Scanning Negatives, Yearning for Darkroom Prints
After reading yet another article about scanning software, I realized that scanning and I have a marriage of convenience. I will never figure out how to use SilverFast; it’s the most unintuitive software I have ever encountered—and that includes learning Unix commands. Epson provides a free copy of its softwareContinue Reading
Basil and Tomatoes–Edible Sunlight
I love tomatoes. As a child, tomatoes were a treat in the same way as other fruit. I was picky about my tomatoes—they had to be fresh from the vine—store-bought tomatoes were just not the same. Tomatoes, warm from summer sun, seemed juicer and tangier than those from stores, despiteContinue Reading
Carpenter Bees and Wasps Are on the Deck…Must be Spring
The deck is a staple of American life. It’s the designated place for grilling, drinking, and socializing. We have a deck, not a big one, but it has served its purpose. Having a deck is my right as an American, so would someone please explain this to the carpenter bees. Continue Reading
Film is Expensive, but Who’s Counting?
The cost of film has gone up a lot in the past year. The first time I bought Lomography 400 film, it cost about 17 dollars; it’s now 27.00 plus shipping. Ilford raised prices, and Kodak did the same. My five-pack of Portra 160 that I bought for 35.00 atContinue Reading
Frame Works? If You Like Piña Coladas…
Description: Bottle of añejo rum with accoutrements Background: I discovered añejo rum for mixing drinks only five years ago. For years, I only kept and used white rum, usually Bacardi. My introduction to rum happened many years ago. The first attempt was sophomore year in college, which didn’t turn outContinue Reading
The Three Gardenias
Gardenias are lovely, evergreen shrubs, and aside from yearly trimming, they are generally carefree plants. When in bloom, they send out a lush fragrance that lingers far beyond their location. The west side of the house has harsh growing conditions compared to the rest of the yard. It is aContinue Reading
Metering Revisited (or The Story of Why I Have an 18% Gray Card)
I’ve had to delve further into metering, or more correctly, into inaccurate metering, than I cared to. While shooting film for the SR-3, I decided to do a few studio shots with the SR-3 and a Minolta 8000i. The SR-3 is from 1960 and has no internal meter, so IContinue Reading