All Mod Cons

Posted on September 8, 2011 by admin

(Camera: Nikon FE; Lens: Nikkor 50mm f/1.8; Film: Kodak T-MAX 100)

I pulled this negative from my archives and decided to have a go printing it the other night. It was a relatively straightforward print to make since the limited tonal range that initially attracted me to the image didn’t need a lot of massaging to come through. As a result, my darkroom decisions were mostly limited to a little cropping and selecting the correct level of filtration on the enlarger to preserve the muted contrast. Continue reading →

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Favourite Cameras: Pentax Espio Mini (UC-1)

Posted on September 7, 2011 by admin

Have you ever had that anxiety dream — you know the one — where you show up for work or school and realize you forgot to wear pants?  Embarrassing!  My version of that dream is arriving at an amazing an place as it’s awash in otherworldly light, only to discover that I’ve forgotten to bring my camera.  Don’t laugh — I’ve actually had that nightmare.  Thankfully, my trusty Pentax Espio Mini prevents such a mishap from occurring in real life. Continue reading →

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Postcards From Iceland

Posted on August 31, 2011 by admin

Reynisfjara beach, near the town of Vík, southern Iceland.
(Camera: Olympus OM-PC; Lens: 24mm; Film: Fuji Provia 100F)

Iceland is a photographer’s paradise. In October 2010 I lead an aurora-watching tour there with a fabulous group of travelers. And as exciting as the nighttime show was, it was our daytime activities that yielded the richest harvest of photographs and memories. Continue reading →

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Postcards From Costa Rica

Posted on August 25, 2011 by admin

Sunset over the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica. (Camera: Agfa Isolette II; Film: Fuji Reala 100, 120 format)

Every year I lead a stargazing trip to a beautiful, dark-sky location in Costa Rica. Our destination is on an immense nature preserve and working farm on the Gulf of Nicoya. This is the driest part of the country and we usually go in February, which is the driest (most cloud-free) time of year. Continue reading →

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Postcards From the Caribbean

Posted on August 24, 2011 by admin

Eagle Beach, Aruba. (Camera: Pentax Espio Mini; Film: Fuji Provia 100F)

Last December I was fortunate enough to be one of the guest speakers on the Cosmic Trails cruise that Sky&Telescope magazine and Insight Cruises put together. This was not only my first cruise, but also my first visit to the Caribbean. Naturally, there were lots of photographic opportunities both aboard the Holland American ship, the Zuiderdam, and at our ports of call.

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Favourite Cameras: Pentax 645N

Posted on August 22, 2011 by admin

Every photographer I know has more than one camera. Some have three or four, while others have so many they could put a small camera store to shame. Okay, maybe that’s just me. But no matter how many you have, there’s probably one in the bunch that you regard as your “main” camera. This is the one you reach for when you’re going out specifically to take pictures. Until recently, for me that camera was a Pentax 645N. Continue reading →

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Favourite Cameras: Kodak Brownie Starmeter

Posted on August 19, 2011 by admin

When I was a kid, our family camera was a Brownie Starmeter. Mom and dad weren’t exactly avid photographers, so most of the time the camera remained stuffed away in a drawer, emerging only at Christmas or for birthdays. That particular camera is long lost. However, I recently chanced upon the same model at our local Value Village and snapped it up in a burst of sentimentality. Continue reading →

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