My Holga Week

My Holga Week has posed on my Fine Arts Blog.  Here is a sample:

Unfortunately I will not be participating in future Holga Weeks.  I had wanted to submit something, but could not get the link form the organizers.  After two attempts at contacting them, with no response, I'm dropping out of the process for next year..........

Last Shots for Holga Week

Just finished my second roll for Holga Week.  And oh, yeah I do have lot's of green tomatoes.  Expecting our first hard freeze in a couple of days.........

Figuring Out My Reality So Subtle........

In time for Worldwide Pinhole Day: April 28, 2019.

I recently acquired a Reality So Subtle Pinhole 6X6F Camera from James Guerin.

Of Course, remember to take the lens cap off.  A mistake I made in an early shoot. Below, the uncapped camera with the shutter closed:

And then with the shutter open:

So now, what problem did I have? Figuring out distances and limits on the view:

I was trying to use what appeared to be the range finder on the top.  But it is not obvious how to apply it.  Of course, now that I have examined more of the online literature, I can see my mistakes, sort of.  Now I know that the view is 99 degrees.  Going forward I will try to utilized that angle of view to figure out what I am seeing.  I also experienced vignetting when I tried to use the filter.  But I attached a 62mm filter....too small.  I will try a 77mm filter for B&W next time:

I will be doing some more range finding tests in preparation for Worldwide Pinhole Day.  Also starting with Portra 160 film since I have some good time tests (see link below).  I will post what I find along the way.........

Link to 2017 Portra 160 Time Tests

52 Rolls Redux: A Trip North to Yellowstone

The last two entries were from January 2016.  Now lets jump ahead to the Fall of 2017 and our trip to Yellowstone:


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Finally getting back into action.  Wrapping up my posts from Yellowstone with an interesting spring called the Orange Mound:

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And Ending with more from the Sunrise over Excelsior Geyser:

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Tech Info:  Mamiya 7 with Portra 160 film; Developed and scanned by Old School Photo Labs.

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.

What Is This?

A Knot.....

Bark Study......

Zucchini Hybrids.......

Down the Rabbit Hole, Or.......

Or, why I need to STOP focusing so much time on Twitter.  Number 1, it detracts from my blogs and Number 2, I'm not sure that it is increasing traffic to my blogs.......Number 3 '#' used to mean Number!

Because of Twitter, I've gotten caught up in all of these short-term 'shoot for a theme' projects (like #camerachallenge and @PortraParty).  I think I got caught up in it because of my success with #filmjune.  Nothing like 'winning' something to cause a distraction from the real purpose of my photography.

This is supposed to be my thoughtful and meditative artistic expression.  I've never been one who required (or even sought) instant gratification.  If I needed that I wouldn't be a film shooter.....

So for September, we are returning to first principles.  More writing here....more thoughtfulness, less emphasis on Tweeting!  This blog forwards to Twitter, but I'm shooting for myself, not for Twitter Projects.

I've been doing some macro work lately.....OK it was a Twitter Challenge.  But.........

The Weather has been unpleasant (hot and very polluted)  so I haven't been out in nature the past couple of months.  Therefore I've worked with what I had....My Garden.

The North American Fur Trade

The North American Fur Trade was fueled by the Top Hat, originally made from Beaver Fur.  Beavers were already near extinction in western Europe by this time.  And in North America the Beaver was driven almost to extinction.  Saved only by the silk trade, replacing fur with silk in Top Hat manufacture.  You can find a list of Colorado Trading Forts here.

Exterior (above) and interior of the Turret.

This was our First visit to Fort Lupton, and upon reflection, it seemed like B&W would be more appropriate.  So on our Second visit we shot T-Max 400.  I need to scan those.  So we'll take a look at those next week.

Fort Lupton: Part II

We were attending an open house at the Fort, so there were demonstrations, a Trapper's camp and re-enactors  We actually were so impressed that we joined the Historical Society and talked to the re-enactors about the various costumes and options for participating.

In the Background you can see the Trading Entrance described yesterday.

Lancaster Lupton's 2-story home inside the Fort.

Welcome to Fort Lupton

Starting off the month with a Visit to Fort Lupton, one of many 'Trading Forts' along the Missouri River and it's tributaries. Lovingly and authentically restored by the South Platte Valley Historical Society.  Welcome to Lancaster Lupton's trading post founded in 1836.

 One of these days I'll remember to use my lens hood to avoid sun flares.......

This is actually not the Trading Entrance pictured above, but a side entrance.  

Below is the Trading entrance seen from the inside.

This was a double gated portico of sorts, where Native Americans were permitted to trade, without having access to the secured part of the Fort.

Reliving Childhood Memories

Holidays, like Thanksgiving, often cause us to reminisce.  But often Childhood memories cannot be  revisited without disappointment.  So I report to you here, to kick off the Holiday Season. a childhood revisit that DID NOT disappoint:  The Black Hills 1880 Train.

Of course the train that I had experienced in 1969 has been retired, but had a long and productive life in film and television, as well as taking my family on a fun ride that August afternoon in 1969.  That engine wasn't actually from 1880, but the founder of the line said upon his first ride, that it felt like the 1880's.

Still steam powered (above recharging the boiler between runs). but now by oil instead of coal.

A few times a day, they also check the oils levels for the gears.

Whenever I have the chance to ride a steam train I do.  My Father loved trains.  He started his career at the Post Office on mail trains in the 1950's.  And yes, there were still Steam Engines on line then.  

I always think of him when I ride a train......

I hope you and yours had a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted as Week #41 of the 52 Rolls Project.....

At Artist's Point

We end our Yellowstone Tour at the famous Artist's Point overlooking the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, featuring the lower Falls:

 Above: First View, and 

Below:  with 150 mm lens:

Rare view looking downstream

(no one ever looks this way).

 

Ending with An Artist @ Artist's Point:

 

And His View:

This wraps up 52 Rolls Week 37 & 38.

Yellowstone: Excelsior Spring

Adjacent to the Grand Prismatic Spring, you have to pass it to get to the main attraction.  But let's pause and give the Excelsior Spring some Love......

 

Above, runoff from Excelsior Geyser and Below, Excelsior Overlook.

 

Follow the link to learn more, but an eruption in 1888

basically turned the Geyser into a Spring. 

Steam from Grand Prismatic Spring in the background.

From the Overlook:  Sunrise over Excelsior

 

And Final views of the algae and bacteria around Grand Prismatic Spring.

Yellowstone: Orange Mound

Wrapping up my trip through Yellowstone over the next couple of days.  As you remember I had a major camera failure of the XD-11 on the trip.  So I'm missing a lot of the images I shot.  But here goes with images from the Mamiya-7.

Mammoth Hot springs has changed a lot since I first visited in1981.  I think it was prettier than, but the hydrology of the Springs does change over time, and with the recent earthquakes especially. 

But we took a different trail and found a very interesting Spring:  The Orange Mound,

Yellowstone: Fire Hole River Trail

"Trail" of Algae flowing away from a small geyser.

I think, next time I will spend more time on the algae and bacteria.

Fire Hole Spring and Lake.

  Pink Cone Geyser, spouting a bit of steam.