Nothing on my mind, 19 December 2009

I’ve had a busy week, since I’m now working more than one job – and putting in about 60 hours for the week. As such, the blog posts have suffered (among other things). I had actually intended to post this photo before Halloween, but due to technical difficulties (like my computer imploding…), among other things, I haven’t gotten around to editing and uploading the photo until now. Such is my life.

Yup, as you can see, its a rather spooky looking tree – hence, my original intention to post it for Halloween. In any event, its here now for your viewing pleasure.

Enjoy.

Fuji Velvia 100F, 08 December 2009

Photo Information:

Camera: Nikon N80
Lens: Nikon Nikkor 60mm f/2.8 (Macro)
Film: Fuji Velvia 100F (35mm) Slide Film
Metering: TTL

I’d write more, but I don’t know what these are, apart from being reddish leaves. Well, mostly reddish. Oh, and I’m sleepy, so I’m not really thinking too coherently.

Enjoy.

07 December 2009

Given today’s date, I thought I’d share something appropriate for the occasion.

While I’m not normally much of a YouTube fan, sometimes it has its uses.

For those of you who can’t view the link (or prefer to read the text itself), here’s a link to a transcript of the speech. [1]

We should never forget these events, or how they shaped our Republic. [2]

Notes:

[1]: The transcript is from Wikisource, and seems to be an accurate one, based on the audio of the speech. I’d prefer a source that is free from all the links this one has, but again, it’s accurate, and most of the other online sources I found were either less so, had annoying pop-ups, or both.

[2]: Note that this should apply to the entire history of our Republic…

[*]: Note also that this is how one declares war on another nation, and how one should define victory – absolute victory. Regarding our current engagements, while I cannot speak for the situation in Iraq, we should also never forget that our actions in Afghanistan were not without justification – unless, of course, one is willing to argue that we should not hold accountable those regimes who deliberately give aid and comfort to our enemies. But I digress…

Don’t Tread On Me, 02 December 2009

That’s right…just don’t. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry. [1]

For those of you who don’t know, this is the First Navy Jack [2] of the United States Navy; this one is currently flying on the bow of the U.S.S. Wisconsin in Norfolk, Virginia. Somehow, I find it rather appropriate for the Wisconsin to have this flag flying; if you’re having a hard time visualizing why, when you’re head-to-head with the Wisconsin (or any of her sisters from the Iowa-class), you’ll be staring down six 16″ cannons. [3] Its not hard to see why many in the Marine Corps were hesitant to let the Navy place these ships in reserve.

Personally, I also find the motto [4] quite appealing, for obvious reasons (if you don’t know, take a look at the various and sundry posts in the Political section over to the right – go ahead…I’ll wait). Being the stubborn and ornery sort, I swiftly become annoyed whenever someone tries to force me to do something – even if it is for my own good. If it’s good for me, I’ll get there on my own damn time, and in my own damn way, thank you very much. [5]

Enjoy.

Notes:

[1]: Okay, okay…I couldn’t resist. If you don’t know the significance of this phrase, for shame.

[2]: “Jack” in this case meaning flag. See here for some background information (Wikipedia article). Even if, as the article suggests, the flag design isn’t original, it is still appropriate – and certainly in keeping with the prevalent attitudes of the original Colonies.

[3]: Gratuitous link to information on the Wisconsin’s cannons, the 16″/50 caliber Mark 7 United States Naval Gun…because. The fact that a single shell from one of these cannons weighed in at an impressive 2,700 lbs should be a clear indication as to why the USMC would prefer to have these ships backing them up if they ever need to land an invasion force on beach (you know, like all those island-hopping exercises in the Pacific).

[4]: No less illustrious figure than Benjamin Franklin espoused the virtues of the rattlesnake as a symbol and the appropriateness of the motto:

I recollected that her eye excelled in brightness, that of any other animal, and that she has no eye-lids. She may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance. She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage. As if anxious to prevent all pretensions of quarreling with her, the weapons with which nature has furnished her, she conceals in the roof of her mouth, so that, to those who are unacquainted with her, she appears to be a most defenseless animal; and even when those weapons are shown and extended for her defense, they appear weak and contemptible; but their wounds however small, are decisive and fatal. Conscious of this, she never wounds ’till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her.Was I wrong, Sir, in thinking this a strong picture of the temper and conduct of America?

-Letter published in the Pennsylvania Journal, 27 December 1775.

[5]: As the saying goes, you get three guesses as to what this refers to, but you’ll only need one. Probably.

Fuji Velvia 100F, 30 November 2009

Photo Information:

Camera: Leica IIIf
Lens: Leitz Summitar 50mm f/2
Film: Fuji Velvia 100F (35mm) Slide Film
Metering: Minolta Spotmeter F

I’d say more about this, but I’m tired and lazy. Pretty colors, though. This bakery/deli is located on Granby Street in Norfolk, Virginia.

Enjoy.

Fuji Velvia 100F, 29 November 2009

For various reasons, I’ve been away from the blog for a spell…hope y’all have gotten along alright without me. Since I’m a bit worn out today, here’s another photo for your enjoyment.

Photo Information:

Camera: Leica IIIf
Lens: Leitz Elmar 35mm f/3.5
Film: Fuji Velvia 100F (35mm) Slide Film
Metering: [1]

I shot this while standing on the Willow Wood Drive bridge over the Lafayette River, facing west towards the Granby Street Bridge in Norfolk, Virginia. Obviously, I shot this at sunset; due to the silhouette created by the backlit scene, you can’t really see the Granby Street Bridge, though if you look carefully at the center of the shadow, you can see the support struts for the bridge. The sign in the water on the left is a marker of some kind, though I’m not sure what sort it is; probably a warning marker for submerged obstructions, or something of that sort. I do like how it sits there all by itself. I think it adds a sense of loneliness to the scene, but that may just be me.

Enjoy.

Notes:

[1]: As with the sunset scene I shot on my Hasselblad using Fuji’s Provia film, I metered this scene using my digital camera. Since I normally keep my digital camera set at ISO 64 (equivalent), I just had to double one of the settings (shutter speed or aperture) to get a correct reading for ISO 100 film. Okay, so 100 is slightly less than twice 64, but it’s close enough for these purposes.

Fuji Velvia 100F, 22 November 2009

Since Murphy’s [1] been having his merry way with me for the past week, I’ve been a bit distracted – and sadly, the blog has suffered. I’m sure y’all’re heartbroken about that. [2] Anyways, since it’s now late (again), and I’m tired from walking around and such, here’s a quick post for your enjoyment.

Photo Information:

Camera: Nikon N80 SLR
Lens: Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.4
Film: Fuji Velvia 100F ISO 100 (35mm)
Metering: TTL

I’ve shot this composition before using black and white film, but here, you get to enjoy the full glory of the colors! Ain’t that grand?

BTW, this particular house is located in Portsmouth, Virginia, in the Olde Towne neighborhood.

Enjoy.

Notes:

[1]: Yes, that Murphy. You know. The one with the Law.

[2]: Yeah, all two of you. You know who you are.

Ilford HP5+, 16 November 2009

Since I’ve been working all day, I’m not really in the mood to write too much tonight. So, here’s another scan of my shoot with Ilford’s HP5+ at ISO 400.

Photo Information:

Camera: Canon AE-1 Program
Lens: Canon 50mm f/1.4 FD
Film: Ilford HP5+ ISO 400 (35mm)
Metering: TTL

The subject of this photo is part of the courtyard in my apartment complex in Chicago. I live in the Uptown / Lakeview [1] neighborhood on the north side, but I won’t get any more specific than that. [2]

Considering that I was shooting into the sun at for this shot, I’m a bit surprised that you can still make out details in the shadows, such as on the umbrella. [3] Of course, part of this is undoubtedly due to my mad photography skills, [4] but I suspect that the film itself has a bit to do with that, as well. Great stuff, that HP5+.

Enjoy.

Notes:

[1]: Officially, I think it’s the Uptown neighborhood, but most people are a bit fluid with their definitions of where one neighborhood starts and another ends. Of course, it doesn’t help that the neighborhood boundaries exist almost exclusively on city planning maps and such, and don’t really show up in any physical form within the city itself.

[2]: Privacy and such. Someone intimately familiar with the two listed neighborhoods might be able to infer the location of my apartment complex, but even then, it may not be immediately obvious, since this view cannot be seen from the streets surrounding this block.

[3]: Oh yes, that’s my favorite beer on the umbrella. Okay, one of them. Sadly, Old Style (officially, Heilman’s Old Style Beer) isn’t distributed outside of the Midwest, so when I’m visiting family and friends on the East Coast, I can’t get it. *Sigh* OTOH, PBR is quite similar, and is much more widely distributed, so it can be a passable substitute. And yes, for those of you familiar with Old Style, I like shitty beer; whiskey, OTOH, is an entirely different matter…

[4]: Or the fact that Canon’s TTL meter is pretty well idiot-proof. Mostly.

Ilford HP5+, 15 November 2009

Yes, that’s right…I finally shot Ilford’s HP5+ at it’s ISO rated speed! [1] As I’ve previously mentioned in various posts regarding Exposure Indexing, my earliest experience with HP5+ was actually as a “pushed” [2] film; Ilford’s literature indicates that HP5+ is specifically formulated to respond well to push processing, and my own experience has confirmed that. In fact, I’ve shot HP5+ at EI 800, 1600, and 3200, but only now have I shot it at it’s officially rated speed.

Photo Information:

Camera: Canon AE-1 Program
Lens: Canon 50mm f/1.4 FD
Film: Ilford HP5+ ISO 400 (35mm)
Metering: TTL

The subject of this photo is an in-progress stone knee wall / planter “box” in the backyard of a house in Chicago, on which my roommate worked (hence, my access to the location while it was under construction). [3][4]

As you can see from the photo, the film grain is much more noticeable than it would otherwise be in a slower film – as one should expect from a faster film. Personally, I’m not overly fond of grainy images (which is why I typically shoot with slow film), but that said, having seen digital approximations of the same, I find that I much prefer the original to it’s digital incarnation. [5] In this case, the grain isn’t so noticeable in the rough texture of the stones, but it is quite obvious in the out-of-focus background. I find this a little distracting, but the effect isn’t horrible, either. Though I will probably continue to use slower film on a regular basis, I certainly wouldn’t mind using this stuff, too.

Enjoy.

Notes:

[1]: Intersting note: Ilford’s own literature does not identify the rated speed as part of the film’s name (which is listed simply as HP5+) – unlike the two Fuji E-6 films I’ve recently posted, both of which incorporate the film speed into the name (e.g. Fuji Velvia 100F – the film’s rated speed is ISO 100). It’s like the folks at Ilford expected photographers to shoot it at speeds other than its rated speed…

[2]: In case you’ve forgotten (or haven’t read those other posts), “pushed” film has been shot at a faster speed than its official rating, i.e. shooting ISO 400 film at EI 1600. Because you’re manipulating the exposure of the film itself, there are processing implications inherent in pushing or pulling (shooting at a slower speed than its official rating) any film. Additionally, some films are better at being manipulated in such a manner, while others do not respond as well; there are also processing chemicals that are specifically formulated for pushing and pulling film.

[3]: In deference to the owners’ privacy, I’m not going to list the location of the project, other than to say that it’s in Chicago – yeah, go ahead and try to find it based on the limited visual information in the photo, and the size of Chicago itself. I challenge you.

[4]: I will say, however, that the project was designed by Hudson Home Inc., a design-build firm that specializes in custom single-family residential design. I could say more, but if you’re interested in their work, check out their website.

[5]: Ironically, film manufacturers went to great lengths to minimize the appearance of film grain, even in their higher-ISO products, while digital camera manufacturers seem to be obsessed with providing “realistic” film grain in their products. This is readily apparent in the marketing for these products; go ahead and check if you don’t believe me. I’m amused by the contrast, anyways.

Fuji Provia 100F, 14 November 2009

Hey, look! Another Provia scan. [1] Ain’t it pretty?

Photo Information:

Camera: Hasselblad 500CM
Lens: Carl Zeiss Sonnar [2] 250mm f/5.6
Film: Fuji Provia 100F ISO 100 (120)
Metering: Minolta Spotmeter F

These are some of the flowers growing in the front yard of my Mom’s house. These are Dahlias, or so I’m told.

Enjoy.

Notes:

[1]: Even though this is color-reversal film, I can’t call these “slides,” since they aren’t mounted as such (nor would anyone attempt to do so, anyways).

[2]: In case you’re curious, these names are actually meaningful. Most German lens manufacturers (Carl Zeiss included) name their lenses after the type of construction, e.g. Tessar lenses are 4-element lenses (i.e. they have four pieces of glass). In many cases, these names remain identical regardless of the camera system for which they were designed; thus, you’ll often find Zeiss Tessar, Sonnar, Distagon, etc., lenses for different camera systems, even though the lens designs are almost entirely different.