Photography by Naomi Drew
It was a bright day out on the Ventura Pier, soon after the heavy stay-at-home ban had been lifted. Lots of people out and about, enjoying the sun and a sense of freedom. These guys were really fascinated by my camera – a Yashica Mat D TLR – and were willing to pose when asked. Not a bad catch, so to speak!
Yashica Mat D, Kodak Portra 400.
This little girl was in the local garden with her family – skipping along. This other one had definite plans and was just trucking along, leaving everyone else far behind.
No, not “the rock” known as Alcatraz, but a rock in the park down the way.
This is only one of three images that were exposed on a roll of Portra 400 on my new-to-me Pentax 6×7 with an 135mm f4 macro lens. First roll of film is very disappointing. Apparently, rumors on the ‘net say, there can be issues loading the film.
It also looks as if there could be exposure issues with 7 missing pictures, but let’s ascribe that to user error until I get a second roll through it, logged for subject and exposure, to see what’s up.
This roll was Portra 400, and it’s a sad statement at the present. Sooooo underexposed, and the pictures are essentially worthless except to see what happens.
I am not happy. I have another fortnight within which I can return the camera . . . but I did test the sounds of the exposures and they seem okay. Thus, let’s wait to see what happens in this next roll.
To even make this image somewhat presentable, I messed with it rather a bit – doesn’t even resemble Portra, much less the original image!
As some of you may know, the other half is a brewer. Here, we have a year-long project started the other day: Raspberry Mead. 5 gallons. It was impossible to find raspberry juice locally, so we special-ordered a concentrate of raspberry juice – something like 4 times concentrated into this bottle. Cost was a bit more than one would think, $61.00 US. The honey for the mead weighed in at 12 lbs., and locally produced. Let’s see what this is like in a year! Mark your calendars.
Scanned in a Pakon 135, Olympus XA4, Kodak TMax 400 shot at box speed.
A break from the silent 365 project.
Spring is here! In my area, orange trees are in blossom, filling the air (i.e. my back patio) with sweet smells. Flowers are blooming, bulbs are emerging, and the butterflies are flying around! We have not seen such abundance in nature for years here – drought and fire. Today, it is cloudy and overcast, the sky is ominous. It even rained while I was out for a short hike through Wildwood Park to catch what remains of the super bloom. I took my trusty OM-1 and 55mm macro lens and a roll of Provia slide film. I’ve really begun focusing on using film, and enjoying it a great deal.
This image was taken with Fuji Superia 200 and a Niikon N90S camera, and my first roll through this new-to-me camera. The lens is likely my 28-85mm macro lens. Having a film camera with autofocusing is a new one for me – I have an F100 but it is a little quirky – and it performs beautifully. ITh just finished a roll of Ilford HP+ 400 iso, shot at 800, and in development (if the lab doesn’t screw it up) at +1. We’ll see what happens!
Anyway, a few words from yours truly, in need for a spot of color!
This is a tree in the local botanical garden. There are two of them. I keep forgetting what they are called. In the fall, they drop their leaves, and all their spiky bark shows much more clearly. In the spring, leaves of green and big, pink flowers.
A part of me would like to sit up in the tree when in bloom and covered with leaves, but getting up there leaves a bit to be desired.
The Glass Aerie 