I have shot this still life in St. James cemetery before, but using the Lomography Petzval 55mm/f1.7 MKii transforms the scene for me.
Petzval in the Graveyard
Tag: Petzval
Enjoying a Petzval lens
A good friend of mine lent me his Lomography Petzval 55 MKII lens, and I went out with it for the first time earlier today. I love this lens! It uses the Petzval optical formula from the mid nineteenth century to create the characteristic swirl.
Another Photographer Friend
Today another portrait of a film photography friend 🙂 It was a lovely day at High Park yesterday when Chrissie Wu and I met up for a photoshoot. I was once again using my 4×5 Speed Graphic and vintage Petzval lens, but the film was Fomapan 100, which I have never shot in 4×5 before. Developed in Xtol 1+1 for 7.5 minutes @ 20 C, I am quite happy with the tonality of the result.
A Photographer Friend
Recently I went to Kitchener for a shoot with my friend Suzanne Leakey. Suzanne is a talented photographer in her own right, as well as a jewellery maker. It was fun to talk shop as the shoot progressed! This image was taken with the 4×5 Speed Graphic and antique Petzval lens, on HP5+ film.
The Light of Late Afternoon
I had a great shoot yesterday with my good friend Jennifer yesterday. The sun was low in the sky, and through the trees on the U of T campus downtown the light took on a lovely dappled quality that I think worked well with the Petzval lens and the 4×5 Speed Graphic. Created using Ilford HP5+ film.
Two Cameras, One Subject
Last Wednesday at lunch on a very warm, humid day I got together with my good friend Adriana for a portrait shoot in Centennial Park in Mississauga. I used two very different cameras: first, my Olympus Pen F, which until I had primarily used for male portraits. With a 100mm/3.5 Zuiko lens mounted, I think this camera works for female portraits as well.
Next, a portrait with my Petzval lens from the 1860’s using my 4×5 Speed Graphic. While normally I shoot close in with this lens, I decided to try moving back, and I like what the old lens did to the background. There is a a dimensionality to the Petzval lens optical formula that I don’t think digital filters can copy; it’s like being in a dream 🙂
Michelle Again
Here is another image of my friend Michelle, taken at the Quebec meet-up of friends she hosted. This photograph was made with my 4×5 Speed Graphic, my antique Petzval lens, some amazing light, and an amazing subject 🙂
Depth of Character
Finally back with a new image! This is my good friend Sylvain; a couple of weeks ago I enjoyed meeting up with him and other good friends just outside Montreal. This image was created with my 4×5 Speed Graphic and 1860’s Petzval lens.
When Sylvain saw the image, he said he thought he looked “serious.” The word that works for me is “thoughtful”; like everyone at the gathering, Sylvain is a person of great depth and creativity; he lives up to the caption on his T-shirt. This lens has a very shallow depth of field, but I think it captures depth of character.
HP5+ developed in D-76 stock solution
Another 4×5 Colour Slide
I developed another 4×5 sheet of Fuji Provia 100F today, and this image goes back to my shoot with my friends Maria and Conor. I love the muted colours!
Speed Graphic 4×5 camera, 1860’s Brass Petzval lens
4×5 in Colour
When my 1860’s Petzval lens was made, colour photography was only entering its earliest experimental phase, so it was fun to try the lens with Fuji Provia 100F colour slide film during my recent shoot with Kristen. I developed the film with the Rapid E6 kit from Argentix.ca. I love the muted colours produced by this uncoated lens. The sad thing is I only have 10 more sheets of this film, now discontinued 😦
My Third Eye 