Visiting Relatives...

So 2011 is over, and 2012 is well on its way..  The visit with the relatives went quite nicely, and I got the chance to try out the ƒ/1.4 lens on my Yashica Lynx 14.. What a nifty little rangefinder this camera is.  A sharp, and yet super-fast lens, and a nice bright and big rangefinder.  Not quite as nice as my Konica Auto S2, but decent nonetheless.
With my sister posing for a flash-bulb photograph for me, I got a chance to see how well this camera will work for an impromptu portrait. 
From what I can see from the image to the left, it works out very well!  And take in mind, this image was shot on Fuji Superia 800ISO film.  Not a low-speed B&W film, but a high-speed Colour film.  I'm very happy with the results.  Sure, the original wasn't in B&W with the look of being a glass plate with strong vignette.

This is a look that I know plays out strongly with many different crowds, myself included.  I love this look, and find that it is very flattering, and lends itself to be a more "vintage" form of portrait.  Something that is actually out there as a more artistic, and more appealing image.

Perhaps I'm just being biased, as I created this look and really liked it as soon as I saw it start taking shape.

There aren't a lot of images from that day that worked out, as I was just getting used to this camera, and there's no working meter on it.  That, and I thought I was shooting 1600ISO film, not 800... 
The one issue that comes up every time with having one or two too many cameras loaded with film at all times.  You never can remember what each camera is loaded with!  Most times, it's Polypan F, but there are those times where you get something... well.. a little different!

Cheers

A Year On Film - An Ongoing Project

Although there are many 365 (366 this year) projects out there, I have never seen a year on film project. 

Throughout the year I will be shooting with as many different films as I can, from Kodak, to Fuji, Ilford, to Lucky, and whatever else in between.  Usually my film of choice is Polypan F 50.  It's a Cinefilm, which is a thin polyester based slow-speed Panchromatic B&W film. 
Easy to use, great tonality, and seems to love any developer I have used.

I have read, but cannot actually agree, that the developing times for this film is similar to Ilford Pan F+ 50.  Although I have used them as a guideline, I find they are similar, but not quite the same. 

Whether it is shooting on 35mm, APS, Medium Format, or Large Format, I will make sure to post my successes here, as well as my Flickr Account.

Cheers!

Happy New Year

With the end of 2011 and the onset of 2012, I just have one thing to say..

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!


Had my wife play with the K1000 and Vivitar 135mm ƒ/2.8 K lens.  Sure enough, she's actually learned a thing or two about using these cameras after all!
Sure, these images are staged, but they have the effect I was going for. 
The one on the right, was shot around 12:02AM, the empty bottle is an empty bottle from around Christmas, and the glass has a chip in it.  But never saw a drop of wine..
On the left, this was actually shot around 12:15, and was staged to look like there was 2 bottles of wine finished, chips and  whole lot of regret.. 

I understand the main reason as to why you get plastered on New Years.  To bury your sorrows and sins from the year before, ending them in a bottle of alcohol, and waking up the next day to start fresh and clean for the new year.  But drinking just isn't my thing!  Never has been, and probably never will be.  Now, that's not to say I don't like a nice glass of beer or wine from time to time, but it's not the first thing on my agenda.  Hope that this year is not just better than the last, but that everyone finds their wishes fulfilled (reasonably anyway) so that we can all continue to move forward..

Cheers everyone!