Posts Tagged: Indiana

35 MM / Cameras / Nikon F4S / Technique — No Comments
21
Jan 10

Hybrid digital darkroom workflow

Dunn Meadows (Indiana University Bloomington): Digital Darkroom Workflow

Many of you that follow my blog know that I use film for some of my work. Sometimes I get asked if I have a wet darkroom and my answer is no, but I did at one point. I got rid of it when I purchased my first DSLR, a Nikon D70. I also got rid of all my film cameras including my favorite Fuji GW670. But for the past several months I have started building my arsenal of film cameras again and I couldn’t be happier. I however decided not to rebuild a wet darkroom and instead chose to take a hybrid approach. I shoot film but all the post-processing and printing is done using a digital workflow. Here are some details about the hardware and other products I use:

Digital Darkroom Hardware:

Scanner: Nikon Coolscan 8000 and Coolscan 4000
Scanner Software: Vuescan Professional Edition
Computer: Macbook Pro with 2.5GHz Intel Processor and 4BG Memory
Monitor: Dell E248WFP
Software: Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CS3
Printer: Epson R2400
Monitor Calibration: Colorvision Spyder Pro 2
Calibration Software: ColorEyes Display Pro
Photopaper: Epson Somerset Velvet, Hahnemühle FineArt, and Ilford Premium Plus

I couldn’t be happier with this arrangement, I get all the benefits of shooting film including access to cameras that would cost thousands for equivalent digital versions. I enjoy the process of manipulating images a lot more than I used when doing the same in a wet darkroom. I however do realize that all my time spent in a wet darkroom have trained me well to get the most out of my digital darkroom. The image you see above is what I envisioned and created in the digital darkroom and what you see below is the actual capture itself. What do you think?

35 MM / Cameras / Canon Canonet QL17 / Street Photography / Thoughts — No Comments
8
Jan 10

The bond we share

The Bond we Share.....

We all go through life making connections and building relationships. These relationships could be with other humans, animals, and even inanimate things. How many of us haven’t given a name to our car or talk about our electronic devices as if they were a person. This bond is especially strong between humans and animals. We humans depend on them for just about everything – food, clothing, even work.

The above photograph was captured in Downtown Indianapolis near Monument Circle. You will find many of these horse drawn carriages parked around the circle waiting for passengers. Sometimes you see a couple out on a romantic evening and at other times you see kids just enjoying the ride. The passengers change all the time, but the horse and the carriageman stay the same. They enjoy a special bond and you can see it in how they communicate and respond to each other. I took this photograph after walking around the circle a few times. I did not have any expectations as to what I wanted to photograph that day. But when I saw this scene playing out in front of me I knew I had something special.

35 MM / Cameras / Nikon FM2N / Thoughts — No Comments
7
Jan 10

Letting our emotions guide us in the photography process

Solitary Raven on a Tree Branch [Letting our emotions guide us in the photography process]

Don’t we all love landscapes, images of birds and animals – the more color the better. There are times however when you can create a powerful image without having any of those elements and letting your emotions guide you. Like in the photograph above – it is practically a duotone image. All you see are black of the branches and the raven and white of the sky.

I took this photograph on my way to an early morning class at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business in Bloomington. I just looked up and there it was (I am still debating if it is raven that I saw or a crow) sitting all by itself on a leafless tree set against a clear winter sky. Looking through the viewfinder (I believe it was a Nikon FM2N Camera) I settled on this composition for its simplicity and probably the emotional state I was in at that time.

I will be honest business school was no fun. Don’t get me wrong – the classes and the faculty were wonderful, however at times I felt like I was living my high school years again. Even though you were surrounded by classmates you felt lonely and the pressure to conform was too much. This image was probably a result of that emotional and mental state I was in at that time.

To order prints:

Cameras / Hasselblad 500C/M / Medium Format / Thoughts / Travel — No Comments
3
Jan 10

Seeing what others miss and making it your own

Somewhere, Indiana

I was telling someone over lunch that photography changed the way I look at the world. Before I purchased my first camera, I would go around my business, never took in my surroundings, and almost always never interacted with locals. That changed after I started photographing, I started noticing and appreciating my surroundings more and more. When I look at a building I wonder what was the architect thinking when he drew the plans. When I look at an old and decaying tree stump I try to look for the beauty in its rotting structure. That was the case when I took the photo above. I was coming back from a weekend trip to Lake Patoka about which I blogged last year and instead of barreling down the interstate I decided to take one of the side roads. This road was not paved at all. It was gravel and the going was a bit rough. As I kept driving down this path I noticed this meadow to my left and how beautiful it looked as the sun was rising. I pulled to the side of the road, set up my camera, and got to work before the sun got too high and the light too harsh. The camera I used was a Hasselblad 500C/M with a 60mm Distagon Lens + Polarizer and the film used was Fuji NPC160 Color Print Film. I am sure many have driven down that gravel road before, but I don’t think anyone ever stopped where I did and took a photograph to preserve that moment in time and space. This photo has given me ideas for other projects that I plan to pursue this year.

Somewhere, Indiana

Your landscapes are around you. You don’t have to travel to some exotic locale or National Park – look around you, keep your camera handy, and more importantly keep your eyes open.

35 MM / Alternate Cameras / Cameras / Holga / Technique / Toy Cameras — No Comments
2
Jan 10

How to load 35mm film in a Medium Format Holga 120S Toy Camera

How to load 35mm film in a Medium Format Holga 120S Toy Camera

Recently I wrote on how I used my favorite 35mm Black and White film, Ilford HP5 Plus, in a modified Holga 120S Medium Format Camera. Many have commented (On Flickr) and I really appreciate that. I did receive some inquiries on how I loaded the film in the camera and kept it in place. Before I show how I did it here is a video on Youtube showing how others have done it:

Unfortunately for me I did not have pieces of foam lying around so I improvised. Instead of foam pieces I used a Bic ballpoint pen. I cut two pieces (you will have to experiment just a little to get the right size) and made notches on one end of each piece to fit into each end of the 35mm film spool. Make sure that the film is centered while you experiment, you will just have to eye ball it.

I then inserted the pieces of Bic pen on either side of the film spool and loaded it into the camera.

Make sure you absolutely remember to do this: I made sure that the film counter window is tapped up on the outside and inside with black electrical tape. You will have to do this because unlike 120 film which has a paper backing 35mm film does not have one. If you do not cover the counter window the film will be exposed to outside light – which could be very bad.

Once you have the lid closed tape up areas (Like in the photo above) to make sure that there are no more light leaks or eliminate any accidents.

Alternate Cameras / Cameras / Holga / Indianapolis / Toy Cameras — 2 Comments
29
Dec 09

Winter fun with Holga

Snowscape

Well before your mind wanders in the wrong direction, Holga is a cheaply built plastic camera with a crummy plastic lens – and the primary reason why many like it. No two cameras are the same which is a testament to the absolutely horrible quality control procedures if there are any to begin with. Despite its short comings the Holga has endeared itself to many artists and serious photographers with its quirky and sometimes other worldly results.

I purchased my Holga in 2004 for some $20.00. Unlike other cameras that might quit working in freezing cold winters of midwest, Holgas are remarkably reliable. With just one shutter speed and aperture setting there is nothing to worry about other than getting the photograph. Just the other day I took it out, loaded it with my favorite 35mm Black and White film and went for a walk at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

Using a film smaller than the recommended format gives you some interesting results. In this case you will notice, assuming that you still remember what a developed 35mm film looks like, the area with sprocket holes is also exposed giving it a cool border effect. Many spend ungodly amounts of money to get the same effect in Photoshop – oh the irony.

35 MM / Cameras / Canon Canonet QL17 / Indianapolis / Street Photography — No Comments
22
Dec 09

Woman in alleyway

I am not sure when exactly I took this photograph. I do remember this scene though. I stumbled upon it while walking around downtown Indianapolis one evening. I did a little bit of post-processing to bring out the details and also to draw attention to the woman in the background as she was entering the dark alleyway. The road leads the viewer right to the woman who seems to be going somewhere as she was pulling a bag.

35 MM / Cameras / DSLR / Digital Photography / Events / Nikon D70 / Promotion / Strobist — No Comments
14
Dec 09

A Fabulous Holiday Music Weekend

I was fortunate to see and be a part of two amazing performances this weekend. First was the Inter-generational Kwanzaa Choir which put on a wonderful show at the Indiana Historical Society’s Frank and Katrina Basile Theater. Led by artistic director Deborah Asante the performance included the African National Anthem (in Swahili), the 7 Principles of Kwanzaa, a sneak peak at MLK in hip hop world, and a tribute to Michael Jackson. The costumes were dazzling and equally dazzling were the performances.

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Rest of the Images from the Kwanzaa Choir can be seen at : Kwanzaa Choir

The second performance that I got to see was the Holiday Classic “The Nut Cracker” presented by The Indiana Ballet Company and The Russian Ballet Academy of Indiana. This was a special show put on by the Company and Dancers as part of the “Hopes and Dreams” initiative for the benefit of approximately 850 children. Some of these children are currently confronting major challenges such as poverty, homelessness and serious illness. The dances were based on original choreography by Vainonen with additional choreography provided by Artistic Director Alyona Yakovleva. I was one of the volunteer photographers covering the event, and I got to do some group photos of kids with the dancers after the performance.

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35 MM / Cameras / Canon AE-1 / Indianapolis — No Comments
25
Nov 09

[Series 10 of 10]:Indianapolis at Night (408 N Capitol Ave, Musicians’ Repair)

Indianapolis at Night 10 of 10 (408 N Capitol Ave, Indianapolis, IN, United States)

Due to Thanksgiving Holiday I am posting the 10th and final entry of this series a day early. Hope you enjoyed the series. There will be more to come.

Musicians’ Repair & Sales is the oldest music store in the city of Indianapolis and has been open since 1948. You can learn more about the store and the services it offers by visiting its website. Here is the exact location of the photo on Google Maps

35 MM / Cameras / Canon AE-1 / Indianapolis / Street Photography — No Comments
25
Nov 09

[Series 9 of 10]: Indianapolis at Night (Unknown, Headless Men)

Indianapolis at Night 9 of 10 (Headless Men, Unknown, Indianapolis, IN, United States)

Another window display that caught my eye. Unfortunately don’t remember the name of the store or location. It is somewhere between 16th and 38th streets.

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