Self-Portrait at 50

I posted a self-portrait yesterday. Here's another. This one was harder for me, and deals with the fact that I've just turned fifty. There's symbolism in the cards, and no attempt to hide my age in my face.

 

Self-Portrait at 50, by Reed A. George

Nikon Df, Nikkor 35mm f2 AF-D Lens, Nikon SB-600 Flash

iso 200, f8, 1/60 sec.

 

You'll notice there are only two cards left in my pocket, and one's the ace of spades. The other fifty say something about the years behind me now. The queen of hearts is still there, close by.

 

I shot this by setting up my Nikon Df on a tripod, pointing straight down at me as I lay on the floor on black background material. The SB-600 flash is pointed in exactly the opposite direction, bouncing off of the ceiling. Twenty second self-timer, just enough time to get the cards in place.

 

Again, the inspiration for doing self-portraits came from the Photographer's Playbook. See the Amazon link below if you want to know more about that book.

 

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First Snow of the Season

First Snow, by Reed A. George

Nikon F

 

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Halls of Knowledge

Halls of Knowledge, by Reed A. George

Nikon F, Nikkor 45mm f2.8 Pancake Lens

 

I took this shot at the Carnegie Library in Washington, DC. Not bad for a 50 year old camera.

 

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The Old Nikkor 50mm f1.4 Still Shines

 

Irish Dance, by Reed A. George

Nikomat FTN, Nikkor S 50mm f1.4, pre-AI Lens

 

As you may know, I'm continuing to explore shooting Nikon SLR gear that covers a range of more than fifty years. Alongside my new Nikon Df, my original F film body is ready to go, with the Nikkor S 50mm f1.4 lens attached. The lens was a gift from one of my good buddies, Dennis Gallus.

 

I love it when I find someone else using classic old gear. Forum member DNG on Rangefinder Forum has just shared a few images made with his old Nikkor 50.

 

(Click Here) to see DNG's results.

 

I'm not sure what the details are of DNG's statement

"I also used a K25 preset on import from Filmbot. no changes in the color, just Topaz Clarify and Topaz Detail."

but I plan to look up these programs. Always open to new tools that help me continue to enjoy my old film gear and pictures.

 

The coolest thing about carrying my Df and F together is that any lens I can use on the F is just fine and at home on the Df as well. The inverse is true (any lens on the Df can be used on the F), except for "G" lenses, which lack an aperture ring. I may be the only one who feels this way, but that lack of a ring is keeping me from buying some new Nikon (or Sigma with Nikon mount) lenses.

 

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Another 50 Year Camera - The Pentax Spotmatic

Happy Thanksgiving!

Lighthouse, by Reed A. George

Pentax Spotmatic, 200mm f4 Takumar Lens

 

As my 50th birthday blazes toward me at the speed of time, I've been thinking about cameras that were current at my birth, and still useful now. As I've written before, the Nikon SLR comes to mind, and the thought has me carrying my 50 year old Nikon F with me at the same time as my brand new Nikon Df.

 

I've also just realized that one of my other favorite cameras, the Pentax Spotmatic, was born the same year as me - 1964.

 

As so many others I know, I grew up with a Pentax K1000 in hand. But, one of my best friend's dads had a gorgeous Honeywell Pentax Spotmatic. We were allowed to use it once in a while, but he demanded respect for his camera, something you can't just leave to teenagers on their own. Anyway, I now own a couple of Spotmatics (you can pick them up for next to nothing), and even have the same model of 200mm f4 Takumar he had. It feels really good to use them.

 

(Click Here) for a great article on Petapixel about the Spotmatic's 50th birthday. It includes scans of a brief review of the new camera, written in 1965 by Fred Springer-Miller, who used one at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Great stuff.

 

Civil War Sabre, by Reed A. George

 

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Fifty Years of Nikon

Camera images from nikonusa.com

 

I am turning 50 years old in December, just two months away. I'm not too hung up on age, but 50 is a big one. Half a century.

 

I just pulled the trigger on the purchase of a Nikon DF (sold refurbished direct from Nikon). I thought long and hard about that investment, since I already have attention deficit problems with my existing cameras, and like to focus on particular cameras, at least for some period of time. But, the DF is just too attractive for a photographer like me. Familiar controls, real knobs instead of (or in addition to) menus, married with amazing digital sensor technology, and the ability to use any of my Nikkor lenses to boot.

 

So, I'm thinking that I may pair up my new DF with a camera that was around and in use when I was born, my Nikon F film SLR with plain prism. I don't know exactly what the project will be yet, but it will take advantage of fifty years of Nikon SLR technology, in my 50th year of life.

 

Stay tuned!

 

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