Now I can combine my two favorite things: coffee and cameras. Let's start with the camera. It's a 1960's era Chinese-made plastic camera called a "Windsor." It's the same exact camera that's a cult classic-"Diana." They just branded them different for whatever market or supplier. I think mine must have been Canadian or British, because they seem to show up there a lot instead of Dianas, which were common in the U.S. Mine looked like it was new, which isn't saying much, because the build quality was horrendous. But that's the charm and norm for these. The cult following is for the plastic single-element lens along with the light leaks or vignetting. I like to tape mine up and avoid the light leaks. There's enough going on with the blur and vignetting. Notice the blur around the edges - it reminds me of lenses from the 1800's. I added a little extra vignetting to about half of these images, but all already had a significant amount already there. Lomo is now making a modern-day Diana, along with the now famous Holga cameras. They all have their place. And now for the coffee. That's what I developed these in. Yes, you read right. It also had washing soda and vitamin C in it. The coffee was Kroger instant coffee. Really smelly on its own, but when you add washing soda, it smells like bad instant coffee that's burned. I have to say I like the smell of D-76 developer better than this stuff. This was my first (and definitely NOT the last) time using this alternative developer. The film (Ilford HP5+ 400) was a little fogged, but the images were really strong. I've got to work out how to reduce the fogging, but it wasn't horrible. This developer, affectionately called "caffenol," also introduces grain. That's actually pleasing with these already dreamy pictures.
Central Baptist Hospital meets UK. I liked how the vent stacks seemed to be pointing up at the tree leaves, as if they were nourishing them.
Jacks Creek Pike, Fayette County, KY.
A companion to "Blue Barn Door" taken at Camp Nelson. I shot this with my Nikon FM2n with the wonderful Micro 55mm lens. It's on Porta 400, Kodaks reformulated utility color negative film. Obviously, there's not as much detail in this shot, as you're comparing smaller 35mm negative film with 400 ISO to medium format E-6 50 ISO film. However, the Portra still shows a lot of detail zoomed in. It would have taken an extra 10 minutes to throw an extension tube on the Bronica and try (and maybe fail) to get the tripod into this low position. With the Nikon, I just laid on my belly and got a few shots, thanks to the fast 400 speed. Each film format has its pros and cons.
A research building on UK's campus. I've been studying this building for some time now, so watch for some more shots using shape, form, and symmetry. I applied a few filters in Photoshop to make these appear grainy and dirty. I just got done watching Fahrenheit 451 and was inspired by the mindless and dangerous a future society that this era of films brought.
On a recent short outing on Military Pike in Fayette County, I had a bounty of photos. In addition to these I got a few winning Polaroid shots. If the sun wasn't near setting, the sky perfect, and throw in autumn colors, it wouldn't have been as fruitful. It's all about the light!
At Camp Nelson in Jessamine County, KY. An abstract as gray storm clouds rolled in. Without Fuji Velvia's color boost, this would have turned out pretty flat. You could mimic it in digital, but you would wind up blowing out some colors and adding a lot of unnecessary color cast in everything else. This is one example of why I haven't given up film. Another is the large size of 120 film. This scan is a 245 MB TIFF file. When you zoom into the original, you see film grain before pixels. You have to zoom another 4 or 5 times in to start seeing pixels. This could easily print at 16 x 20 and you still wouldn't see pixels close up. Admittedly, it is more work to shoot and scan film, but I find myself slowing down to compose resulting in less "throw aways" and more "keepers" per roll. Plus, I don't have to keep up with the latest sensor. Don't get me wrong, I shoot and love digital, but I will always pick up a film camera when it really matters. (Bronica ETRS, Fujifilm Velvia 50)
Camp Nelson in Jessamine County has become my most recent exploration place. I can take Daisy there to run free, while I explore over 5 miles of trails. There are marked and unmarked graveyards, fort remnants, and vast expanses of open land. Another great example of Fuji Velvia 50 slide film's great colors. (Bronica ETRS, Fujifilm Velvia 50)
I admit, I have no idea what's going on here. Found these in the window of a crypt. They may be looking out onto a more recent grave instead of guarding the this rather old crypt. Still a weird thing to come by in a cemetery, if by being in a cemetery isn't weird enough. I love the colors of Fuji Velvia 50 slide film, but it's very hard to pull scans from positive film. I've found that if I slightly underexpose and shoot on medium format (120), then my Epson V500 scanner has little trouble. 35mm slides just don't scan well for me, which is a shame because I have hundreds of slides. Unfortunately, slide film is becoming a thing of the past, so I'm trying to shoot it while I still can. (Bronica ETRS, Fujifilm Velvia 50)
|