Today I got a roll of Fuji Velvia 50 slide film back from processing. Such a vivid, intense film, especially for blue skies!
Nikon FM, 20mm/2.8 Nikkor lens
https://www.podbean.com/media/player/4gzp4-684770?from=yiiadmin
This week I am privileged to once again have the opportunity to speak with wet plate photographer Shane Balkowitsch. Shane has attracted a lot of attention recently for his project Northern Plains: Native Americans A Modern Wet Plate Perspective, as well as for a hard-hitting satirical image of Donald Trump.
We talk about politics, activism and commitment to a cause and how it is reflected in his amazing work.
My interview with Shane for Classic Camera Revival.
Example for the Northern Plains project:

Archie D. Fool Bear, (Kokipesni) “Afraid of Nothing”, Upper Yanktonai Dakota Sioux

Donald Trump – “POTUS Revealed”
Model: Kevin R. Tengesdal
The Soviet-era Helios 44/2 lens (actually a 58mm lens, and a direct copy of the Zeiss Biotar 58mm lens) has a cult following for the way it renders out of focus areas at wide apertures. I recently got one that had been adapted to work on the Nikon F mount and still focus to infinity, and I have started to experiment with it. The person who did the work on the lens has an interesting YouTube video that explains the process.
Nikon F4, Helios 44/2 58mm lens
Rollei RPX25 film
On the two latest episodes of My Photography Podcast I had the pleasure of speaking with pinhole photographers Kathrena Revera and Moni Smith. Their passion for their craft and their amazing work inspired me to finally try pinhole photography. I am using my 4×5 Speed Graphic camera, with a 0.3mm pinhole in place of a lens, and though I am still at the experimental “dialing it in” phase of my work I am excited with the results. Both images below were shot on Fomapan 100 film. The exposure for the first image was 6.5 minutes, the second 1 minute, 15 seconds.
The first of a few images from a roll of Kodak Portra 400 I shot with my Rolleiflex 3.5E3 at Toronto Harbor recently.
Also, the latest episode of Classic Camera Revival is now online. We have a great discussion about folding cameras.
Last Monday at Bluffer’s Park I noticed these plants. I liked the backlighting on them but the glare of the sun plus the breeze moving the plants around made for tricky shooting and it took a few attempts to get these two images using my Nikon F4 and 28mm lens, shooting on Rollei RPX film
Don’ forget to check out this week’s episode of My Photography Podcast, featuring an interview with pinhole photographer Moni Smith!