In the Dark

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As I’ve said before, I am not a film-only purist, and there are times when digital technology s what is needed to get the shot. Last night was one of those occasions. I was shooting Angela Saini at the Free Times Cafe here in Toronto. A great location to hear great music, but the stage is very dimly lit. I had to crank up the ISO on my Nikon D7100 to 6400, just to get a decent shot in available light. 6400 is a speed that takes drastic chemical steps to achieve in a film camera, and I wold likely have ended up with golf-ball sized grain. I like this look better.

Angela Saini at Free Times Cafe

Large and Small

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Here is another image from Lethbridge: the large trestle bridge in the background, the humble pedestrian bridge in the foreground. I found the juxtaposition interesting.

Big Bridge and Small Bridge

 

(Mamiya 645 Pro TL, 80mm/2.8 lens, shot on Tri-X @ E.I. 1000 developed in Diafine 3+3)

Lines

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This week I am on a business trip in Lethbridge, Alberta. It’s a busy week, but I did have a little bit of time for some photography (digital and film) last evening, so I headed down to a park underneath the Lethbridge Viaduct railway bridge, on of the iconic sites in the city. As an icon, it has been extensively photographed, so I tried to avoid the iconic compositions 🙂

DSC_2337

The Right Gear

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I noticed this young photographer on the subway yesterday. He was equipped with a Canon SLR and what appeared to be a manual focus lens, likely a 50mm or 35mm. What I noticed more than the camera and  though was his eyes:  he was looking at everything, noticing everything, and in his mind framing every possible shot. Without ever seeing an image of his, I am quite confident that his photography would be good.

He had the right gear; and I don’t mean his camera, I mean his eyes and awareness which transcend whatever camera he had in his hands.

Young Photographer

Standing Around All Day

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Over the last few years I’ve noticed more and more “human statues” at Yonge and Dundas in downtown Toronto. I’d say this is a pretty tough way to make a living: it requires a lot of concentration, and I am sure some passersby will do their best to break their pose.

Toronto Street 2013 May002

 

(Nikon F2, 105mm/f2.5, Tri-X developed in Xtol 1:1)

An Example of Why Film Still Works

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One of the reasons I still like shooting film is exemplified by this image of model and dancer Kaitlin taking using my Rolleicord IIIa twin lens reflex camera. The Xenar lens has a unique character, not tack sharp unless you really stop down. It is easy to get a lot of sameness with digital cameras; each of my film cameras has own voice, its own signature, and I have a love affair with each of them.

Dancer on Film

A New Favourite Portrait Lens

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Yesterday I had the pleasure of doing a photo shoot with Michael James. I first met Michael last year when we were both in The Alexander Showcase Theatre’s production of Man of La Mancha. Michael is a fun guy to work with: a great sense of humour, and also a lot of depth and thoughtfulness. My job as a photographer is to capture that, and I’d like to think I did.

85mm Nikon 001

I used the Nikkor 85mm/1.8 lens on my Nikon F2, using Kodak Tri-X film; I can see myself coming back to this combo again, especially for male portraits!

Street Shooting Lenses

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The last few days I have been trying my Nikkor 85/1.8 lens on my Nikon F2 for street shooting, and I am really liking the this focal length; so many images just seem to present themselves, like today’s image of a dog owner coming back to collect his dog. (I was originally trying to get a shot of the dog alone, but the owner came back just as I was about to shoot).

Picking up the Dog

 

(Nikon F2 with 85mm/1.8 Nikkor lens, Tri-X film at E.I. 400 developed in Xtol 1:1 for 9 minutes)

Great Combo!

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One thing I like about cameras like a Speed Graphic is how parts can be mixed and matched. I was able to use a Voigtlander Voigtar Anastigmat lens (15mm/f6.3) rescued from a non-working Voigtlander Avus folder from the 1920’s. The roll film holder was from a Mamiya RB67 camera; it mounts perfectly.

Great combo!