French Beach Provincial Park, Britsih Columbia. (Camera: Olympus 35RC; Film: Kodak T-Max 100)
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Blue and White
(Camera: Olympus Stylus Epic; Film: Kodak Ektar 100)
This photo shows the smoke stack (is that what it’s called?) of the B.C. Ferry, Spirit of British Columbia, set against a beautiful blue morning sky. After I developed the film and scanned this shot, I thought to myself, hmmm — Kirk Tuck probably would have taken this if he were on the ferries that day. I really enjoy Kirk’s photography and his thoughtful, warts-and-all approach to blogging. He’s also an excellent writer. His The Visual Science Lab is one of the very few blogs I make a point of checking daily. If you haven’t done so already, stop by for a refreshing and enjoyable read.
Posted in Random Photos
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Starlight and Sandstone
French Beach Provincial Park, Britsih Columbia.
(Camera: Olympus 35RC; Film: Kodak T-Max 100)
The starlight in this case is from the Sun, fragmented into tiny glints by water next to a sandstone shore. I like how the simple, two-blade aperture of the 35RC gives each bright little “star” four diffraction spikes. Can you guess the scale of this photo? Is it an arial shot from high above, or a close-up from only a few inches away? Devoid of context it’s difficult to tell. Not that it matters — this picture is about shape and contrast.
Posted in Black and White, Nature & Landscapes
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Avoiding Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS)
GAS is nasty business. It’s a close cousin to hoarding and, like that malady, it’s not only a terrible resource drain, but also a distraction that derails your intentions. Fixating on gear instead of the creative process distorts your perception of art. “If only I had Canikon DX150 — my pictures would be so much better!” It’s an easy trap to fall into. When one camera doesn’t produce the results you want, you try another, and then another, and then another. . . That said, it’s true that for many photographers one camera won’t satisfy every creative ambition. So how do you get what you need and avoid a bad case of GAS? By following one basic rule. Continue reading
Posted in Musings
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Favourite Cameras: Canon Sure Shot A1
Fred Herzog is a fantastic street photographer justly celebrated for his wonderful day-in-the-life photographs of Vancouver. His shots from the 1950s and 60s are particularly exquisite. Recently, I saw a television documentary on Herzog, and in one scene he was shown walking around downtown with a very odd looking camera — something almost toylike. In a subsequent close-up, you could make out exactly what this famed photographer was shooting with. No, it wasn’t a Leica — it was a humble Canon Sure Shot WP-1. Continue reading
Posted in Favourite Cameras, Reviews
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Henry & Liam
(Camera: Olympus OM-2n; Lens: Zuiko 50mm f/3.5 macro; Film: Kodak T-Max 100 push-processed to ISO 400)
A friend’s pair of Irish Setters out for their afternoon walk. Henry is the foreground.
Posted in Black and White, Random Photos
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Wild Times
Trillium bloom, Metchosin, B.C.
(Camera: Olympus OM-2; Lens: Zuiko 50mm f/3.5 macro; Film: Ilford XP2 Super 400)
Posted in Black and White, Nature & Landscapes
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Fifteen Years Ago Today
Comet Hale-Bopp, Apri 1, 1997.
(Camera: Yashica FX-3 Super 2000; Lens: 50mm f/1.9 Yashinon with 2x tele-converter;
Film: Kodak Ultra Gold 400; 5-minutes @ f/4.)
One aspect of being an avid sky watcher is that the passage of time isn’t marked just with pages in a calendar, but also by gaps — the spaces between “once-in-a-lifetime” events. Looking at this photo of Comet Hale-Bopp now, I can scarcely believe that 15 years have elapsed since I aimed my camera skyward to capture it. The gap widens with each passing year spent watching amd waiting for the arrival of the next great comet. Continue reading
Posted in Musings
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Favourite Cameras: Canon Canonet G-III QL 17
This is a wonderful, compact rangefinder with many appealing attributes, not least of which is a fast 40mm f/1.7 lens. Yet it’s a camera I rarely use. Why? Because when I’m in the mood to shoot with this style of camera, I usually reach for my Olympus 35RC. Since both are fixed-lens, shutter-priority rangefinders, comparisons are inevitable. Continue reading
Posted in Favourite Cameras, Reviews
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Postcards From Costa Rica: 2012
Our 9th annual Costa Rica Star Party wrapped up on February 25th. The weather was superb this year and everyone had a great time stargazing all night long, and spending the days sighting an amazing variety of bird species. I’m already looking forward to next year’s event, which should be extra special, being our 10th.
(To learn more about the trip, stop by at the TravelQuest International web site.)
Posted in Travel Photography
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