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!

New Camera Family Members....

When people find out that you are a film camera user.  They assume that you also collect film cameras.  Or at least that's been my recent experience as three very different cameras have recently passed into my hands...........

The first one is the Minox Spy Camera with accessories:

Not sure why the Sony rear lens body cap is in the picture.  But since I forgot to add a ruler, it does give you a sense of scale.

Given to me by a friend who thought that I'd be able to figure out how to make it work.  For such a small camera it does have a lot of features to set.  He gave up when the film disappeared, but you can get it now, and I have a brand new roll ready to go.  But it also came with and expired roll that I'm going to shoot also.


The Second new family member comes from a neighbor that is moving.  She'd gone digital a while ago and the Fujica ST 705 has been packed away for a while.  Still has film in it, which I will finish.  Also came with an exposed but undeveloped roll.  I told my Neighbor that I would deal with getting it all developed and send them prints.

The Fujica shown here with a 35-200 zoom lens and 55 mm normal lens.  There are some other lens accessories tht we will explore later.  Along with the Fujica was a Canon Sure Shot, also with a partially exposed roll of film.

Oy vey!  I'm going to be very very busy, as I've also acquired another Minolta XD-11 that I am testing and have a recently serviced one that I am testing too.  More about these when the film comes back.

So am I becoming a Camera Collector?

Starting the Ilford Party

If you were following the #filmjune updates..........There was a final twist.  They picked two winners who were presented with lots of Ilford Film.  So I've loaded up my classic Mamiya 645 1000s and we are ready for the Ilford Film Summer Party!

Look for updates coming soon.......