Impossible Nature

Polaroid Macro 5 SLR Impossible Project Color Instant Print Film - A couple of shots for the Impossible Moment in Time Flickr group. I love instant film and the Impossible Project has made it possible to dig the Polaroid, SX-70, 600 and Spectre Instant cameras out of your closet and use them again. All the Lo-Fi, pastel instant colors you remember are available again.

Kajin Tora....

Fujifilm GA645Zi Fujinon 55-90 f4.5/6.9 Fujifilm Acros 100 Arista 76 1:1 - One of the first shots from my GZ645Zi, our cat Kajin Tora was striking a great pose so I could not pass her up. She has stunning eyes and a killer instinct.

Scanned with an Epson V500 Photo using Epson's OEM software.

The Infamous Texas Inn

Fujifilm GA645Zi Fujinon 55-90 f4.5/6.9 Fujifilm Acros 100 Arista 76 1:1 - A Lynchburg land mark for more years then must people remember, the "T-Room" as it is known, specializes in Chili and Hamburgers and serves up some of the best hang over food in town. Their trademark burger is the Cheesy Western, a cheese burger with Chili topped with a fried egg. The decor is classic 1950's lunch counter, with a sprinkling of greasy spoon, but do not let the rough edges keep you away. The Texas in a classic American Burger joint in the best sense of the genre.

Scanned with an Epson V500 Photo using Epson's OEM Software.

Watch that first step!

Fujifilm GA645Zi Fujinon 55-90 f4.5/6.9 Fujifilm Acros 100 Arista 76 1:1 - A door to nowhere, this one adorns the side of the Academy of Music in downtown Lynchburg VA.. Now a part of Lynchburg Academy of Fine Arts the old theatre has been under active restorations for several years.

Scanned with an Epson V500 Photo using Epson's OEM software.

GMC

Fujifilm GA645Zi Fujinon 55-90 f4.5/6.9 Fujifilm Acros 100 Arista 76 1:1 - An example of why the GA645Zi is my new love. The Fujinon zoom lens, if a bit slow, is absolutely stunning. The sharpness and contrast jumped off the negatives even before I scanned them. There are many reason I still shoot film, habit, nostalgia, the process, the smell of fixer and images like this.

Scanned with and Epson V500 Photo using Epson's OEM software.

The Fujifilm GA645Zi - Now this is what I call Point and Shoot Camera....

May I present my new love, the Fujifilm GA645Zi. After several years of wanting a Fujifilm medium format camera, I finally bit the bullet and bought this beauty. The real debate for me had been which model to buy. Fujifilm and made many flavors of medium format cameras over the years in 6x9, 6x7 and 6x4.5 format. Most of their models are rangefinders with normal or wide angel fixed lenses. My life long love affair with rangefinder cameras is what first drew me to the Fujifilm cameras, but as I researched these cameras, this model slowly won me over. The GA645Zi is not a rangefinder camera. It is an auto-focus, zoom lens packing, built in flash, auto film advance, auto exposure master work of late 1990's film camera technology. The camera packs the best features of a high end 35mm point and shoot into a medium format shooter that is not much larger or heavier than a typical 35mm SLR. Though large, the camera handles like a dream with most controls easily operated with your right hand, aided by the ample rubberized grip. The GA645Zi can be used as a fully automatic, point and shoot camera, but there are option for Aperture Priority and Shutter priority automatic as well as fully manual exposure control. Manual focus is also possible, but is limited to a "guesstimation" presetting method, with no focusing aid. If it only had a rangefinder driven manual focusing system, this camera work be perfect.

Images from this camera to come...

Complete Specifications:

CAMERA: Fujifilm GA645Zi 

TYPE: Autofocus 6x4.5cm lens-shutter camera 

LENS: Built-in EBC-Fujinon 55-90mm f/4.5-6.9 power zoom 

FOCUSING: Hybrid active infrared/ passive phase-detection single-shot AF; manual zone focusing 

METERING: Non-TTL center-weighted 

EXPOSURE MODES: Programmed AE, aperture-priority AE, metered manual 

SHUTTER: Electronically controlled lens shutter with speeds from 2 sec. to 1/700 plus B 

FILM SPEEDS: ISO 25-1600 automatically set with Barcoded films; can also be set manually 

FILM TRANSPORT: Automatic threading, single-frame advance and wind to end of roll 

FLASH: Built-in pop-up autoflash (ISO 100 GN 39, in feet) covers angle of view of 55mm lens; hot-shoe provided for accessory dedicated flash units; PC terminal for studio flash; sync up to 1/700 

VIEWFINDER: Transparent liquid crystal "bright frame" zoom type shows at least 88% of actual image area; 0.4-0.58X magnification with zoom lens at infinity 

VIEWFINDER INFORMATION: Flash on/off, shutter speed, aperture, focusing distance, exposure compensation, exposure status, shutter released 

LCD PANEL: Displays shutter speed, aperture, frame number, film speed, flash status, battery status, film length, exposure compensation, self-timer, focusing distance, MF mode, date, time 

SELF-TIMER: Electronic, 10-sec. delay 

POWER SOURCE: Two 3V CR123A lithium batteries 

DIMENSIONS: 6.4x4.3x2.9 in. 

WEIGHT: 31.2 oz. 

Burned Out

Kodak Retina IIIS Schneider Retina-Curtagon 35mm f2.8 Orwo UN54 Arista-76 Stock - A beautiful old house in a bad situations on Rivermont Ave. in Lynchburg, VA.. It was hit by lightning, setting the roof on fire, burning out most of the upper floor. An owner of an old home myself, I hope someone takes the time and money to save this old Victorian.

Scanned with a Minolta Dimage Scan Dual III using Silverdast SE Plus Software.

Nature Fights Back...

Kodak Retina IIIS Schneider Retina-Curtagon 35mm f2.8 Orwo UN54 Arista-76 Stock - Nature is slowly reclaiming an old house undergoing a stalled restoration. Vines have nearly consumed the entire left side of the structure, and the once manicured bushes are now blocking the front door. This has all taken place in less then two years, and our very wet Spring is just speeding the take over.

Scanned with a Minolta Dimage Scan Dual III Using SilverFast SE Plus Software.

Deaf Child Area?

Kodak Retina IIIS Schneider Retina-Curtagon 35mm f2.8 Orwo UN54 Arista-76 Stock - I am not making fun on anybody's disability, but is a street really the best place for a Deaf Child Area? Another shot from my first test roll from my newly acquired Retina IIIS.

Scanned with a Minolta Dimage Scan Dual III using Silverfast SE Plus.

Leaves

Kodak Retina IIIS Schneider Retina-Curtagon 35mm f2.8 Orwo UN54 Arista-76 Stock - An abstract of layered trees. The sun backlighting the translucent leaves makes for an interesting effect.

Scanned with a Minolta Dimage Scan Dual III Using SilverFast SE Plus Software.

Caffenol Cookbook

For those of you interested in developing film with instant coffee check out the site: The Caffenol Cook Book. A great starring point for all things coffee and film.

Back to Retina....

Kodak Retina IIIS Schneider Retina-Curtagon 35mm f2.8 Orwo UN54 Arista-76 Stock - My first experience with photography was using my Father's Kodak Retina IIIS. A gorgeous German made 35mm rangefinder that kicked off not only my life long love of photographer, but also my undying love for rangefinder cameras. Sadly, the shutter in that Retina broke several years ago, so I have been unable to use my first love. Recently I tracked down a replacement on ebay, and this is fruit from my first test roll. The optics are as good as I remembered, crisp with perfect contrast. More to come from this camera.

Scanned with a Minolta Dimage Scan Dual III using Silverfast SE Plus.

Handles, Chains and Locks

Kiev 60 Arsat 80mm f2.8 Kodak Tri-X 400 Adox Adonal 1:50 - Another study as much about the textures and tones, as the subject. Great later afternoon like made this image pop, and the Tri-X/Adonal combination completed the look.

Scanned with an Epson V500 Photo using Epson's OEM software.

Doggie Door

Kiev 60 Arsat 80mm f2.8 Kodak Tri-X 400 Adox Adonal 1:50 - An interesting mix of tones and textures on this one. I love the way rusted, weathered iron renders in black and white, the subtle tones are wonderful. 

Scanned with an Epson V500 Photo using Epson OEM Software.

Dark Entries

Kiev 60 Arsat 45mm f3.5 Kodak Tri-X Adox Adonal 1:50 - This portal was hidden between two buildings at basement level, I noticed it from a terrace above. The sun was just cutting between the two buildings making the lighting very contrasty and eery. There was very little room to shoot, even with the Arsat 45mm. My back was against the other building.

Scanned with an Epson V500 Photo using Epson's OEM software.

First Baptist Church Lynchburg Virginia

Kiev 60 Arsat 45mm f3.5 Kodak Tri-X 400 Adox Adonal 1:50 - From Wikipedia "The First Baptist Church, a historic Baptist church located at Lynchburg, Virginia. It is built of hard-pressed red brick on a rough granite foundation. The main facade of the church, facing Eleventh Street, and the two sides are centered with large rose windows framed within Gothic arches covered with hood moldings. Construction began in 1884 and the church was dedicated in 1886. In the 1920s, Lynchburg architect Stanhope S. Johnson designed the complementary Sunday School annex. In 1941, the interior of the sanctuary was modified by Stanhope S. Johnson, with the creation of a divided chancel. It is home to the oldest Baptist congregation of Lynchburg, established in July 1815"

Scanned with and Epson V500 Photo using Epson's OEM software.

Alternate Door

Kiev 60 Arsat 80mm f2.8 Kodak Tri-X 400 Adox Adonal 1:50 - Continuing on the door theme started in the previous post, the light and shadow of the late afternoon sun made this intriguing. I have mentioned my life long love affair with Kodak's Tri-X before. It is the first film I ever developed myself and I will shoot Tri-X as long as I can get it.

Scanned with and Epson V500 Photo using Epson's OEM software.

Gotham

Kiev 60 Arat 45mm f3.5 Kodak Tri-X Adox Adonal 1:50 - Walking around downtown Lynchburg, Va. reminds me of Gotham City in the old Batman TV show, everything tilts at odd angles and nothing seems to be square. In this image the inherent barrel distortion of the Arsat 45mm accentuates that feeling. I want to return to the doorway and shoot it at night. It has a light inside the stairwell above the top of the arch, giving the entryway a great film noir in the dark.

Scanned with an Epson V500 Photo using Espon's OEM software. 

Stewart Iron Works Cincinnati Ohio

Kiev 60 Arsat 80mm f2.8 20mm ext. Tube Kodak Tri-X Adox Adonal 1:50 - Shot while roaming downtown Lynchburg VA with my Kiev 60. This plate is mounted on the iron gates to an old church. I loved the text and graphic design.

Scanned with and Epson V500 Photo using Epson's OEM software.