French Beach Provincial Park
(Camera: Agfa Isolette II; Film: Fuji Reala 100)
The photo above was shot with colour negative film, and then converted into a black-and-white image with software. To my eye at least, it reads far better this way than it does in colour. Indeed, if I had been carrying around my Hasselblad at the time, I would have shot this in b&w anyway. By comparision, the colour original is rather uninspiring. Continue reading
You dream about it, but it never seems to happen. The “dream,” of course, is finding a truly rare camera at a bargain price at some out-of-the-way flea market. This dream finally came true for me a few months ago when I stumbled across an Olympus Pen at our little town’s annual garage sale. And I didn’t even realize my luck until I got the camera home and did some on-line research. Continue reading
(Camera: Olympus OM-PC; Lens: Zuiko 50mm f/3.5 Macro; Film: Kodak T-Max 100)
An interesting info-graphic in the current (September 2012) issue of National Geographic notes that agriculture accounts for some 92% of humankind’s consumption of water. And of that, the production of beef requires the greatest amount of water by far.
Last season's apples.
(Camera: Hasselblad 503cx; Lens: 80mm Zeiss Planar (with extension); Film: Fuji Reala 100)
I grew up on a sun-soaked orchard in the Similkameen Valley of British Columbia. Probably that’s why I’ve always marked the season cycles with the arrival of different fruit varieties. Cherries, apricots, peaches, and now early apples. Just in time too — after months in storage, last year’s apples are starting to look a little past their prime.
East Sooke Park, BC.
(Camera: Konica Auto S2; Film: Kodak T-MAX 100)
Most photographers have at least two cameras – one for when they set out specifically to take pictures, and another for “just in case” situations. It’s handy to have something small enough to slip into your pocket if you’re just dashing off to the corner store for a carton of milk. A compact camera is also the ideal accessory for a medium-format setup or a full-on 35mm SLR rig. And since I mainly shoot black-and-white, I like to keep a second, small camera loaded with colour film for those occasions when the urge strikes. But even if it’s just a sometimes camera, I don’t want to sacrifice quality for convenience. And that’s why the Olympus Stylus Epic is a firm favourite. Continue reading
(Camera: Olympus Pen - D; Film: Kodak T-MAX 100)
I have to confess to an almost Larsonesque love of cows. They’re just plain funny. Gary Larson’s cartoons always depict them as having a lively intellect capable of clever invention and sophisticated scheming. But of course, that’s why it’s funny. There are probably few creatures on the planet as conspicuously uncomplicated as the barnyard cow. Still, there always does seem to be some kind of bovine intelligence at work there. Perhaps it’s only the lack of opposible thumbs that prevents them from fulfilling Larson’s Far Side depictions. Perhaps not.
At the Royal British Columbia Museum.
(Camera: Olympus Pen; Film: Kodak T-MAX 100)
(Camera: Olympus OM-2; Lens: Zuiko 135mm f/3.5; Film: Ilford XP2 Super 400)
In the world of common barnyard animals there is a definite heirarchy. Horses are unquestionably at the top — they’re beautiful, smart, and dignified creatures. After horses, next come pigs, goats, and cows. Sitting at the bottom of the heap are sheep. They’re not especially beautiful or dignified (definitely not!), nor are they terribly smart. But at least when they’re lambs, they do manage to be cute.
Skunk cabbage, French Beach Provincial Park, British Columbia.
(Camera: Olympus Stylus Epic; Film: Kodak Ektar 100)
The leaves of the skunk cabbage can grow to 1.5m (5 ft) long, but what’s really impressive to me is just how vivid green they are, especially when they’re new and wet from a morning shower. And if you’re ever out for a walk in the woods on Vancouver Island and smell skunk, you can bet the odour is coming from lysichilon americanum and not Pepé Le Pew — we don’t have skunks here on the Island.
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