

Post-Script: You need to take the time and read the NY Times article, and especially watch the video. It brings the taking of that quickly-made snapshot image last summer to completion, along with fresh thoughts about the meaning of one's life and what it is that we really want to do versus have to do.

Typecast via Royal Mercury.