From the Archive - Musical Still Life exposure no. 7

Mamiya RB67 Sekkor 90mm f2.8 FujiFilm Reala ISO 100 C-41 - One from 1993, a little fun with what was around at the time. Two Bowen 9000 Monolites shooting through white umbrellas. Another example of my ongoing love affair with FujiFilm Reala. Low contrast, tight grain and great tone reproduction.

From the Web - Afghan Wooden Box Camera

Bromo Seltzer in Cobalt Blue exposure no. 4

Kiev 60 Arsat 80mm f2.8 Hoya +4 Close Up Lens FujiFilm Reala 100 Arista C-41 - Somewhere in life I developed an attraction to cobalt blue glass that borders on a fetish. Some of the older cobalt is such an amazingly deep shade of blue, it seems to calm the soul. I am sure the Bromo Seltzer from the Emerson  Drug Co. of Baltimore MD. this bottle once contained, was the sure cure for whatever ailed you, but the gorgeous vessel couldn't hurt.

Instant Karma

Calumet Cambo View Camera Schneinder-Kreuznach Symmar 210mm f5.6 FujiFilm FP-100C Instant Pack Film - I will always love Instant film, especially the pull and peel style film originally made famous by Polaroid. There is something magical about it. The prints are truly a one of a kind moments in time frozen on paper. You can scan it, copy it and print it, but you will never recreate that exact image ever again. The true essence of analog. This was just a quick, one off shut to test my recently acquired view camera. All Hail instant, long may it Peel.

Abstract Landscape exposure no. 5

Nikon FE2 Micro-Nikkor 55mm f2.8 Orwo UN54 Adonal 1:50 -  Another shot from my first roll of Orwo UN54. At first glance it looks like a rocking outcropping on a shear cliff, but it is actually a woody outcropping on a rooting tree trunk. I took a number of frames, and it took me a week to pick the one I liked most.

Orwo UN54 in Adox Adonal 1:50 exposure no. 21

Nikon FE2 Micro-Nikkor 55mm f2.8 Orwo UN54 ISO 100 Adox Adonal 1:50 - Another from my first roll of Orwo UN54. This one really shows it's tonal range. Scanned using a Minolta Dimage Dual Scan III.

Orwo UN54 in Adox Adonal 1:50 exposure no. 12

Nikon FE2 Micro-Nikkor 55mm f2.8 Orwo UN54 Adox Adonal 1:50 - I recently bought a 100' roll of Orwo UN54 ISO 100 35mm film from Orwo North America, having read several reviews singing it's praises as a good replacement for Kodak Plus-X. Orwo was originally an East German film company, the fell into obscurity after the fall of the Soviet Union. In the Late 90's production of Monochrome films restarted in the original Orwo Wolfen Germany factory, primarily for use as motion picture film. I am a sucker for exotic film. My first roll was developed in Adox Adonal, a Rodinal equivalent, and yielded great results.

Caffeinated Box Camera exposure no. 6

Agfa Ansco B2 Shur-Shot Regular FujFilm Neopan Acros 100 Caffenol-C-M - Something about caffenol and vintage cameras just works. Shot with the Shur-Shot discussed in my previous post and developed with caffenol-c-m, this a a repeat of a previous subject with a different feel.

The Agfa Ansco B-2 Shur-Shot Regular

The Agfa Ansco Shur-Shot Regular

Front on view showing the Art Deco design accents and dual viewfinders for Horizontal and Vertical shooting.

Camera controls. Time for selecting either standard shuttle speed or Bulb. Film advance. Diaphragm to select the 2 available f-stops or the built in yellow filter for black and White and the shuttle release. Also of note the black frame lines in the view finder to denote the 6x4.5 framing. 

The Shur-Shot with the guts removed for film loading. In this shot the camera is configured for the 6x9 frame format.

This shot shows the camera reconfigured for 6x4.5 format.

The Shur-Shot's instructions and printed on the inside from. I love the retro graphics.

A Box Camera Classic in the same category as the Kodak Brownies. The Shur-Shot uses 120 film, making it easy to use even today. Sporting 2 shutter speeds, something close to a 60th of a second and Bulb this is not a action stopper by any means. The standard 6x9 frame format does make it a great landscape camera, as long as you do not mind blurry corners. The Shur-Shot has 2 fairly unique features for a simple box camera. One, a built in yellow filter that can be selected by the sliding diaphragm tab on the side of the camera. And two, dual frame formats, 6x9 and 6x4.5, selected by moving metal frame blades in and out of position. Images from this camera to follow. More on the Shur-Shot at Camera-Wiki.

Old Locked Door exposure no. 9

Kiev 60 Arsat 80mm f2.8 Fomapan 100 Arista 76 1:1 - An old door on a signal house in Lynchburg Virginia's lower basin. When you live someplace a long time you begin to overlook great subjects. What may be common place for you is new to someone else. Peering at things through a camera's viewfinder can help you rediscover the City you live in.

Coca-Cola Bottling Works exposure no. 12

Kiev 60 Arsat 80mm f2.8 Fomapan 100 Arista 76 1:1 - More from the lower basin. The old Cola-Cola Bottling Works, with it's recently restored paint. I was tempted to chop down the offensive 1970's streetlight in the foreground for ruining the retro look of this image.

New Defiles Old exposure no. 8

Kiev 60 Arsat 80mm f2.8 Fomapan 100 Arista 76 1:1 - Shot in the lower basin of Lynchburg Va., this old switch house is just one example of the many beautiful old buildings in and around downtown. It is always a shame when someone feels the need to defile a classic. My first roll Fomapan 100. I love the 400 and the 100 is every bit as pleasing. I used and R25 filter and a polarizer to enhance the dramatic look.