Reflections of Wabi-sabi (侘寂)*

Well, that only lasted a week (See previous posting).

But the upside is instead of lethargy, indulgence and general apathy, I only suffer from excessive laziness.

The photo is from a Kodak Brownie Bull's-Eye Camera dated from the mid 1950's it seems sunlight manages to seep in from some undetermined part in the camera. I should have known the missing screws on the front faceplate might cause a problem.

But I embrace this world of non-perfection even as I try to seek out the best, the most beautiful (or ugly) or just interesting photo, book, adventure...So that said, here is me reflected in the window while taking a picture of a cat. Notice the light leaks at top and the odd bowed nature of the window frame. I don't know if that is the cameras or the way I scanned the negative. But in this case I think the imperfections make it a much more interesting image.

If I were a film maker I would end up in the Ed Wood camp rather than the Martin Scorsese club. But honestly I am OK with that, just as long as I don't end up in the Stephen Spielberg zone.

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*Wabi-sabi (侘寂) represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. I think I have used this point before, but it seems even more relevant now.


More pics

I Made This!!

Using a kit pinhole camera, the P-Sharan that comes as a perforated cardboard sheet with a pre-pinholed piece of plastic.

Basically it does all the hard work in this do it yourself project.

I still need to practice with this thing. I is REALLY hard to hold it still fr the 3 -4 second to take the picture. Even with a tripod.

Ansco Flash Clipper - 1940's 1950's

Ansco Flash Clipper

From Ansco Flash Clipper The Ansco Clipper, Flash Clipper and Clipper Special were simple point and shoot cameras made by Agfa-Ansco, and Ansco from the 1940s into the 1950s. They took 15 images on 616 film. The lens board pulled out of the camera body for taking pictures, and collapsed to make the camera more compact when not in use. The focus and aperture were fixed, while the shutter had I and B settings.

From Ansco Flash Clipper

From Ansco Flash Clipper

From Ansco Flash Clipper

From Ansco Flash Clipper

From Ansco Flash Clipper

A Polished Picture

I bought a $3 camera from a thrift store, painted clear nail polish on the lens, and took some pictures. This is what I got

Polaroid 340

I snagged a Polaroid Land Camera 340 camera off of ebay for $12.50 (plus $12.50 shipping). It took a few tries to figure out some of the settings but so far I am pleased.

The same photos found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/zeppomanx/sets/72157632033925867/

Photos and Prints

I spent a few hours in my makeshift darkroom tonight. And this whole analog world is a lot of work. Was it worth it? Maybe. One picture is a photo of a print and the other a photo of a negative and then tweaked with software. Is one better? Does it matter? By the way, I lost track of the number of turns to use on the old camera so There is a bit of double exposure on both sides of the group picture.

Yashica Electro 35 GS

1970 Electro 35 GS

Bolsey B2

Today I tested a much higher quality camera that the previous examples. I found this Bolsey B2 in a closet from the in-laws house which we are slowing cleaning out. I think he got it while in the army during the Korean war. A 35mm with a rangefinder for distance and adjustable aperture and shutter speed. So compared to what I have been playing with it is a huge advancement.
These are still digitally manipulated images obtained by taking a digital picture of the developed negative. I am waiting for a new safe-light since I think the found orange bulb affected my prints I worked on last week.


The Bolsey B2 is the successor of the model B, made from 1949 to 1956 with double exposure prevention. It is engraved MODEL B2 on the front. The shutter is synchronized and marked Synchro Matic with a red lightning painted on each side. Minimal aperture is 22 instead of 16.

More photos at https://picasaweb.google.com/108355303090029404900/BolseyB2#

Beacon-II 127 format Camera

I forced some 35mm film into a 127 format camera, Beacon II which was made from 1947-55. The 35mm film is a bit smaller than the now defunct film format so the image is projected onto the sprocket holes of the 35mm type of film.

I had a few problems and only got three halfway interesting pictures. I was unsure of how many turns to use to advance the film so I could have taken twice as many many pictures. But the real problem is this camera seems way more sensitive to light than these older cameras I've been playing with. It doesn't make sense but the three salvageable pics had to be tweaked a bunch with software after I took digital pictures of the negatives.

 I have some real photo paper coming and I may see if they turn out any differently using the traditional method.

More pics at https://picasaweb.google.com/108355303090029404900/BeaconII?authkey=Gv1sRgCPbBgui66vLcTA#

More and More Pics

I forced some 120 film in to the 620 receptacle of a Kodak Duaflex III camera, after a bit of filing and sniping on the edges of the plastic film spook. Anyway I managed to get some satisfactory pics. I also loaded up the Brownie Target Six-16 with more 120 film which is just a tad smaller than the discontinued film it was designed to use. Both have a feature that lets you hold the shutter open for as long as you hold the trigger down. So I tried a few of those with some indoor scenes. It is soooo easy to forget to roll the film and the cameras don't prevent multiple exposures before advancing the film.

I really like the picture dimensions and the field of vision on the Brownie Target 616. The best pictures are landscapes and they almost have Cinemascope feel to them. It is a little tricky to use but I hope to get some nice results as I grow more used to it.

The Duaflex is another camera like the Agroflex that give square pictures but this time, with new film, I think they turned out quite well. I am still taking pictures of the negative with my camera and inverting the colors with software but I've improved my method for framing the pictures so I think they are closer to a “true” result.

I should get some actual photographic paper this week or early next week and I will try some contact sheets to see how they compare to the digitized versions. But the tone of the photos I get using my current method sure feels like a 1950's picture The picasa website is here

New Photos, Old Camera and Old Film

This time I pull out my Argoflex 75 camera and a roll of unexposed 620 format verichrome pan film with instructions to use before December 1968. They are pretty rough and I don't know if the problem is the almost 50 year old film, a crappy camera or my methodology of taking a picture of the negative with a digital camera. Probably all of the above. But I think all the imperfections conveys a sort of friendly but undeserved nostalgia to the pictures.

More photos at https://picasaweb.google.com/108355303090029404900/Argoflex75?authkey=Gv1sRgCPrcg7b8oZizZw#

New Pictires Another Old Camera

Today I used an old Kodak Brownie Target Six-16 made 1946 to 1951 an since they don't make 616 film anymore I had to tweak the camera so it would accept the still available 120 format file, But check out the height/length ration. It wide screen photography. And you only get 6 or 7 pictures per roll. I developed them but still just took a picture of the negatives and worked on them with my laptop.

New Development: 1919 Man with 1917 Camera

Last weekend I visited my father for his 93rd birthday party and I decided to try and take some pictures with a camera that was made before he was born (sometime before 1918). Somewhere along the way I acquired a Kodak Brownie No. 2 Model D box camera and from some other camera purchase I got a roll of film that would fit it. Unfortunately the film was made for a modern camera with a much faster shutter speed and smaller aperture openings, but I plunged ahead and hoped to fix the mis-match during the developing process. Here is my 93 year old dad. The first picture on the reel.

I may try some more pics with more appropriate film since I had to do some tweaking after I took a photo of the negative. I used my video camera and took a picture of the negative that was displayed on my small light table, then I used software, free software, to invert the image and change the contrast. This is the first roll of film I have developed in over 30 years, and with a 95 year old camera using the wrong type of film. All in all I am pleased.

The Path Taken After Work

I ended up skipping class to ride my bike. I went up White Rock Trail and then onto part of The Cottonwood Trail that eventually goes to Richardson. It took a lot out of me but I finally got to see the trail thread through the north Dallas High 5 traffic ramps.

Along the way I snapped a few photos and while preparing them to post I accidentally saved two with the wrong orientation and felt they looked way better than the intended view.

The one below threw me when I first looked at it since I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I honestly didn't know what these things floating in the air were. Of course I had the water reflection at top and the sky on the bottom... I wish I had thought of that myself.