2019 Year End Wrap Up: Photo Plans for 2020

Sailing Into A Happy New Year.......I want to add a note that I have Added Reaction Buttons to my posts. I'd appreciate the feedback and I know it's not always convenient to add comments.  So Please let me know if a Post is: Like, Interesting, Cool

More from the Queen Mary coming in January

Whew!  A Busy Year, especially the Winter and Spring.  7 cameras join the Family and 8 'new' films tested, +1 that I will start testing for 2020: Ilford Ortho Plus.

For those of you that don't know, I faced a serious illness starting a year ago, and Photography and Blogging was a BIG part of keeping up my Spirits.  So Thank You All for hanging in there with me!

But that experience and the affects on my visual acuity have given me a new perspective on Photography which I am calling My Inner Monet.  Also drawing Inspiration from the recent Monet Exhibit in Denver.

I've decided to explore My Inner Monet, by working more with Pinholes and Alternative Processes.  Those perfectly crisp, classic Landscapes were starting to get boring.  And as I mentioned I SEE differently now.  So I am trying a new emphasis for the coming year!

Along those lines I am also joining the Frugal Film Project.  The Concept, use an inexpensive film and any camera worth less than $50.  I have several Candidate Cameras described on my other Blog.  Feel free to chime in with an opinion.

And I've gained enormous inspiration from working on the #camerachallenge and month-long challenges that ask questions about your photography.  It really makes you think!  Follow on Twitter, sponsored by @_Jason_Avery and @ILFORDPhoto and other organizations added from time to time.  If you are on Twitter Check it out.......

I've also done a bit of Publishing in on-line Film Photography Magazines:  EMULSIVE and 35mmc:

September 2019, 35mmc: “5 FRAMES IN MY GARDEN WITH A MINOLTA XD-11 AND ILFORD HP5 ISO 400 (EI400) – BY KATE JOHNSON”

September 2019, 35mmc: “5 FRAMES IN MY GARDEN WITH A MINOLTA XD-11 AND ILFORD HP5 ISO 400 (EI400) – BY KATE JOHNSON”

September 2018, On Blurb Books: “Personalizing Place, 15 Years of the Moab Photography Symposium

Check out more Past Publications here.  I am presently working on a couple of article which should appear in early 2020.

AND Finally, My Secret Santa Sent me a camera (Olympus SuperZoom 105G), that was used in a Flickr photo project.  I want to continue this cameras Secret Life of Travel by starting a similar North American Journey.  Contact me here or on Twitter (@AnalogPhotoBug) to discuss participation.

Looking Forward to Hearing from You Next Year!

2019 Year End Wrap Up: New Camera Family Members

Some truly New and some 'new' vintage cameras have joined the Camera Family this year.  Lets start with the Truly New:  The Reality So Subtle 6X9F and the Debonair Plastic Camera.


Reality So Subtle 6X9F:  I've had a lot of success with the 6X6F, but I'm more of a landscape format person, so I decided to double down and purchase the 6X9F as well.

I haven't done a lot of photography with it so far, but here's a snow scene from a recent storm:

I've just acquired the Debonair, so I don't have any images yet.......Look for Images in January 2020.

A really interestingCamera, the FujiFilm GW690III, was recommended by the Phoblographer as a must have rangefinder:

Another new Family Member, also too 'new' to have images yet:  The Kodak Jiffy 620, a camera from my Mom's College days that she just gave to me on Thanksgiving:

I have ordered film and again, look for images in January 2020.

And two 'gifted' cameras from a neighbor who was moving: The Fujica ST-705 and Yashica Electro 35 GSN:

I have run a new roll through the Fujica, but did finish off an expired roll still in the camera:

And now for the Yashica.  I've tested the wide angle and telephoto lenses.  See the complete test Results Here.

Not My personal Camera, but my husband did acquired a FujiFilm GX680II.  Intended as a studio camera, it makes fantastic images:

WOW!  I think this is definitely the MOST cameras that we've added to the Family in a single year!

And +1 more....from my Emulsive Secret Santa & a Proposal to continue the Project:

2019 Year End Wrap Up: Films Test Results

I tested 8  'new' (to me at least) films this Spring and Summer:  CineStill 800,  Silberra (100, 160), Rollei Retro 80S, Ilford FP4, Lomochrome Purple and of course the long awaited Kodak E100 (I'll talk about that one last).  Let me start with a film sent to me by my EMULSIVE Secret Santa: Ilford FP4 and Washi Z 400.

Ilford FP4 isn't a film I've ever thought of trying.  But that's what Secret Santas are for; to push us out of our comfort zone.......More Results Here.

Roosevelt Bridge and Dam along the Salt River, AZ

Washi Z 400 is another IR Sensitive film  I had not heard of it until my Secret Santa gave it to me last year.  Definitely need to try another roll, but I wish it came in 120 size:

My Results from both Silberra Films were Pretty good.  This was an Indiegogo Project that I supported in 2018:

Silberra Pan 100

Silberra Pan 160

Rollei Retro 80S is an IR sensitive film (like Ilford SFX-200).  I read about it on one of the blogs that I follow and decided to try it.  It's not going to replace SFX-200 for me, but worth a try:

I jumped on the Lomography band wagon and ordered the Lomochrome Purple.  I've never been drawn to special effects films before, but this one intrigued me.  Of course it finally arrived months behind schedule, but oh well......

CineStill has been around for a while.  I have several rolls that I never seemed to shoot.  In the Spring we visited the Biosphere2 and I loaded up my Fuji GA645Zi with CineStill 800.  It's a Tungsten film but performed OK in the muted day lit interior of the Bioshere:

And Finally the Kodak E100 Transparency Film.  The Link is to my summary experience.  For me personally, the film ran too cold:

ISO 125 Metered

ISO 125: true Color

Pushed to ISO 200

So I am going to give Fuji Velvia 50 another try in 2020.  

And if they come out with a 120 version of E100, we'll have a true shoot out!

Secret Santa 2019: Grand Unboxing

From my Emulsive Secret Santa in Sheffield, England:

First, the unwrapping:

The Labeling:

And now the contents:  A Camera and three rolls of film.

Plus the tchotchke I requested.........

So now where are we?  The camera actually has a story the results of which can be viewed here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/thetravellingsuperzoom/

Here is a summary from my introductory letter pictured below:

"....This camera has a bit of a history in that it's spent the last few month travelling the length and breadth of  of the United Kingdom (and even got to the south of France on one leg of it's journey) as a part of a project on an online photography forum. The camera was loaded with a roll of film, the first person shot five frames, and then the camera was sent on to the next person.  The process repeated (with a half-way set of photos when a second roll of film was loaded) until it eventually got back to me.........."

AND MY PLAN:  To Start a similar project for 2020 Travelling across North America.  Check out the photo link, and If You are interested, send me a message/comment..........here or via Twitter: @AnalogPhotoBug

More Rivets on White........

I first fell in love with Rivets crossing the San Francisco Bay Bridge.....No place to stop and photograph, although the next time I cross it I will try to capture some images.  Of Course, The Golden GAte Bridge, of the same era offers the opportunity to walk across and do some photography.

But let's continue with the Queen Mary Riveting:

We will continue with my recent California Adventures in the new Year!

Queen Mary Rivets......

I really focussed on these in my earlier visit.......but I hadn't posted much, so here goes:

More Rivets......on a White Background........Coming Soon!

Season's Greetings

May You have Peace in the Coming New Year.....