Thanks to my friend Bill Smith I tried Cinestill 50D film recently. This film is Kodak Movie stock, but with the black anti-halation backing removed, to make it easy and safe to process using standard C-41 chemistry. Both these images were taken at Harbourfront with my Nikon F2 SLR and 28mm/2.8 Nikkor lens.
On the streets of Hamilton.
Nikon F2, 50mm/1.4 Pre-AI Nikkor lens
TMax 400 film, developed in Ilfosol 3
In the recent meet-up in Hamilton, the dramatic lighting in an alley caught my eye.
Nikon F2 35mm SLR with 50mm/1.4 lens
Kodak TMax 400 film, image cropped
This image is from the recent Toronto Film Photographer’s walk. My friend Alex is lining up a shot, and the geometry immediately caught my eye.
Nikon F2, 24mm/2.8 Nikkor lens
Kodak Tmax 400 film
…and I seem to keep coming back to it. This is how the gazebo in the Beaches looked on a cold New Year’s day morning.
Nikon F2, 50mm/1.4 lens
Tmax 400 film developed in Xtol 1+1 for 9.25 minutes
I have made it a tradition the last few years to go out camera in hand on the morning of January 1st, regardless of the weather. This year was grey and cool for most of the day, but I still went down to the Beaches in the morning, with my Nikon F2 and three lenses. This image was taken with my 50mm/1.4 lens, on TMax 400 film.
The F2 is one of my cameras that doesn’t get used as much as it should as, and I have more than a couple of cameras in that category, so one of my photography goals for 2016 is, no buying of cameras or lenses (repair/replacement excepted, as needed)! Time to use more of what I have.
A very warm morning on the Boardwalk this morning. I ran into some technical challenges, but managed to get a couple of shots I liked.
Nikon F2 35mm SLR, 105mm/2.5 Nikkor lens with Yellow filter
Rollei Retro 80s film developed in Rodinal 1+100 for one hour @ 20 C (Semi-stand)
Today’s image is another one from my Doors Open excursion last weekend. This is a meeting room from the Edwardian office building at 10 Adelaide (Canadian Heritage Centre). The room was empty, but still I felt echoes of authority.
Nikon F2, 28mm/2.8 Nikkor lens
Tri-X developed in Xtol 1:1 for 9 minutes
Post processing with Nik Silver Efex Pro 2
I took an awful lot of Fisheye images on film this weekend, so I decided to create a slideshow, with “Bone Garden” by Blood Ruby as the sound track. I think the music fits well.:-) The feeling I get with circular fisheye images is one of peering through a keyhole, glimpsing another world.
All images taken with Nikon F2 35mm SLR,
Lens: Lensbaby Composer with Fisheye Optic.
Films: Rollei Retro 80s, Fomapan 100, Eastman Double X
Post production with Nik Efex
I’ve mentioned on more that one occasion how I like working with actors, musicians and other performers, as well as models who understand that it’s not just about “looking pretty”. Young model Julia MacKenzie (who has also had some acting experience) gets it. During a sequence a photos we came up with a story/scenario, and Julia was immediately able to immerse herself in it. More than just looking pretty.
(Nikon F, 85mm/f1.8 Nkkor lens, Ilford Delta 400 developed in Microdol-X 1:1,
negative scanned and post-processed with Nik Efex)
My Third Eye 