Potential Energy
Posted by GZ in Life, Photography on March 14, 2010
The Crunch Comes Next
I know it’ll sound odd to the rest of the country, but it’s leaf-pile time (delayed by a few weeks due to precipitation). Looks like fun, doesn’t it?
Spring is here, finally. The clocks have moved forward and we had a full weekend without rain. Everything that’s seemed pent-up is starting to un-jam. Energy remains high, and I’m making progress on a couple of big projects.
The Mighty Mamiya has returned from rehab, and got back to work this weekend, too. I really need a strap/sling for that thing; I carried it around the Huntington for three hours, passing it back and forth from hand to hand, and my biceps feel like I’ve been doing curls. I don’t have an independent meter yet, so I was also lugging the 5D around my neck as a stand-in. Medium-format’s not only broadening my aesthetic horizons, it’s getting me into better shape.
Heavy Metal
Mamiya RB67 Pro S
Well, here it is – the aforementioned Mamiya. It’s impressive, right? That’s the 90mm glass up front.
It’s obvious that it’s been used a lot since 1975 (or thereabouts), but most of the dents and dings are cosmetic. I think I’ve found the right guy to clean it and the lenses up, and luckily he’s local. A lot of poor enthusiasts have to ship their precious gear across the country or around the world to one of the few remaining technicians qualified to properly deal with aging equipment like this.
More to come…
When a Big Negative Becomes a Big Positive
Posted by GZ in Gear, Photography on February 17, 2010
The Conceits of Youth
Taking another leap, I saw a camera I’d always wanted on offer from a Flickr member I knew by reputation, and I went for it.
I am now the proud owner of a Mamiya RB67 Pro S medium-format SLR camera, along with a nice assortment of lenses. It’s a beautiful tank of a machine, fully-manual, heavy and in need of a serious cleaning, but I already know I’m going to be getting some good images out of it.
For those who don’t know, medium-format photography produces a film negative that’s much larger than the standard 35mm film most people are used to (if they remember shooting film at all). In this case, the negative is 6cm x 7cm (56mm x 70mm), versus 35mm, which is only 24mm × 36mm. This larger negative captures a lot more information (light), which means much more detail in prints or scans.
More as I learn about it.
Let It Rain
Posted by GZ in Gear, Life, Photography on January 20, 2010
Waiting Our Turn
Re: that creative block, I figure one way to work around it is to try new things. Makes sense, right?
This week, it’s rain photography. I shot some rainy-day black-and-white film over the weekend, and came up with some shots I can say I truly like. I need to work on color digital this week. It looks like I’ll have plenty of opportunity to practice in inclement weather.
Shooting with the AE as much as I have been, I’ve decided that (though being “stuck” with the 50mm has made me think differently) I want some more lens variety at my disposal. I’m hitting eBay up for some cheap glass, in zoom and prime flavors.
Speaking of eBay, I’m exercising different muscles doing tabletop product photography as I prepare items for sale. I’m finding all sorts of things to send off to new homes. Lens money doesn’t rain from the sky, people.
Hello, 2010
Number 15
New year, new goals.
#1 is to break this stupid creative block.
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