From Minolta Gear to Art Supplies–Frying Pan to Fire
In 2020, at the start of the pandemic, I discovered I could draw (a little) using an art kit I bought from the clearance table at Barnes & Noble in 2009 and never used. Once I had done a few recognizable sketches, it seemed reasonable to invest in a realContinue Reading
VMLP 46: MD Rokkor-X 75-200mm, f/4.5—A Very Nice Surprise!
Classic zoom lenses tend to be heavy—at least by my standards of what a typical 50mm or 35mm lens weighs. The MD Rokkor-X 75-20mm f/4.5 is no different. It is hefty, solid, and well-made. The question is whether it is any good. Classic medium-range zooms like the Minolta MD ZoomContinue Reading
Autumn’s Herald
Here in Atlanta, daytime temps are still lingering in the 90s. Thankfully, the humidity is somewhat lower. At this point, I’d be grateful for highs in the 80s. Trees still retain their summer green, and flowers bloom without much concern. Waiting for autumn’s cooler temps and daysContinue Reading
Berlin Kino—It is What It Is…
Like Derev Pan 400 and FP 200, I bought Berlin Kino at the height of the pandemic. Lomography has mastered romanticizing film. Reading a description of any of their offerings makes one want to grab a beret or fedora and set out in search of a decisive moment. Continue Reading
Rain–Finally!!!
This summer has been hotter and drier than those of the last three years. Those three years made me lazy. Even though I put in new irrigation tubing, I used it only a few times in early May. A few times in July, it poured, so I assumedContinue Reading
Curved Negative Woes
Curved negatives are getting to be really irritating. The Minolta AF-C is my go-to camera for walking around—it takes sharp images and exposes accurately—but once again, on trying to scan seemingly flat negatives, the images came out soft. In the past, I’ve had little trouble scanning negativesContinue Reading
The Atlanta History Center—It’s Been a While
It was maybe 25 years ago when I last visited the Atlanta History Center. In fact, it was so long ago that I couldn’t remember what the main building looked like. Over the years, we have held memberships, so a few weeks ago, when I was going over myContinue Reading
Not Roses, But…
A few times, while pruning plants or pulling weeds in the pine straw, I noticed a faint, citrusy fragrance. After smelling plants along the driveway on multiple occasions, I could never locate the scent’s origin. Ultimately, I decided it might be from a laundry-day dryer exhaust. Then, one day,Continue Reading
Res Ipsa…
Cabbagetown intrigues me. Whimsical is the best word I can think of to describe many of the houses that line its quaint streets. As might be expected from a neighborhood revitalized by artists, there is usually something interesting around each corner. At this corner, I noticed this pieceContinue Reading
VMLP 45: MC Rokkor-X 85mm f/1.7—Excellent, But I Really Don’t Need One
Along with the MC Rokkor 58mm f/1.2, the MC Rokkor 85mm f/1.7 sort of fell into my lap. It was part of a set of six or so lenses listed on eBay as simply “XE-7 with lenses.” There were few images of the items, but the one itemContinue Reading
