Author Topic: Standing waist deep in the snow I thought I was Michael Kenna... (Read 7988 times)

Skorj · « **on:** January 03, 2008, 10:18:41 AM »

... but all I did was freeze my tits off.

Polaroid 195, with frozen goop, expired Type-665. Minakami up in Gunma-ken. Last day off in the new year holidays... Back to work tomorrow. Damn. Did you shoot anything special? See ya! Skj.

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Francois · « **Reply #1 on:** January 03, 2008, 05:38:05 PM »

Yep, looks like it's the real stuff

Welcome to the Winter Wonderland of photographic mayhem

rdbkorn · « **Reply #2 on:** January 04, 2008, 01:54:56 AM »

You can feel the cold oozing out of those images.

I did take my Ami 66 out for a stroll on New Year's Day...

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moominsean · « **Reply #3 on:** January 04, 2008, 03:59:51 AM »

you probably weren't using those tits anyway.
nice shots, too.
i took out my new fuji natura classica to test out...
i'm going to shoot a roll of color in it on monday and then i'll put a more compact version of a review on the site here.

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choppert · « **Reply #4 on:** January 04, 2008, 05:13:59 PM »

Hi Moomin,

That Fuji is a very sexy looking bit of kit.

Especially with the Japanese buttons!

Chops

Fintan · « **Reply #5 on:** January 06, 2008, 10:06:21 AM »

Quote from: moominsean on January 04, 2008, 03:59:51 AM

i took out my new fuji natura classica to test out...

i love the petrol pump, i really have a weakness of old pumps and that shot is beautiful

Ed Wenn · « **Reply #6 on:** January 07, 2008, 01:43:36 PM »

Skorj, I may need a print of that rail tracks snap to go alongside my "Train in the snow" original from last year (proudly displayed on my dining room wall). Will swap a small print for a jar or Tate & Lyle. Interested?

I managed to take a few photos over the Christmas break and have high hopes for some. Probably won't get round to processing and then scanning/printing them for a few months though so expect to see snow photos of Amy sometime around May or June. I still haven't taken a good look at most of the photos I took in Albania and Marrakech in March/April 2007. Aaargh!
$:-\$

outofcontxt · « **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2008, 10:56:30 PM »

Here's a couple from my New York City trip. Holga 120N, modified lens, and Tri-X film that expired in March 1980...

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kuru · « **Reply #8 on:** January 11, 2008, 12:49:11 AM »

Quote from: outofcontxt on January 10, 2008, 10:56:30 PM

Here's a couple from my New York City trip. Holga 120N, modified lens, and Tri-X film that expired in March 1980...

That is some sweet blur.

seekingfocus · « **Reply #9 on:** January 11, 2008, 11:44:15 PM »

Quote from: outofcontxt on January 10, 2008, 10:56:30 PM

Here's a couple from my New York City trip. Holga 120N, modified lens, and Tri-X film that expired in March 1980...

Modified how exactly? Great results for sure...

-Jason

outofcontxt · « **Reply #10 on:** January 15, 2008, 09:52:13 PM »

Jason,

It's one step shy of a twelve-step program:

Take Holga lens off.
Pop actual lens out by gently pressing it with thumb from front.
Watch out for flying parts!
Put metal spacers and rear part of lens housing in safe place.
Schmeer a little vaseline over the lens with your finger.
Put lens in microwave on top of paper towel.
Microwave for a few minutes until vaseline melts evenly. (it will be warm to the touch)
Carefully put lens back together without touching schmeered side of lens.
Secure rear part of lens with gaffers tape.
Put lens back on Holga.
Shoot.

Depending on how much vaseline you use, you can end up with less blur or more blur. I try to go for simple subjects. For me, it doesn't work well if the scene is too busy.

Also, you may need to re-schmeer the lens from time to time as dust, dirt and gunk -- did I mention fingerprints? -- get on the vaseline.

My next experiment will be with beeswax as soon I get my hands on some spare Holga lenses.

Hope this helps!

seekingfocus · « **Reply #11 on:** January 18, 2008, 10:33:24 PM »

Sweet, thanks Bill. That's perfect. I've got a Holga that's been sitting in the box, waiting for a project...

-Jason

ssinyagin · « **Reply #12 on:** January 19, 2008, 10:14:59 PM »

in a snowy winter everyone feels a bit of Kenna

david b · « **Reply #13 on:** January 19, 2008, 11:43:13 PM »

You'll know you're Michael Kenna when you've got Josef Hoflehner and Rolfe Horn queuing up behind you.

Skorj · « **Reply #14 on:** January 20, 2008, 12:53:25 AM »

Quote from: ssinyagin on January 19, 2008, 10:14:59 PM

in a snowy winter everyone feels a bit of Kenna

Marvelous how lack of contrast conveys feelings here...

ssinyagin · « **Reply #15 on:** January 20, 2008, 04:43:47 PM »

Quote from: david b on January 19, 2008, 11:43:13 PM

You'll know you're Michael Kenna when you've got Josef Hoflehner and Rolfe Horn queuing up behind you.

I'll definitely let you know when that happens

ssinyagin · « **Reply #16 on:** January 20, 2008, 04:46:52 PM »

Quote from: Skorj on January 20, 2008, 12:53:25 AM

Marvelous how lack of contrast conveys feelings here...

c'mon, every foggy morning is like that :-)

seekingfocus · « **Reply #17 on:** January 20, 2008, 08:33:59 PM »

Quote from: ssinyagin on January 19, 2008, 10:14:59 PM

in a snowy winter everyone feels a bit of Kenna

That one's gorgeous indeed. Very nice atmosphere.

-Jason

ssinyagin · « **Reply #18 on:** January 20, 2008, 10:00:31 PM »

no, really, foggy mornings are very easy to make wonderful shots. Working with models is by far more difficult

seekingfocus · « **Reply #19 on:** January 25, 2008, 03:43:30 AM »

Quote from: outofcontxt on January 15, 2008, 09:52:13 PM

Take Holga lens off.
Pop actual lens out by gently pressing it with thumb from front.
Watch out for flying parts!
Put metal spacers and rear part of lens housing in safe place.
Schmeer a little vaseline over the lens with your finger.
Put lens in microwave on top of paper towel.
Microwave for a few minutes until vaseline melts evenly. (it will be warm to the touch)
Carefully put lens back together without touching schmeered side of lens.
Secure rear part of lens with gaffers tape.
Put lens back on Holga.
Shoot.

<-Snip->

Hope this helps!

Indeed it did... got a chance to try it out yesterday...

So, not quite up to caliber with your shots up there, but thought I'd post my first attempts with your ingenious method. Worked like a dream... though I think I might want to add even more blur, but I suppose I'll run a few more films through before making that decision... while I had the camera open, I went ahead and modified the aperture settings to f/22 and something like f/132 or so.

By the way, where's the beeswax you've been promising?!?

-Jason

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outofcontxt · « **Reply #20 on:** January 25, 2008, 10:33:45 PM »

Really like the look of the second one, Jason. As I said, it seems to work well -- at least for me -- if the shots are simple and you also do it with ample light. Otherwise, it tends to get a little murky. Attached is a diptych of Cleopatra's Needle that I did during the New York trip. The lightleaks were unintentional but, in this case, I think they work in this instance.

Beeswax? I haven't really been able to get back to it since my early failed experiments. For one thing, the wax that I had was way too yellow for my taste. I ended up getting a melting pot and several jars of white beeswax pellets. Plus I got a few more ideas from a fellow local photographer, Jane Fulton Alt, who's done some really marvelous work that included beeswax and other encaustics.

I hope to get back to it as soon as I feel a tad better. First the flu, then muscle spasms in my neck and head. Feel like I'm falling apart except when I'm on my antiinflammatories, Valium and Vicodin. Better living through chemistry, they say...

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