...and justice for all

I am going to keep my political opinions to myself, but I will admit that I am one of the 99%.

...And Justice For All

Holga 120N
Kodak Portra 400
fill flash w/ 1/2 CTO gel

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A Couple More From The Anachronism IV

So there are a couple more images that I have yet to post from this great night.



How I love this most colorful of costumes on the maddest of hatters. Kodak's Portra really gives great tones throughout.



Again nice tones here, but the guy looks a little reluctant in the image, hence I dub thee "Reluctant Time Traveller."

Images taken with the Holga 120N, Kodak Portra 400, and a small flash with a 1/2 CTO gel in order to warm up skin tones and colors a bit.

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First Time TLR-ing It

I wanted to use the Rolleiflex that has been sitting on my shelf for a few years, but before I could go out shooting I had to invest in a CLA due to the (de)ceased shutter.


I spent the money and went out shooting.

This is my story.

I loaded the film wrong and grew increasingly frustrated not seeing the frame counter move whenever I cocked the shutter.

I figured that I was one to blame for the mishap, and indeed I was.  I did not insert the film through the rollers on the transport and that is what prevented me from doing my street shooting on the lower east side.  Oh well.

I tried to salvage the film by rerolling it in my blackened bathroom, but I did that incorrectly and ended up jamming the camera with some tape I did not secure.  Grumble.

Frustrated, I popped the camera back open ruining the roll of film.  I did not like throwing away $5, but it was necessary and I was glad the camera was fine.

I threw in some Kodak Tri-X and went out shooting again the next day, this time, to a much less interesting place, but I tried my best to make interesting photos.

Let me tell you, using this thing is completely different than the SLRs or rangefinders I am familiar with.  I was having a hell of a time with the flipped image - lining things up or framing served as a major hindrance because I had to think and make coordinated motor movements in reverse - it is not something I usually do.

In a way I suppose that is a good thing; I had a long enough time to consider if the shot was worth making.

I am very surprised with the quality of the lens.  I have always liked the Tessar formula, but this one in particular (the f/3.5) writes more beautifully than all of the other Tessars I have used before.




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Marriage of Content and Image

I first got the idea for this post while listening to Bruce Dickinson's "Chemical Wedding" album (Bruce Dickinson is the singer for Iron Maiden).  Each of the songs on the album is inspired by the writings of William Blake, who is probably most famous for writing (and illuminating) "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell." Circuitous route for the explanation of the entry's spawning, eh?

In "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" Blake writes of the union of the body and soul; they are not separate entities and together form a whole.  One is not to be rejected for the sake of the other.

In addition to Blake's great words he created images to parallel and complement his content, intending the two to be experienced together.  The entire message would not be transmitted if the words were read alone.

Body and soul

Images and words

One work

One unified endeavor

As a photographer I constantly try to push myself to learn a new technique or become more familiar with the cameras in my arsenal.  

Through trial and error I came upon an important realization that some cameras are more suited for certain tasks than others.  Each camera has a different feel and imparts a different aesthetic thumbprint upon an image.

Consider the subject.  Consider the camera.  Consider the goal.  Consider how to achieve the goal.

Learn what works.  Learn what detracts.  Learn what adds.

Only through intimate understanding and practice with the camera can you increase the impact of the image.

These are some examples of images that I think are married well:

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