Author: johnmeadowsphotography

An amateur photographer in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Right Approach

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I am not a purist. While I love traditional film, I don’t get religious about it; I will use digital as well, when the situation calls for it. Today’s image is an example, shot with the talented and very creative model Emily Decoteau. I did use film as well for this shoot (currently hanging drying in my darkroom), but there is a certain kind of vibrancy in this image that I ascribe to the use of a digital camera. It will be interesting to compare this image to the film versions, and I suspect it won’t be better/worse,  just different.

Emily in Blue

Instant Gratification

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The guys on the Film Photography Podcast spend a lot of time talking about shooting instant photography, so I decided to take the plunge, and through the FPP store I got a lovely Polaroid 100 Land camera, for which Fuji still makes colour and black and white film packs (the peel apart variety). During the instant photo walk in Cleveland on Saturday (as part of the Analog Pulse Photography Meet-up, to be covered in a future post), I took this image using the FP-C 100 colour instant film. The process of shooting instant is a lot of fun, different from both traditional film and digital shooting, with its own kind of slightly delayed instant gratification. I’m hooked 🙂

Cleveland Street View

Found

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In today’s image, the model Rae is sitting in an old chair I found a block and a half from my house, put out by someone with a “Free” sign on it. My guess is that it dates from the 1930’s/40’s, and it needs some TLC, but in its present condition it was perfect for the vintage, somewhat melancholy mood I was looking for in this image, and it worked great with Rae’s lovely pose and expression. I just had to click the shutter.

Rae Gun

(Mamiya 645 Pro TL, 80mm f2.8 lens, Ilford Delta 100 film processed in HC-110 Dilution B for 6 minutes, scanned then post-processed using NIK plug-ins)

Background

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One more image of Keira from our Kensington Market shoot. We both saw this background at the same time, and immediately gravitated to it. The iconic Metropolis robot heads, and the frame, slightly askew which frames Keira’s head were an interesting combination — there is a lot going on!

Keira in Kensington

Early Morning

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It was sometime between 7:30 and 8:00, walking along the Rideau Canal in Ottawa on a Sunday morning during PAB 2012 weekend. It was clear and bright, with the promise of a warm day ahead, but with early morning stillness upon the water.

Ottawa Adox 20 CMS012

Keira in Colour

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As a follow up to the last post, here is one of the colour images from the shoot with Keira at Kensington Market. Although black and white is my “mother tongue” when it comes to photography, there are times when the language of colour is the only thing that will do, and I believe this is one of those times. I love the pink and blue neon sign with Keira’s auburn hair, both glowing, and capped off with a touching expression.

By the Sign

(Nikon FE, 105mm/f2.5 Nikkor lens, Kodak ISO 200 Colour Negative film, processed using JOBO C-41 kit, post work done with NIK Color Efex Pro 3)

Canadian Manners

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Today’s image of model Keira Jade was taken in Kensington Market in Toronto last week.  It was very hot and fairly crowded, but we were both struck by the continued politeness we encountered, as passersby made every attempt to stay out of the shot, either by stopping and waiting, or going behind me, all the while saying “Sorry.” Sometimes the stereotypes are true!

Keira Jade in Kensington Market, Toronto

(Mamiya 645 Pro TL, 150mm/f4 lens, Tri-X at E.I. 1000, developed in Diafine 3+3)

The Eyes Still Have It

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When I take portraits, it’s all about the eyes and expression, and I love the expression worn in this image (taken on the way to PAB 2012)  by Adam Gratrix,  an extremely bright and creative podcaster from Surrey, BC. His energy really come through here I think!

Caught in Mid Gulp

(Pentax ME Super 35mm SLR, 50mm f1.4 lens, Tri-X @ E.I. 1000, developed in Diafine 3+3)

Old Friends: Susan and Cheryl

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Today’s image is the latest in my ongoing “Old Friends” project, shot while I was at PAB 2o12 in Ottawa earlier this month. It features my friend Susan Murphy (who was also attending PAB 2012), and her long time friend Cheryl. It had been a while since they had met up in person, but the bond of friendship between the two was quite clear, and both delightful and touching.

Old Friends Ottawa: Susan and Cheryl

(Pentax ME Super 35mm SLR, 50mm 1.4 lens, Tri-X at E.I. 1000, developed in Diafine 3 + 3)

First Home-Developed Colour!

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This image is from some street shooting I did in Ottawa last weekend. (If you look closely you can see me taking the picture; I’m the second bald head ;-)).

This was also the first roll I developed at home using C-41 colour negative chemistry; it was not hard at all — the only challenge was maintaining the higher temperatures required

Pab2012 Colour022