Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Exploring through the lens....

I know, I know, this blog has of late turned into a photography blog hasn't it? I havn't been sewing the last few days and its high time I got back to it but I have been exploring my newfound joy that is lo-fi cameras. I have also been trying to catch up on the mounds of ebay listings that are well, mounding up. lol I think I should sew more because I spend half the time listing and the other half searching for more camera stuff to buy and I really cant afford to spend any more but its just so dang fun to get those packages in the mail!

I got this roll of expired film last week for my Brownie Super 27. Expired Jan 1959! 52 yrs ago!!

I will be amazed if I get anything off of it, and if I manage to develop it at that. Because it is c-22 process after all so I will c what comes of that experiment. I have been reading up on developing my own negatives and Im ready to go for it! I bought a lot of old stuff on ebay today for $15 that included a Nikor developer can and one reel which is worth more than that alone. There is also some old developing powders in there so Im hoping I can find a use for those. I think they should still be good. Heck if people can get images off of 50 yr old film, then the developer should still be good too!

I took some shots with my cameras today. The sky was amazing at about noon today with those partial clouds and blue sky with a contrast between the two. Darn I didnt catch it on digital but I took some shots with my Diana, Holga and my 126. Also went to the park and shot. I already know Im going to burn through tons of film which is why Im gonna develop my own negs. heres one double exposure I tried with both cameras and my digital. I edited this as the first verson on retro setting was way washed out. you can see both in my flickr stream:


Monday, June 27, 2011

Shooting Blanks

So I got my first roll of film back from my Holga and to my disappointment it was blank!! I have the feeling the film wasn't advancing at all so it never even got exposed. Oh well say la vie. I also had some problems with my Diana, the film didn't roll tight enough on the take up when so i may have ruined that roll too. Well thankfully I'm not up to using 8-10 rolls of film yet so Im giving it another try.

I also attempted to load a 126 cartridge with 35mm film using this video tutorial. So I think I managed to get it right and I have loaded it into my camera. I probably will only get 15 shots as the whole roll of 24 didn't , and I wasted a few shots because the film didnt seem to be winding right. I ended up switching the cartridge to a different camera because the winder got stuck on the one I was using. Not having much beginners luck am I? Well once I get some pictures off a roll of film I'll be sure to share the results :)!

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Capturing time



Photography has long been something (among many things) that I have wanted to get into as a "hobby". My new Diana arrived a few days ago and I am most excited about her, and you would think Im nuts if I told you really just HOW excited! Its the first time I've used 120 film so its going to be fun! I loaded a roll of B&W since I have color in my Holga right now. I took both of my cameras to Santa Monica Pier today and I still didnt manage to finish a roll of film! I must be to picky, afraid to "waste" a shot. LOL

I think I got some good photos, at least I hope so. If they come out! Its definitely a learning process working with film, and even more so with these lo-fi cameras. Because everything you do depends on the old fashion way of photography. You know since the camera is completely manual you have to account for lighting, shutter speeds, exposure times, film iso oh my brain!

Well I try not to think too hard and just have fun with it. I started to try and write down what settings I used for each pic, but oh thats just to time consuming and boring for me. I like the random unpredictability of it all. The hardest thing I think to remember is- did i wind the film after that last shot?


This shot was taken with my cameraphone, using the vignette app on double exposure and toy camera. Now those are the kind of shots I hope to get with my analogs! I am so proud of how that shot came out! I love the ghostly couple in the foreground, they are looking right at me!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Feeding the newfound addiction



Today is tuesday, thats my swap meet day. I havn't gone for a week so today I needed to stock up. But I just had cameras on the brain. I scoured each booth carefully looking for 126 film even a used roll just to get that dreaded cartridge.

I found lots of clothes, some new and a few good vintage pieces. I think the find of the day turned out to be what I though on immediate view was likely a Hilo Hattie Dress turned out to be a vintage Disneyland dress. Best I can figure is its either a Tiki Room exclusive sold in adventureland of course or it may have been an employee uniform? Well I did some research and to my dissapointment it isnt vintage, its a reproduction. Check out this blog for t
he story. But still it was limited to 500 and sold in 2006. Im sure It will still fetch a good amount from some collector. Who knew Tiki stuff was so collectable??

So anyway back to the cameras. I ended up finding a Bell and Howell 126 and I thought I might sell it because it would make #3 in my 126 lineup. And then just as I was leaving something told me to go check this one table again and then, there it was! A Sears 2.8 Easi Load with Rikenon lens. Yea no big deal really. Except that inside was a used 126 cassette!! From sears even! I was so excited! I knew I would find one with a little patience. And Im glad because I really didnt want to buy one for 10 on ebay.

But the lady wanted $10. No need to worry I quickly fixed her. I got it for $4 which was still too much (I paid $2 for the Howell) But because I NEEDED that cartridge I paid $4. I also found 5 rolls of Kodak Max film for $2 total at another table so I made out great today! I took only $20 and I came home with $2. :)


Saturday, June 18, 2011

Isn't she gorgeous?


Here she is...my first Holga. In her splended all white plastic-ness. This is the 135bc, so it takes 35mm film. I shot my first two photos today and I dont know how Im ever gonna make it through 22 more shots without having a convulsion. Im so excited to see what comes out of this little baby.

I luckily picked her up off of craigslist in pristine condition for only $20. Amazing that it cost double that new. It weighs practically nothing, even with film in it. It was a funny feeling going out to shoot today, unlike using my digital of course I was far more selective on what I shot. Hence only 2 shots today. Now you know why I might have a convulsion :) It might take a while to get through my first roll.

I think I was already addicted to this pretty wonder even before I got her. Im already willing to blow every last penny to buy all kinds of accessories for it, and those ain't a pretty penny either! Oh har har I made a joke. But until then here is some really cool mods you can do to the Holga for no cost! This was a cool find on the lomography website. Im already itching to try them!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Remember film?


Film, you know you used to go buy it at the drugstore and put it in a camera, take pictures and then go back to the drug store and get it developed. I miss those days. The thrill of anticipation when you waited for those few days (how many was it 3, 5?) to get your photos back. You looked through each one carefully and recalled the memory of each moment. Now our lives are so filled with technology we barley remember what its like to hold a "camera" in our hand.

But film is not dead I assure you. I love anything vintage, and I have 3 old Kodaks and the other day I picked up two more. These are 126 format. I know I didnt need them both but they were $3 each. I actually talked the seller down from $5. :)
Well, apparently Im a day late and dollar short just like usual. I found out that the only place that was offering film online has exhausted its supply almost a year ago. Say La Vie. So now I am left scouring ebay hoping to get even one roll for less than $20. Outrageous. But I found a you tube video that shows you how to load 35mm film into the 126 cartridge. And actually I found out that 35mm and 126 are the same film. 126 just doesnt have the perforations in it. So if you load the 35mm in the camera you get those negative markings on your prints like this

Im just waiting for the right moment to snatch up some film at a cheap price on ebay or find an empty cassette at least so i can use 35. I have been dying to try out my skills. And then anxiously await my prints ;)