Film Still Photography
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    • Rollei 35
    • Voigtlander 15mm ver III
    • Yashica C
    • Zeiss Ikon Nettar 515/2
  • Learning Composition
    • The Monochrome Diaries
    • Single & Multi Elements
    • Symmetry
    • Keep the Right Strong
    • Framing
    • Color in Composition
    • Deep Dive Bubble Man
    • Photo Assignments
  • Darkroom Lessons
    • Building a Sink
    • Air Ventilation
    • Analyser Pro
    • Development Hints
    • Primer for Film Photography
    • Bulk Loading Film
    • Pushing & Pulling Film
    • Color Development
    • Digital Contact Sheets
    • Stick to One Film Stock?
    • HP5+ Shot at 200 ISO
    • HP5 Shot at 1600 ISO
    • HP5 Shot at 3200 ISO
    • Medium Format
    • Washing Film
    • Split Grade Printing
    • Using Distilled Water in Film Development
    • Darkroom Paper
    • Foma100 EI 400
  • Photography Books & Films
    • Colin O'Brien
    • Lartigue Life in Color
    • Magnum Contact Sheets
    • Top Photography Movies
    • William Eggleston's Guide
    • Helen Levitt
    • Sally Mann Immediate Family
    • Saul Leiter Early B&W
    • Leica 100 yrs
    • Calendar Days of Asaya Hamaya
    • The Decisive Moment
    • Regarding Women
    • Robert Capa in Love and War
  • Single Image Deep Dive
    • Sergio Larrain "A Man After Dark"
    • Colin O'Brien 'Comings & Goings"
    • Erwitt Mother & Child
    • Man Running
    • Samuel Becket
    • Koudelka Wristwatch
    • Dovima with Elephants
Salzburg, Austria

"No place is boring if you've had a good night's sleep and a pocket full of film." - Robert Adams
​
"Tea first, then photography..." - Philip Lee Harvey

From an Article written by Philip Lee Harvey

In the Footsteps of Still Others...

6/30/2017

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Another day in London found me following the steps of George Washington Wilson who took the above image of the Royal Exchange in 1975. I love this image, the movement of the people walking appear as ghosts, but he still manage a pretty sharp image of the young buy standing, watching him. The building and the statue are clear, as is the simple street down on the right of the image. 
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Today it is dwarfed by nearby buildings. The street to the right is still the same but you can see the backdrop of the modern buildings to the left. I could not stand in the same spot as George did, as it was the middle of a busy street today.  If you can look past the traffic lights you see a monument in front of the Exchange. That is a monument to WWII. The statue of Wellington is still standing strong all these years later.
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Here is a close up of the WWII memorial with the Exchange in the background. It was wonderful to walk up those steps and I was wondering if George Wilson climbed them while searching for an interesting shot.

Today the building has not diminished one bit. It still holds all the grandeur it did back in 1875. A few street lights, more cars and a different kind of people running around but essentially the same.

Below is the scene looking out from the Exchange. You can see the construction on the right, continues to change the landscape around this historic building. I prefer the new buildings to another war, requiring a new monument to the fallen.
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Below is a pano of the street outside of the exchange.  Here, George Wilson stood to capture his amazing image of the Exchange. I doubt he would recognize the street however he sure would recognize the Exchange.
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In the Footsteps of Others...

6/28/2017

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My wife and I decided to escape the suburbs of London and travel into the city for a light walk and a good meal. I took the day off of work, got on a train and went into town. The goal was St. Paul and Covent Garden. 

St. Paul is an amazing building but they do not allow photography inside. Some people try to sneak some images using their iPhones however I believe in respecting those rules. We spent a great deal of time walking around that amazing cathedral but I have no images to share.

One of my hidden agendas on this trip was an old photo of Covent Garden taken by Valentine Blanchard in 1860. I wanted to try and find the above shot of the Garden and the building in the back to see how it has changed. I was not sure if I would be able to find it or recognize it but it was a goal. 
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So it was difficult to find however after walking around the Garden I was about to give up when I saw the London Transport Museum. It is the closest building I could find to it however I admit that it has changed a great deal, if it is indeed the same spot. 

Covent Garden has changed a great deal, I believe if we went back in the early 1970's we would see something more similar. Around 1974 Covent Garden changed from a fruit and vegetable market to a higher end shopping location. 

Around the central building you have a bit of a flea market and inside you have the usual stores seen in modern malls.
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The market today is a far cry of its humble beginnings, however as the population in London changed so did the needs of the people. Today it is a tourist sight which is wonderful to walk around and people watch. 

If you are planning a trip I recommend absorbing Covent Garden in a bit of a different way. I suggest stopping for some tea or a cool beer in one of the cafes. Stay away during busy lunch times but in early morning it is rather empty. As you watch the people come in and fill the place, contemplate how Covent Garden is an example of a city that is in constant change. 
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After the tea or beer is done, step out into the street and watch the street performers. They are amazing as they have to audition for their time slot. Here I managed to get behind the performer to capture this image. I love the energy of the picture and the rapture of the audience. 

Valentine Blanchard may not recognize Covent Garden today, he would appreciate seeing the people of London and visitors from far off places, mingling and enjoying the energy of the place. I enjoyed walking in his footsteps on a gorgeous afternoon day in London. 
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Photography a Universal Language & Private Passion

6/26/2017

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Photography is one of the most universal languages we have. Any person who can see, can interpret a photograph and derive an emotional response. Everyone approaches photography in a different form, some only absorb it through advertisements while others actively take pictures daily.

In todays socially connected world we are looking to photography to transmit emotions that would normally be expressed in person. The ever improving cell phone camera's and "filters" stand as proof of this growing demand. When I travel to far away places, seeking to capture that unique, hard to find scene, I often find that I am blocked by an iPad or cell phone taking the same image. 

Hidden in this universal pursuit are the hobbyists who want to understand photography more. For those it is less an issue of sharing photographs and more about understanding the medium and how it has evolved over the years. 
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I have recently started a project to preserve, repair and return a photo album that belongs to my mother. Her father and mother filled it and through the years it has been picked over and seen a bit of unintentional abuse. 

Going through this album I was struck by the images that my grandfather took. The things that caught his eye and how he composed the image. 

But the greatest lesson is that the images most valued today are simple portraits of family members long gone. This one on the left is my great-grandfather, the only picture I have seen of him.
I am sure there were more 'serious' photographers who would have questioned the artistic merits of this photograph. Some would have looked disapprovingly at the gear he chose to use, the lighting he ignored or the simple composition used. All of those serious photographers were taking impressive pictures of the flora around the lake, while my grandfather took a simple snapshot of his father drinking the Argentine tea called Mate.  

Today all of my grandfather's images of flowers, monkeys and airplanes showing great artistic abilities just fill the album. The ones that make you stop and really look into the photograph are these simple portraits. The gestures of a man I never knew but who is responsible for my being here. 

When that iPad jumps out in front of my artistically composed shot, I will no longer curse under my breath. I will be reminded that the photograph I am fighting to get will become, at best, filler in an album. I will then turn my camera to my family, regardless of what they are doing, and snap my most simple image of the day...and the only one that will matter in years to come.
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Travel Photography Part 4: Post Trip Ritual

6/24/2017

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Everyone has their own post trip ritual and I am no different. At the end of each trip I unpack all my camera bags and lay everything out on my desk. I then set up my back up drive and copy all the files onto my main drive.  I will need another post to describe my back up set up but suffice to say I have three drives in two different locations.

While the files are backing up, I clean all my lenses and cameras.  I do not clean the sensors again unless I spotted (pun intended) an problem. Most of the cameras will get a rub down with a lint free cloth. This is to wipe off any oils or moisture that was left on the cameras. 

The lenses get a full cleaning.  Once completed I put all the cameras and lenses into an air tight tub with a Desiccant moisture absorbing package. The idea is to remove any moisture that has found its way into the equipment. I will leave the lenses off my cameras and leave them all uncapped. I leave it this was for a minimum of two days but often times will leave it this way for a week if I was in a very humid environment. 

On the next sunny day, I will expose the lenses to some direct sun light.  I have a UV light which I can use in a pinch but find that laying them out in direct sunlight works much better. The idea here is to decrease the chance of fungus growing on my lenses. I have some old lenses which are more prone to fungus, exposing it to some UV light helps a great deal. 

I then clean all the peripheral equipment such as lens caps, filters, cables, tripods and tripod heads. This is your chance to get all the gear in good working order.  I will also charge my batteries or remove any batteries from equipment which will not be used in a short period of time.

I catalog the film rolls and put them together according to film type and ISO shot at. I will then plan my development plan and mix fresh chemicals. I will then slowly get through all the film.

Finally I scan the negatives and select some key shots to take into the darkroom. 

That is it. Nice and simple but with a little Tender Loving Care I ensure my gear is ready to go. I enjoy the process and I do not see it as work. It is part of the entire trip enjoyment. 
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Travel Photography Part 3: Shooting the Images

6/23/2017

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So on the last blog post I spoke of preparing for your trip, packing for it and ensuring that all your equipment arrives safely.  This post will be a short one as there is no need to spend too much time one how to take a photograph but just because it is short does not mean it is not important. 

As I explain what I do to ensure that I get every shot possible, I will follow the path made on Monday's post and put up the pictures we took. 

Travel photography means that you are someplace unfamiliar and are out of your element, which can prove a recipe for disaster. If you shoot digital, this is less of a concern because you can look at the back of your camera to see the images. With film you do not know how badly you did until you get home. In either situation the best thing to do is stick with the basics.
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Shot 1: Eiffel Tower
I start every morning the same way. I check the camera settings, each and every one of them, to make sure they are where I want them to be. On digital it is RAW, maximum file size, color and set at native ISO levels. On film it is ensuring that the camera ISO setting matches what I am after and that the camera is set to manual mode. 

By having the cameras at the same setting every morning I can ensure that I am starting off on the right foot. If I change ISO because I am entering a building, I will put the lens cap in my back pocket when it normally goes in my shirt pocket. When I leave and want to put the cap back on I will look for it in my shirt pocket, remember it is in my back pocket and switch the ISO back. 
When I am hand holding, I will stand with my feet shoulder length apart, arms tucked in and two hands on my camera. I know what the slowest speed I can hand hold and have noticed it changes based on the camera.  A rangefinder I can drop to 1/30 or even 1/15 of a second. The lenses are short and there is little enhancement of my movements. On my Nikon D800 I hate to drop below 1/125th of a second. It will pick up any movement whatsoever.  

Knowing these things BEFORE you go on vacation is essential. Just remind yourself of your own limitations and look for ways to help you overcome them.


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Shot 2: Musee de Orsay
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Shot 3: Lourve
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Shot 4: Notre Dame
When shooting on a tripod, I set the camera to a timer shot set at 2 seconds. So when I press the shutter button it will wait two seconds before taking the image.  This allows any movement to dissipate before the image is taken. 

If shooting in a church where tripods are not allowed, I will do two things.  The first is to set the camera on manual mode, set at the largest aperture such as f/2.8 and then set the camera for 1/60th of a second. I put it at the highest ISO that I am willing to accept and go for it. The images will come out dark but a church is dark to begin with.  Shooting in RAW gives me enough flexibility to bring out the shadows a bit.
The second thing I do is set the camera down.  I can set it on a pew or on the floor. I can then set take an image, and while not as well composed as if it was on a tripod, gives me something to work with.  

When possible bracket your images.  If you have a great shot try it at different exposures to ensure you 'got the shot'.  

That is it.  Simple, basic but important.  ​​​
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Shot 5: Sacre Coeur
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Travel Photography Part 2: Packing for the Trip

6/21/2017

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So in Monday's blog post, I explained how I plan for a photography trip. I assumed we had three days in Paris but only one of them would be spent dedicated to photography. Maybe this is when your partner goes out shopping, or perhaps the family want to see something you are not too interest in. So we have one day to use how we want!

So we have our shot list, a map of how we are going to move around and, most importantly, the sequence of the shots we plan to take. Now we need to pack for the trip!

If you are smart, and only have a single camera, this is easy. Unfortunately if you love gear and have a ton of it then you have the difficult task of deciding what to take. I decide based on the shots I am planning on taking and what is inspiring me at the time.  Lets assume that for this trip I finding inspiration from Henri Cartier-Bresson and his street shots of Paris. 
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HCB famously shot quickly using the advantages of the 35mm film camera to his advantage. His tool of choice at the time was a Leica film camera. His shots are contrasty, grainy with a magical touch of composition and timing. His images take advantage of the scene around his subject to frame and enhance the image. He owned the background by finding a scene and waiting for someone interesting to enter it.
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But B&W images of Paris would be a bit overdone. Perhaps some nice color images as well?  Something a bit more contemporary, less masterful but very talented. Lets go with Serge Ramelli who seems to jump all over Paris with his digital camera capturing some good photographs and makes them wonderful through post processing. Serge is all about the wider angles, capturing as much of the scene as possible.
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So what gear do we need for this? The HCB is easy we have to go with a 35mm film camera. For the film we will need something with higher ISO to give the grainy feel. Perhaps a 400 ISO film we can push to 800. So in goes the 35mm camera with some normal lenses. A 35mm and 50mm lens should be plenty. 

For the Serge inspired shots our DSLR, wide angle lenses with a tripod would be perfect. The great thing about Serge is that it is not about the gear only about the post processing. He does some great work and is eager to teach everyone.
In terms of bags, I always take the same one. If I am getting on a plane I take my ThinkTank Airport Airstream. It can carry a ton of gear, protects it and is accepted in most carriers.

It even has a thick cable with a lock to leave it locked in the hotel. While not completely safe, it is better than nothing.

This is only for the plane portion of my trip, once in the hotel this bag stays behind.
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For my walk around bag, I will go with a messenger bag. A backpack could also work and in winter would be my primary choice. But in the heat of summer, a messenger bag will help keep me cool. 

Finally, I clean all the gear including digital sensors, I charge all the batteries, pack the chargers and my back up hard drive. I pack the tripod, film, and come lens cleaning supplies. Everything goes into my carryon back with the exception of the tripod which goes in my checked luggage. Even the tripod head comes with me. It makes for a heavy bag but very important to protect everything.

​This ends Part 2: Packing for the Trip.
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Travel Photography Part 1: Planning a Trip

6/19/2017

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Travel is a modern day luxury. If we go back 80 years or so the only way to travel over great distances was on a boat. A sailing vessel could take a couple of months to complete the crossing, while steam ships reduced the time considerably. Still, trips of any distance took time and a ton of money to make happen.

I travel a great deal, due to work and pleasure. The work trip gives me the airline miles that help fuel my pleasure trips. I also appreciate how lucky I am to be able to travel as much as I do. Even in this day and age, few people have the disposable income to take too many trips. Because of this, I decided to write a series of blog posts on how I plan, execute and follow up with all my trips. Hopefully you will be able to get some ideas from these posts.
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Stock image from 123RF.
One of the most important lessons I have learned in travel photography is that it is all about preparation. The success or failure of your travel photography will be down to your planning. 

I start with a simple Google search for images of the places I am planning on going.  So for this series lets assume that our trip is to Paris France, city of light and love.
I scroll through the images that pop up and I flag the shots I like. We will assume that our trip will take us to Paris for three days, but only one dedicated to photography. This means that we will spend a few days with family looking at museums and the like, but one full day dedicated to photography.
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I note each place I like, the time of day it was shot in and how important that image would be to my portfolio.  I then look to see if I can guess the kind of lens used to capture the image. Was it a wide angle, a normal or a zoom lens? Was the vantage point high or low? You can even print out the picture, cut it out and stick it into your photo notebook, I usually just write the name and location of the image. 
I then download a map of Paris, usually aiming for a tourist map which usually has the key places marked on it. I start to look over the different potential routes, starting with he scene I want to capture in early morning and ending with the scene I want to capture at dusk. I route my path through the city which will allow me to capture everything I want. 
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In the example above I show what I would typically do. So I will start with the Eiffel Tower and end with the Sacre Coeur church. You will see that my walk takes me across the Seine river and allows me to cross a few bridges. This increases my chances of shooting some nice shots along the way. Remember it is not just about the designation but about the walk itself. 

People who have been to Paris will ask me if I would take the subway and my answer is no. Subways are very practical but you see very little of the city. A nice walk is always better that a dark tunnel ride.

I put a small copy of the map in my photo notebook along with my shot list. I will even draw a few of the important shots so that I can visualize it better. Once all safely put in my notebook my planning is done and I am ready to pack. I should mention that I will usually pick a place to have lunch at. Something with some character. With a bit of planning you can avoid finding yourself far from any nice restaurants and lunchtime...remember "tea first, then photography".

​This ends Part1: Planning a Trip
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Travel Photography

6/17/2017

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Nothing motivates me more that traveling to a new place. We have just been informed that we are being moved to Jakarta Indonesia.  I made a quick trip there to pick a house and start seeing what is needed in order for us to settle in properly. It was business trip so no real chance to take some good pictures.

The good news is that as I ran around the city, I found that there are some amazing possibilities for photography. So as we plan how to move a family of five with a dog, halfway around the world, I thought I would spend a few blog posts discussing travel photography.  

Below is a short video of a street in Jakarta. Now I should mention that Jakarta is a modern city with some high rise building like you find in any large city. Obviously, I am not interested in the Starbucks or Wendy's.  I am interested in the traditional Jakarta, the one that emerged after colonization. So this is what draws my eye. Take a look below and let me know what you think.

Enjoy the short video and if you are interested in travel photography, check back over the next week to see the blog series.
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Rustic Detail

6/9/2017

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During our last vacation, we spent a bit of time hanging around a small town near my father's ranch in Argentina.  The town's name is Bovril, named after the English meat packing company. Two days spent in a small town is enough to drive anyone up the wall however, with camera in hand I set about to try to capture the essence of the town.

Before going on I should explain that the locals were very wary of me. A stranger running around snapping pictures was not something they were used to.  So I spent a bit of time just focusing on little details and stayed away from some shots of the local people or their homes.  This was a large limitation and one that impacted my photographic options, however after being warned that the police were keeping an eye on me I thought it would be best to calm everyone down.
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I love the shot of the vegetable market with the old pickup parked out front.  In the back you have a part of the church, the tallest building in town.  The town is filled with very nice people and I did not want to bother them too much. I tried to stay as unobtrusive as possible and answer any questions that came my way.
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The train station, once the life blood of the town, is now a museum. The old sign is still proudly visible and I could not pass up taking a few shots of it.  As mentioned above, the town name comes from a meat packing company that set up shot here years ago. They imported German workers and settled this empty area. The train allowed them to take in the cattle to the slaughter house and process their meat. 
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You can still buy their product here in England. The locals spread it on bread however I prefer to mix it with hot water and make a wonderful broth.

It is fun to see the link from the small town I played around as a kid and the product being sold all the way in Europe. 

The town was established in 1904 and the company became a massive success. In fact, at their epoch the company owned land in Argentina that was larger than half of England!

The company was sold in the 1970's and later that decade the new owner sold their land in Argentina.
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Stonehenge...Photography Recommendations

6/7/2017

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If you are an iPhone shooter or a point and shoot photographer you will find Stonehenge very friendly and easy to photograph.  You will not be allowed up to the stones and this vantage is about as close as you will be able to get. The good news is that it is plenty close enough for good selfies or nice shots to post on Instagram (I posted a few myself).

If you are shooting with a bit more gear here are my thoughts.  Take a tripod, they are allowed and even when there is plenty of light there is a reason to take one.  There is plenty of space to set up and no one will push you around.  A 28mm lens will get you the shot above. You will have people in your shot, and there are three ways to deal with this.  First is to make them part of your image. It helps show dimensions after all.  Second option is to photoshop them out.  I did that in the image above.

Third, and more interesting is to take a tripod and take a shot leaving everything exactly the same.  Wait for 30 seconds and take another.  Do this for four or five images.  Then stack them in photoshop and erase out the people.  Since people move it is easy to get rid of them.  
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One difficult aspect of shooting Stonehenge is finding something a bit more unique. The required shot (the first one on this post) is a must but once captured you kind of fumble at a different shot.  One option is to go in close so a telephoto lens will be useful.  The other option is to go wide....very wide like the image below.
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Photos used under Creative Commons from left-hand, Ant Jackson, Skley, mikecogh, Helen.Yang, TheeErin, Dean Hochman, CJS*64, DaveR1988, FootMassagez, Loco Steve, dmytrok, Christiaan Colen
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Vintage Cameras
    • Argus 75
    • Brownie Flash II
    • Contax G2
    • Ensign Selfix 820
    • FED-1 (PE0320)
    • Graflex Crown Graphic
    • Ihagee Exa
    • Leica M6
    • Nikon S2
    • Nikon F
    • Nikon F2
    • Nikon F3
    • Nikon FA
    • Olympus OM-1
    • Olympus OM-2 SPOT
    • Olympus Stylus
    • Pentacon Six
    • Pentax Spotmatic IIa
    • Rollei 35
    • Voigtlander 15mm ver III
    • Yashica C
    • Zeiss Ikon Nettar 515/2
  • Learning Composition
    • The Monochrome Diaries
    • Single & Multi Elements
    • Symmetry
    • Keep the Right Strong
    • Framing
    • Color in Composition
    • Deep Dive Bubble Man
    • Photo Assignments
  • Darkroom Lessons
    • Building a Sink
    • Air Ventilation
    • Analyser Pro
    • Development Hints
    • Primer for Film Photography
    • Bulk Loading Film
    • Pushing & Pulling Film
    • Color Development
    • Digital Contact Sheets
    • Stick to One Film Stock?
    • HP5+ Shot at 200 ISO
    • HP5 Shot at 1600 ISO
    • HP5 Shot at 3200 ISO
    • Medium Format
    • Washing Film
    • Split Grade Printing
    • Using Distilled Water in Film Development
    • Darkroom Paper
    • Foma100 EI 400
  • Photography Books & Films
    • Colin O'Brien
    • Lartigue Life in Color
    • Magnum Contact Sheets
    • Top Photography Movies
    • William Eggleston's Guide
    • Helen Levitt
    • Sally Mann Immediate Family
    • Saul Leiter Early B&W
    • Leica 100 yrs
    • Calendar Days of Asaya Hamaya
    • The Decisive Moment
    • Regarding Women
    • Robert Capa in Love and War
  • Single Image Deep Dive
    • Sergio Larrain "A Man After Dark"
    • Colin O'Brien 'Comings & Goings"
    • Erwitt Mother & Child
    • Man Running
    • Samuel Becket
    • Koudelka Wristwatch
    • Dovima with Elephants