Weekends Online: Protect That Film!

I found this alarming.......New CT-Scanner based machines for examining carry on bags will DESTROY your film!  Read details here.

But alarming on two fronts:  Film destroyed without warning (because the technicians are not very knowledgeable) and the high levels of radiation that CT Scanners emit.  Do the Techs know how much more radiation they are being exposed to?  There is a reason why the use of CT Scans is limited in medicine.

So why are we exposing TSA techs and casual travelers to so much radiation? Ostensibly to shorten the scan times.........For me, that's not a very god reason.  As Cancer Survivor, I'd rather wait and have less radiation exposure.

Here is a list of the Airports currently running CT Scanners:

• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
• Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI)
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
• Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
• Houston Hobby Airport (HOU)
• Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
• Logan International Airport (BOS)
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• Miami International Airport (MIA)
• Oakland International Airport (OAK)
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
• St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
• Tampa International Airport (TPA)
• Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD)

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?

How many films is it really possible to be an expert at using?

I'll be posting a survey on Twitter, but I wanted to give my non-Twitter followers a chance at answering this question.  In the future I will write an 'article' here on my feelings and the results of my survey.

So let me state the question:

What films do you use and how many do you feel it is possible to be an expert with?  Please leave a comment or vote on Twitter @AnalogPhotoBug, and look for the future article.

The films I Typically Use.

Catch-Up Part IV #filmjune

Summary of #filmjune Days 21-25:  Remember you can follow this on Twitter #filmjune

Q21. What are you go to Film developing chemicals?
It used to be D76, but mixing the powder and getting it to fully dissolve was problematic. So we've switched to all liquid developers with Clayton F76 No. 1 in our darkroom and Ilfotec DD-X our next choice. We also use Ilford Rapid Fixer.

Q22. How do you store your film for a day out photographing?
I keep the film in the box (120 size) and put the box in my pack.  If I'm wearing my photo vest, I'll keep a roll or two in a pocket for quick access:

If I'm on the road I'll wrap the boxes in ziplocs and keep them in the cooler.

Q23.  Do you own a fantastic camera that no one hypes about?
My favorite go to 35mm that never gets any love is the Minolta X-700.  When I started photography to document my geological work, my parents could only afford one of the SRT-Series cameras.  They were marked down because the X-700 was about to debut.  So I started with Minolta and when I was ready for a new camera, saw no reason to change brands so I bought an X-700.  I now own three!  It was my stalwart reliable field geology field camera since the late 1980's.  Minolta lenses also don't get the credit due them.

Cerro Totuma, Panama.  Another place I did geological work.

Me being a Geologist on Reunion Island, Indian Ocean.

Q24. Which current photographer do you admire most and why?
I'm going to give you two:  Clyde Butcher, because I love his capture of the Florida Landscape and his recent book Inspired by Dali; Also John Sexton, because he's continuing the Monterey B&W Tradition and I love his Book, Places of Power.  Steps out of landscape mode.

Q25. Have you built or made any accessories for your camera?  Easy answer, NO!

Mondays Online: Film Makes a Comeback!

HA HA you naysayers!  Film's decline has ended.  Have My Prayers have been answered?

Too bad I've lost all my favorite transparency films.....maybe some will make a return from the dead.  But at least we've reached a stable point.

Montana Workshop Wrap Up

Wrapping up the posts from our Montana B&W Workshop:

You'll probably see this Barn again, as I like to post Flags on National Holidays.  But I didn't want to wait on this one.  The Barn at Photographers Formulary.

Old Church Building?  From Virginia City, Montana.  The only image I made there.  I think I was just tired and burned out.  Donald made more photos, but hasn't posted them yet.....

And on the way home, the Tetons from Togwotee Pass, Wyoming.  We hope to return next year.

Lake Holland

We spent a couple of evenings at Lake Holland.  Here a few scenes from one of the rolls:

Below, from a different roll and a bit "overcooked".  But still interesting:

In the Trees........

I wasn't finding the fog at Van Lake very inspiring.......But I do like trees.  So I turned the camera around and looked at the Forest:

Two slightly different perspectives on the same stand of trees.

Happy Saturday!

Took a week off from the hectic 'business' of posting on two blogs.  All of these images will be cross posted with the 52 Rolls Project, so there is no link to that page.

Starting now with the Results of our Montana Workshop, with a little sunrise fog at Van Lake:

Sundays Online: Film is a Journey Worth Taking & 52 Rolls Week 25:52

Tis is also my 52 Rolls Posting for this week.  I'm changing things up for the heart of my Landscape Season and throwing alternate medium formats at you!

Check out Craig Sheaks on Film as a Journey that can transform you......

And Film is a Journey as I finally grasped at a recent B&W Photography Workshop in Condon, Montana with the Photographer's Formulary Crew, and Nathan McCreery as the instructor. Corrected some lazy mistakes I was making, but learned new things too!.  And I was finally convinced to use a spot meter!

Each participant came away with one good image......mine above, which I will have to reprint, because this is on resin coated paper.

Tech Info: Mamiya 6X7, Kodak T-Max 400, film developer Formulary's FA-1027, exposure (spotmeter) f/22 for 2 seconds.

And another perspective on the Film Photographic Journey.

52 Rolls: Week #3

My complete offering to the Project for Week #3 is posted here.  My favorite image from Roll #3:  Winter Sun at Lake Waneka:

Starting the Year Off Right.......Focus on Analog Photography

Following up the theme of the 52 Rolls 2016 Project, Here is a post from out friend the Phoblographer offering multiple sources of Information for the first time film user.

Also, Amazon announced that Film was the Best Selling Photo Gift Product this holiday season.  Way to go Analog Photo Bugs!

Yes it's been altered in Photoshop, but anything Digital can do, Film can do Better!

Sundays Online: Joining the 52 Rolls in 2016 Project

I've opted in to the 52 Rolls Project for 2016.  And As a Tribute to Holga, it will be a Holga Project as well:

I will also use this opportunity to use up those rolls of CR200 that might yield unexpected results. That way I can call it "Experimental".  And you see also my EMULSIVE Secret Santa Gift (Thanks Isaac in Boise), a Holga Fisheye Lens, that I will be using.

Below:  A set of Holga Special Effects Lenses that I bought years ago thinking it was a good Idea, and then never used.  They will also make an appearance for the Project.

So that gives me a lot to work with, and I only need 12-shots a week.

I'm posting this ahead of New Year's Day so you can check it out and decide f you want to opt in.

EMULSIVE Secret Santa Reveal

Thanks Isaac in Boise.  I will be using the Lens in my next Project:  52 Rolls in 2016.  Also gotta love that Octopus Santa!

It's Polaroid Week!

A Week now and A Week in the Fall.  I don't have a functioning Polaroid, but I have fond memories of the Family Photos take with my Father's J33 Land Camera.

And I do Promote All Things Film!

You can follow the Fun on Twitter!

It's Film Photography Day........

So get out that old film camera and get to work!  Find the Contest Details Here.

An example of Last Year's Fun:

Sponsored by Lomography

Saturdays Online: Film Saved by the Under 35 Crowd.........

And also the plastic camera craze has helped!  More power to them, as PetPixel explains an Ilford Survey found that the Under 35 Crowd is going photo retro.  And Still More Power to them!

My Neighbor's Snow Couch

And speaking of Plastic cameras. I used to do quite a bit of Holga.  It introduced me to medium format and I've just kept going from there.  Mostly now I use my Holga Pinhole, but recently I've literally dusted off my Holga and started shooting again.

And films are being reborn everyday, e.g., at Film Ferrania.

Also Check Out Local Darkroom if you are looking for a place to do your own work.

Saturdays Online: What was on those old Rolls of Film.....And why aren't my Photos Better?

Today in a tongue in cheek offering we answer these burning photographic questions?

First kudos to the ShoeBoxBlog for their insight:

Do you remember what's on that last roll of film that you shot BEFORE switching to digital?  Did you ever finish it and get the roll developed?  Sometimes wonderful 'gifts' can be found on those undeveloped rolls.  And how often have you heard that some famous photographer died, and left dozens of undeveloped film rolls in their belongings?

Or conversely are you guilty of endless selfies and images of your lunch plate, because you feel you should be taking pictures since you have that digital camera on your phone?  And is your addiction to social media fueling this?

And finally an explanation of why your images may not be as good as you expect.  This is completely satire, but some of the comments you'll see after the article have no sense of humor.
If Your Photos Aren’t Good Enough, Your Camera Isn’t Expensive Enough
 But do you really need a reason to add to your camera family? Nah, JUST DO IT!

And I always try to include a recent image of my own.  

On film, from Cottonwood Pass, Colorado.

Have a 'Filmy' 4th of July

Our Friends at Lomography had a great 4th of July image:

Composed of various Lomo  & Diana Cameras!

Have a Filmy 4th of July!

Saturday's Online: How it Looks...How it Lasts

Homage to Kodachrome, and the loss of Archival Stability. Link to the Project.