tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294877702024-03-28T04:50:03.446-06:00Joe Van Cleave's BlogA discourse in photography, media and cultureJoe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.comBlogger1039125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-51519028994969208822024-03-20T12:47:00.003-06:002024-03-20T15:17:19.878-06:00I Didn't Expect to Use This Camera This Way<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpUM4OHvciDWPvg7hl_-O6BBQEh-87mslU_BmcR1OkpiaG4PXbHyiMN21tXviGJSRHrrlSlANGcm8KGAZKpBMS1F6Y83WRkMoO-mBWxT8xE4jAa9SDjOyJeAdb3rd0KUX5PmDCczeckoyFV6TKjNLqV7RnF4FqGdrO5hzQdHitaJS7l2LBARO/s1600/T5i.jpeg" ><img height="433" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpUM4OHvciDWPvg7hl_-O6BBQEh-87mslU_BmcR1OkpiaG4PXbHyiMN21tXviGJSRHrrlSlANGcm8KGAZKpBMS1F6Y83WRkMoO-mBWxT8xE4jAa9SDjOyJeAdb3rd0KUX5PmDCczeckoyFV6TKjNLqV7RnF4FqGdrO5hzQdHitaJS7l2LBARO/s1600/T5i.jpeg"/></a><br><i>Canon T5i DSLR with 100-300mm lens</i><br>
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I've never been an avid DSLR user. For the uninitiated, "DSLR" stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex camera, implying the sensor is digital instead of film, and there's a mirror in front of the sensor that directs the view from the camera lens to a ground glass screen, the image of which is relayed via a prism to the viewfinder eyepiece, just like with a film SLR from <i>ye olden days</i>, implying the user can view through the same lens that takes the picture.<br>
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Several years ago my brother gave me a Canon T7 with the kit 14-55mm lens and the longer 100-300mm telephoto. These Canon "Rebel" cameras use an APSC-sized sensor and have pretty decent autofocus. I didn't like the size of the kit zoom for everyday carrying, so instead bought a 24mm fixed focal length lens, that's equivalent in angle of view to about 35mm with a film SLR; a pretty standard setup for walking about with a camera.<br>
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More recently, he also gave me his older Canon T5i, with its 14-55mm kit lens. I didn't need two of these cameras and so I packed up the T7 with its kit zoom lens and shipped it off to my friend Ted Munk, who well appreciated the gift. In the meanwhile I hadn't been using the T5i all that much, preferring to wander around my neighborhood with the pocket-sized Ricoh GRiii instead (which has the same sized APSC sensor), especially in the colder months when I could keep the small thing in my pocket. Of course, the Ricoh doesn't have an eye-level viewfinder and its rear screen is easily washed out in bright daylight; and it's autofocus is nothing to write home about. Once the weather started to turn warmer I figured I'd begin taking out the T5i again, with the small 24mm lens.<br>
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And then yesterday afternoon happened. Police cars racing down our street, police drones flying overhead, a bullhorn directing residents to stay indoors and lock our doors and windows. So I complied, and was locked inside with my two Frenchie bulldogs, Pablo and Chapo, who were beginning to get nervous with all the excitement outside, that they couldn't go out to investigate.<br>
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Standing in my kitchen looking out the front window, I could see over our courtyard wall to the neighbor's house across the street on the corner. I grabbed the Canon T5i and attached the long 100-300mm lens. The sight of the black camera with the big black lens protruding tends to aggitate our doggies, so I had to comfort them with that fake "everything's going to be all right" voice that parents use with their children, and soon they were playing with their dog bones like nothing was going on across the street.<br>
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But things <i>were</i> going on across the street. I took a series of pictures of an Albuquerque Police Department tactical team making an entry into the backyard of the house, through their side gate, this was I think the best photo of the batch:<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF7PJEv6V41cRtx6Pcgut3w00ZvbeecLWxUC5OwBRaTqGzzIB5vV3RoVad7Sp7d-p2miP7KWO4rIn6sbasARCBHRpNQN1Wxeym4ocsnTh_BSIFTmwinPb_dB13v7kZZXnwCyLxvPl9u1RMzdzy2ocTHxnwe_dibdiWli3WKrWqHzVb1DJ9YpJ6/s1600/SWAT%20Entry%201.jpeg" ><img height="650" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF7PJEv6V41cRtx6Pcgut3w00ZvbeecLWxUC5OwBRaTqGzzIB5vV3RoVad7Sp7d-p2miP7KWO4rIn6sbasARCBHRpNQN1Wxeym4ocsnTh_BSIFTmwinPb_dB13v7kZZXnwCyLxvPl9u1RMzdzy2ocTHxnwe_dibdiWli3WKrWqHzVb1DJ9YpJ6/s1600/SWAT%20Entry%201.jpeg"/></a><br>
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Here you can see three officers, the middle one being the canine handler. There were at least two other officers in the tactical team already in the backyard.<br>
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Before I go any further I think it's necessary to discuss the "elephant in the room," that being the question of photographing the police. I had an opportunity to discuss this in depth, after the incident, with members of the local ABQ television news community, who were gathering on the sidewalk outside my house awaiting a press briefing by APD Chief Medina. Their advice was based on how they work, day-to-day, which was: as long as you're on public (or your own private) property there's no issue. They did acknowledge that at times, out of courtesy, they will obstruct the faces of the officers, but they were adamant that this was strictly out of professional courtesy and was in no way a legal mandate. They also told me that I, as a private citizen on public property (or my own private property,) have every right to photograph the police just as they do.<br>
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Just for the record, I did get images that included the faces of tactical officers, but declined to publish them mainly because their inclusion in this article wouldn't advance the storyline.<br>
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One thing that began to irritate the dogs were the insect-like buzzing sounds from the police drones. I observed at least two drones in the air at once, and they seem to be a very efficient new technology tool for police use. But more on that later.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1YMZRMMYaI8aBvt40yFqkjSHoBA6HtzZOvUh88P3m3UOWbFEDAkHbctsyOL1L78ndND68vifFdyk0xlNL11rKQCQDjh-BZ9Tkv1vBkhnEcJefXDi1hd_SvcZu7smow8rq3xrFNr2C_woYCE_EJuF8CrveRqF2SlxUXdOQeByh5Ap6YMWARBi/s1600/APD%20Drone.jpeg" ><img height="650" dwidth="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1YMZRMMYaI8aBvt40yFqkjSHoBA6HtzZOvUh88P3m3UOWbFEDAkHbctsyOL1L78ndND68vifFdyk0xlNL11rKQCQDjh-BZ9Tkv1vBkhnEcJefXDi1hd_SvcZu7smow8rq3xrFNr2C_woYCE_EJuF8CrveRqF2SlxUXdOQeByh5Ap6YMWARBi/s1600/APD%20Drone.jpeg"/></a><br><i>APD Drone</i><br>
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The event seemed very dynamic, with police cruisers (Ford Explorer Police Interceptors) speeding up and down the street, drones buzzing overhead, tactical teams on the property across the street, bullhorns announcing for the public to stay indoors. A few minutes after the tactical team entered the backyard, I heard two loud bangs, the first very loud and the second less so, separated in time by less than a second. It sounded to me like two separate and different firearms were discharged. When the first shot rang out I could hear a brief but muted scream or cry, which was silenced by the second shot. <b>BOOM-scream-Bang</b>. Then the sound of officers yelling "Put both of your hands up..."<br>
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Soon the sound of an ambulance was heard, it stopped adjacent to the house behind that corner house. In a few minutes it sped away down my street.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptMwY3eJGxkGoPcDH46ga2hibiH4fj7x-xQBIrSObd1rsA_HPsHZgQcuCtPHgnysx9OkGbN605oQOQE6uJhtgkUS1jypah3GIAEpPde7Ch0G2Tk62HqoQ0jAtk7I7yqYn8q8Hc9rDBjqug7uTB4eZ_ciiCkpjLCQJdvoRf1uYZzWzJOyBoN8j/s1600/ABQ%20Fire%20Department.jpeg" ><img height="433" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptMwY3eJGxkGoPcDH46ga2hibiH4fj7x-xQBIrSObd1rsA_HPsHZgQcuCtPHgnysx9OkGbN605oQOQE6uJhtgkUS1jypah3GIAEpPde7Ch0G2Tk62HqoQ0jAtk7I7yqYn8q8Hc9rDBjqug7uTB4eZ_ciiCkpjLCQJdvoRf1uYZzWzJOyBoN8j/s1600/ABQ%20Fire%20Department.jpeg"/></a><br>
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The Fire Department responded to the shot suspect rather than a civilian ambulance service. It's important to point out that Fire Department personnel are employees of the city, just like the police, and can be compelled to respond to shootings in a manner dictated by official directive; whereas civilian ambulance EMTs and paramedics are only compelled to respond in a manner consistent with their professional training, and also aren't necessarily trained by the police to enter active crime zones. Why is this an important distinction? I don't know if it's necessary for me to point out that the kind of treatment a suspect shot by the police receives at the hands of city-employed personnel might differ from the treatment they'd receive by a civilian ambulance crew.<br>
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Before long I could hear a news helicopter from the local ABC affiliate circling the neighborhood. This was my best shot of the whirlibird:<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfCH93nBV4OuVGUa2PdDbgAGdeavkGL_N39GV4KJPyjgBlRULssd7fnpNUhfivWybDBjNfxuxadO8Xicp_tQyOleRfahmIgunm9vZg4vWRuX-1OXCL86CQYZy86zUt1EUL530vvIVigkz9v1B4gm3BuGSVPxfQkMNZudHiid5O6xQUYR7DRYc/s1600/Sky%207.jpeg" ><img height="650" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfCH93nBV4OuVGUa2PdDbgAGdeavkGL_N39GV4KJPyjgBlRULssd7fnpNUhfivWybDBjNfxuxadO8Xicp_tQyOleRfahmIgunm9vZg4vWRuX-1OXCL86CQYZy86zUt1EUL530vvIVigkz9v1B4gm3BuGSVPxfQkMNZudHiid5O6xQUYR7DRYc/s1600/Sky%207.jpeg"/></a><br><i>Sky 7</i><br>
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The incident lasted for hours. It was getting close to dusk when the news crews arrived and parked on the street in front of my house. Here are camera crews from the local NBC & CBS television affiliates setting up for the press conference:<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIFB3nsLbBwzTrLgzcwR2qCPf6zVN9c1Nld389uyYfFrclh3IhtMw3d40wqzGdZ9Px0OdAIlTynEo53fLMSZT2JARIy20ukOQakihu0jZHsqZrum172Caq7Srs8oOvEaAe-bF7HZs3eCO_1OEcVoRMhFsRMxlmneqEtjxTxg-Rsive-I9mXab/s1600/NBC%20&%20CBS.jpeg" ><img height="433" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIFB3nsLbBwzTrLgzcwR2qCPf6zVN9c1Nld389uyYfFrclh3IhtMw3d40wqzGdZ9Px0OdAIlTynEo53fLMSZT2JARIy20ukOQakihu0jZHsqZrum172Caq7Srs8oOvEaAe-bF7HZs3eCO_1OEcVoRMhFsRMxlmneqEtjxTxg-Rsive-I9mXab/s1600/NBC%20&%20CBS.jpeg"/></a><br>
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These guys were super professional, and permitted me the luxury of standing around talking with them for over an hour. They all know each other and often respond together at various incidents, so instead of acting like rivals, they help each other out. They were the ones who educated me on the rights of citizens to photograph whatever they observe from their own or public property. We talked about their jobs, what it was like responding to these crime scenes and the kinds of gear they use. I observed a mix of Panasonic, Sony and Canon professional camcorders being used. It surprised me that a good civilian mirrorless camera setup would probably rival or exceed what these cameras can do, but they use them because they're rugged and have professional audio connections. Though most of these camcorders are 4K capable, most of them shoot in 1080P because it's quicker to edit the footage later.<br>
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I also noticed a stills photographer from the local newspaper on scene; she was much more bold in walking up to the very edge of the crime tape and, leaning forward over the tape, taking long-lens photos of the police crew processing the scene. This is a good example of knowing your rights as a citizen, and as a member of the press corp, and knowing how far those rights can be pushed.<br>
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Later, as the press were assembling for the conference, she was kind enough to give me room to photograph the Police Chief as he made his presentation; I quickly took some photos, then let her get back to work.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKglkLqT_-7iOoOnFmdvKb3gj_a7-NzuWPOl3S4zYAoW4eICoFrGVdvn4Gn-AY7csst-9pScx6njNwqQEBJavgyH13XfVOEoBNZs6H2S37b94OycPFH7oszR98b0t2Kv8VZVdbrwuRerkZeX4WfoLB9DNjdIubuj-A7_Ujvj6w3EWsKPpvkWP/s1600/APD%20Chief%20Medina.jpeg" ><img height="433" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKglkLqT_-7iOoOnFmdvKb3gj_a7-NzuWPOl3S4zYAoW4eICoFrGVdvn4Gn-AY7csst-9pScx6njNwqQEBJavgyH13XfVOEoBNZs6H2S37b94OycPFH7oszR98b0t2Kv8VZVdbrwuRerkZeX4WfoLB9DNjdIubuj-A7_Ujvj6w3EWsKPpvkWP/s1600/APD%20Chief%20Medina.jpeg"/></a><br><i>APD Chief Medina delivers a statement to the press</i><br>
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It was nearly 8pm before the Police Chief delivered his statement to the gathered press, and took a few questions. By this time it was getting dark and one of the independant news organizations set up a battery-powered video light.<br>
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The statement delivered by Chief Medina indicated that a stolen car was reported in the parking lot of a Post Office near the neighborhood. Police responded and two females were in the car. One female stayed put and was arrested, while the other female fled on foot into the neighborhood behind the post office. She ended up in the back yard behind the house across the street, in a storage shed. The Chief said the drone could see through the open door into the shed, and could see the suspect with a cell phone in her hand. But the tactical squad on the ground couldn't see into the shed because of their angle of view. The Chief said the suspect was observed, via drone, placing the phone in her hand in such a way as to simulate a weapon. Then she lunged out of the shed and aimed her hands at the officers on the ground who, feeling under threat, fired their weapons at her.<br>
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What I couldn't get a clear sense of at the time of the press conference was whether APD has the capability for tactical officers on the ground to receive a live video feed from the drone (or the drone pilot's receiving setup) via a headmounted video display; I didn't see any officers wearing such a display. I also didn't understand at the time whether their view of the suspect in the shed was via a "live" drone video feed, or only noticed later upon reviewing the footage after the incident. I also got a sense that what Chief Medina was doing at the conference was offering a reason why APD officers shot and killed an unarmed suspect; this isn't the first time an event like this has happened here, and the police community are very sensitive to its potential ramifications, since APD remains under Federal Justice Department overview for a similar shooting of an unarmed suspect some years ago. Whichever the case may be, the Chief was clear that the tactical officers on the ground in the back yard did not benefit from the view visible from the drone.<br>
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I can certainly imagine scenarios in the future where having live drone video, fed to helmet-mounted displays on tactical responders, might well save the very lives of these officers, if they could modify their response in real-time, based on this real-time data.<br>
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I must address another controversial issue, that of justications for police shootings. While in this case a person might be tempted to think "Good riddance, one less dirt bag in the world," I can sympathize with the dangerous nature of the job police have in protecting the public at large. My city of Albuquerque has one of the highest car theft rates in the country, due to the proximity of the Mexican border to the south, and I have much respect for APD's efforts at fighting this scourge. It's also a good idea, when presented with police officers directing deadly weapons your way, to comply with their orders. In this incident, it appears the suspect, in her early 30s, may have been purposefully urging the officers to shoot her, in the manner in which she was grasping her phone like a gun and lunging it at them.<br>
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So that was my day yesterday. I didn't expect to be using this DSLR and long telephoto lens, certainly not in this manner, but it did its job well. The autofocus was pretty much spot on, and it was relatively easy to pinpoint my autofocus to exactly where I wanted it. No, I won't be carrying this long lens around the neighborhood any time soon; but it'll be called upon when it's needed in the future.<br>
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<i>(Edit to correct spelling and grammar.)</i>
Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-46395530512065073282024-03-15T17:27:00.000-06:002024-03-15T17:27:14.303-06:00The Flying Dorito Brothers<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFTGoXoGy4oTNA5bijaIcRLZnN-CKcP_kfXFhjBBM80HQfR-N-OQaesXBejrbXL-WqlA3IYtXcRx0wJIS8cZMeijWlxSX2kCYAQp4Ij7BEJ9dTWG1qIP9qgYHCOrv3WJYaNiDFw1gHIqOnH86sB9RLeehcYwT1-2yBSxUwxMnuVc4l24Q-3MO/s1600/UFO001b.JPG" ><img height="515" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFTGoXoGy4oTNA5bijaIcRLZnN-CKcP_kfXFhjBBM80HQfR-N-OQaesXBejrbXL-WqlA3IYtXcRx0wJIS8cZMeijWlxSX2kCYAQp4Ij7BEJ9dTWG1qIP9qgYHCOrv3WJYaNiDFw1gHIqOnH86sB9RLeehcYwT1-2yBSxUwxMnuVc4l24Q-3MO/s1600/UFO001b.JPG"/></a><br><i>Vivitar 110 Film Camera, early 1970s in Albuquerque</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYhokMwJvmBmQicPFmICkv-pfHihlOuHjXfqCSsv7rVVzAQkr9vbFL2OMFGGlRA_NuOz9K8StcJxxnTw6iDASrXQ1tSIg7bcX1tawVDQ3jiY4Bb9neTKo1gjD-iUNBLkk8ljI6PJqfApl_9fYk14RfKQ4rya5w_6jig6buaJaALl1VWjOAnn1/s1600/Dorito1.jpeg" ><img height="952" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYhokMwJvmBmQicPFmICkv-pfHihlOuHjXfqCSsv7rVVzAQkr9vbFL2OMFGGlRA_NuOz9K8StcJxxnTw6iDASrXQ1tSIg7bcX1tawVDQ3jiY4Bb9neTKo1gjD-iUNBLkk8ljI6PJqfApl_9fYk14RfKQ4rya5w_6jig6buaJaALl1VWjOAnn1/s1600/Dorito1.jpeg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUeDpOFxxS7m1_Mmzw8hmizJtt1YVWR4vD2iWKM60xg8BOGHqV_7kVB2Gm1wjbp5yC6TwLtaq7C_UsJdGZgN0B2_tcKcZ9KT1RaDQF17XNaENAdK0Yj1PPM3E9ivV02y5vnVVgIWVrYkBo04y2BuvO6wr7ta5_k0maytYkMQoef71PdroW1G1/s1600/P1120611.JPG" ><img height="488" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUeDpOFxxS7m1_Mmzw8hmizJtt1YVWR4vD2iWKM60xg8BOGHqV_7kVB2Gm1wjbp5yC6TwLtaq7C_UsJdGZgN0B2_tcKcZ9KT1RaDQF17XNaENAdK0Yj1PPM3E9ivV02y5vnVVgIWVrYkBo04y2BuvO6wr7ta5_k0maytYkMQoef71PdroW1G1/s1600/P1120611.JPG"/></a><br><i>The physical model of the vehicle placed against a blue background</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzjdbXytG_Q78CmwWtOnDGhGK75icoee5oMdgAfWAwjdmvNValFKzcQV3OiloknZyrOBimxU9y8QR8rM84-VKzWeWlz8vYnUAki5MvCMRA1ZhQ00MiVxgIdsQhkfm8trUbgMU2M7sMF9S9rpWOJXP7zl3mc-ISt6yDTbVYmhxl4YFXion9x38/s1600/Dorito1.001.jpeg" ><img height="366" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzjdbXytG_Q78CmwWtOnDGhGK75icoee5oMdgAfWAwjdmvNValFKzcQV3OiloknZyrOBimxU9y8QR8rM84-VKzWeWlz8vYnUAki5MvCMRA1ZhQ00MiVxgIdsQhkfm8trUbgMU2M7sMF9S9rpWOJXP7zl3mc-ISt6yDTbVYmhxl4YFXion9x38/s1600/Dorito1.001.jpeg"/></a><br><i>The image of the model composited with contrails as it appeared to my brother</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNBgRcGW-vPC1hAKQX-tMtwgoJ418s6TOtHPSMohKXPy4Y5usJezF-rEEIq67EwZUn6TXAraWlgbjEeCAF3w96SpoI14jZfovuIZ2ETq4hs6EPGfWNf5gexiN0XNhF_bCYtOlRmEuqqvbQ02EUh66YJvZ7Lefq85fHEomIOFu8cwtl6-fyzU32/s1600/Dorito2.jpeg" ><img height="944" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNBgRcGW-vPC1hAKQX-tMtwgoJ418s6TOtHPSMohKXPy4Y5usJezF-rEEIq67EwZUn6TXAraWlgbjEeCAF3w96SpoI14jZfovuIZ2ETq4hs6EPGfWNf5gexiN0XNhF_bCYtOlRmEuqqvbQ02EUh66YJvZ7Lefq85fHEomIOFu8cwtl6-fyzU32/s1600/Dorito2.jpeg"/></a><br>
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Typecast via Remington Ten Forty.Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-17246279811467135792024-02-25T12:48:00.000-07:002024-02-25T12:48:00.647-07:00Attending a Writers Workshop<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqpLgupa4pplw2oU1ZL59_KDaajsYV8s3rK3fstLMdVi9J8w_xM5aFDmo2lsZUKWwQeDsYYLbub_dG8mpexfUP09uWo_WcqXiqKaWco6fniW5ncAkrMVgzK0cJkTSJqrzlWZJ8ZkzDiJ7xvGbseMd6afzV5aBzwxB-9yCOnbaohjhyENJXt2x/s1600/Underwood%205.jpeg" ><img height="488" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqpLgupa4pplw2oU1ZL59_KDaajsYV8s3rK3fstLMdVi9J8w_xM5aFDmo2lsZUKWwQeDsYYLbub_dG8mpexfUP09uWo_WcqXiqKaWco6fniW5ncAkrMVgzK0cJkTSJqrzlWZJ8ZkzDiJ7xvGbseMd6afzV5aBzwxB-9yCOnbaohjhyENJXt2x/s1600/Underwood%205.jpeg"/></a><br><i>One of my all-time favorite writing machines, the Underwood 5!</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Pl30lUiC7qniqivg1Od4LQjL8iyjdBS0bfJ25VE7Nqz-QkczAQx-AifU4QYhgT0tPC1GTAH4NyYftrZpi55RJwpFpFt0c4OMqVLXLc3IDaSsyHwa3cNfAmOGXgxo4vRBCBn6T0ltQoo_nfR57A1yK4pk3p3awKr5xI5zGHmhnAjneTWcyddc/s1600/Typecast.jpeg" ><img height="911" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Pl30lUiC7qniqivg1Od4LQjL8iyjdBS0bfJ25VE7Nqz-QkczAQx-AifU4QYhgT0tPC1GTAH4NyYftrZpi55RJwpFpFt0c4OMqVLXLc3IDaSsyHwa3cNfAmOGXgxo4vRBCBn6T0ltQoo_nfR57A1yK4pk3p3awKr5xI5zGHmhnAjneTWcyddc/s1600/Typecast.jpeg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://libevents.abqlibrary.org/event/11619917" target="_blank">Here's the link</a> to the March workshop.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GUYJjAs4aMFSsYfPR8-1-QYZQfzNGNH1D3Zn26VtuC5FyxaD9Qv7W9O4RYh6YRDE64rBGCH48iLNyescYEpgTmcUbQvbyFUBEGmm-g9rHgvuunyBmIxXDyKuwcJfJED9okeFsjpInzlCUd2HkSlqFmJVitH8vh7Iiv27alA4N15rHRHj26bR/s1600/Woz%20Presenting.jpeg" ><img height="488" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GUYJjAs4aMFSsYfPR8-1-QYZQfzNGNH1D3Zn26VtuC5FyxaD9Qv7W9O4RYh6YRDE64rBGCH48iLNyescYEpgTmcUbQvbyFUBEGmm-g9rHgvuunyBmIxXDyKuwcJfJED9okeFsjpInzlCUd2HkSlqFmJVitH8vh7Iiv27alA4N15rHRHj26bR/s1600/Woz%20Presenting.jpeg"/></a><br><i>Woz Facilitating</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8O1sZCTqY_Zm2xLPAOSvIZ7YTeR7-HtLoGso1lPUDgqgWpaS2aGhZqSHtSrjDbKYCWLGc0xgStyvMFpzFB3G4Yd4wWt0M4xfY7GbIvdx9V3VnIEy3k7mj_KflzNksxcc87-ubZVMmE2nqev-Mj3t9OoyFcWXdDzsog0EPjNk2akfsYX6tOza7/s1600/Personal%20Writings.jpeg" ><img height="488" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8O1sZCTqY_Zm2xLPAOSvIZ7YTeR7-HtLoGso1lPUDgqgWpaS2aGhZqSHtSrjDbKYCWLGc0xgStyvMFpzFB3G4Yd4wWt0M4xfY7GbIvdx9V3VnIEy3k7mj_KflzNksxcc87-ubZVMmE2nqev-Mj3t9OoyFcWXdDzsog0EPjNk2akfsYX6tOza7/s1600/Personal%20Writings.jpeg"/></a><br><i>I didn't expect this personal kind of writing!</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrsRXpPcG3Wwm6f6O5mKESC2-Fa-wmyQsitpM55HXQFlaiF6lwtP0q-7wB9dx8oGXVoL60jQ5CCvsjxaPyIfioh7NGp0Aj88toJOVTudHl6bJTo2PprE0hcbfe7GFv-uQI2QZrsjhzk6YR4TIAL05virCK9CXZFmPVFgrG50SF8Imzib1F-Og/s1600/Woz%20Teaching.jpeg" ><img height="488" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrsRXpPcG3Wwm6f6O5mKESC2-Fa-wmyQsitpM55HXQFlaiF6lwtP0q-7wB9dx8oGXVoL60jQ5CCvsjxaPyIfioh7NGp0Aj88toJOVTudHl6bJTo2PprE0hcbfe7GFv-uQI2QZrsjhzk6YR4TIAL05virCK9CXZFmPVFgrG50SF8Imzib1F-Og/s1600/Woz%20Teaching.jpeg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirNDO62ZJdJPVxChiDhmIORAEQ2mAtwJPIpc1WmZVFrsQl_ymD8l0MdQGSjJInmtzTz2DBL6X05naJJfRlFfsxgERly1S_dd1o2FFPoA4U9BI_f1GaB6aDdcwVROcUIFaquLnRNTBMlFi8MqWyIvL7ET3drHQ4039aQAUb_snC5s9mGNWBhd0H/s1600/Constellation.jpeg" ><img height="488" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirNDO62ZJdJPVxChiDhmIORAEQ2mAtwJPIpc1WmZVFrsQl_ymD8l0MdQGSjJInmtzTz2DBL6X05naJJfRlFfsxgERly1S_dd1o2FFPoA4U9BI_f1GaB6aDdcwVROcUIFaquLnRNTBMlFi8MqWyIvL7ET3drHQ4039aQAUb_snC5s9mGNWBhd0H/s1600/Constellation.jpeg"/></a><br><i>I liked this SCM-made Sears Constellation</i>Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-75092913182133067392024-02-23T18:44:00.002-07:002024-02-23T18:44:59.311-07:00Culled Pages<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31285363@N07/53263295065/" title="Hermes Rocket at Snapdragon Tea, ABQ"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53263295065_beaa332c14_3k.jpg" width="650" height="650" alt="Hermes Rocket at Snapdragon Tea, ABQ"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfr7Wwtnk72pZcpfHBEABO98J9Uj5hRWt8o4D7vqzzhyhgV3v9ysm7N_W1msB3aul8Xca96ovzOx9vFVQNHlOwiAdMZgTik4N3jmPYiMLdWsVmnkn2nbiyA3L5qjKVYm7-LFk62NUeqkonzc-0WH_2CtJb9e76WfPvC2NiWhHrBqiD7paqsSD/s1600/Culled%20Pages.jpeg" ><img height="623" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfr7Wwtnk72pZcpfHBEABO98J9Uj5hRWt8o4D7vqzzhyhgV3v9ysm7N_W1msB3aul8Xca96ovzOx9vFVQNHlOwiAdMZgTik4N3jmPYiMLdWsVmnkn2nbiyA3L5qjKVYm7-LFk62NUeqkonzc-0WH_2CtJb9e76WfPvC2NiWhHrBqiD7paqsSD/s1600/Culled%20Pages.jpeg"/></a><br>
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<b>CULLED PAGES FROM THE MARCH 2023 TYPE-IN AT THE ABQ SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARY:</b><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgSrIhAqD5J7gcG-QArdGqr-m5bLG2Dog7j06OV_rixENWFN4TPPc7UCll2wlRM-nerRHoagB6UCMRu3b0nkSj5JkP7Hn4P3crS7w1nBUjSV_IdLTRdJuJoPt2doUCBN2hgI7wrjL5br3-RUMlTBuKdI8zN1o_Pue3PIoiwjimkI_SJVHlYfU/s1600/11March23-1.jpeg" ><img height="1093" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgSrIhAqD5J7gcG-QArdGqr-m5bLG2Dog7j06OV_rixENWFN4TPPc7UCll2wlRM-nerRHoagB6UCMRu3b0nkSj5JkP7Hn4P3crS7w1nBUjSV_IdLTRdJuJoPt2doUCBN2hgI7wrjL5br3-RUMlTBuKdI8zN1o_Pue3PIoiwjimkI_SJVHlYfU/s1600/11March23-1.jpeg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHh9RtPvWt3VGR7bw1H2_gZA9kKiRCMMiUyUtZI9UvPjz5tz_mug-FFBWoxHu5_eWKmSPWfA7U7rj5FzNPrE71CnG6vF4ZeFQPGGuI7yGi2fzmJrWiFtVR3-MqFFY7FNa4fCYiBJCwQHdWBs1BlSPfbw1hIWnAvBE_GnI16WAVhyKlWkPT9nr3/s1600/11March23-2.jpeg" ><img height="1112" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHh9RtPvWt3VGR7bw1H2_gZA9kKiRCMMiUyUtZI9UvPjz5tz_mug-FFBWoxHu5_eWKmSPWfA7U7rj5FzNPrE71CnG6vF4ZeFQPGGuI7yGi2fzmJrWiFtVR3-MqFFY7FNa4fCYiBJCwQHdWBs1BlSPfbw1hIWnAvBE_GnI16WAVhyKlWkPT9nr3/s1600/11March23-2.jpeg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiknSubTGsgunZS3lhLEpXb-KHMst_qWzl1K_jyPBuI2o5w8JUTZma37TqSuPaT4Yqi3JDhY1FIBCiOK3UmJFvW-6p6lQLYspHeF20Ohsem5BC2w-M_ygsVVWWVCm4gUCF-XJBdMqlGmPuVTFKq2tZGGtdxHRlGEuHngqTZqQ06HSLEKlrPIkAR/s1600/11March23-3.jpeg" ><img height="980" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiknSubTGsgunZS3lhLEpXb-KHMst_qWzl1K_jyPBuI2o5w8JUTZma37TqSuPaT4Yqi3JDhY1FIBCiOK3UmJFvW-6p6lQLYspHeF20Ohsem5BC2w-M_ygsVVWWVCm4gUCF-XJBdMqlGmPuVTFKq2tZGGtdxHRlGEuHngqTZqQ06HSLEKlrPIkAR/s1600/11March23-3.jpeg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5QZI_qZrcSeidPqJyJp3DAqSHRZKbOgFJTbZwg0tW9K2C_yMDmW4-4KmSvwCgSIB2JUf6UeL1uh6BKoRuCzqXaX67Uyj2VBEo7_K6rMP3kJWCeu_gBGuEaEq0VK6iylPDeefAB3Cvu5uly-ME7b7J85l2MFCCFbuaSm6sjJgGZW-DB8bX7KFQ/s1600/11March23-4.jpeg" ><img height="883" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5QZI_qZrcSeidPqJyJp3DAqSHRZKbOgFJTbZwg0tW9K2C_yMDmW4-4KmSvwCgSIB2JUf6UeL1uh6BKoRuCzqXaX67Uyj2VBEo7_K6rMP3kJWCeu_gBGuEaEq0VK6iylPDeefAB3Cvu5uly-ME7b7J85l2MFCCFbuaSm6sjJgGZW-DB8bX7KFQ/s1600/11March23-4.jpeg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZx5PM17GTeRU_4qRownDrJ0vC3OCygpPYOAk6BEdE8LZXKYCk1tfdsCurC75kx-vP6Ka3jI-OXStxR2iMOxmhqGNjMK_-_XKw5530aHsBZyYO7nn_TTUGSxuzvELsMLWIaTmK4w75cE3cmjNc5IaN5nuzkzZUHo_dWtnUeU6dM2mtKzATlbx/s1600/11March23-5.jpeg" ><img height="871" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZx5PM17GTeRU_4qRownDrJ0vC3OCygpPYOAk6BEdE8LZXKYCk1tfdsCurC75kx-vP6Ka3jI-OXStxR2iMOxmhqGNjMK_-_XKw5530aHsBZyYO7nn_TTUGSxuzvELsMLWIaTmK4w75cE3cmjNc5IaN5nuzkzZUHo_dWtnUeU6dM2mtKzATlbx/s1600/11March23-5.jpeg"/></a><br>
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<b>CULLED PAGES FROM THE JUNE 2023 TYPE-IN AT THE ABQ CHERRY HILLS LIBRARY:</b><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTesGkXzYbv0zK9xKG7nvhIWZZiBiAOsr5Tr3YF6uh2KXiq9MDmgfkM-NKb7po8uvAVE0X5tES087PtL-rfZw9nF-LaQ1lDESVUzmLPyJLl-SRzLNv95jkZM7AO1dY-LaLruwfVzX0WBuELvqhAPAHLlAa1JNVOz5v1sSq_XUtE0bfSi8l6Yh/s1600/June23-1.jpeg" ><img height="1083" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTesGkXzYbv0zK9xKG7nvhIWZZiBiAOsr5Tr3YF6uh2KXiq9MDmgfkM-NKb7po8uvAVE0X5tES087PtL-rfZw9nF-LaQ1lDESVUzmLPyJLl-SRzLNv95jkZM7AO1dY-LaLruwfVzX0WBuELvqhAPAHLlAa1JNVOz5v1sSq_XUtE0bfSi8l6Yh/s1600/June23-1.jpeg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhKUVHO4j2t7mP0Um28lbdwpAXkBJ17dZBqGMakDZF77OitcKaMJIyktoUsbe7fw9hvAAg7BS5l8FLxC3xfmSu90BFH43P058yw7E3OqFA5OYUdESQeghT89etmwFNWXgqQ8cdCl7fR2iFQWmVPIhO2546gg0O5uhMcJvTGfovggSJtMQRXE_/s1600/June23-2.jpeg" ><img height="1056" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhKUVHO4j2t7mP0Um28lbdwpAXkBJ17dZBqGMakDZF77OitcKaMJIyktoUsbe7fw9hvAAg7BS5l8FLxC3xfmSu90BFH43P058yw7E3OqFA5OYUdESQeghT89etmwFNWXgqQ8cdCl7fR2iFQWmVPIhO2546gg0O5uhMcJvTGfovggSJtMQRXE_/s1600/June23-2.jpeg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXlI7Bu0tmJRYxVzXxyl1oGib6JKkHsv94GqYKJ7T3ykD-6PEWHQzBRWSSmCdarzRPAopmeGQ1JgGvYebrickW3UKGHkMZR_KB5yW-_p5je9Gm3cOj1Jpp4qA6i8oVVahxPS6siu4gj2rVM23Dcbf-YHoXcdmOWD_tiIqHF09LMFg2IwiNiEh/s1600/June23-3.jpeg" ><img height="1064" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXlI7Bu0tmJRYxVzXxyl1oGib6JKkHsv94GqYKJ7T3ykD-6PEWHQzBRWSSmCdarzRPAopmeGQ1JgGvYebrickW3UKGHkMZR_KB5yW-_p5je9Gm3cOj1Jpp4qA6i8oVVahxPS6siu4gj2rVM23Dcbf-YHoXcdmOWD_tiIqHF09LMFg2IwiNiEh/s1600/June23-3.jpeg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJGCXq86FDxLTnhOCOjhV_g9R0YPaD1EqVE_GsYe8KUoF4QCh7LqzmGyt5W4NusfhtzogNKVxhz1Le_tf9K4UHT7biE0rj-249mynJXhCneZPurWIGFRhRw_jS2-8kt8uLa74S6mbzvk9PI-_eGg2T_Lq99NOk5bT9WmnNIjod0lH24OH_GqDs/s1600/June23-4.jpeg" ><img height="739" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJGCXq86FDxLTnhOCOjhV_g9R0YPaD1EqVE_GsYe8KUoF4QCh7LqzmGyt5W4NusfhtzogNKVxhz1Le_tf9K4UHT7biE0rj-249mynJXhCneZPurWIGFRhRw_jS2-8kt8uLa74S6mbzvk9PI-_eGg2T_Lq99NOk5bT9WmnNIjod0lH24OH_GqDs/s1600/June23-4.jpeg"/></a><br>Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-4126612369500202262024-01-05T09:56:00.000-07:002024-01-05T09:56:35.529-07:00Kid's Camera Invades Adult Party<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lzn4rK0FPIsKuNr1yiXxhy-Oj7AnPYdpH1-quSODMSYkW8Dyu2FE3VyRcqDWTuSaP7tEOkGT6EUFzKmunDTw5pz5Prd_gfNLJbq75t7EVRTloNIfMdBdXik0eSW6G90gNCeIt7NeI_eFhPlqvO6D6uRNZRK9PTWEgWNbUIgKOwwNxNZh2rNB/s1600/IMG_4410.JPG" ><img height="650" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lzn4rK0FPIsKuNr1yiXxhy-Oj7AnPYdpH1-quSODMSYkW8Dyu2FE3VyRcqDWTuSaP7tEOkGT6EUFzKmunDTw5pz5Prd_gfNLJbq75t7EVRTloNIfMdBdXik0eSW6G90gNCeIt7NeI_eFhPlqvO6D6uRNZRK9PTWEgWNbUIgKOwwNxNZh2rNB/s1600/IMG_4410.JPG"/></a><br><i>The Camera in all its glory</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QTUX54vTMhU-5ce-LwfYR9S_gvPfPfRlLXaZe2Cq0oezVR3OtSA3y294gIS_bXTvpFOsl5MEBGqBLLZ8d0jCMxzVG8iYC8SfGXpbS5KBJ_VXmYQISgxhCgbmr-PJIC7sYaRJwE6Rwc6lSjZqLtrnTAf33-Hr4HYxemtfKn2WaHjmNJeAVEnp/s1600/IMG_4703.jpg" ><img height="883" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QTUX54vTMhU-5ce-LwfYR9S_gvPfPfRlLXaZe2Cq0oezVR3OtSA3y294gIS_bXTvpFOsl5MEBGqBLLZ8d0jCMxzVG8iYC8SfGXpbS5KBJ_VXmYQISgxhCgbmr-PJIC7sYaRJwE6Rwc6lSjZqLtrnTAf33-Hr4HYxemtfKn2WaHjmNJeAVEnp/s1600/IMG_4703.jpg"/></a><br>
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I'm old enough to remember when all photography, and media in general, were "analog" or physically embodied. So it continues to startle me when younger people are so excited to see physical prints in-hand, even if said prints are crappier in quality than the worst halftone newspaper photos.<br>
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Yes, there are "better" instant photographs, like Fujifilm Instax and the "new" Polaroids, but those are rather expensive, over a dollar per shot in some cases, whereas these little thermal prints are literally pennies per print.<br>
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I mentioned to some people at the party that clear, 2-inch-wide packing tape works well as a Poor Man's lamination method for these prints. Which subsequently had me thinking that I should've brought some along for the ride.<br>
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For the group shots, I made extra prints so everyone would have a copy, which is a nice feature of this camera.<br>
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People have asked me for an online link to this camera; it was a gift from friend Gregory Short, however I think he got these from Ali Express, and I know that Amazon also sells many versions of these thermal-printing cameras, so look there if you're interested.<br>
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Typecast via Canon Typestar 220 (I think these are the darkest printing of all the thermal typewriters I've tried). I pasted these thermal prints onto the Brother letter-sized thermal paper via an Uhu glue stick.<br>
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Link to Rockit Hair Studio: https://www.rockithairstudioabq.comJoe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-53049251727364929492023-12-26T18:58:00.000-07:002023-12-26T18:58:49.346-07:00Celestron First Scope Find<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhBT7W3_CzvtYILDxb07_KEFOmbtRCSXbRUOEqEuQ9i8dEasAE8QkzvpNIQbFmrgi3lTaSbW-hBMCHBZ4bJhAQ7-rzTbtEwOVML0vuu5ChuSyy-TteKkAszxwiWJ7lwGK7vFbVa1VD7aRnq9Ja3LzYlMAMjuBjtvIMByyXWbJSA0jJWZDw7AqO/s1600/IMG_4665.jpg" ><img height="650" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhBT7W3_CzvtYILDxb07_KEFOmbtRCSXbRUOEqEuQ9i8dEasAE8QkzvpNIQbFmrgi3lTaSbW-hBMCHBZ4bJhAQ7-rzTbtEwOVML0vuu5ChuSyy-TteKkAszxwiWJ7lwGK7vFbVa1VD7aRnq9Ja3LzYlMAMjuBjtvIMByyXWbJSA0jJWZDw7AqO/s1600/IMG_4665.jpg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMAg6iB6ol0jtPEGwHZhs0OFob6dw12oCO3E3v5SNUZ5YIfqadQCFG9KdWu6MUeJarIet18G35CUEFdm3cMm3BJp80MjOWYdnSoBQnuFU0iI5nbbhOizLzkjWCYToC_5_EYBElUhhkjs2KgUWvVY3m2X0Y9uAc-8LFVDBF8L2MAkRwsW7-ROo/s1600/IMG_4658.jpg" ><img height="900" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMAg6iB6ol0jtPEGwHZhs0OFob6dw12oCO3E3v5SNUZ5YIfqadQCFG9KdWu6MUeJarIet18G35CUEFdm3cMm3BJp80MjOWYdnSoBQnuFU0iI5nbbhOizLzkjWCYToC_5_EYBElUhhkjs2KgUWvVY3m2X0Y9uAc-8LFVDBF8L2MAkRwsW7-ROo/s1600/IMG_4658.jpg"/></a><br>
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I'm using the three eyepieces I've had since the early 1980s when I bought my first 'scope, the rich-field 8" aperture, F/2.9 Sky Research Dobsonian, which are 28mm, 20mm and 7mm. The longer eyepieces give a nice image in this little 'scope, but the 7mm one is a bit cloudy. I'm thinking of getting a better eyepiece to replace it.<br>
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The First Scope also has screw mounts for a finder, but with the 28mm eyepiece in place it has a wide enough field of view to serve as its own finder, given the primary mirror's 76mm diameter and 300mm focal length.<br>
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It didn't come with a cover cap for the front of the body tube, so I figured I could 3D print one. I printed it in red PETG filament instead of the more usual PLA, since I wanted to print it in red and I had a spare roll of PETG from Ethan. Print time was a bit over an hour, because I'd over-designed it, making it thicker than it needed to be.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZySxAmgkDxYZXUKGylyU9sH_2pt06rCgUFVNHIwRl5OkrL8zUaRjFGjELkdlkfqoI1APX_94s0BcWKuOMh7lBMCFpVu9pQM8c78fRyUX09EF4CdXxARZHkeuoMySnAZIA1vYGPB-BjXZ5d24kkjNhFP6zyB_SDIw1oyXsAUeXICqJ1xhCn3UP/s1600/IMG_4669.jpg" ><img height="650" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZySxAmgkDxYZXUKGylyU9sH_2pt06rCgUFVNHIwRl5OkrL8zUaRjFGjELkdlkfqoI1APX_94s0BcWKuOMh7lBMCFpVu9pQM8c78fRyUX09EF4CdXxARZHkeuoMySnAZIA1vYGPB-BjXZ5d24kkjNhFP6zyB_SDIw1oyXsAUeXICqJ1xhCn3UP/s1600/IMG_4669.jpg"/></a><br>
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I printed the cap with a 4mm center hole, which I ended up drilling out to receive a 10/24 machine screw to afix the knob to, a part I found in my spare parts bin.<br>
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I'm pretty happy with the way the red body cap turned out. I intend on designing and printing a holder for the three eyepieces next, perhaps also in matching red.<br>
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I've only been able to look through the kitchen window at distant trees across the road, it's been a bit cool (!) lately (tonight will be down into the teens farenheit) but soon I'll get it outside for a proper view of stellar objects. It's a modest little 'scope, but is extremely easy to carry around and use. However, since it lacks a proper tripod bushing under its base, I intend on using my Bruneau's Pneumatic Tripod (an archaic photography tripod from long ago, that I use for the ABQ Box Camera) with a sizable wooden base to serve as a tabletop surface upon which to support the little 'scope.<br>
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Here's a phone shot taken on the day I brought home the little 'scope from the thrift store:<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIXmAkbI4aimKRsbDB3LeX64_bc4_XwJYsCxpiia49Ryw9nyhi1Wel153PSVHMrJtTG8C0aDlRnO_nQ0ToYqm_g6aGHjh76HJpB4vrEF_VrDuinB5oe0BMpD7a3vZAKkPfPPIS_BTHN90OUtgcZfmWWG-s-OJp860z0hfh_uo3oqjcbfjjZXH/s1600/IMG_4653.jpg" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIXmAkbI4aimKRsbDB3LeX64_bc4_XwJYsCxpiia49Ryw9nyhi1Wel153PSVHMrJtTG8C0aDlRnO_nQ0ToYqm_g6aGHjh76HJpB4vrEF_VrDuinB5oe0BMpD7a3vZAKkPfPPIS_BTHN90OUtgcZfmWWG-s-OJp860z0hfh_uo3oqjcbfjjZXH/s1600/IMG_4653.jpg"/></a><br>
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With a regular eyepiece in place, the image is full-sized and looks much better than the phone shot.<br>
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As I wrote in the piece above, I haven't been doing much stargazing these last few years, mainly because the convenience of back- or frontyard viewing has been negated by mature trees and neighbors' security lighting, which implies I've been a "fair-weather astronomer" all these years, not desiring to go to the trouble of heading out to some other location. So I wasn't in the market for another telescope that I wouldn't get much use out of, but for $11 this little 'scope was hard to pass up. Maybe it'll get me out more often, since I can essentially keep it in my car, as it's so easy to tote around. It'll even work well on the hood of my car if need be, no tripod necessary.Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-46950256408964513292023-12-08T22:39:00.000-07:002023-12-08T22:39:18.205-07:00Wrangling Some Hermes's<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRzLh42i6kmFJdOxHZFMGZW-eW9IQNTVchzIFCT47OwRH1Mw8XSpEOg8h0XZ65K-tjllY9mhfG3IsaGvg0_zVHjD99HhWKJmE67Gye4mD-J9OGod4eFpPp-aRgdcxS-IeOLG0jQCiG5_dJLnf0CRBZyAch2U7xv5S71Qu3wgW2lg9f09fr5DYI/s1600/IMG_4609.jpg" ><img height="1244" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRzLh42i6kmFJdOxHZFMGZW-eW9IQNTVchzIFCT47OwRH1Mw8XSpEOg8h0XZ65K-tjllY9mhfG3IsaGvg0_zVHjD99HhWKJmE67Gye4mD-J9OGod4eFpPp-aRgdcxS-IeOLG0jQCiG5_dJLnf0CRBZyAch2U7xv5S71Qu3wgW2lg9f09fr5DYI/s1600/IMG_4609.jpg"/></a><br>
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This older-style H3K I got from a local collector, while the most recent find that I worked on earlier this week, the middle-era H3K, I got from my friend Bill. They're very similar mechanically. The curvy, first generation version has metal carriage end-cap plates, while the 2nd and 3rd generation versions are plastic. The 2nd and 3rd generation also don't have the sliding feet brackets like the first one does, so they're a bit less intricate to disassemble. I think if you're comfortable working on any of the three versions, the others shouldn't be a problem.<br>
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Besides working on these two Hermes's, I did a repair job on the Olivetti Praxis 48, also acquired from Bill. Besides needing a good clean, the main problem was the clutch mechanism for the powered carriage return was slipping and making a horrendous noise. It turned out the ring-shaped cork surface on the inside face of the plastic pulley was slipping. I made a corresponding ring of fine sandpaper and double-sided-taped it to the corresponding face of the metal clutch disc, rendering it functional once again.<br>
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I really like the Praxis 48, not only for its style but functionality. The owners manual states it's capable of 160 words per minute. I can't type that fast but I appreciate that it <i>can</i> keep up with whatever I throw at it. The machine sports some interlocks that prevents two type bars from overtyping the same space. It has a nifty paper centering scale that many machines from this era lacked, and the margins are set electrically. Here's a glamour shot of the Praxis 48:<br>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31285363@N07/53373038007/" title="Olivetti Praxis 48"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53373038007_5fcb8f9d02_4k.jpg" width="650" height="488" alt="Olivetti Praxis 48"/></a><br>
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Here's a video about the Praxis 48:<br>
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<iframe width="650" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4EeXdY3bQI?si=q7aOnmTUPW5s0kxv" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-267376355646266092023-11-18T18:24:00.001-07:002023-11-18T18:28:31.332-07:00Fireworks at Boca Chica<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq2Y7buJ2VA5FFmLpkPjouSwQD2pXqwA9Y4c0BCi6NdARzzoOdJ1qyAL2ZtKsCyEpSlclbS2O3qFNWs8RhUSxkhAoeyR0av9YYwRMAWmuLnNCb8DzguuewvJa6uvMAxEWW1j0U8S6IHmcc52LQZepcYq-BQ4Np-tsnBqfgoZSsciDV9TPxAu1h/s1600/Screenshot%202023-11-18%20at%206.05.13%20PM.png" ><img height="378" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq2Y7buJ2VA5FFmLpkPjouSwQD2pXqwA9Y4c0BCi6NdARzzoOdJ1qyAL2ZtKsCyEpSlclbS2O3qFNWs8RhUSxkhAoeyR0av9YYwRMAWmuLnNCb8DzguuewvJa6uvMAxEWW1j0U8S6IHmcc52LQZepcYq-BQ4Np-tsnBqfgoZSsciDV9TPxAu1h/s1600/Screenshot%202023-11-18%20at%206.05.13%20PM.png"/></a><br><i>(Screen grab from Scott Manley's YouTube channel)</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1TAbYF7kgIZE1KauYqm58umupl5CnOqhMmwv6umCDPgZUOHoMgIn-B0d2dRRH3cR2C6vOG_U7vc_3VP99tZWoStX2Ktmydnb7f64sINAgnZUFzoh1Wrl55_XXBtF_ICTV8x4tkzD19ObhYTGH6M58hqnJLWNJPsBjYM_B5o-JtXF28zRLb_N/s1600/Launch%20Page%201.jpeg" ><img height="990" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1TAbYF7kgIZE1KauYqm58umupl5CnOqhMmwv6umCDPgZUOHoMgIn-B0d2dRRH3cR2C6vOG_U7vc_3VP99tZWoStX2Ktmydnb7f64sINAgnZUFzoh1Wrl55_XXBtF_ICTV8x4tkzD19ObhYTGH6M58hqnJLWNJPsBjYM_B5o-JtXF28zRLb_N/s1600/Launch%20Page%201.jpeg"/></a><br><i>(Errata: Typewritten date should read 18 November 2023)</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJYTDs_fkrxI_PRiE3YnkN9dR5A_FVmG8I8sCNDSjkhkvlSFSvV1E6gTYIAoVi6WDPVrr-LBZZpU53sahxV9uxju687zva0mTi2xWYSyTY6LpMxrbc4XjLWqUiQwuL6BWwUByKZ1Rvn33jiXaIxtRKBKYURldCGw1YRrKWaOkl3MIprSXBy5q/s1600/Launch%20Page%202.jpeg" ><img height="568" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJYTDs_fkrxI_PRiE3YnkN9dR5A_FVmG8I8sCNDSjkhkvlSFSvV1E6gTYIAoVi6WDPVrr-LBZZpU53sahxV9uxju687zva0mTi2xWYSyTY6LpMxrbc4XjLWqUiQwuL6BWwUByKZ1Rvn33jiXaIxtRKBKYURldCGw1YRrKWaOkl3MIprSXBy5q/s1600/Launch%20Page%202.jpeg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkgLYsuCyq5SupdH828L_jphFoqMHFnoGq1_m5F4oqsUfGS0CVIC83sfokTnQsbomuT1i04ToowdLZCHXr1OKSTx4YFA0AY_f9PeAUk3gaNnOwKk8Rj12NBpmcclKQvEwjzOP7-cLi28spNrTohoMFp7q6KJxpjnbnhdmbEcOT29ItPRgVqJil/s1600/Starship%20Photos.jpeg" ><img height="894" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkgLYsuCyq5SupdH828L_jphFoqMHFnoGq1_m5F4oqsUfGS0CVIC83sfokTnQsbomuT1i04ToowdLZCHXr1OKSTx4YFA0AY_f9PeAUk3gaNnOwKk8Rj12NBpmcclKQvEwjzOP7-cLi28spNrTohoMFp7q6KJxpjnbnhdmbEcOT29ItPRgVqJil/s1600/Starship%20Photos.jpeg"/></a><br>
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Okay folks, I know I could've included the rest of the screen grabs of the launch in living digital color, but since I'm archiving this blog article in a 3-ring binder for my progeny to have to deal with when that time comes, I figured showing them as low-res thermal prints, hand-pasted-up like in ye Olden Days and filed away along with the typed sheets, would just make a whole hecka lotta more sense. Also, you just can't beat that low-res pixelated appearance this toy thermal-printing camera makes. I've also posted previous blog articles about this little toy camera, <a href="https://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2023/10/thermal-printing-fun.html?m=0" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2023/10/3d-thermal-prints.html?m=0" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2023/10/silver-prints-from-toy-thermal-camera.html?m=0" target="_blank">here</a>.<br>
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But just to be fair, here's Scott Manley's video about today's second test launch of Starship:<br>
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<iframe width="650" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hF2C7xE9Mj4?si=uDDllyGLElURU9Kr" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-27747249010693684362023-11-17T12:27:00.000-07:002023-11-17T12:27:05.858-07:00Typewriter Workshop at Cotton Prep<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqW4qREsl32sJXQD0LIB97ynHxpLC1atmsRLlN9he49YBWYzhSwW6CpIIZYWrVSMysFTKVVSU5tq3-i0XbF8PJCtGlo3Q23r76N_iJB2RRKO3lDGgLoEWNHTnH-ipAdeDwVb0FCVRsklzawyY_OMP4glI4V8cWAX7gIDvqILyZxcNhzvyVglae/s1600/Cottonwood%20Thermals.jpeg" ><img height="869" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqW4qREsl32sJXQD0LIB97ynHxpLC1atmsRLlN9he49YBWYzhSwW6CpIIZYWrVSMysFTKVVSU5tq3-i0XbF8PJCtGlo3Q23r76N_iJB2RRKO3lDGgLoEWNHTnH-ipAdeDwVb0FCVRsklzawyY_OMP4glI4V8cWAX7gIDvqILyZxcNhzvyVglae/s1600/Cottonwood%20Thermals.jpeg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-gUxu3Q89cDFXUXP7ummG7QZIi28HAvuwRKpnFz0IsYnanAJUfbgXwhbN6Zm8zSCxH_pLzHiCraQa9yUELSCKEw0aSdfgShisXmnvdmsItKH0-Ap33g2-iW4bREiF-sGtuVEH_xy5PycJs3imKYocuPFImGw_Mbh5lNzr5VT6mVledOSTsJ4/s1600/Cottonwood%20Prep%20Blog.jpeg" ><img height="972" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-gUxu3Q89cDFXUXP7ummG7QZIi28HAvuwRKpnFz0IsYnanAJUfbgXwhbN6Zm8zSCxH_pLzHiCraQa9yUELSCKEw0aSdfgShisXmnvdmsItKH0-Ap33g2-iW4bREiF-sGtuVEH_xy5PycJs3imKYocuPFImGw_Mbh5lNzr5VT6mVledOSTsJ4/s1600/Cottonwood%20Prep%20Blog.jpeg"/></a><br>
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Be sure to watch the <a href="https://abqtypers.substack.com" target="_blank">ABQwerty Type Writer Society Substack page</a> for an article about our workshop. Subscribe if you haven't!Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-28260481866561686012023-11-04T22:08:00.001-06:002023-11-04T22:08:38.335-06:00Brother EP43 3D Printed Battery Cover<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrbjOoc0U69lF-56yo0ZwGR9dGGu2B2GtponVZQcNOukTYUUa_EIT8Mbv5l4ES-BcK9a78mOQFdzBWQKrBjWSKNKV5ZLC03HAAo0CzJYapWpgjlVeTYHPdWdleBOloJpyyexA_84oQ93gbVG7h7Xum3Oly1c1ySINTUN2BKHMvD2Qo_JxykL_/s1600/IMG_4477.jpg" ><img height="1294" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrbjOoc0U69lF-56yo0ZwGR9dGGu2B2GtponVZQcNOukTYUUa_EIT8Mbv5l4ES-BcK9a78mOQFdzBWQKrBjWSKNKV5ZLC03HAAo0CzJYapWpgjlVeTYHPdWdleBOloJpyyexA_84oQ93gbVG7h7Xum3Oly1c1ySINTUN2BKHMvD2Qo_JxykL_/s1600/IMG_4477.jpg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdWL837ViArQx1SYN4W60KWmH2wjiQjLGOSh77BkcF7BhQoySF1yNDNuoqY4iwTjEJECuuMTuiU0vCOWXwiuheuBAIUA8lkqFInESTXtd9ZrYIBS_6y7dkN0tEoMwUofrNEnvQrJsDOTmt3UnB8QOB8jgWYMDTESzjIN1DtMjbLtVw6VDKdZx/s1600/IMG_4478.jpg" ><img height="1213" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdWL837ViArQx1SYN4W60KWmH2wjiQjLGOSh77BkcF7BhQoySF1yNDNuoqY4iwTjEJECuuMTuiU0vCOWXwiuheuBAIUA8lkqFInESTXtd9ZrYIBS_6y7dkN0tEoMwUofrNEnvQrJsDOTmt3UnB8QOB8jgWYMDTESzjIN1DtMjbLtVw6VDKdZx/s1600/IMG_4478.jpg"/></a><br>
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<a href="https://cad.onshape.com/documents/c40a120b7c54e7bcde46ac5c/w/b49dcbe12b63be66d2ff692d/e/b1f92d2faf645e7032b068e3" target="_blank">Here's the link</a> to the CAD file on OnShape, if you're interested in printing your own battery cover.Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-65860998679953461492023-10-26T22:34:00.000-06:002023-10-26T22:34:04.511-06:00Silver Prints from a Toy Thermal Camera<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsgoxFbBjRYTVKvodke-CAXAKixC5JadwyYxcX2PX1Cl1STLYYgch4EOq7UdzhWxB7TxoM821TIdZvBYzmXjP3s5rNIjgZMPbJ4zi45qf84sfhCrYsD1lyp4BwIr9ZIAd3AEeDF30AQ0oFUzdDCPXvTCsU4fl8jTdJ1oDaV9E42xOscW1fVAR/s1600/IMG_4409.JPG" ><img height="650" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsgoxFbBjRYTVKvodke-CAXAKixC5JadwyYxcX2PX1Cl1STLYYgch4EOq7UdzhWxB7TxoM821TIdZvBYzmXjP3s5rNIjgZMPbJ4zi45qf84sfhCrYsD1lyp4BwIr9ZIAd3AEeDF30AQ0oFUzdDCPXvTCsU4fl8jTdJ1oDaV9E42xOscW1fVAR/s1600/IMG_4409.JPG"/></a><br>
<i>The toy thermal-printing camera</i><br>
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The other day I was thinking about the poor archival quality of these little thermal prints I've been making with this toy camera, and suddenly an idea hit me: make silver gelatin darkroom prints! Of course, the thermal prints themselves are positives, and a direct contact print onto darkrooom print paper would result in a negative image, so I'd need to make an internegative.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNDUYwWpT_DxAV63kxqyL3HJeuHY553Qt0DE8WIlVs88c9nNGUC0_0H-CKWVwG5rRxEE7EaD3puRjQHhqfTeZUDpEdj_cIYB38NgcmWBslwYgs1G-PNjIPEQMmJ1Ajx9riYrI8c4wdOQCOs2IUcFugdVWPZpfDHRq1Nu6RxmdhbgPgXwSl_FZ/s1600/IMG_4425.jpg" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNDUYwWpT_DxAV63kxqyL3HJeuHY553Qt0DE8WIlVs88c9nNGUC0_0H-CKWVwG5rRxEE7EaD3puRjQHhqfTeZUDpEdj_cIYB38NgcmWBslwYgs1G-PNjIPEQMmJ1Ajx9riYrI8c4wdOQCOs2IUcFugdVWPZpfDHRq1Nu6RxmdhbgPgXwSl_FZ/s1600/IMG_4425.jpg"/></a><br>
<i>A layout of toy camera thermal prints</i><br>
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Then I remembered I had some Arista Ortho Litho 2.0 film in 4x5 sheet film size. I've tinkered with this film before, attempting to eek out some semblence of a grayscale from its lithographic emulsion, and never had good results. Attempting to control the excess contrast with dilute developer only resulted in a mottled appearance. But with this new project, I realized that the halftone-like dots of the thermal print are perfect for litho film, as it doesn't involve any intermediate grayscale, just pure black and white.<br>
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So I got the darkroom cleaned and arranged, and managed to make some contact prints of the thermal images to this litho film, developed in paper developer. I was pretty pleased with the results.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYjukm0ThTpA72hGAhsMP2zfJTUHNla-VRZkUzz7L7yeZ-im3QPm319pUkGpZAcrfel2qWKWp-QWd_I52ShynnogifomWQ5hPn1uahqOuZeaLQ5WPZcXYQ0JmyQOjAIWrX_024tzveKTs9GdEBNlcYLITaxeOp6zjAXgwArvyVasmUmBReFMS/s1600/Internegatives.jpeg" ><img height="535" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYjukm0ThTpA72hGAhsMP2zfJTUHNla-VRZkUzz7L7yeZ-im3QPm319pUkGpZAcrfel2qWKWp-QWd_I52ShynnogifomWQ5hPn1uahqOuZeaLQ5WPZcXYQ0JmyQOjAIWrX_024tzveKTs9GdEBNlcYLITaxeOp6zjAXgwArvyVasmUmBReFMS/s1600/Internegatives.jpeg"/></a><br>
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Here are three internegatives I made, placed on a lightbox, next to the camera itself. The film has a thinner base than conventional B/W film, and the emulsion is sensitive to both scratches as well as pinholes caused by hydrogen gas evolution in the emulsion when it encounters rapid pH change. The preventative for the first problem is careful handling techniques, while the second problem can be reduced by buffering the film between developer and stop bath by a water tray.<br>
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Once the negatives were dried, it was time to do some enlargements. Time to get the Besseler 4x5 enlarger set up!<br>
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These prints were just under 5"x7" in size, made onto Ilford warmtone multigrade RC paper. I was pleased with the results.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVo6vOXDTmkETsothdlNnw9VC2MPZavCjBrrx1KatojpwR93TMDxE8549VypcYJF_HNHFCsoddyCMeG-R2lAPtyZgidfc2oMjQrKO8xoZnJg1VH9gui-2bRPoZb1PRg1WeVdjAKQQdepGV74s8SaIGFzmT9Lkg_xhXD4JAZik8lexCzHgKrI-/s1600/Ethan.jpeg" ><img height="1117" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVo6vOXDTmkETsothdlNnw9VC2MPZavCjBrrx1KatojpwR93TMDxE8549VypcYJF_HNHFCsoddyCMeG-R2lAPtyZgidfc2oMjQrKO8xoZnJg1VH9gui-2bRPoZb1PRg1WeVdjAKQQdepGV74s8SaIGFzmT9Lkg_xhXD4JAZik8lexCzHgKrI-/s1600/Ethan.jpeg"/></a><br>
<i>Ethan Moses</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1wD2fYWDke1uD3e8TZA7mlESOIr0_4qKStgJD2cT_YBzxeSO1fhox2HE1VxAtoUtz5ma21TKn1gxaWZ9SapYKqyPrvrgJchrNMsmR1y5IOTMTICIW5t68PHvI7mC1YZpwIZiwtnHAMQSlCTZhSTBbyNE9EqfPcfaZPxlGAvkAuOJY0XdOCiK/s1600/Chairs.jpeg" ><img height="370" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1wD2fYWDke1uD3e8TZA7mlESOIr0_4qKStgJD2cT_YBzxeSO1fhox2HE1VxAtoUtz5ma21TKn1gxaWZ9SapYKqyPrvrgJchrNMsmR1y5IOTMTICIW5t68PHvI7mC1YZpwIZiwtnHAMQSlCTZhSTBbyNE9EqfPcfaZPxlGAvkAuOJY0XdOCiK/s1600/Chairs.jpeg"/></a><br>
<i>Chairs, Special Collections Library</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzH_c8H21xYnBPbNopCN3LIjymafE2qXzHCErvPVD5CUveUIAKJPJYC0Bvt5czdZSlmmtWRI4JWvmY2Fha7xHYw1thu5oHlQbTIn9HTevJb6WUs2IJlgVU69uUkeuw98JzgbZzPUhfy-3JW3C83Cm1pZs6BSr_nlMHfmnLsDkaBVjK3nKQEI5/s1600/Royal.jpeg" ><img height="373" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzH_c8H21xYnBPbNopCN3LIjymafE2qXzHCErvPVD5CUveUIAKJPJYC0Bvt5czdZSlmmtWRI4JWvmY2Fha7xHYw1thu5oHlQbTIn9HTevJb6WUs2IJlgVU69uUkeuw98JzgbZzPUhfy-3JW3C83Cm1pZs6BSr_nlMHfmnLsDkaBVjK3nKQEI5/s1600/Royal.jpeg"/></a><br>
<i>Royal MME, Special Collections Library Printing Museum</i><br>
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I'm please with the outcome of these silver prints, despite the little toy camera having no exposure control. It's certainly a unique look, it doesn't hide its digital origins, but knowing these prints are on silver gelatin paper, made from film negatives, means those fragile thermal prints now have a way of being archived, and displayed in a more pleasing way.<br>
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I'm just scratching the surface of what could be done with these images. Having an internegative means silver prints can be made of various sizes, which could also be hand-colored, opening a plethora of other effects.<br>
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Here's a video I made about this project:<br>
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<iframe width="650" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qe084mKsrGs?si=hCV5vw0JhuwXgpl0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-61611914054009690892023-10-20T21:05:00.001-06:002023-10-20T21:11:31.255-06:003D Thermal Prints!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpZZQlzuqBSBAzXVZRyvSAUpYtz5sWmftNpByTBZcMps57NAKj50cJvjQznEZw927HcD31ryMCZ-NAHSidxuDqn46LROnYCh7lAdFM1XDKrEHpdgAs5eOCVk7w1MdZt8doFOtYespasA9LVX-dtD9QirHF5Dg2t40KJJmL59fKaMVk0QZX2pF/s1600/IMG_4420.jpg" ><img height="726" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpZZQlzuqBSBAzXVZRyvSAUpYtz5sWmftNpByTBZcMps57NAKj50cJvjQznEZw927HcD31ryMCZ-NAHSidxuDqn46LROnYCh7lAdFM1XDKrEHpdgAs5eOCVk7w1MdZt8doFOtYespasA9LVX-dtD9QirHF5Dg2t40KJJmL59fKaMVk0QZX2pF/s1600/IMG_4420.jpg"/></a><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2Owe6FxJU2knYWYEQuPqFi0_81J8puJAlByZpp2lBJnjVFc_eqLFfN3X8QpGWZaHM_JuwORvlL3eghCdsTrF2Xoye0EXPhwp25X2QyCQ1r9d2ZCRn_FyqCZaCsIxm-3fokAmQy51qPogQG-wu7Ni18yonZLkPhbPOYvaG3qTo01pb3u2PFdV/s1600/IMG_4423.jpg" ><img height="224" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2Owe6FxJU2knYWYEQuPqFi0_81J8puJAlByZpp2lBJnjVFc_eqLFfN3X8QpGWZaHM_JuwORvlL3eghCdsTrF2Xoye0EXPhwp25X2QyCQ1r9d2ZCRn_FyqCZaCsIxm-3fokAmQy51qPogQG-wu7Ni18yonZLkPhbPOYvaG3qTo01pb3u2PFdV/s1600/IMG_4423.jpg"/></a><br>
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Next are two vertical prints. The foreground object (a ten-pack of thermal printer paper) was slightly off-frame for the lefthand image, so you may have a more difficult time converging the images. What helped for me was to try converging the "Paper Fingers" poster on the wall.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG76FqJ9yaviIOL-5LIlXslC6AnA6YIt7QUxFGVwNGztC05Vmc28qCVZNrYhcQAwwFI7u7nUcpuDl2b2NdK0w5LYWd9ju68yFvrawtcUxpqoWfGWdjxyezoXPrnm8NI8XyiYdEfK4TNEtzn2_geU1-AALmfDo1SO1lTX5sHBqngEOyvpmMuo36/s1600/IMG_4424.jpg" ><img height="521" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG76FqJ9yaviIOL-5LIlXslC6AnA6YIt7QUxFGVwNGztC05Vmc28qCVZNrYhcQAwwFI7u7nUcpuDl2b2NdK0w5LYWd9ju68yFvrawtcUxpqoWfGWdjxyezoXPrnm8NI8XyiYdEfK4TNEtzn2_geU1-AALmfDo1SO1lTX5sHBqngEOyvpmMuo36/s1600/IMG_4424.jpg"/></a><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWBdvmlBv7h6KJEYnr77JHugt0fnZl0Ul0j7xBbhRGV5GR01lNHy9Xybn1T-k92iIvw-T_knNXXbrB7jtfUnZC-Mcvi80ab8kSfUfTR7o5SBlQq1nXCPHkGM-fd9FjyjgNmTmkrvosxSGGoX1BNLd2YSxO6Ssx-A_N3uii2vjsUkl4ksv5qEH/s1600/IMG_4421.jpg" ><img height="184" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWBdvmlBv7h6KJEYnr77JHugt0fnZl0Ul0j7xBbhRGV5GR01lNHy9Xybn1T-k92iIvw-T_knNXXbrB7jtfUnZC-Mcvi80ab8kSfUfTR7o5SBlQq1nXCPHkGM-fd9FjyjgNmTmkrvosxSGGoX1BNLd2YSxO6Ssx-A_N3uii2vjsUkl4ksv5qEH/s1600/IMG_4421.jpg"/></a><br>
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I made a visit to the <a href="https://abqlibrary.org/specialcollections" target="_blank">Special Collections Library</a> today, partly to get these shots but also to submit my entry into the <a href="https://libevents.abqlibrary.org/event/10854156?hs=a" target="_blank">History Harvest project</a> the library is holding this month. This project aims to document firsthand accounts of people who lived in the area of East Downtown and Martineztown. I wanted to submit an entry, because my grandparent's house was across the street from the library and we'd spend many weekends here.<br>
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Here is a collection of more thermal photos taken today around the library:<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMGgtOqhIjVGLm1cNiYjCvlfpdR4ghOq9oEt30cWMZAfCYnA0XkeVA84nA2T25y32n6oJi2HbNq0Lsqisdb1QXqw9yevP6SHL8PEY71O9lRcUvGpvMv2WH2MwoAruPZBXeqLrG3AzYdVo7cqEXzC5VXBxSb2q4MzYQvz0ZHCxHT5NzmWYLejZ/s1600/IMG_4425.jpg" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMGgtOqhIjVGLm1cNiYjCvlfpdR4ghOq9oEt30cWMZAfCYnA0XkeVA84nA2T25y32n6oJi2HbNq0Lsqisdb1QXqw9yevP6SHL8PEY71O9lRcUvGpvMv2WH2MwoAruPZBXeqLrG3AzYdVo7cqEXzC5VXBxSb2q4MzYQvz0ZHCxHT5NzmWYLejZ/s1600/IMG_4425.jpg"/></a><br>
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I also took these inside the library, including the printing press museum where you can see the Mergenthaler linotype machine, and a Royal HHE on display, that seemed to work pretty well, better than the last time I visited.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirNrvzODnSEjY1sBQygmKZ0coZbtZWefNcjiujyBN70jGy4jWXRnDUsAJYS_BedKZPWC0-50fiwNQkuqUGOeXJaskNryGUwUSJ-9XO6CksJdphE9I9A_tugT4jn2Tf7fHIo2G1HpYfyhAdwf0n7h4WuPfvzPzEd6_hj4Nwj39uRJtlCZ2kWGVZ/s1600/IMG_4426.jpg" ><img height="1397" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirNrvzODnSEjY1sBQygmKZ0coZbtZWefNcjiujyBN70jGy4jWXRnDUsAJYS_BedKZPWC0-50fiwNQkuqUGOeXJaskNryGUwUSJ-9XO6CksJdphE9I9A_tugT4jn2Tf7fHIo2G1HpYfyhAdwf0n7h4WuPfvzPzEd6_hj4Nwj39uRJtlCZ2kWGVZ/s1600/IMG_4426.jpg"/></a><br>
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These images were literally "pasted up" using an <a href="https://www.amazon.com/99648-Permanent-Clear-Application-Stick/dp/B005V5MY9O/ref=asc_df_B005V5MY9O?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80470625051263&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584070162137102&th=1" target="_blank">Uhu Stic</a> glue stick. The thermal typing was done using the <a href="https://typewriterdatabase.com/199x-canon-typestar-220.19610.typewriter" target="_blank">Canon Typestar 220</a>.<br>
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Ted's article is <a href="https://munk.org/typecast/2023/10/19/stereograms-from-old-japan-yes-thank-you-d/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br>
The <b>BADONER</b> article is <a href="https://badonoer.blogspot.com/2023/10/time-travel-to-japan-and-aluminum.html" target="_blank">here</a>.
Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-75995770978820179032023-10-18T12:40:00.002-06:002023-10-18T12:54:55.411-06:00Thermal Printing Fun!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsj6PlLIAv5ppMVOkOn50Z-5wTnl1vMu4KjQCViy6WiV1Bsq07PeRTeHGOrUTFajZJNEOz6B1Pxd0floRxpyubRTHRxPd37GK2HVnTZm5MHhkSJ7Z-6pTJWCDPeh4l7YrZYf_I3TAKUtvPKz5uBM79q3jH_U6CGah2-UiKzgKZobA1g6hF95Ce/s1600/IMG_4405%202.JPG"><img height="1368" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsj6PlLIAv5ppMVOkOn50Z-5wTnl1vMu4KjQCViy6WiV1Bsq07PeRTeHGOrUTFajZJNEOz6B1Pxd0floRxpyubRTHRxPd37GK2HVnTZm5MHhkSJ7Z-6pTJWCDPeh4l7YrZYf_I3TAKUtvPKz5uBM79q3jH_U6CGah2-UiKzgKZobA1g6hF95Ce/s1600/IMG_4405%202.JPG"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmr3f6YSJUd9nL6jfTDvDscyJXeyC8yHtYe08w-eIe4MjWGqkPnBmaVhtWrymcAAkXMQ6oHR-Ryij1v1KKSx3NBPh0yNtXYcUKICglyaXKyTZXZn8vZ1J25EYrmAF44RJF0OxeWjnZyLRe_NXvuyya_7YaFWMF-wUilovsuBvKS5wtwAAacDW4/s1600/IMG_4406.JPG"><img height="1382" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmr3f6YSJUd9nL6jfTDvDscyJXeyC8yHtYe08w-eIe4MjWGqkPnBmaVhtWrymcAAkXMQ6oHR-Ryij1v1KKSx3NBPh0yNtXYcUKICglyaXKyTZXZn8vZ1J25EYrmAF44RJF0OxeWjnZyLRe_NXvuyya_7YaFWMF-wUilovsuBvKS5wtwAAacDW4/s1600/IMG_4406.JPG"/></a><br>
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Here's the camera itself. This one was a gift from Gregory Short, who acquired it from AliExpress. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of similar thermal-printing cameras online at Amazon and other places. This one has both a front- and back-facing camera!<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJX3bJGng0LNrgkTqaWBMW3-bQxGjIaHbqVhLf2jIGBxym1qYrVsErtJ6QWO4cYzDS_kncalqJpM-uRMJXTVw0KDdqhC9GmRZlmHapB8dHLG2zQgB8Bf7S83kZlHBYB02z1KKGg44AssJDKuBpNs7contTrEfX84y3fp1GcG-eY1YKCPmrP07b/s1600/IMG_4408.JPG"><img height="650" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJX3bJGng0LNrgkTqaWBMW3-bQxGjIaHbqVhLf2jIGBxym1qYrVsErtJ6QWO4cYzDS_kncalqJpM-uRMJXTVw0KDdqhC9GmRZlmHapB8dHLG2zQgB8Bf7S83kZlHBYB02z1KKGg44AssJDKuBpNs7contTrEfX84y3fp1GcG-eY1YKCPmrP07b/s1600/IMG_4408.JPG"/></a><br>
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The rear screen with menu:<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEtzjxoNhx36R314sdmfAuVnu7_FSHkuTnNU7GFLcsys4xyxqYG5YQ_4WSvi_S3_IOmmz1OsmoqK0m2-TPTRrPQv8aS7qNoJ3muvyiTg1lwsS7dW5B7ex4hpa2xsM2oeez9ToXftUoLzxpoQsQmsEkgEy9FTtN8nhlMtdDe5tptLKKEu1DvM6I/s1600/IMG_4409.JPG"><img height="650" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEtzjxoNhx36R314sdmfAuVnu7_FSHkuTnNU7GFLcsys4xyxqYG5YQ_4WSvi_S3_IOmmz1OsmoqK0m2-TPTRrPQv8aS7qNoJ3muvyiTg1lwsS7dW5B7ex4hpa2xsM2oeez9ToXftUoLzxpoQsQmsEkgEy9FTtN8nhlMtdDe5tptLKKEu1DvM6I/s1600/IMG_4409.JPG"/></a><br>
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The thing has a "speaker" (technically accurate, though of horrid sound quality) but no headphone jack, and supports "playback" of MP3 files, if you load them into the micro-SD card. You can record photos without the SD card installed, but need it to record video. It also has three games, including Tetris. There are dozens of party modes with the camera, including this one that makes me look like I'm ready for a vacation:<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSy2q8er2BYtnvWzOHPvB1PjzgvcWHvmWelWfZMXJO_VFswnoctsTsVeLszZrXxGfcDpgLYu38pAF1lZlrQqwzNCOZQIHTYlFB_hzJcdp9WbQ6UBE-BzPcWhMuItWzCJxkxiR1FqLk0YBvdulClxTCf8QV-PCbRnohbZ_Qd6kvfu16e0EabF4/s1600/IMG_4410.JPG"><img height="650" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSy2q8er2BYtnvWzOHPvB1PjzgvcWHvmWelWfZMXJO_VFswnoctsTsVeLszZrXxGfcDpgLYu38pAF1lZlrQqwzNCOZQIHTYlFB_hzJcdp9WbQ6UBE-BzPcWhMuItWzCJxkxiR1FqLk0YBvdulClxTCf8QV-PCbRnohbZ_Qd6kvfu16e0EabF4/s1600/IMG_4410.JPG"/></a><br>
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Note the blown highlights in the selfie image. This problem plagues both the camera image and printing, hence my preference for the Dot Matrix printing mode.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4-yJgCqf6eyNWsvzKeSjsmiBrKBEMfsaS6YxFRqKj227We3rEF-GXkmzKA8z1l8ZgbJeYwg6PHN9zwqK76b3FH1eyCpRltEYO7dtEUgjuoFbH2vw9fx9o7Ha2Ue4BSt8cDrgk81ZIACqWwZQ9zkJbkLg4t5I_DCleqdovvm6vUhH-57cIp87/s1600/IMG_4407.JPG"><img height="1256" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4-yJgCqf6eyNWsvzKeSjsmiBrKBEMfsaS6YxFRqKj227We3rEF-GXkmzKA8z1l8ZgbJeYwg6PHN9zwqK76b3FH1eyCpRltEYO7dtEUgjuoFbH2vw9fx9o7Ha2Ue4BSt8cDrgk81ZIACqWwZQ9zkJbkLg4t5I_DCleqdovvm6vUhH-57cIp87/s1600/IMG_4407.JPG"/></a><br>
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There's a more pragmatic reason why you might want one of these: the cost of printing is so cheap you'd need some math skillz to figure out the per-image cost. The camera comes with three rolls of thermal paper, and replacements I've seen <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rolls-Print-Instant-Camera-Thermal/dp/B08KW272BD/ref=pd_bxgy_sccl_1/134-0251170-8285762?pd_rd_w=iTR5Z&content-id=amzn1.sym.43d28dfc-aa4f-4ef6-b591-5ab7095e137f&pf_rd_p=43d28dfc-aa4f-4ef6-b591-5ab7095e137f&pf_rd_r=03ZZA0JXB8QA3K97MJKF&pd_rd_wg=F2HOY&pd_rd_r=3914ed15-73fe-4bed-b7f9-6d4935516b64&pd_rd_i=B08KW272BD&psc=1" target="_blank">online cost</a> around $16 for ten rolls, each of which can print 60 images, which amounts to under 3 cents per photo! Sure, it's impermanent thermal paper (though I've had thermal printings last for years when kept at room temperature or colder, and out of the light), but there's so much fun to be had, especially if you post the images online, where they'll live prolly longer than the prints themselves.<br>
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It may have been excessive to dedicate what ended up being a 19 minute video to this essentially junk camera, though I did cut lots of other footage from the final edit, but toys like this, built for kids with pure play in mind, seem to exude an ability to pull into its vortex of creativity even the most jaded adult. That is perhaps what pure creativity is all about: finding that inner child hidden deep within, and letting him or her out to play one more time.<br>
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<iframe width="650" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WCUekiBYIjY?si=o1hTYJxpYmE8C1mI" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><br>
<br>
Thermal typecast via Canon Typestar 220.<br>
Edit to add:<br>
Link to Ted Munk's blog: <a href="https://munk.org/typecast/" target="_blank">https://munk.org/typecast/</a><br>
Link to Gregory Short's blog: <a href="https://poortypist.posthaven.com" target="_blank">https://poortypist.posthaven.com</a>Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-603450508176508702023-10-05T12:04:00.002-06:002023-10-05T12:30:46.356-06:00About the ABQwerty Type Writer Society<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31285363@N07/53180716762/" title="Vertical Script"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53180716762_ee27f70092_o.jpg" width="650" height="488" alt="Vertical Script"/></a><br>
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For years, I watched with interest as the Type-In phenomenon spread throughout the Typosphere to various communities in the US, wishing and wondering if one would eventually come to my city. Around the 2017 time frame I'd finally decided that, if an ABQ Type-In were ever to happen, I'd have to take the bull by the proverbial horns and wrestle one into existence.<br>
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Wrestle it seemed I did, because the two biggest obstacles were finding a proper venue and spreading the word around town. I eventually found Nexus Brewery to be an acceptable location, provided I could guarantee their $300 food and drinks minimum revenue from the guests; as it turned out, we didn't have to cover the fee, since the guests ate and imbibed sufficiently.<br>
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More difficult was spreading the word. I had an instinct that many people who were typewriter-interested were also less than heavily involved in social media, so I instead placed an events notification in the local Albuquerque Journal newspaper. It's kind of interesting how this worked, because it seemed to involve a pay-to-play scheme. It didn't cost anything to place the event on their calendar, but I'd periodically get emails asking me to "upgrade" to a paid system where the paper would more fully promote the event. As it turned out, the event went off well, as we had lots of press coverage and attendees.<br>
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(Parenthetically, I've since wondered if that pay-to-play scheme isn't the basis behind most of contemporary newsmedia.)<br>
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Ever since then I've been conscious of how important it is to spread the word. Keeping people in touch has been a constant challenge in the intervening years, such as when we held several events per year on the outdoor breezeway adjacent to <a href="https://www.pennysmiths.com" target="_blank">Pennysmith's Paper,</a> before COVID.<br>
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One thing that's helped is being interviewed for the local paper, which happened prior to the March 2023 event at the Special Collections Library and resulted in a major turnout; contrast this with the event held this summer at the same venue that resulted in a very light turnout. Unfortunately, expecting a local reporter to cover your event in the paper every time is not a reliable way to guarantee good attendance.<br>
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We soon hit on the idea of a sign-up sheet for people wanting to be contacted about future events. As time passed, those sign-up sheets have matured into a large contacts list that have become a useful tool for notifying the typewriter-interested who may not be involved much with social media.<br>
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In ye olden days, a newspaper or even a bulletin board were all one needed to promote an event. But paper newspapers, like the Journal, are on decline, even though many older people in my community, who would otherwise be likely candidates for typewriter events, stick to reading the paper and yet are not heavily involved in social media.<br>
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Social media itself is changing, too. Where just a few years ago a Facebook event notification would touch a wide swath of the local online community, many people have left platforms like Facebook for others, or disengaged entirely. It is ironic that, often, Typospherians in the rest of the country know more about a local Type-In than the locals here, due to a lack of an effective local communications medium to replace the once dominant newspapers.<br>
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Sometime during the COVID era, Kevin Kittle and myself, sufficiently luburicated on his front veranda one evening, had decided that we should start a more formal typewriter group, and soon the name of the ABQwerty Type Writer Society was born -- more or less. In the intervening few years we've managed to contact many people on our list and hold a number of local Type-In events. But still, something was amiss, I felt.<br>
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One problem was our email contacts list didn't discern between those merely casually interested in future events from those who had a more serious interest in typewriters and the typing community. Also, though we had a core group of people who socialized at private meetings in members' homes, I didn't feel like the mission of being a creative outreach was being met.<br>
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Finally, we held some serious discussions to decide on our future course of action. One issue was the workload required to setup a Type-In. Up until now, most of the setup and teardown work fell on myself, Kevin and Bill Tefft. What we needed was a larger core group to help facilitate such events, which would be especially important if we were to expand our outreach to include workshops to groups of writers and other creatives.<br>
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Another problem was I felt I was rather inept in the social media and communications side of the house. I've struggled with managing email lists and replies bouncing to spam folders and creating effective and enticing emails that were more likely to be read. We also needed, I felt, a more serious web presence than a languishing Facebook page and an email list.<br>
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A key moment came this year when a new member to the group introduced herself as being skilled at websites and navigating social media. I realized that here was a solution to one of our problems. Woz Flint has become a key ingredient in the refurbishment of our outreach. She created a <a href="https://abqtypers.substack.com" target="_blank">Substack website</a> for us to use as an outreach platform, and has incorporated into it our contacts list as well. Woz provides the polish needed to help us communicate our vision and future plans, and has been of immense help to my by taking my rough-and-tumble attempts at blog postings and notifications and polishing them into web-ready articles.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlfR6-_d2pHUnHrOiOaV9fCTxbqQMYLaJ0tQIJSON65invCr5vtKJIdq1ZnD4VrCA8u4fRrqloIhKHRAq5zVVctWWwYqZgiZ-1CMPBTQai7oIuirdTVdvHnbIMn0ZBRcrIOaX9nEdGla6ejeze1AXQcCd5_rz7sBCT7qeoNFicTHknkjfoGAj/s1600/Screenshot%202023-10-05%20at%2011.52.43%20AM.png" ><img height="420" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlfR6-_d2pHUnHrOiOaV9fCTxbqQMYLaJ0tQIJSON65invCr5vtKJIdq1ZnD4VrCA8u4fRrqloIhKHRAq5zVVctWWwYqZgiZ-1CMPBTQai7oIuirdTVdvHnbIMn0ZBRcrIOaX9nEdGla6ejeze1AXQcCd5_rz7sBCT7qeoNFicTHknkjfoGAj/s1600/Screenshot%202023-10-05%20at%2011.52.43%20AM.png"/></a><br>
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As a group, we still need to formulate future plans, our intention being not just public Typewriter events but outreach to writers' groups and other creatives, to bring the message that typewriters can be that missing ingredient in one's creative process.<br>
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Along with the usual (and sporadic) content here on this blog, I will also be cross-posting future ABQwerty Type Writer Society articles and notices to you, my longtime faithful readers, to keep you up-to-date on the local ABQ typewriter scene.<br>
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Should you like to visit our site, click <a href="https://abqtypers.substack.com" target="_blank">this link</a>. You can also subscribe to the site and you'll be notified by email of future articles and typewriter events.<br>
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Finally, (which reminds me of a joke: how can you tell a politician or preacher is lying? He says "In conclusion...") I often see people lamenting that there are no Type-In events in their community. You need to know that I was that person! I too lamented all the fun people in other communities were having with their typewriters. While the film <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_of_Dreams" target="_blank">Field of Dreams</a> didn't exactly come to mind at that time, the advice offered in that film does apply here: Build it and they will come! Short of making a starter kit, my advice is simple: find a venue, schedule a date & time, and publicize it! It also helps if you have a sizable collection of typewriters, even if you don't know very many other aficionados in your community. Bring your own machines, especially the ones not so delicate or rare, along with paper and other accoutrements, and have fun!Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-38822216741192112872023-09-17T21:20:00.003-06:002023-09-17T21:20:59.913-06:00Looking a Gift Typewriter in the Mouth<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMT-3TrXDmW64UVdM8YZ7otoO7XYENjLJWE14-Mks3gGX_Re2XloK_oa20Z5G6GgVu2cHYo6S-0Mh4B5jFoDxqxWaTYMHE6T1TZOB9XHHiAi914-xp8213Z-jp-jSuipFJlG7hhaBSTAK7n2OD-wOTymPTz2mRtx05_CevpoD7hQnFWQ4iQVQ/s1600/IMG_4202.jpg" ><img height="650" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMT-3TrXDmW64UVdM8YZ7otoO7XYENjLJWE14-Mks3gGX_Re2XloK_oa20Z5G6GgVu2cHYo6S-0Mh4B5jFoDxqxWaTYMHE6T1TZOB9XHHiAi914-xp8213Z-jp-jSuipFJlG7hhaBSTAK7n2OD-wOTymPTz2mRtx05_CevpoD7hQnFWQ4iQVQ/s1600/IMG_4202.jpg"/></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtncu6Y-QrdeGah3K5kR30SNC1NpJ3_1tC3t_ZjdUQr9JUZw-MzxpYQjkHsZNxfalBXmeky1Zz1Yss2MKjXnp2O-v4KZKI35eOKmmj6Ks2wSqInTcFkwce8Lwe2oYf7nGPjCPRr1okBemkcQa_9xG7Te6lJRHbf6xBoIXEO368OPwcDeL1yYQ/s1600/IMG_4203.jpg" ><img height="1035" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtncu6Y-QrdeGah3K5kR30SNC1NpJ3_1tC3t_ZjdUQr9JUZw-MzxpYQjkHsZNxfalBXmeky1Zz1Yss2MKjXnp2O-v4KZKI35eOKmmj6Ks2wSqInTcFkwce8Lwe2oYf7nGPjCPRr1okBemkcQa_9xG7Te6lJRHbf6xBoIXEO368OPwcDeL1yYQ/s1600/IMG_4203.jpg"/></a><br>
<br>
I now have a handful of 5-series Smith-Coronae, they're solid, reliable machines that're straight forward to work on and also work well as threshing machines for the uninitiated public to use during Type-Ins. I'd say they're my favorite brand for just that use. I also like how if you have one with a JJ Short-resurfaced platen you can easily swap it to another 5-series machine, which I've done here, including swapping the righthand platen knobs, just to keep the colors consistent; I anticipate using this machine more in the near future than the Silent-Super ex-hippie typer that I otherwise love (just because of the letter-writing potential of vertical script).<br>
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This month I've added five (!) machines to my collection. Surprisingly, my ever-patient wife isn't even upset, as she's taken more of an active interest in our fledgling <a href="https://abqtypers.substack.com" target="_blank">typewriter group</a> and sees these extra machines as ones that can be used for public Type-In events, saving the wear and tear on my more rare or fragile pieces. Having an understanding partner makes being a typewriter nerd so much better. In fact, it's worth swapping one, maybe two, Hermes 3000s for a good spouse, you won't regret it! (JK). I'll be making blog articles about the other machines soon (I've already covered the Singer Graduate <a href="https://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2023/09/heres-to-you-mrs-robinson.html?m=0" target="_blank">here</a>).<br>
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One final thought about this vertical script Silent is I don't think it got much use during its life, considering a script machine might only get used for personal letters, it's not the kind of type face you'd use to turn in an essay, for example.<br>
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Also, here's <a href="https://munk.org/typecast/2022/02/26/the-story-of-upright-script-aka-script-46-ra-oxford-script/" target="_blank">much more detailed info</a> about the backstory to this type face, thanks to our friend <a href="https://munk.org/typecast/" target="_blank">Ted Munk</a>.
Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-78343627664992254972023-09-13T12:29:00.000-06:002023-09-13T12:29:06.588-06:00Here's to You Mrs. Robinson<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8WbQz5N2yNew3DD4xBvkWJjmwwz4t5AgXp2hEF-ySIHK5Ttkb3_jRhxr8AwPxoroA40zHMBeteU0m0xvWXkKs1VVyIgnphpAvy_W92lNHuxf3srj-Kuzj9BSnbMZV9do0Og0X-Q2WopYDX4ltBqCUO4uBszJl3GaAQhM-bK4jTsprT4zuE2u/s1600/Singer%20Graduate.jpeg" ><img height="434" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8WbQz5N2yNew3DD4xBvkWJjmwwz4t5AgXp2hEF-ySIHK5Ttkb3_jRhxr8AwPxoroA40zHMBeteU0m0xvWXkKs1VVyIgnphpAvy_W92lNHuxf3srj-Kuzj9BSnbMZV9do0Og0X-Q2WopYDX4ltBqCUO4uBszJl3GaAQhM-bK4jTsprT4zuE2u/s1600/Singer%20Graduate.jpeg"/></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcTWp5w0p-80eEYBFYtRCRoVdteDf6ihBVFn7A1Z04FILjDU1ybrqL5rJnOTZHI7Qvx8ZiRGQgvVlVJYrnLfR7xVc8_MqB1gSYo_10ILc0A6b-w-aj7eGkLe-UAflxEXpJOC-rI2h1pMVfl0PDPP_KhD4livf7K4X7TGaA4IhYnFADjoZzR0V/s1600/Mrs.%20Robinson.jpeg" ><img height="1038" width="650"src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcTWp5w0p-80eEYBFYtRCRoVdteDf6ihBVFn7A1Z04FILjDU1ybrqL5rJnOTZHI7Qvx8ZiRGQgvVlVJYrnLfR7xVc8_MqB1gSYo_10ILc0A6b-w-aj7eGkLe-UAflxEXpJOC-rI2h1pMVfl0PDPP_KhD4livf7K4X7TGaA4IhYnFADjoZzR0V/s1600/Mrs.%20Robinson.jpeg"/></a><br>
<br>
Here's the Samsonite suitcase, retrieved from my storage shed and once again repurposed as a typewriter case. I like this better than what would have been its original case, I have plenty of foam rubber inside to keep the machine from knocking about, and there's plenty of room for paper and accessories.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39VIgZkjCM2ZABDVVa0WPk5ySCFLgdv4HnRd4xjR7xtZ5j3Cj0xrgx-3FPPzm9nCrqX2uXncL0cttGNbEx_9fSq28PN06ixng1La6HT3OdfecHrBNZKjaOIjxVLKTNzFaC3U91aeEwF_AFioHNhCvfGerNL5vKwmUt5iWoh1DQ-m1qfSHzgMC/s1600/IMG_4181.JPG" ><img height="488" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39VIgZkjCM2ZABDVVa0WPk5ySCFLgdv4HnRd4xjR7xtZ5j3Cj0xrgx-3FPPzm9nCrqX2uXncL0cttGNbEx_9fSq28PN06ixng1La6HT3OdfecHrBNZKjaOIjxVLKTNzFaC3U91aeEwF_AFioHNhCvfGerNL5vKwmUt5iWoh1DQ-m1qfSHzgMC/s1600/IMG_4181.JPG"/></a><br>
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You might notice the "M" and "R" monograms, I don't know what these were originally for (perhaps the original owners?) but they appear very permanently attached.<br>
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Here's the unboxing video:<br>
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<iframe width="650" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yLcGq-CsjSs?si=xScTmWMBFxCXG7OV" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><br>
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And here's the full review video:<br>
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<iframe width="650" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bzQD679oKUI?si=dzAytVAmQspfNfE3" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-76244758970830320792023-09-01T18:16:00.000-06:002023-09-01T18:16:51.222-06:00Consul 232<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieg6MXjkzwaj-kdY3HUCDHZKAH9ZrTkBJeFUAiNhdO9pKsYIflyHmNbDsPbeFHzONuWb4KTd_HWmCfbpWS9oVPkVF7Xwra_JKfF6w4ANd4FmN6oEtHS44n7pQHdkXu5JVntq5u62rxVR5siYiQMJj1cBG__iaJYU4txBtg8DT3RauN4WOvnsQF/s1600/Consul%20232.jpeg"><img height="488" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieg6MXjkzwaj-kdY3HUCDHZKAH9ZrTkBJeFUAiNhdO9pKsYIflyHmNbDsPbeFHzONuWb4KTd_HWmCfbpWS9oVPkVF7Xwra_JKfF6w4ANd4FmN6oEtHS44n7pQHdkXu5JVntq5u62rxVR5siYiQMJj1cBG__iaJYU4txBtg8DT3RauN4WOvnsQF/s1600/Consul%20232.jpeg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCSmjRqGkrTSKOy_1VGI8RCi9w3ZD_rrH65-PifZ2AbmyWNGu1tKBFNc9iN1iHIPOb326ETy0Glv6NLDy1TqONdvwTQBvKvLkttNhix71alHs4psyf6etIzjaApOpimpVofBxQV0MRynKFEawJZG2FwLyjyoxWU6QEo920wRVSQxnkTbu5vJlr/s1600/Consul%20232%20%281%29.jpeg" ><img height="943" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCSmjRqGkrTSKOy_1VGI8RCi9w3ZD_rrH65-PifZ2AbmyWNGu1tKBFNc9iN1iHIPOb326ETy0Glv6NLDy1TqONdvwTQBvKvLkttNhix71alHs4psyf6etIzjaApOpimpVofBxQV0MRynKFEawJZG2FwLyjyoxWU6QEo920wRVSQxnkTbu5vJlr/s1600/Consul%20232%20%281%29.jpeg"/></a><br>
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There were more problems not mentioned above, like the margin rack and adjustment sliders were so corroded that they'd hardly move. I had to remove the rack and sliders, then cleaned and polished some pieces with metal polish to get them to move smoothly. It went on and on like this. I'd think it was fixed, then something else would crop up.<br>
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I remember times like these when, years ago, I repaired consumer electronics for a living. Some problems were dealt with easily, while others were a real struggle; but in the process of doing so it was also a learning period, gaining new skills and technical insights, or merely how to deal patiently with stressful situations.<br>
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As I alluded to in the typewritten piece, if a person had to do this for a living, today, in 2023 and going forward, the challenge would be these small portables that were never intended to work as well as a better-built, larger machine, yet are the kinds of machines that attract newcomers to the hobby. They want their small portable to be like their iPad or laptop computer: go anywhere and expect it to perform flawlessly. These machines often take more time to service properly than a bigger, better-built design.<br>
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Still, it was a fun experience, and the little typer works. It's been restored to service. One more obsolete typewriter is now back in business. Type on!Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-85876335533787945692023-08-09T19:29:00.003-06:002023-08-09T19:33:10.598-06:00ABQ Box Camera Testing in the Park<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyD5GDTVNfNuhcUbSf-2aB8d-ofkt97WjK9osnQYIPatrpaiHitD9d9-io5nrnLZ_S_xr8mnz2DX0az-uIY6k_G0a1o8ai1Uc2ssvxBCvo6Z9u-hWaOX8FMOyiySfCLNYINb2TmGxA--vC-L5LBoGEoO3Y4pttpQ0DCBXxhKSGc5NRqPHFV_yc/s1600/Gerson%20Shade.JPG" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyD5GDTVNfNuhcUbSf-2aB8d-ofkt97WjK9osnQYIPatrpaiHitD9d9-io5nrnLZ_S_xr8mnz2DX0az-uIY6k_G0a1o8ai1Uc2ssvxBCvo6Z9u-hWaOX8FMOyiySfCLNYINb2TmGxA--vC-L5LBoGEoO3Y4pttpQ0DCBXxhKSGc5NRqPHFV_yc/s1600/Gerson%20Shade.JPG"/></a><br>
<br>
I've been interested in the "<a href="https://afghanboxcamera.com" target="_blank">Afghan Box Camera</a>," also known as the "Cuban Polaroid," the "Kamra-e-Faoree" (Instant camera in the Farsi dielect of Dari), and just "Box Camera Photography" by <a href="https://www.lukasbirk.com" target="_blank">Lukas Birk</a> (a notable proponent of this form of picture-making), that uses light-sensitive photo print paper exposed and developed in a large box-like camera.<br>
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I built my first version almost a decade ago, and dabbled with it intermittently. The traditional version uses trays of conventional paper developer & fixer in the box, after the exposure, to produce a paper negative; then the negative is placed on an easel in front of the camera and rephotographed, the result being a positive print. In my first version, I was using grade 2 RC paper for the negative and multigrade paper for the print, aided by darkroom contrast filters over the lens to fine tune the finished print's contrast. Having only one paper safe box, it was a trick to manage selecting the correct paper just by feel, while not fogging the paper with light or ruining it with wet fingers.<br>
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Always a sketcher and tinkerer, I eventually rethought the layout of the device and envisioned a more vertical configuration, more like a PC tower computer box in shape, with the lens, focus screen and rails in the top third, arm sleeve in the middle, and vertical slot tanks and paper safe in the bottom. After I met Ethan Moses, who runs <a href="https://www.cameradactyl.com" target="_blank">Cameradactyl Cameras</a>, I eventually introduced him to this idea and he got interested enough to design his own laser-cut plywood kit version. Last year he cut me a kit and I constructed it into a <a href="https://youtu.be/godOtQWJx-w" target="_blank">finished prototype</a>. I made a four-part series of camera build videos, <a href="https://youtu.be/UEXsOZXrL-Y" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/VfNwyVpjLeg" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/uTy48Ip1ZaQ" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/RvZ1p200kSk" target="_blank">here</a>.<br>
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Here's one of the lenses I used with this camera, harvested from a Speed Graphic and rejuvenated with lighter fluid and alcohol:<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iOTr9MaKjzzFUURySRKU7lTXDqI4gwNlfP0AJh3fVMDKr8D9vmVPjE1GFKEmPuBu5dWbp9Nh_ZRhcmZGYEmoqqYVnUCKr6IhjBfiZ-_Q9dSQk7JL_2slWXGFqh9nbIL4ZmPjfGyUnudoFILOIzl7IghOCFMAq7sdyaDlHb3WTJ3pC9LSpRWq/s1600/Lens.JPG" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iOTr9MaKjzzFUURySRKU7lTXDqI4gwNlfP0AJh3fVMDKr8D9vmVPjE1GFKEmPuBu5dWbp9Nh_ZRhcmZGYEmoqqYVnUCKr6IhjBfiZ-_Q9dSQk7JL_2slWXGFqh9nbIL4ZmPjfGyUnudoFILOIzl7IghOCFMAq7sdyaDlHb3WTJ3pC9LSpRWq/s1600/Lens.JPG"/></a><br>
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The view through the rear door used for setting focus on the subject:<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoL_SPyDgYHNVyvO7V6hUwLgS2GuK2Aad3rn9Pv8bPVjDu0P7SEOCRp8UTfyObXLagN1l46HONvSg6x7P5R4DIYJYqjlG0K5hUNlveSYyqLkKz9iV-zhHcLX9N-yO7u-2JFKl_26JQayS3vz_SvPvmg7vDeomP1mWRLErdmFMqRNJMhN-bvFYH/s1600/Focus%20Screen.JPG" ><img height="650" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoL_SPyDgYHNVyvO7V6hUwLgS2GuK2Aad3rn9Pv8bPVjDu0P7SEOCRp8UTfyObXLagN1l46HONvSg6x7P5R4DIYJYqjlG0K5hUNlveSYyqLkKz9iV-zhHcLX9N-yO7u-2JFKl_26JQayS3vz_SvPvmg7vDeomP1mWRLErdmFMqRNJMhN-bvFYH/s1600/Focus%20Screen.JPG"/></a><br>
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The focus screen and paper holder slide fore- and -aft on ballbearing rods, with the exact position of focus set with a metal clip on one of the rods. After focus, the lens is closed, all the doors closed and the holder pushed to the front so it can be loaded with paper from the paper safe. After loading, the holder is pulled back to the focus position, found by means of the metal clip on the focus rod, and the exposure is ready to be made.<br>
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Last week, Ethan and I met at Laurel Circle Park in the Ridgecrest Neighborhood in ABQ, along with members of the NM Film Photographers, to try out our ABQ Box Cameras (our nifty name for this novel design) on club members and the general public.<br>
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While the traditional version is a "positive/negative" process, requiring the making of a negative first, then rephotographing via an easel in front of the lens to make a positive print, Ethan and I wanted to try this new camera with the more recent <a href="https://youtu.be/itwT5fBG6qo" target="_blank">citric acid/peroxide reversal process</a>. As such, Ethan didn't design his kit camera with a front easel for making positive prints from negatives; instead, it was designed from the beginning to use either a reversal process or Harman Direct Positive paper.<br>
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Since I hadn't used the camera since last year, some testing and refamiliarization was needed, and so I conducted a test run the week prior to our event. Shooting in harsh, direct sun, my first results were soot-and-chalk with few middle gray tones. This one was about the best I could manage that day, that also missed the sodium sulfite step, hence the brown stains:<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi678yNh3VumFGKZ6cFYbTCMoQg2OJf1gKMGCzqchI9g_YZEimlBi0YCBX8AHE60u_DWQ8nsPbZHQSh-GVRebIHCx2r_mYMnSWeeJpGnm8gEK9qsUJFYHW6lqBFhE7Pk1X-HC1N7nVOqNr7BO4VrAva2TMeoUdWauBPE41LFDn2RrBJ7EC6kGI6/s1600/Selfie%201.JPG" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi678yNh3VumFGKZ6cFYbTCMoQg2OJf1gKMGCzqchI9g_YZEimlBi0YCBX8AHE60u_DWQ8nsPbZHQSh-GVRebIHCx2r_mYMnSWeeJpGnm8gEK9qsUJFYHW6lqBFhE7Pk1X-HC1N7nVOqNr7BO4VrAva2TMeoUdWauBPE41LFDn2RrBJ7EC6kGI6/s1600/Selfie%201.JPG"/></a><br>
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This reversal process starts by exposing the photo paper at an amount greater than if you were making a paper negative; while with Arista Grade 2 paper I'd use ISO 12 for creating paper negatives, for this process the speed is much slower; I ended up using 1/2 second at F/5.6 in shaded summer daylight. The paper is developed in standard paper developer (Dektol) for a minute or so; then I used a quick water rinse (to preserve the life of the next solution), followed by 3 minutes in a citric acid solution.<br>
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Here's a view inside the box, with the paper safe to the front, followed by developer, rinse and citric acid slot tanks:<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKLyD6qg_UUAdEqMYGkbzJW2KNLsEKkfSqLcTLIybtQe-LdAHV-tKFzU07vGtJtAOU8I8P-yh1AQ27X9fDfgAR3jKjuk3el8rGMoVY4o9BYsTjsdJ9Y8s0Qo5y28I0WjMXpon9AoHfCRfILEb9_0jjtC0Xq3SugnzKWMmQS5K98soTYwQCtAa/s1600/Slot%20Tanks.JPG" ><img height="650" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKLyD6qg_UUAdEqMYGkbzJW2KNLsEKkfSqLcTLIybtQe-LdAHV-tKFzU07vGtJtAOU8I8P-yh1AQ27X9fDfgAR3jKjuk3el8rGMoVY4o9BYsTjsdJ9Y8s0Qo5y28I0WjMXpon9AoHfCRfILEb9_0jjtC0Xq3SugnzKWMmQS5K98soTYwQCtAa/s1600/Slot%20Tanks.JPG"/></a><br>
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The slot tanks are laser cut from acrylic plastic and solvent welded.<br>
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These steps (developer and citric acid) must be done under safe light or dark conditions, inside the box. The rest of the process can be done in normal light. The 1st developer creates a metallic silver negative image, while the citric acid acts as both a stop bath (due to its acidic pH) and also prepares the developed silver image to be dissolved by the peroxide.<br>
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For the remainder of the process I used my three-drawer cube stack, set up on a folding table in the comfortable shade of the park. The top drawer was 12% H2O2 (acquired at beauty supply shops), the middle drawer is a sodium sulfite solution (to prevent stains on the print) and the bottom tray is the 2nd developer (also Dektol):<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAiwHVwnUXprj6v8tfS9Xrvi7cBe5L7RPmDRtZIv6PmRMCK2UpQTet2StkcS1XEX0mmhLyw5856bxYMOC-WOH3aY57h9qzEg-yRRMc5REhWZGkvAeUrsqYQSWmp9n1iOvnmkN20VzXie_2v6H8eeputOVZG3fmuZvqA8_oIdHyVJ5kSS98Vc7I/s1600/Drawers.JPG" ><img height="650" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAiwHVwnUXprj6v8tfS9Xrvi7cBe5L7RPmDRtZIv6PmRMCK2UpQTet2StkcS1XEX0mmhLyw5856bxYMOC-WOH3aY57h9qzEg-yRRMc5REhWZGkvAeUrsqYQSWmp9n1iOvnmkN20VzXie_2v6H8eeputOVZG3fmuZvqA8_oIdHyVJ5kSS98Vc7I/s1600/Drawers.JPG"/></a><br>
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Once removed from the camera, the image is very dark, appearing as if over-exposed. The print will begin to fizz in the peroxide, after a minute or so of agitation, as the etching starts, with bubbles beginning to evolve off the surface of the paper. Under indoor room lighting the print will eventually clear to nearly paper white, but under the strong UV of daylight, even under shade trees, the remaining undeveloped silver halides in the paper (which have a "virtual image contour" that's a negative of the original negative image) will begin to autodevelop simultaneously as the negative image is being dissolved off, creating a faint blue/gray positive image. Once the original negative image is fully etched away, the paper is briefly rinsed in water (we brought a large quantity of water for rinsing), then placed in a clearing solution of sodium sulfite, to prevent brown stains. After three minutes, another quick rinse and then the print is placed in the second developer, where it rapidly creates the finished positive image. This last step happens very quickly, and is the "magic" that is fun for the portrait subject to watch unfold.<br>
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After a few false starts in the park, struggling to find the correct exposure times under direct sun, I made this still too-bright print of Mike C.:<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh8BtX8G3pyiDty1rDCx15tkyl5e6LyY07GRdqusvPggaSGsls2dYhQtDtDxT1yGAA0eoQOeNeTWmLDzAQiaGYeg6yd3_TTBM9_mH5428FP7MVjk5c0XFRMcuNA-KyW5icQROwDeRIPrSucVzjBBH1YTH_EDSgwac27_DqPl7A1ylHxwGC-PHs/s1600/Mike%20Sun.JPG" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh8BtX8G3pyiDty1rDCx15tkyl5e6LyY07GRdqusvPggaSGsls2dYhQtDtDxT1yGAA0eoQOeNeTWmLDzAQiaGYeg6yd3_TTBM9_mH5428FP7MVjk5c0XFRMcuNA-KyW5icQROwDeRIPrSucVzjBBH1YTH_EDSgwac27_DqPl7A1ylHxwGC-PHs/s1600/Mike%20Sun.JPG"/></a><br>
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Then I moved the camera under the shade of the park's mature trees, and the results began to improve dramatically, with the image seen at the top of this article, the exposure being 1/2 second at F/5.6. Then I made several more, as the exposures remained consistent:<br>
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Bob:<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmgfHvRnNo1ufHPcVwwMp5vjjPNua3SvljHMQ0AymuGt-wEY0J9cP_UujDcR4vw2_AGKSMSrKzXLGS6Y9KRFJlL3mfp6Xf3aE4uv17Nq_TjwgMjDn46ppAOIeuD40VY0p5WRESJdUzvqTrw_R_6Xm3u4IZEAVDP5CnTMp1fevEY3Nce2f-Gkk/s1600/Bob%20Shade.jpg" ><img height="777" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmgfHvRnNo1ufHPcVwwMp5vjjPNua3SvljHMQ0AymuGt-wEY0J9cP_UujDcR4vw2_AGKSMSrKzXLGS6Y9KRFJlL3mfp6Xf3aE4uv17Nq_TjwgMjDn46ppAOIeuD40VY0p5WRESJdUzvqTrw_R_6Xm3u4IZEAVDP5CnTMp1fevEY3Nce2f-Gkk/s1600/Bob%20Shade.jpg"/></a><br>
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Shane:<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLmjnOhbEg3hjrIrhs3zfaCTkwRY5GHVjsucdQEY49_pHDG_AvXBU6dV9XhABMbwmeXSmqyQQ4i8CY4WVLRuamuMraNALgQ2aCghRrW-BXC2UCEX86cnBl2chAFfsvL-C-d4HUf2CT8bDxlVLXLBd9LWa2eOZGfDpzbLecT0XYvfaDGe6LECS/s1600/Shane%20Shade.jpg" ><img height="824" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLmjnOhbEg3hjrIrhs3zfaCTkwRY5GHVjsucdQEY49_pHDG_AvXBU6dV9XhABMbwmeXSmqyQQ4i8CY4WVLRuamuMraNALgQ2aCghRrW-BXC2UCEX86cnBl2chAFfsvL-C-d4HUf2CT8bDxlVLXLBd9LWa2eOZGfDpzbLecT0XYvfaDGe6LECS/s1600/Shane%20Shade.jpg"/></a><br>
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Like the traditional Box Camera Photographers of old, I'd like to continue to create these portraits in a public setting. Using the convenience of shaded daylight, at least in the warmer months, and exposure times less than a second long, it promises to be a novel way to create these one-of-a-kind portraits.<br>
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Ethan will soon begin to offer DIY kits, so you too can make your own version. I look forward to seeing what other people will do with this process.Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-24210860145969870092023-07-27T12:55:00.000-06:002023-07-27T12:55:41.502-06:00From When I Used to Be a Not Half-Bad Writer<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31285363@N07/3661805782/in/dateposted/" title="6.23.2009 316a"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/3576/3661805782_55f86459bc_o.jpg" width="650" height="434" alt="6.23.2009 316a"/></a><br><i>A photo from our 2009 vacation to Southern California</i><br>
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I was perusing my old <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31285363@N07/" target="_blank">Flickr</a> photos when I came across this typecast, made with my older Royal Mercury, while sitting on the beach in Oceanside, California. I was struck by my writing - I don't think I can write like this today, at least not without some effort. Being on vacation at the time, this did not require much effort. Not that this is world-shatteringly great prose, but there's something caught within these typewritten lines that speaks to the moment of what it was like in 2009 during our vacation.<br>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31285363@N07/3668922350/in/dateposted/" title="Typecast007a"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/3333/3668922350_104ae7a854_o.jpg" width="650" height="974" alt="Typecast007a"/></a><br>
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Here's the machine I used, a 1972 Royal Mercury:<br>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31285363@N07/8296338908/in/album-72157626521018504/" title="P1020712a"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/8355/8296338908_482e323915_o.jpg" width="650" height="488" alt="P1020712a"/></a><br><i>Photo taken at <a href="https://www.stagtobacco.com" target="_blank">Stag Tobacconist</a> when I used to frequently type in their cigar lounge</i><br>
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This machine is still in ABQ, now being cared for by a member of our fledgling ABQwerty Type Writer Society; I just received a letter from her this week, typed on this machine, and it looks like it's still going strong, though it needs a new ribbon, which I've promised to install.<br>
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Back to the typecast, I don't know what's happened, but writing like that doesn't come easily to me these days. Maybe it's because I'm involved now in much non-writing creativity, or maybe I simply don't write enough, like I once did, other than personal letters. Or maybe, back then, I was relatively new to this kind of writing and I didn't know any better, my mind wasn't clogged with conventions and presumptions and expectations or any other "ions." Maybe I should just sit down at the keys, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/24965-there-s-nothing-to-writing-all-you-do-is-sit-down" target="_blank">bleed</a>.Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-59474959437789828792023-07-05T13:29:00.003-06:002023-07-05T13:29:34.362-06:00Cherry Hills Library Type-In Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYdF9HIhQkazacED3iprB_LC2ThNYpE1exgk1Db6lp_N6uBzJdSg__0xdfBHhnE7mwqesndcu8_PVFEoFz-RWnF4HERcgPNkZTotiB9ituklGAhv6FWdjEnjHsjEhNoHy2yeZ07nTiRAYLFBbWo0LZ8ms8hRXiKl-ZD2un027MJnK2kuOvU-r/s1600/IMG_4063.JPG" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYdF9HIhQkazacED3iprB_LC2ThNYpE1exgk1Db6lp_N6uBzJdSg__0xdfBHhnE7mwqesndcu8_PVFEoFz-RWnF4HERcgPNkZTotiB9ituklGAhv6FWdjEnjHsjEhNoHy2yeZ07nTiRAYLFBbWo0LZ8ms8hRXiKl-ZD2un027MJnK2kuOvU-r/s1600/IMG_4063.JPG"/></a><i>(Poem by Monique Olivia, written during the recent Cherry Hills Type-In)</i><br>
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This poem's been sitting on my studio table for a few weeks. It was given to me by its author, Monique Olivia, who wrote it during the recent Type-In we had, here in ABQ, at a local library. I've been known to collect the so-called detritus of Type-Ins, missives or seemingly random words typed on scraps of paper, then left behind like dried leaves in the autumn. Some of it rings with a faint flicker of recognition, others are so juvenile or prurient as to be immediately cast off into the recycle bin. But gems like Monique's are special, hence the reason why I wanted to post it here.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy27b-OpQxZ8rj49_2HoCjTfxI8m4Ap-iMmT7FY2HKDBhdN7I-B_ODBt9HmN7BBcHYLaKMMRHiW4ImGHpScwjfR8MWrr0t11GjqjkmMVNye2FC4GEZEedw2B2pTfDcTxq1nr0C3ii8djiT_ygdERtmDwLJVvKcHf5WCWRDrUXcCSqI5xZ2xUQG/s1600/PXL_20230625_185126678.jpg" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy27b-OpQxZ8rj49_2HoCjTfxI8m4Ap-iMmT7FY2HKDBhdN7I-B_ODBt9HmN7BBcHYLaKMMRHiW4ImGHpScwjfR8MWrr0t11GjqjkmMVNye2FC4GEZEedw2B2pTfDcTxq1nr0C3ii8djiT_ygdERtmDwLJVvKcHf5WCWRDrUXcCSqI5xZ2xUQG/s1600/PXL_20230625_185126678.jpg"/></a><i>(I can recognize this clever quip from a previous Type-In; yes, we have repeat attendees!)</i><br>
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I was trying to recognize the typeface of the machine Monique used to type her poem, I think it's the Corona Standard, but am not entirely certain.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN00aw9FhPb3UFr-tPJrp-xbxa2CRB_TsouB1_Na_hIM8094lD8Ji_E9a-kcKLqoCeDo9HF6PNY1RoxFULodMlQJAP2h7VWyB8dec00vvSmADPpYt1XL9GamOmo8o5N-hT5jK7wG5kWwsI89rAYvT6pDJUjy4e0ZdmtZpqWqYyOY7rNmuJaHTr/s1600/PXL_20230625_184015245.jpg" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN00aw9FhPb3UFr-tPJrp-xbxa2CRB_TsouB1_Na_hIM8094lD8Ji_E9a-kcKLqoCeDo9HF6PNY1RoxFULodMlQJAP2h7VWyB8dec00vvSmADPpYt1XL9GamOmo8o5N-hT5jK7wG5kWwsI89rAYvT6pDJUjy4e0ZdmtZpqWqYyOY7rNmuJaHTr/s1600/PXL_20230625_184015245.jpg"/></a><i>(All the machines visible on these tables are from my collection. I made certain to include my two standards, the KMM and Underwood 5, both of which proved popular)</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXCRoBiIiXXHu4A5YxEoqwilT2I-tIS-1Rt2fBiAaKoChHJbLeI_lG6kk4WBw9C78sJNd8Nyx23czOQ_ck70GyTQozWGMiDruBYK7s8O0dAw6wq6DIcyWQpZEND5FbjhPecEjv-aYyAq0Mh_JILe0RhNcpr17b06W3hfRmud9d4KYCWlB3O49/s1600/PXL_20230625_190213855.jpg" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXCRoBiIiXXHu4A5YxEoqwilT2I-tIS-1Rt2fBiAaKoChHJbLeI_lG6kk4WBw9C78sJNd8Nyx23czOQ_ck70GyTQozWGMiDruBYK7s8O0dAw6wq6DIcyWQpZEND5FbjhPecEjv-aYyAq0Mh_JILe0RhNcpr17b06W3hfRmud9d4KYCWlB3O49/s1600/PXL_20230625_190213855.jpg"/></a><i>(This Olympia and custom painted dark blue Smith-Corona behind it are lovely to look at and type on)</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUn5lqVrA2iIgT7QyPsuykQMaJhB_yZZoHsdKKNJ5TLWCWMBUqNFaVYFWXK4nn74MF2kaZviiDc2kcctsLuJVnrxpjwu3rokGzypACiR7bKvf9dB7gNl8MjIVjaLiYdN2-tZ2JKdSonGC7to32DzXrt5LaJcCqWaq1UyRefeoON7LLdduaxTiS/s1600/PXL_20230625_192521659.MP.jpg" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUn5lqVrA2iIgT7QyPsuykQMaJhB_yZZoHsdKKNJ5TLWCWMBUqNFaVYFWXK4nn74MF2kaZviiDc2kcctsLuJVnrxpjwu3rokGzypACiR7bKvf9dB7gNl8MjIVjaLiYdN2-tZ2JKdSonGC7to32DzXrt5LaJcCqWaq1UyRefeoON7LLdduaxTiS/s1600/PXL_20230625_192521659.MP.jpg"/></a><i>(Here I'm showing a lady how to use her Royal Futura, with some fun stickers)</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZVPXoryIxPDXByyaHb_EHxrdIVZTEOSFdsTzGPeqrqJBlh-IOQtuGxbUz8D_RcS4vAcX8y1U_YjSfv1VNfcy2CSin3H33qslZgqIwb0KJ004fpo8dNP0_rH7BS-52iWPisAKtJnJ5aYSQxVlWU5gmEaobP6bhsvVFfESq3AfUVU6IJzxzjmR/s1600/PXL_20230625_192530646.MP.jpg" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZVPXoryIxPDXByyaHb_EHxrdIVZTEOSFdsTzGPeqrqJBlh-IOQtuGxbUz8D_RcS4vAcX8y1U_YjSfv1VNfcy2CSin3H33qslZgqIwb0KJ004fpo8dNP0_rH7BS-52iWPisAKtJnJ5aYSQxVlWU5gmEaobP6bhsvVFfESq3AfUVU6IJzxzjmR/s1600/PXL_20230625_192530646.MP.jpg"/></a><i>(This gal was very enthusiastic and was actively looking to see which kind of machine she'd like to get for herself)</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnFzQ9BCrjDwL4Da8_QTD2aTUrhXyObMaiVAOI2bvHVcvePbbKNXbmQHS0EzztxjLfqYTGyiB6rND1bC8nXYaYOpWGMiTH_GWzFEAG1Q5LAqgOuIOjaPWc4BFyZcBcZGXDKz8qtj72y2YQRD9iUPFZFPupVimYj9omouHJiEohl8MlJk_iCDp/s1600/PXL_20230625_193325954.MP.jpg" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnFzQ9BCrjDwL4Da8_QTD2aTUrhXyObMaiVAOI2bvHVcvePbbKNXbmQHS0EzztxjLfqYTGyiB6rND1bC8nXYaYOpWGMiTH_GWzFEAG1Q5LAqgOuIOjaPWc4BFyZcBcZGXDKz8qtj72y2YQRD9iUPFZFPupVimYj9omouHJiEohl8MlJk_iCDp/s1600/PXL_20230625_193325954.MP.jpg"/></a><i>(I was surprised at the enthusiasm of the young people. This young lady was very intent on mastering the art of typing, using a variety of machines)</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_Y-VO--bquIMBdKfNELNysI0_X6goq5vRbYdTmugCQm8FRFRKBCcDKZg111v9aycLMuS2id6tZNN13xCZJvnwQ12aRD-lqgmwdWl_hjNDmMmO12vexgdwaGzT87lJqaxikNjaIrY_yPHDE1VjPiegUPTinEz3IyNcqf8VzRu2IHFAL4bdiVm/s1600/PXL_20230625_193730885.MP.jpg" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_Y-VO--bquIMBdKfNELNysI0_X6goq5vRbYdTmugCQm8FRFRKBCcDKZg111v9aycLMuS2id6tZNN13xCZJvnwQ12aRD-lqgmwdWl_hjNDmMmO12vexgdwaGzT87lJqaxikNjaIrY_yPHDE1VjPiegUPTinEz3IyNcqf8VzRu2IHFAL4bdiVm/s1600/PXL_20230625_193730885.MP.jpg"/></a><i>(More enthusiastic typists)</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0UZK1o9s6wEOpySV0rgkPZJV5mAF0oB2VzU1kbSs316mDM2CU4g7CedL6Q50Bd_oY-IluXDi-Kd343WJnudofL1NgtEwjZhpVloCk1dcTiq3r5NWUtD7eRitmRgwJlpWLmoFfLlANwti9r18zq4V8aVrQiclYna8zneKgdaB-AmX0ozPAZnt/s1600/PXL_20230625_194004465.jpg" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0UZK1o9s6wEOpySV0rgkPZJV5mAF0oB2VzU1kbSs316mDM2CU4g7CedL6Q50Bd_oY-IluXDi-Kd343WJnudofL1NgtEwjZhpVloCk1dcTiq3r5NWUtD7eRitmRgwJlpWLmoFfLlANwti9r18zq4V8aVrQiclYna8zneKgdaB-AmX0ozPAZnt/s1600/PXL_20230625_194004465.jpg"/></a><i>(Even more enthusiasm)</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksHC_MGugrWOQ731lQ6C2HjqducZ3FLqEulbKC6CUxJPfafUqjXfE7C1hrj7N9clHAnplut6Ef5IqTOQ47cwZ5X0-IN__Dg7-vbajquDhz8EAB28u7rnBwc9IGYEAUyE5BJgpbE3_sI6dum3p0YGFPMH3xQNrf56kvuVzBe5lurCfWjAV9nMx/s1600/PXL_20230625_194544991.jpg" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksHC_MGugrWOQ731lQ6C2HjqducZ3FLqEulbKC6CUxJPfafUqjXfE7C1hrj7N9clHAnplut6Ef5IqTOQ47cwZ5X0-IN__Dg7-vbajquDhz8EAB28u7rnBwc9IGYEAUyE5BJgpbE3_sI6dum3p0YGFPMH3xQNrf56kvuVzBe5lurCfWjAV9nMx/s1600/PXL_20230625_194544991.jpg"/></a><i>(Old and young working together)</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqRTPmsme2NJXMGBx-REIW73urBWKAu2GLnbeuJqousGo5taVk5lnilwuCtZDJ2UeccUuuFy6C1kxiJ5CqWV_W2kLMxaQViVeDV8kn-D2wn5Nx0ExLCFSoRZDjgmioQGbSOMTqTwbwEWdHcbxl2wL7ZL5FI0tFP4gzLpHH6CB1hCAeA5Wb7mX/s1600/PXL_20230625_194905454.MP.jpg" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqRTPmsme2NJXMGBx-REIW73urBWKAu2GLnbeuJqousGo5taVk5lnilwuCtZDJ2UeccUuuFy6C1kxiJ5CqWV_W2kLMxaQViVeDV8kn-D2wn5Nx0ExLCFSoRZDjgmioQGbSOMTqTwbwEWdHcbxl2wL7ZL5FI0tFP4gzLpHH6CB1hCAeA5Wb7mX/s1600/PXL_20230625_194905454.MP.jpg"/></a><i>(I'm amazed at this young man's color coordination!)</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguBabYZ91G1RywE7ktgkR-KNriABPwNkQtmCZj0yV_YeLjLy0bvPq22D2ihaEbDzNXhK2KqJdOza5PR__iEKgpnN7qMyfbKnY6_KPo7ppmDncwtyGXEoodJ4p4vHgjYvtEg_vOcim4fBiDbIBXtYVe5mJpT7D_zbGnUnuejhkFHrC7dywFcs13/s1600/PXL_20230625_195231596.MP.jpg" ><img height="867" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguBabYZ91G1RywE7ktgkR-KNriABPwNkQtmCZj0yV_YeLjLy0bvPq22D2ihaEbDzNXhK2KqJdOza5PR__iEKgpnN7qMyfbKnY6_KPo7ppmDncwtyGXEoodJ4p4vHgjYvtEg_vOcim4fBiDbIBXtYVe5mJpT7D_zbGnUnuejhkFHrC7dywFcs13/s1600/PXL_20230625_195231596.MP.jpg"/></a><i>(This was left for me as a gift by an unknown donor. This typing instruction manual is from 1952. I've been wanting one of these; thank you, whomever you are!)</i><br>
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I appreciate all the folks who attended, and am looking forward to our next event.<br>
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<iframe width="650" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xZsmF8Q0Qpc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-5915549469744370362023-07-03T11:21:00.000-06:002023-07-03T11:21:02.583-06:00Rocker Tray Film Developing Tank Concept<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuAyGPZyUX6gFgwy-gtxpNm4PUIs3JQClVOC4CnJ6lm9yXNrLY4rP0_nxqZ9UmF54UhT1L9A4s-_5JLusuW_u1fhDhAuT3p4qc0ePJKsQO7kpzvnwPSQx3yD2pcrRlMGUKaYlBI0tBNDjcftacsfr23rOe3vLtd0dSoBrKuYKpMIPo7du3ahm/s1600/Rocker%20Tray.gif" "><img data-original-height="405" data-original-width="720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuAyGPZyUX6gFgwy-gtxpNm4PUIs3JQClVOC4CnJ6lm9yXNrLY4rP0_nxqZ9UmF54UhT1L9A4s-_5JLusuW_u1fhDhAuT3p4qc0ePJKsQO7kpzvnwPSQx3yD2pcrRlMGUKaYlBI0tBNDjcftacsfr23rOe3vLtd0dSoBrKuYKpMIPo7du3ahm/s1600/Rocker%20Tray.gif"/></a><i>(Rocker tray animated via bent map pin)</i>
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I'm constantly brainstorming ideas for camera and darkroom devices. Here's a recent example.<br>
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This page is from my <a href="https://youtu.be/3B9Ojm_rhOk" target="_blank">Handi Desk journal</a>: an animated concept for a tabletop sheet film/paper developing tank. The device sits on a table. Pour the chemicals (developer followed by stop bath followed by fixer) one-at-a-time into the top. The liquids flow through the light trap into the tray.<br>
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An axle connected to the tray protrudes through light seals in the sides of the device to a pair of knobs (not shown in the sketch), used to manually control the tray. Gently rock the tray via the knobs for the duration of the step.<br>
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Place the chemical bottle in the bottom, under the dump port, and then rotate the tray 90 degrees to empty its contents back into the bottle. Upright the tray to level. Repeat with the rest of the processing chemicals.<br>
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The top half of the device removes, to gain access for loading and unloading the film or paper.<br>
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The sheets of paper or film are loaded into the device while it's inside a large light-tight changing bag or tent; or alternatively, loaded in the darkroom, then brought out into the light for processing. This sketch is conceptual in nature, not representing a finished design. The main hinderance to functionality is the loading and unloading. To be used out in the field, such as on a folding table or from the back of a vehicle, a changing tent, at minimum, is required, to transfer the film or paper from sheet film holder to the tray.<br>
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I've found often that these kinds of conceptual sketches, rather than revealing new and innovative designs, instead prove why tried-and-true ideas are so worthwhile. In this case, a simple developing tank made for 4x5 film would work just as well, and be smaller in size and simpler in complexity. However, as a habitual sketcher, I find some solace in the notion that even dead-end designs deserve to be documented, if for no other reason than explaining why they <i>shouldn't be</i> pursued.<br>
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This concept may prove useful if included as part of an <a href="http://www.afghanboxcamera.com" target="_blank">Afghan Box Camera</a>, where the processing section is separated from the camera itself. Simply design this device inside a larger enclosure that has a pair of arm sleeves. Once the film or paper is loaded, processing can proceed in daylight.
Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-31291213527753933022023-05-17T22:25:00.001-06:002023-05-17T22:25:46.569-06:00Fine-Tuning the SM9 With Keycap Toppers<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31285363@N07/52905557352/" title="Key Toppers on SM9"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52905557352_592cd8cd42_o.jpg" width="650" height="488" alt="Key Toppers on SM9"/></a><br><i>The blinged-out, tarted-up SM9</i><br>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31285363@N07/52906131891/" title="Fine-Tuning the SM9"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52906131891_fbc1afc479_o.jpg" width="650" height="1171" alt="Fine-Tuning the SM9"/></a><br>
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Here's my original idea, prototyped in cardstock:<br>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31285363@N07/52906514160/in/photostream/" title="Shift lock guard on SM9"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52906514160_caccaf55a9_o.jpg" width="650" height="534" alt="Shift lock guard on SM9"/></a><br>
Yes, it worked, sort of. No, it doesn't look good, and making a more permanent version in 3D-printed PLA filament would be complicated, and attaching it to the machine permanently would be problematic, involving potentially drilling a mounting hole in the bottom frame of the machine.<br>
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Here are the undersides of the version 1.7 keycap toppers; they are snug enough to just press-fit onto the existing keycaps:<br>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31285363@N07/52906284024/in/photostream/" title="3D-printed key toppers for SM9"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52906284024_27d7c25d36_o.jpg" width="650" height="488" alt="3D-printed key toppers for SM9"/></a><br>
Achieving a precise snug fit is a challenge, even the color of PLA filament affects the thermal properties of the print, and hence the fit. It's probably best to make them slightly oversized, then use some double-sided tape on the inside to keep them from falling off when carrying the machine around; but so far I haven't had any issues and these caps are just press-fit on.<br>
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I need to specifically state: <b>No, I'm not going to be printing people keycap toppers, so please don't ask.</b> I WILL provide a link to the files, <a href="https://cad.onshape.com/documents/4a898529af390e1f75f42f10/w/5d2ee1f8aaae418ac8cec8fb/e/6af81e971e06ab0c44b2ab2f" target="_blank">here</a>.<br>
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There are several reasons for this. Firstly, I'm not in the 3D printing BUSINESS, nor do I want to be. Secondly, unless you have this era of Olympia SM9, these keycap toppers probably won't fit your machine. Thirdly, you'll want to choose the color yourself, and I don't want to stock dozens and dozens of colors. Even though the gold bling is the shizz. Also, I can't find an orange color exactly like the Olympia logo. Bummer. Fourthly, there's some trimming of extraneous filament when the parts come off the printer, and you'll need to test-fit them to your own machine. This means you'll either need to be a 3D printing hobbyist yourself, or know someone in your area with a machine to help you. For reference, I'm using an Ender 3 Pro. Also, you'll need to take the files and run them through a slicing program set to your printer's specifications. It's the output file from the slicer that runs on the 3D printer. The slicing program has lots of settings involving layer thickness and bed & nozzle temperatures, so you'll want to fiddle with those to get the part quality just right for your needs.<br>
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So, if I'm not going to print you a set of keycap toppers, than what the heck am I doing posting this here blog article? Well, I'm mainly wanting to inspire other hobbyists to pursue ideas like this. I challenge and welcome any and all to take this idea and run with it. We all will benefit greatly.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBCS8tJPRmZLbDrOjl0zocc0q_O_kBePfIK8BhFE13EwM5_qanY8aTpvca4es-NkgUN8CO7qRhwC_8WKAUAGVroyyjlUVSIgpHIS4PNXn5rnlkUs_ykaxyFE3oeGCHXGzX61uUQoJSviRLnC2miKBrq4XLplAyHUe40rpj8MRmzTAECCosCw/s1600/Screenshot%202023-05-17%20at%2010.19.05%20PM.png"><img height="431" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBCS8tJPRmZLbDrOjl0zocc0q_O_kBePfIK8BhFE13EwM5_qanY8aTpvca4es-NkgUN8CO7qRhwC_8WKAUAGVroyyjlUVSIgpHIS4PNXn5rnlkUs_ykaxyFE3oeGCHXGzX61uUQoJSviRLnC2miKBrq4XLplAyHUe40rpj8MRmzTAECCosCw/s1600/Screenshot%202023-05-17%20at%2010.19.05%20PM.png"/></a><i>Some keycap examples at <a href="https://www.wasdkeyboards.com" target="_blank">WASD</a></i><br>
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What I was hoping for in this project was to expand the idea and make keycap toppers for ALL the keys, especially the alphabetic keys, so a person could personalize their typewriter, like the way computer keyboards are customized with crazy key color schemes. But alas, at least on this SM9, the clearances between neighboring keys is so tight that I don't think toppers of reasonable thickness (and hence durability) would fit without interfering with neighboring key operation. But it would be great to be able to print crazy bright toppers to liven up that otherwise drap gray or brown machine. Maybe on others brands or models there's enough room for toppers to work. Stay tuned for more updates to this idea.<br>
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Ideally, you'd want letter legends in the keytops, but you can only 3D print those with a dual-filament machine, which I don't have. Alternatively, you can design the letters as recesses into the keytops, then after printing you'd have to carefully inject colored epoxy resin into the recesses of each cap with a syringe. This sounds like very detailed work that'd be slow and fiddly. Not the sort of thing you'd want to do commercially without the right equipment. But as a hobbyist, I think it's doable, given enough patience and time.<br>
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Again, the link to the files <b>specifically for this 1978 Olympia SM9</b> are: <a href="https://cad.onshape.com/documents/4a898529af390e1f75f42f10/w/5d2ee1f8aaae418ac8cec8fb/e/6af81e971e06ab0c44b2ab2f" target="_blank">here</a>.Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-84576516521476345652023-05-01T08:00:00.001-06:002023-05-01T08:00:35.793-06:00I'm in the Newspaper!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpfHW-loxGjvgPsRMpPH6CNmxlOC5oRTKk-1pCGl2L0-HbPG2J0zCTbhIJIjSqBD9yG-47_6wli0AxxSEUy-ML1jIfFVUd6p0Aeo-_z8PrFzwSpIAXtiWT4qUldazQOVRaCucPeI4PuejXVcLzD2EAIw2BviHdbNwURrDstFDWcI1Wgff_g/s1600/Screenshot%202023-05-01%20at%207.43.21%20AM.png"><img height="585" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpfHW-loxGjvgPsRMpPH6CNmxlOC5oRTKk-1pCGl2L0-HbPG2J0zCTbhIJIjSqBD9yG-47_6wli0AxxSEUy-ML1jIfFVUd6p0Aeo-_z8PrFzwSpIAXtiWT4qUldazQOVRaCucPeI4PuejXVcLzD2EAIw2BviHdbNwURrDstFDWcI1Wgff_g/s1600/Screenshot%202023-05-01%20at%207.43.21%20AM.png"/></a>
I'm in the <a href="https://site.xavier.edu/polt/Enquirer.pdf" target="_blank">newspaper</a>! A few months ago I was interviewed by Cameron Knight, reporter for the Cincinnati Inquirer, about my fascination for typewriters and how I got started into this strange obsession, that now seems not so strange after all. I'd forgotten about that interview until I saw <a href="http://writingball.blogspot.com/2023/04/i-appear-in-cincinnati-enquirer.html" target="_blank">Dr. Polt's blog article</a> this weekend.<br>
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The article is a good read, there are a number of typospherians interviewed, including Dr. Polt and Sarah Everett. See <a href="https://site.xavier.edu/polt/Enquirer.pdf" target="_blank">this link</a> to read a PDF of the article.<br>
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I am mentioned in the article on the third page, including a large photo of me with my typewriter collection. Yes, they misspelled my name, but I've gotten used to that. (And, no, I'm not related to actor Lee Van Cleef -- I get asked that all the time!)<br>
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Cameron Knight did a good job with the article, and is himself a typewriter enthusiast. Thank you Cameron!
Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-72903744405344454202023-04-28T21:39:00.001-06:002023-04-28T21:44:17.034-06:00Imagining My Next Journal Book<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90BHX6n9YCXP4_hgB0tLOO7KMQCg5kcRoVP7gfsAKJ5K6S3tN8r82tFNUDQonbv8Xztmw1NFNEdhZzPKmwm23UGDSRYJIKwUe9jgt_vtqIUot25V8-EpJda0exwb1BDgYcO_diEq6OnjYmz-jwEFpsbJ-szfgSyNXoPyVYzcCsJb_ahGXFw/s1600/IMG_3929.jpg"><img height="773" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90BHX6n9YCXP4_hgB0tLOO7KMQCg5kcRoVP7gfsAKJ5K6S3tN8r82tFNUDQonbv8Xztmw1NFNEdhZzPKmwm23UGDSRYJIKwUe9jgt_vtqIUot25V8-EpJda0exwb1BDgYcO_diEq6OnjYmz-jwEFpsbJ-szfgSyNXoPyVYzcCsJb_ahGXFw/s1600/IMG_3929.jpg"/></a><i>A collection of past journal books</i><br>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31285363@N07/52855291678/in/dateposted/" title="Imagining My Next Journal Book"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52855291678_3fd7755ed9_o.jpg" width="650" height="997" alt="Imagining My Next Journal Book"/></a><br>
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My journals are a hodgepodge of both handwritten material, sketches and collage, often intermixed. Sketching is my preferred method for designing things, even for projects as simple as a holder for a paper journal. Here are some sketches representing how my idea for this project is evolving.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhl0V4SZ0CjJeoHWbb28S93jNmjhdPbn74QIBA70PBQCzbGyX3z9CZELYJUZ8Pc2ahwOXgIe_Nsb357USfbNvM7Ja_i_AxoblUuhKSK2M-VRRuJNCUvJjk6iTipn5SqSdRV6Y2ShWJWaoHlghq809Ei9b-hUUH_PKeTgSNjTEO-XB5CCYYHQ/s1600/IMG_3926.jpg"><img height="522" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhl0V4SZ0CjJeoHWbb28S93jNmjhdPbn74QIBA70PBQCzbGyX3z9CZELYJUZ8Pc2ahwOXgIe_Nsb357USfbNvM7Ja_i_AxoblUuhKSK2M-VRRuJNCUvJjk6iTipn5SqSdRV6Y2ShWJWaoHlghq809Ei9b-hUUH_PKeTgSNjTEO-XB5CCYYHQ/s1600/IMG_3926.jpg"/></a><i>The lefthand drawing comes close to my final design, but with a magnetically closable flap to secure the paper inside. The righthand drawing is like a very shallow cigar box for holding the paper inside. Both designs have a smooth, hard outer surface for writing upon.</i><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsaNR4kS28eWLsEE0m7WovSCzFXy2bA073eVgKT-99msVPfmU4nZIkkqQLHQvAqSp3sNEcx4hcaQ3TIM8j9tm7X47zN_t_vRhHWFXTC6fnU-OhFFY-rb2IiQzFBu7d2lySo2JZ7wzJddub9rOOQHhH-PAdsyQAaTuJpfz-8vKXOfGt-zCyGQ/s1600/IMG_3927.jpg"><img height="1006" width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsaNR4kS28eWLsEE0m7WovSCzFXy2bA073eVgKT-99msVPfmU4nZIkkqQLHQvAqSp3sNEcx4hcaQ3TIM8j9tm7X47zN_t_vRhHWFXTC6fnU-OhFFY-rb2IiQzFBu7d2lySo2JZ7wzJddub9rOOQHhH-PAdsyQAaTuJpfz-8vKXOfGt-zCyGQ/s1600/IMG_3927.jpg"/></a><i>I like this design best, it would be simple to build and looks minimalist. I need to find the right material and thickness for the top writing surface, perhaps white acrylic plastic, or even sheet aluminum.</i><br>
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In practice, this paper-holder journal system only needs to hold enough pages for one day's outing, assuming I'm journaling away from home. I also use a variety of pens and pencils, as you can see from the above sketches; too many to fit inside the holder itself. I typically carry my frequently used writing instruments in an eyeglass case adapted for that purpose. There's also a glue stick, scissors and razor knife if I'm collaging.<br>
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I've enjoyed using these half-letter-sized sheets as a journal format, they're bigger than pocket sized, generous enough for documenting ideas, yet don't seem as gargantuan as full letter-sized pages.<br>
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I've been using 32lb. laser paper in this last handmade journal book, but despite its weight I find it bleeds a bit too much when using the Pentel brush pens, so I'm also on the lookout for a different paper, one compatible for both technical drawing as well as fountain pen and brush pen. The good thing about unbound pages is I'm not committed to using an entire book of them, should I find one kind of paper to be less than satisfactory.<br>
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Typecast via <a href="https://flic.kr/p/2ovQXsf" target="_blank">1978 Olympia SM9</a>.Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29487770.post-55594391942440126802023-04-25T20:03:00.001-06:002023-04-25T20:03:58.657-06:00Olympia SM9<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31285363@N07/52846271742/in/dateposted/" title="SM9"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52846271742_7fa3bb1626_o.jpg" width="650" height="650" alt="SM9"/></a><br>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31285363@N07/52846846936/in/dateposted/" title="Olympia SM9"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52846846936_6749d1c141_o.jpg" width="650" height="934" alt="Olympia SM9"/></a><br>
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<i>Frontal view:</i><br>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31285363@N07/52847040914/in/dateposted/" title="SM9"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52847040914_5b63ced047_o.jpg" width="650" height="650" alt="SM9"/></a><br>
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<i>Rear view, note the dealer sticker from Olympia Typewriter Service Co. in ABQ.</i><br>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31285363@N07/52847303803/in/dateposted/" title="SM9"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52847303803_5f15386fc8_o.jpg" width="650" height="488" alt="SM9"/></a><br>
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This machine was made in 1978, the second to the last year the SM9 were made. This was nearly the end of the manual typewriter era, at least for the German-made Olympias.<br>
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So, how does it type you might wonder? Well, currently I only have an SM3 to compare it with, and there were many years between these two machines. I've also had two other SM9s and this machine feels very much like what I remember of those: not as tight and crisp as the early SMs, but a solid, competent typing machine.<br>
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And along with what I remember of those other SM9s, this one also exhibits intermittent spacing issues on the first letter of a word after a space. Not very often, but enough to be bothersome. I believe it's a combination of something intrinsic to the design or setup of these machines (given that all three had the same problem), and my typing style (though I've also used two-finger instead of touch-typing and have gotten the same intermittent issues). See the word "not" in the first line of the last paragraph, above; these machines just don't like a staccato typing style, but work better with a rhythmic cadence, like what a typist is ideally supposed to do, but in the real world hardly ever does to perfection. It's problems like these that make the later SM9s less than the One Perfect Machine, for me that is. They aren't very tolerant of a sloppy typing style. As to the earlier SMs, the SM3-8 generations were probably the finest of the Olympia SM series in terms of build quality and the "feel" of the machine, at least in my experience and that of others I've talked to. <br>
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These later SM9s have a very utilitarian, modern look to them. Stern-faced, corporate, button-down shirts, no laughing matter, just get the work done; and they were built to do just that. No nostalgic style cues from some earlier era, these were built for the sober post-war business machine age.<br>
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The best I can tell, it has a Modern Pica type face. Very pleasing in appearance.<br>
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There's a good chance this machine spent its entire life here in ABQ, since being sold at that Olympia dealer. It looked like it never even sat in a dusty garage, instead most likely some bedroom closet. Even the internals of the machine showed little dust, a minor miracle here in the dry, windy American southwest. Also no signs of eraser crumbs, White Out grunge on the plastic card guides or white cover-up correction flakes in the machine, just pristine cleanliness. Amazing.<br>
Joe Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679530650280030752noreply@blogger.com11