Autumn Color

I got out in the autumn colors today, from a vantage point at Bear's Den overlooking the Shenandoah Valley, less than an hour from home.  Here's the overall scene (don't forget that it's interactive - you can zoom and scroll around in the 360 degree panorama image if you click on image):

Post from RICOH THETA. #theta360 - Spherical Image - RICOH THETA

And here are my favorite shots from the day, all shot with my Nikon D810.  The first two with the Nikkor 200-500mm, the rest with the Zeiss Milvus 50mm f1.4 (amazing lens!).

Back to Color, Digital, Lumix? Well, Maybe a Little

I've been offline, mostly, working with black and white film in the darkroom. And, enjoying it immensely.

 

But, I decided to give Micro 4/3 a go again, after never being able to quite fall in love with the DMC-GX7 body. The image quality is fine, quite fine, in fact, but the camera feels weird in my hand, and I don't like the electronic viewfinder (EVF) on that particular camera. So, I decided to jump on a Black Friday deal and get the similar but somewhat less full-featured DMC-G7. Much better, for me. I gave up in-body image stabilization (which the GX7 has), but gained a camera that feels right in my hand, with what I feel is a better EVF.

 

Here's a shot I made with the new G7 today, using the Lumix 100-300mm f4-5.6 zoom lens, at 800 iso:

Mockingbird in Winter

 

I'm still really having a blast in the darkroom, but this was SO easy, and shooting color again is also fun...

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

A Hike on the Unfinished Railroad

A few weeks back, I took a hike at the Manassas National Battlefied, site of two ferocious battles in the US Civil War. The Unfinished Railroad is a trench dug for rails, but never finished. It was a center of the second battle of Manassas.

 

I shot these images with my Rolleiflex SL2000F. Man, I love this weird old camera.

 

You could smell the summer honeysuckle all along the trail.

 

 

This monument is at the end of the trail. It reads: "In Memory of the Patriots Who Fell at Groveton, August 28th, 29th, & 30th, 1862.

 

 

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A Distinguished Couple

 

From an Asian festival in Washington, DC. Photos made with my Rolleiflex SL2000F and Sonnar 135mm f2.8 lens. That Sonnar is one of the very best telephoto lenses I've ever used.

 

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Someone I Met - and a New Camera. The Fujica Half 1.9 Half-Frame

I've been playing around with the 35mm half-frame format recently. (Click Here) and (Click Here) to see posts on my first half-frame camera, the Canon Demi EE17.

 

I recently bought a second half-frame camera, a Fujica Half 1.9. I picked it up on ebay for $22, including shipping, and it looks and works like new. It even came with the original soft leather case, strap and lens cap. Very cool.

 

Here's the important part - a picture I made with it on a recent trip down to Greenville, South Carolina. My friend, Craig, and I took a run over to Asheville, North Carolina for the day. We met this fine lady in an art studio there.

 

 

I scanned the film, then edited it in Analog Efex 2 (Nik Software/Google) and Lightroom. Analog Efex has a wealth of film and camera emulations, and frames.

 

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Some Half-Frame Shots - Canon Demi EE17

Well, apparently I have still not gotten over my obsession with shooting lots of different cameras and formats. My last two posts have been from the large film end, 6x9 medium format in the Fuji GW690. Before that, I posted some shots from the smallest film format camera that I currently own , a half-frame Canon that I picked up by chance. (Click Here) to see my previous post on that camera. Here are some color shots from the Demi.

 

It's fun making diptychs (picture pairs) with half-frame cameras. Here's an example.

 

And now, I've bought a second half-frame camera, which I'll write about later. And that's not all, but enough for now.

 

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Digital Panorama with Nikon Df - Korean War Memorial, Washington, DC

I've been working on my technique for shooting digital panoramas. Today I shot this one, at the Korean War Memorial on the Mall in Washington, DC. I shot it with my Nikon Df, Nikkor 35-70mm f2.8 AF lens at 44mm, f/11. I found the approximate nodal point (ideal point of rotation for panoramic images) by using my gimbal head, usually reserved for the big telephotos. That worked quite well.

 

I am searching for a viewer to allow my blog readers to see it up close and scroll around - the detail in this huge image is amazing.

 

Just for fun, I printed it on my Epson P600 printer with roll paper. In order to get the height to 12 inches, the length of the print is nearly 10 feet! It is really cool to see on paper. I can't do that everyday. The cost of this one print was probably ridiculous. I think it was about $20 in paper, many times that in ink cost.

 

 

If you click on the image, it should take you to flicker, where you can see it bigger.

 

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Halloween's Coming

Pumpkin Time, by Reed A. George

Leica M3, 50mm f2 Summicron Collapsible Lens

Kodak Ultramax 400 Film

Processing and Scanning by The Darkroom (thedarkroom.com)

Manipulated in Snapseed

 

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Contemplative Geology

Contemplative Geology, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

iso200, f5.6, 1/800 sec.

 

Just part of the geology at the Desolation Wilderness in Northern California. This place is pretty zen.

 

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Those Northern California Clouds

 

All photographed with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100.

 

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16:9 Format - Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

 

Landscape in 16:9, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

iso 400, f5.6, 1/100 sec.

 

I've just uploaded a set of images from my recent trip to the Desolation Wilderness in Northern California to my flickr page. (Click Here) to view them all (or if you want to see this image larger). Every single one of the images in this set was captured with the LX100. What a wonderfully compact and capable camera this is, perfect for a long hiking trip like the one I was on (3 days, two nights camping).

 

I love the native 16:9 format in the LX100, though I did crop a larger image to get it in this case.

 

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Happy Accidents

So, here's the scenario. I decide to grab my Rolleiflex T, one of my long-term favorite cameras, and take it out for a drive into Washington, DC. It's loaded with film, a few exposures into the roll, but I can't remember which film. If I was thinking as I loaded it, and adjusted the indicator on the knob, it's Portra 160. But, the question is, was I thinking?

 

What to do? Well, I decided to take it into a dark room, open the back, take out both spools, wind it by hand back onto the supply spool, and see what I have. Yup, I was thinking; it's Portra 160. No problem. Now, I simply reloaded the spools as normal and went about my business. Except one thing - I needed to advance past the shots I'd already made. Didn't do it.

 

While the Rolleiflex T is designed to protect against multiple exposures, my little diversion very effectively caused them. I didn't even think of it until I saw the processed negatives.

 

In this case, I think it turned four rather pedestrian shots into maybe something a little more interesting. Keep in mind, I had no idea that I was creating double exposures.

 

 

Happy Accidents, by Reed A. George

Rolleiflex T, Kodak Porta 160

 

What's amazing and cool to me is the fact that in both of these examples, the little girl superimposed to the upper left seems to be pointing at the person rowing on the river. I think that's really cool. Wish I could have planned it that way!

 

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Broken Pattern of Color

Broken Pattern, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

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That Faded, Old Film Print Look

Waikiki Beach, by Reed A. George

 

I have no idea why I occasionally find it fun to take a decent digital photo and do my best to make it look like it was taken with a toy camera with cheap plastic lens. But, I do.

 

I wonder how long this type of manipulation will remain in demand? It seems like as soon as no one (or very few people) know the true look of old faded film images, this will go away.

 

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Maui Sunset, Lumix LX100

Maui Sunset, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

 

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The Old Corn Crib, Revisited

I was driving home this evening and noticed a lot of dramatic clouds in the sky, accentuated by the sunset. So, I stopped at the old corn crib that I've photographed in the past and made some images. (Click Here) to see one of my previous posts of this cool old building.

 

This time, I had my Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 and 20mm f1.7 lens with me. I'm trying to decide whether to bring this camera on vacation with me. I've drifted away from my Micro 4/3 gear recently, but this little shoot has me once again appreciating the GX7.

 

I actually sold some of my Micro 4/3 lenses recently, keeping only those that I hold most dear. Also, I kept the smallest lenses, as that's what shines about Micro 4/3 cameras, small size. So, I sold my 14-140mm zoom, 25mm f1.4 Summilux, and 75mm Olympus lenses. All excellent lenses, I felt that keeping my 20mm f1.7, Pana-Leica Micro-Elmarit 45mm f2.8, 14mm f2.5, Bower fisheye, and the amazing 100-300 f4-5.6 zoom was sufficient. Now I find that I'm missing the medium telephoto length of the Oly 75, especially in planning for travel. So, I'm going to try the new Sigma 60mm f2.8 Art lens, which is very cheap ($200 new), and getting great reviews. More on that to come.

 

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The Minolta Autocord

Manassas National Battlefield Walk, by Reed A. George

Minolta Autocord TLR

 

I'm really having a case of "too many cameras, not enough time" recently.

 

I was just looking at a new post by one of my favorite photographers, Evan Leavitt, a really cool color shot of a window with blood red curtains. Made with an Autocord, it's a wonderful image. (Click Here) to see Evan's post.

 

This got me thinking about my own Autocord, which I've used very little. Similar to my Rolleiflex T, the Autocord is a very special camera.

 

I've been considering a new theme or project for this blog. Maybe my TLRs, including the Autocord, will play a part in that.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Ice Cream, Anyone?

 

Ice Cream, by Reed A. George

Nikon Df, Nikkor 28mm f1.8 AF-S G Lens

iso 500, f2, 1/125 sec.

 

I shot this at a recent live music festival. My new, latest-technology Nikkor 28mm lens is pretty nice. At f2, focused on the ice cream cone, and this close to my subject, the nice lady serving me is slightly out of focus. Honestly, my attention was fully on the ice cream, and that's where the emphasis is in the picture.

 

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Summer Leaves

There's something about trees. They have this incredible range of dimension, from the microscopic detail of leaf structure, to the sometimes impressively large structure of the trunk and root system. There's a lot going on inside this one living organism, and even more just outside.

 

Photographers, including me, love to shoot the autumn leaves. I found this tree, which happens to be at its peak summer health, equally interesting

 

Summer Leaves, by Reed A. George

Nikon Df, Nikkor 28mm f1.8 AF-S G Lens

iso 3200, f5.6, 1/125 sec.

 

I spot metered a point on the gray tree bark to get this exposure. Of course, that meant blowing out the highlights in the white sky around the leaves, but that's okay.

 

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Impossible Project Instant Film - Color 2.0 Beta

I recently picked up a like-new Polaroid 600 series camera, just for fun. I've wanted to support the Impossible Project, who's restarted a factory making instant film for the 600 and SX70 cameras. (Click Here) to check out the Impossible Project.

 

 

I've shot a little of their black and white film in the past. This time, I ordered a triple pack of a new beta-version color film (2.0 Beta to be exact). I've shot one pack of it, and I like it.

 

Looks like Merlin the Dog wants a sip of Coke.

 

As you can see the color is a little on the yellow side. It has nice subtle tones, and reasonable saturation. I took these at the Waterford Store in Waterford, Virginia, in the exact place where I'd photographed my lovely daughter several years before.

 

It's fun to know that instant photography is still available to us. I like the mix of the immediacy we're used to with digital, and the uniqueness of film.

 

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