Dem Bones

Surely one of the signs of the apocalypse..
Originally uploaded by Apocaplops

One of the great advantages of using Polaroid for me has been the availability of good high-speed film. Thankfully Fuji also produces a 3000 speed pack film, so I'll be able to shoot in low light even after Polaroid is gone.

With a 4.7 lens, my Polaroid 110A can shoot handheld in situations like this darkly lit museum, as long as I have 3000 speed film with me. This shot, for example, was handheld at EV 5 or so, which is really something for what is basically a large format camera. Try that with your baby Speed Graphic!

Nowadays you can achieve even more dramatic low-light shooting with some of the better digital SLRs out there, such as the Nikon D3. Some are capable of very low-noise even at ISO 6400, which opens up all sorts of new opportunities for lighting. I'm excited to see where this technology is finally going to take us, opening up new doors for all-new modes of photography.

Polaroids are for People

Steve focuses on the task at hand
Originally uploaded by Apocaplops

I may have written about this before, but it begs to be said again: there's nothing finer than a Polaroid for portraits. I'll bring my Polaroid cameras out and fully intend to shoot photos of still life or landscapes, and somehow the camera always gets turned to people. Folks don't seem to mind getting their picture taken with these cameras, in fact many will stop me and ask me to take their photo on the street, no joke. Many times I've been more than happy to shoot twice and give them a copy.

Recently, a friend of mine, Craig Nelson, has done quite a bit of portrait photography with his Mamiya RB67 and a Polaroid film back. His stuff is pretty distinctive - low shutter speeds, gorgeous natural light, and a quality to the portrait that says something about the relationship between photographer and subject. His stuff is great, and it shows a big reason why losing this film is such a shame. To be completely honest, he's using the Fuji version of the instant film, which is great because it will be in production for at least a little while yet.

Another guy to look at is Lou Bedlam, whose Polaroid integral-film portraits are stunners. Again there's the tight framing and personal connection with the subject, something that the medium can really shine at. I think he's progressing to TLR-based medium format right now as Polaroid phases out 600 film.

Saves

Jesus Saves
Originally uploaded by Apocaplops

I've been thinking of building up some prints so I can sell them at art fairs, just to try to save a little money, and maybe make my photography pay for itself. My photos are so eclectic that I have a hard time finding a cohesive enough group of subjects to sell. In the Lansing area I think local landmarks would do well, but elsewhere what? Nature scenes?

I'm not too big in photographing wildlife, I prefer to shoot people and landscapes. People photography doesn't sell all too well unless you're in the photo, it seems, so I think I'm going to concentrate on landscapes.

The Buried Sweet

The Buried Sweet
Originally uploaded by Apocaplops

I love going out to the cemetery and seeing what I can find. Some people have really interesting names, and I think the graveyard would be the perfect place for a couple to pick out names for their baby. Okay, maybe that's a bit macabre, but why not?

I just picked up a 50mm AF lens for my K100D digital SLR, and boy is that nice. Should have just done it a long time ago, but I couldn't talk myself into dropping the money. Once I finally got it, I ended up selling all my superfluous old manual focus stuff, and that more than covered the cost. For anybody thinking about using manual focus lenses on their dSLR, forget it. The viewfinder of even the best dSLR is dimmer and smaller than what you used to get, and the focusing screens aren't built to manually focus on.

If I had my druthers, I'd build a consumer-level SLR body with a nice pentaprism finder, and a split-image focusing screen. That would just be great. Don't see that happening, so I might as well cave and buy some decent AF glass.

Happy New Year

Last Leaves
Originally uploaded by Apocaplops

Time to get out and enjoy the weather.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year
Originally uploaded by Apocaplops

Merry Christmas everyone. One guess what I'm asking for.

This Foggy Evening

This Foggy Evening
Originally uploaded by Apocaplops

Proof positive that I need to indulge myself when I feel like taking some photographs.

Today I had to work a short shift, 11-4, and I knew that would give me enough light to snap a few photos when I was done. Unfortunately a steady rain set in around noon, and never let up. By the time I was out, fog blanketed the area and I was steadily losing light.

Normally I would get discouraged and sit inside, but today I decided to brave the nasty (really nasty) weather and shoot. I loaded my tripod, Mamiya Super 23, and dSLR into my car, along with my umbrella. I only had enough time for a couple locations, so I went places nearby that I thought might be picturesque in a fog.

Luckily, I got a keeper, taken with my K100D. Sloshing around by myself looking for shots is actually far more fun than it has any right to be. Great photography happens when you actively seek it out, not when you get around to it. Lesson learned.