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Film and Sand

Last fall, I went to the beach. Specifically, the beach on Saint Croix. I brought several cameras, specifically a digital point and shoot, a fi;m point and shoot, and a gopro. In the end, I didn't use the gopro at all, I used the mirrorless the most, and the film boi when I was getting into the water.

The film camera I brought was the Sea & Sea MX-10 shooting Fuji Superia 400. I was planning on selling it, but thought I'd hold onto it until after the trip.

The camera was what I thought it would be- not the best camera with not the best lens. The camera has a meter but manual controls, but I just used sunny 16 for everything. I'm proud that I've gotten quite good at it!

These shots were struggle to invert and color balance. For one, I've been largely shifting towards editing on iPad, especially when I'm traveling. However, the application I use, lightroom mobile, is not good at flipping shots at all.

Am I happy with these? I'm on the edge. I think I like the way the shots can bring me back to being on that beach or in that water. However, I remember how much of a struggle it was with the camera and editor to get them to this point.

#film photography #staybrokeshootfilm #fujifilm #sea&sea #beachlife #virgin islands

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A Walk in the Woods

#texas #austin #fujix70 #fujifilm #fujifilmrecipes

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Wider, But Not Necessarily Faster or Better

I bought a new camera. I know, the last thing I need is a new camera, and I definitely agree with that sentiment, but, I found this camera in a hard case, and at worst, I figured I could sell the camera on and keep the hard case.

What camera, you ask?

Yes, and underwater camera! But didn't I have a waterproof, bright-yellow, plastic camera before? Yes, yes I did. If you scroll back on this blog, you'll find some content on the Minolta Weathermatic DL-35.

While this camera similar in many ways, it's different too. This camera is fundamentally a fixed focus, fixed shutter speed camera with manual exposure and an uncoupled meter.

So what's the big idea? Is it usable? Is... I dare even say, good? I've shot some good lenses before, some decent lenses,

Yes, and yes!

The lens itself is actually pretty decent. Definitely better than disposable camera quality, and if you told me that this came out of the Petri Color 35, I wouldn't doubt you. A lot of the sharpness comes from the fact that the camera has a fixed 1/100th of a second shutter speed, so it forces you to stop down in daylight.

The lens is far from clinical, especially since I'm using a lens adapter that changes the 32mm lens into a 21mm lens. It also creates the vignetting and black corners you see in these shots. Check out this bendy telephone pole!

#film photography #staybrokeshootfilm #texas #austin #aristaedu400 #film development #homedevelopedfilm #film is not dead #filmisnotdead #film #35mm film

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It's Coarse and Rough and Irritating

I recently took a trip to St. Croix, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Remember when I said I wasn't very busy through the summer, but felt busy, well now I am busy, and, to no one's surprise, I feel even busier.

I'm beholden to the academic cycle both as a student and school staff. I'd forgotten how busy things get when there are actually students in the buidlng.

So when my brother-in-law invited us to a destination wedding, I hemmed and hawed for sure, but in the end I'm glad I had the chance to go.

In terms of photography, I've been feeling pretty disillusioned with photography lately. A lot of the time, I feel like there isn't much of a point.

The whole "EDC" finding the moments every day and documenting life, all that is fine, but felt pointless. So waht if something had great light or a great composition, and I was able to train my eyes to see it. If I take a picture of it, so what?

Now, I still have no idea. I don't know what I think or feel about picture-taking. But this trip was a great reminder that there are moments and scenes worth capturing.

#Virgin Islands #u.s. virgin islands #fujix70 #fujifilmrecipes #fujifilm #fujixseries #beachlife #wedding photography

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Slowing Down

While this summer wasn't super busy for me on paper, I feel like it's been pretty non-stop for me. I picked up more hours at work, was doing some work at a local non-profit that was part volunteer and part independent research for my school program.

People also like to do things, and travel, and have celebrations, and I've been trying to show up for those as much as I can as well.

While I always firmly feel like I want to and do have a camera with me, It's almost always been the thing that's quickest and easiest on hand, which is more often than not the Fun x70. I know the results I get and really like them.

What falls by the wayside is film. While I really value the deliberate slowness, taking that time is something that's been a bit difficult for me. even having to meter manually, or think about sunny 16 can be enough of a mental barrier to me bringing film somewhere.

Not to mention, as you guys know, the film I rock with is expired. I think it would be one thing if I were loading fresh film in a fully-functioning point and shoot, then taking it to the lab to dev and scan. However, that just isn't the way I like to do film or spend my money. If I wanted that experience, well, I'd just shoot digital.

I still very much like the photos I get. I don't think I'm burnt out on that. I think I'm re-evaluating the process of getting there.

Maybe I take a break from film?

Kinda feels sad to say. I have a number of film cameras at this point that I love to use. I have a good bit of film at my disposal. I've also been getting more and more consistent results with these cameras.

But maybe that's the way the pendulum swings. Maybe it'll come back around again. Maybe I'll sell everything off. Who knows.

#austin #texas #fujifilm #fujix70 #film development #petri #aristaedu400 #home #staybrokeshootfilm #homedevelopedfilm

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San Antonio

Recently took a trip to San Antonio. We were just there for a weekend, so we didn't get to see a lot.

I was trying a new recipe for this, one adapted from Velvia

This was unusual for me, since Velvia, for a long time, has been my worst enemy. While I was caught up in the "film" trend, especially overexposed color negative film, I wanted pastel colors and low contrast.

Most of the shots were not my favorite. I didn't hate them, they just weren't my favorite.

Conversely, Velvia is a simulation of slide film, and is known for its high saturation and high contrast.

However, you can sometimes overcome that by turning the color down in the settings and using the EV comp. Some of these shots look... much less crazy.

And also, Velvia is kickass for some things that I'd never realized. Look at how amazing this chicken biscuit looks!

#texas #photography #fujifilm #san antonio #fujix70 #fujifilmrecipes #fujilove #fujixseries #velvia

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Life, Recently, Again

Here are a couple snapshots from my life recently!

That's all! Just some moments, all in those Jpeg Squares I know and love

#austin #texas #photography #fujifilm #fujifilmrecipes #fujix70 #fujilove #fujixseries

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Must.... Reduce... Focus...

I got a piece of equipment I've been wanting for a while: The Mamiya 645 to Sony Focal Reducer. My Ebay alert told me that Kipon was having a HUGE sale, and even though it was still pricey, I decided to bite the bullet.

What this adapter does is squeeze the lens' 645 image projection closer to the full frame sensor size, so instead of the crop factor being 1, it is 0.7. Which means my 80mm lens is 56mm, and my f/1.9 is an f/1.3.

When I got it, I was super excited. After all, shooting medium format digital was something I'd heard all the hype about and was excited for, having shot a lot of medium format film as well as digital.

One thing that was unexpected for me though was how many bad shots I ended up with.

Yes, you heard that correctly. Bad.

But doesn't shallow DOF cure all? Isn't that the cheat code all the "real photographers" chastise beginners for over-relying on?

Well, it turns out, no. Or at least, not for me.

Take this shot , for instance. I was excited for this shot. I think it's a neat composition. framing the angel with the hedges. Foreground has a distance to the angel too, so I can really lean on that DOF to hopefully de-emphasize the white truck in the foreground.

But it just doesn't work. I kinda hate this shot. The out of focus parts are more distracting than they are helpful.

So in conclusion, this focal reducer is not a magic bullet. In fact, I think composing with super shallow DOF is more difficult than composing without it. It can sure do some cool things, but it's another lens I'm going to have to learn.

#austin #texas #photography #sonya7ii #mamiya #mediumformat #medium format

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Smoke'em If You Got'em 2

The pop-up itself was amazing as well! Obviously, the star of the show is the food, which was a knock out of the park.

Not only was the meat great, the trimmings and sides were incredible as well.

A whole gaggle of friends rolled up to support him, and it was a great chance to catch up with people that I haven't seen in a while.

Another photographer was shooting with a wide-angle lens, so I decided to stick with the 80mm. Our shots ended up looking VERY different, but hopefully these aren't too shabby!

#austin #texas #sonya7ii #mamiya #barbecue #meat #brisket #pulled pork

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Smoke'em If You Got'em 1

A close friend of mine is a killer pitmaster, and has been working on launching his small business. Last night, he had his first pop-up, and it was an absolute success!

He asked me to go take some pictures of both the prep work and the pop-up so that he could put them on his website and social media, and I was more than happy to oblige. Slapped on the M645 80mm f/1.9 on the Sony, since I needed the lens speed and full frame's low light.

I'd been around the barbecue process before, but it always asountds me every time. Days before, he plans out when things go into pickle, when sauces get made, and of course, when meat gets prepped and goes on.

I hung out with him for about two hours the night before, watching him wrap briskets after the initial smoke and also season and tie the pulled pork to go on the smoker.

As late as I was with him, he was tending the fire every 30 min through the night, and could only sleep in blinks and snatches.

Truly a labor of Love!

#austin #texas #sonya7ii #mamiya #barbecue #meat #brisket #pulled pork

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I feel like every once in a while, I get asked or I volunteer to take pictures for an actual purpose. This time it was Grad photos for some of my friends.

Overall, I think these turned out pretty well. But I think to some extent it's more the equipment doing the work than me. I slap on the 80mm f/1.9 from the Mamiya 645 system on my Sony A7ii. I set my exposure comp to -1, and then make sure I nail focus.

Then in post, I straighten, dial brightness back in, set black point, warm the image just a touch, and put in contrast as I need it.

Bang. I get acceptable and decent looking pictures. I'm glad to be able to do these for my friends, and I'm glad that these are pictures that they'll be able to have to commemorate a big event in their life.

Do I like these pictures? Sure, but only because I like my friends. If I were presented with randomly I'd probably walk right by these photos and not give them a second thought, at least form a creative standpoint.

#photography #vintage lens #graduation #austin texas #austin #texas #sonya7ii #mamiya

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Mercury In Retrograde

One of my Favorite film cameras is the Mercury II. It's a half-frame camera from the 40's that was supposed to be the American rival to Contaxes and Leicas since we were having... second thoughts about doing business with Germany, and even Japan. Even though I'd adapted this lens to my Fuji X-E2 before, I'd never thrown it on my Sony A7ii.

Here are some shots!

I figured I'd be able to use the APS-C mode in the menu, which just punches into the sensor, since half-frame is about the same size as APS-C anyway.

Overall, I'm pretty astonished by this lens' performance. It handles color and contrast well, and definitely has a vintage focus fall-off in the corners, which is common for three-element lenses like this one. The Bokeh looks good, and sharpness are on point!

So not bad for APS-C  crop, right?

I've been withholding something. These are all shot full frame. Turns out this tiny lens covers the sensor at wider apertures with just a vignette. Stopped down, the corners fall out. Here's f/2.7 compared to f/8.

Not bad for a lens the size of a quarter!

#univex mercury #univex #mercuryii #sonya7ii #vintagelens

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4 Months of Black and White

I only shot black and white in my every-day camera for the last 4 months

I originally wanted to see if I could make it at least 6 months, but I stopped after 4.

Did I learn anything? I'm not sure. At first, I was excited for this. I wanted to see how I could see and record the world differently.

But after a while, I felt restricted. I wondered what kind of images I was leaving on the table by adhering to this arbitrary restriction.

After a while, though, I feel like I made peace with it. I started seeing the world not necessarily in terms of black and white per se, but more so by thinking "Oh this will work as a picture", knowing the limitation of the output. I started looking for more form and contrast, and ignored color more and more.

Then why am I stopping? Well, to be frank, there are film simulations that I found that I really want to try out.

But I've set this film sim as a custom setting in the camera, and can seem myself returning to it in the future!

#austin #texas #fujifilmrecipes #fujix70 #fujifilm #black and white photography #bnw

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Back to the Medium

I don't shoot a lot of medium format, mostly because of the expense. It's hard to justify breaking out a fresh roll of 120 when I have so much bulk-rolled 35mm.

Some of the motivation for this is to use one of my favorite lenses, the 80mm f/1.9. Given how insanely fast 1.9 is for medium format, it's got a very unique look both because of its speed and its age.

I will say that it is insanely difficult to focus though. I wish I had slowed down and focused better with this shot:

My favorite image was this one:

I feel like the focus "pop", the composition, the contrast, all came together. This was taken in a graveyard (see the other graveyard photo below), close to the back where plots were still being dug. So yes, I believe that the concrete box is a grave liner, and the bobcat in the back was used to bury it.

However, I was pleasantly surprised that I liked every shot I took on this roll!

I feel like that's the real power in the experience of shooting medium format. Rollei Infrared 400, this film, is about 10$/roll. That's surely a dent in the wallet.  It's just that nudge to slowing down and think. The expense forces me to be deliberate. Does it make me a better photographer? Definitely not. But does it help me take better shots than I otherwise would be? Maybe?

#medium format #mediumformat #film photography #film camera #filmisnotdead #film #black and white photography #staybrokeshootfilm #homedevelopedfilm

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I've been shooting more film recently, and it's been... up and down.

One thing that's been making my life a lot easier is stand developing in Rodinal. It's soooo easy to just let it soak in there for an hour.

Something that is continually a struggle is the huge roll of bulk film that I've been trying to get though.

Especially since I think I messed up bulk loading so a few frames from the middle of the roll got flashed and ruined.

For stuff like this, it's fine though. And that's what I'm starting to learn about film in general. Sometimes it's just... an activity for me.

For stuff I actually care about, like going on trips and having memories, I'm going to stick with digital for the time being. I kept thinking that if I stuck with film for long enough and paid enough dues that I would be able to make it work, but I'm not there yet, and I'm not upset about that.

#home developed fim #homedevelopedfilm #petri color 35 #aristaedu #aristaedu400 #rodinal #staybrokebuyfilm #staybrokeshootfilm #35mm black and white #bnw #austintx #austin #texas

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It's been a hot sec since I've shot any film, but what better way to get back into it than with sprocket shots!

This time I wanted to try a new development process- stand developing, which involved using Rodinal for the first time.

This is a 1+100 dilution for one hour.

Am I upset at how grainy it is? Not really. This is still the expired Arista EDU 400, so it'll be grainy from being 400 speed, then grainy again from being expired. This isn't grainier than I feel like I get with D76.

Overall, this was a really good time! It was very convenient too. It might inspire me to get back into a little more film!

#mamiya #120film #mamiya645 #aristaedu400 #aristaedu #austin #filmsnotdead #texas #staybrokeshootfilm #home developed fim #35mm black and white #black and white photography #b&w #sprocketshots

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Amtrak Adventures

One transportation form that developed countries generally use, but is more or less entirely neglected by most of America is the train.

I had the opportunity to travel from the Midwest to NYC on an Amtrak this winter break.

I think part of the reason why it's overlooked is that compared to flying, it's slow. What could have been maybe a 4 hour flight was a 17 hour meandering ride that took us along the Canadian boarder before traipsing down through upstate.

We boarded the train at 1:30 in the morning, knowing that we'd get into the city around dinnertime.

There was also a brief layover in Albany so the front half of the train going to Boston could disconnect, but then we were on our way.

Maybe it's the slower pace of everything, or the fact that people know it's going to be an ordeal, but everyone on the train is mostly chill.

The dining car and the cafe car are small reprieves from the monotony of looking out the window. The smell of a morning coffee, a little meal of hot food.

People sleep, listen to music, read books, type on their electronics.

Everyone's probably a little unsure if they'd rather be flying, but are certain that they're glad to not be driving.

I kinda see this series as a continuation of the airport meditation I did a while ago. It's also a documentation of an in-between travel space.

On another note though, isn't it great that the 'blr is letting people upload 30 images in one post now??

#fujifilmrecipes #fujix70 #fujifilm #classic chrome #amtrak #passenger train #train #travel #traveling #travel photography