My Wish for a Better 2019

Holiday Hiatus

Enjoy the Peace, Light and Blessings of this Holiday Season.

This is also a 52 Rolls Redux from 2016.

End of Year Wrap-Up Part III: My Photo Successes

I'm posting images that earned special recognition in 2018. For the details Click Here. 

Sing Along Messiah Concert

Please Join Us:

End of Year Wrap-Up Part II: Kickstarters, Indiegogo, Etc..

OK,  this one is going to get a little ugly.  I've had enough experience now with both of these Start-up Groups (and others) to have real opinions about product results.  It's about a 50:50 satisfaction rate.

We'll start with he Positive Things that WORKED:

Film Ferrania & Film Silberra:

I'm still testing these films, but they were either delivered on time, or communication was good and I understood the problems.

Reality So Subtle Pinhole:

Great little camera.  Still figuring out the Range Finding.  Has the smoothest mechanism of any pinhole that I have used.  Film never binds or curls. Will continue to work with the range and will be ready for World-Wide Pinhole Day 2019.

Ay Mariposa Film:

Currently backing this Film and Book Project about how the Border Wall will affect the Environment. My Book Arrived last week:

Now to move on to the FAILURES:

Well, one small disappointment and one WHOPPING BIG FAILURE:

SolarCan:

A small disappointment.  I was an Early Backer.  They have great results posted.  But I got a bad batch of 5 cans.  All of mine failed.  When I contacted them I was told I'd get replacementts.  OK all 5 failed and I get ONE can.

To quote a song,  "There must be some misunderstanding?"  Not sure what I will do with my single can.  It's a novel but one-off solargram camera.  I really prefer to be sustainable and use something that at least theoretically can be re-used a second or third time.


Now for the BIG FAILURE:  The Mercury Universal Camera

This link goes to my "Review".  I ordered the M645 version.  Seems like almost nobody else did.  Worked most effectively for the 4X5 and RB67 models.  Very frustrating and costly:

I felt that I had no support; posted on their FaceBook Page for assistance and was ignored.   The essence of my Problem was that the Spacer provided DID NOT work with the 645 lens.  So I ended up with the round images posted. The Spacer also did not work well with the Ilex #4.

It certainly cannot compete with my extensive Mamiya medium format camera family.  And I wasn't expecting it to.  It sounded fun and I was willing to go with the experiment.  But it just never worked for the model I ordered........

After the New Year I will try to sell of the accessories and recover what I can. Or maybe it is not even worth that effort.......

So those are my New Product Backing Experiences for 2018.

End of Year Wrap-Up Part I: Book Experiences

I'm doing my End of Year Summaries a bit differently.  I've had lot's of activity and want to have a more in depth discussion than simply publishing lists.


Lot's of book experiences to report this year.  Both Buying from Photographers that Follow, and books that I have images published in.

Let's start with Success book Purchases:

First Check Out Photo Hebrides.  I purchased one of his book for my Husband's Birthday:

We are both Taurus, so I couldn't resist the Highland Cow.  So many to choose from.  I will certainly purchase more.

Second,  Just ordered from Jim Grey "Textures of Ireland".  Bought one for myself and a Friend.

Now for Books that I have Images in:

Personalizing Place:  Moab Photography Symposium 2004-2018

And from Photographer's Forum: 38th Annual Spring Photography Contest Book.  My copy of the book has not arrived yet,  but here is my certificate:

So that was my 2019 Book Experience Summary

52 Rolls Redux: A Ride to the Airport

The Problem Plagued "A-Line" to the Denver Airport.  On the Day we decided to take the roundtrip from Downtown, it was a rare flawless trip.......

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Tech Info: Minolta XD-11 with 28-20 zoom lens, Kodak T-MAX 400; Developed and scanned by Old School Photo Labs.

52 Rolls Redux: Pawnee Buttes

We view the Prairie Sentinels at the Cedar Creek Wind Farm:

Very strange atmospheric conditions and flat light due t haze from all the many wildfires here in the western US and Canada.  Click here for more from the Buttes.

And a little reminder of what eastern Colorado looks like.  Everyone thinks of mountains, but half the state is in the Prairie.........

Tech Info:  Minolta XD-11 with Tamron 28-200 zoom lens and dark orange filter. Kodak T-Max 400 film; Developed by KellyBlackDog and scanned on my Epson v700.

Rocky Mountain Chorale Concert

I'm not singing, but I still want to promote my Music Groups:

In Remembrance: 1918-2018

52 Rolls Redux: From Moab 2017

This Week wrapping up my trip to the Moab Photo Symposium.  We stayed an extra day to wander through bot Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.  I highly recommend Canyonlands if you are passing through the area.  Often a bit less crowded than Arches, because its a longer drive to get into the heart of the Park.

Both SFX-200.  Just a matter of whether landscape or portrait view works best for you.

As you can tell I'm in a phase where I'm experimenting a lot.  That was my plan for the Workshop, and continuing through the summer.  Follow More Infrared Experimentation at my Blog.
Tech Info:  T-MAX 400 with dark orange filter (50 mm lens) & SFX-200 with IR 695 filter (42 mm lens). Both Mamiya 7 cameras.  T-Max developed at home (by KellyBlackDog aka my husband) and scanned with our Epson V700; SFX-200 developed and scanned by Old School Photo Lab.

Medical Hiatus

Taking some time off........ Please Check out the Gallery for the Colorado Photographic Arts Center Y/OUR Denver Exhibit:

Featuring one of my Images in their Juried Show.... "The Artist's Studio"

I will be off line for a bit.  However I have some preset postings that should keep you occupied.

52 Rolls Redux: Revisiting the Holga Pinhole

A redux with the Holga Pinhole........

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It's time for the Holga Wide Pinhole Panorama Review.........

This has been my 'go to' pinhole for the past several Pinhole Days, but I also have done a lot of pinhole experimenting.  But on to the results:

Tech Info:  Three rolls of film including Ilford Delta Pro 100 and 2 rolls of Kodak T-Max 400.  Developed and Scanned by Oldschool Photo Labs, New Hampshire.

End of a Mighty Vine

I didn't post much about the Garden this year.......But I one spectacular Heirloom Tomato:  Paul Robeson.  Last year he didn't do much. bit this year, I was harvesting green tomatoes like crazy ahead of our first Fall Snow last week......

52 Rolls Redux: Week 15 2017

Our Sunday Redux........Time test from last year in preparation for Pinhole Day:

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I've been doing lot's of film and exposure testing these past two weeks in preparation for a photography workshop and Pinhole Day, not much to report.  So I'm posting a final image of my Garden, which managed to survive the early threats of bad weather.  it is snowing now, but my Tulips and Daffodils are long gone, so that's OK.  See more of the Garden in my Portra 160 Pinhole time tests, in preparation for Worldwide Pinhole Day (coming April 30th).

I also tried some long exposures with Ilford Pan F Plus (ISO 50).  But not enough wind and exposures too short.  I have another roll and I'll try again on a very windy day.

Color Info: Portra 160 and Fuji GA645Zi camera.

Developed and scanned by our friends at Old School Photo Lab.

52 Rolls Redux: Let's Mix It Up!

I've posted three in a row in chronological order....so let's mix it up!

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Late this week because I've just returned from a wonderfully insightful B&W Photography "boot camp".  Unlearned old bad habits and learned a few new things.  But that's neither here not there........You'll see those images, maybe next week.......

Today we visit My friend's sort of 'hole in the wall' darkroom.  For rent in Boulder, Colorado, although he said he may have to close down soon, so this may be a fond farewell....

located in an old warehouse that is now an 'artists colony' on the far north end of town.  Above, the front door.  Below, we have to play with the Holga Flash to photograph the interior:

Up the stairs and right to the entrance:

And remember, "Don't Let Out The Dark!"

The sign says:

"Darkroom, Keep Door Closed.  If it is left open, All the Dark Leaks Out!"

Above, looking down the hallway to other artsy spaces hidden behind closed door.  And Below, we go back down the stairs to exit.  

See my home darkroom as it was under construction in 2012.

Tech Info:  Holga 120S,  Kodak T-Max 400, Holga 235B Flash. Developed and scanned by our friends at Old School Photo Labs.