I have always given credit to impressionist painters for the juxtaposition of colors in my garden. Purple shades are next to yellow hues, and red crocosmia flutes are surrounded by greens. The bellflowers, the closest to being blue, are next to purples, and the only orange blooms have a yellowContinue Reading
Description: An ostrich fern frond in early summer. Background: Having just enrolled in a darkroom class, I needed film to develop and print. Not long before this image was taken, I bought a set containing a Minolta 400si and three Maxxum lenses. I didn’t want the 400si but very muchContinue Reading
By May 2020, I had a few rolls of exposed color film that had been lying around for a while. Usually, I would shoot three or four rolls of color film, then drive out to The PhotoSpot in Douglasville and have them processed. The PhotoSpot is an old-fashioned film labContinue Reading
In February, it will be two years since I bought my first Maxxum, a 7000i. I’ve made it past the basics of understanding exposure and seem to be getting a handle on composition, but there is much more to master. Drawing and finding the best ways to light still lifesContinue Reading
Description: Studio workspace in afternoon light Background: In an earlier post, I recounted my foray into drawing, and to a limited extent, painting. My painting has consisted of creating backgrounds for still life photography projects. As with many things, it is difficult to do just a little, which describes my efforts withContinue Reading
Description: Vase with flowers in brilliant window light Background: In April, late in the afternoon, the sun shines for an hour or so from the southwest into our dining room window, forming a narrow beam. Walking past can be blinding if one is not careful. The brilliance is a blessing. With lightContinue Reading
Pleasant surprises are wonderful events. Last year, I decided to dive into Minolta history by way of shooting all the major SLRs since the SR-2. Having made that decision, I went looking for lenses. After making a list of manual lenses, I found most were beyond my budget. I wasContinue Reading
Description: Woven basket filled with fruits and vegetables in winter afternoon light Background: Since I began gardening, I have become attuned to the yearly cycles of sun and rain. The sun holds a particular fascination. I have tracked it through the seasons and marked out– in house and garden–where it willContinue Reading
After deciding I wanted to do more with photography than take pictures of the garden, I joined a community darkroom, The Photographer’s Studio (TPS) in May 2019. Membership isn’t cheap, but I was drawn to the range of classes offered and a chance to meet experienced photographers. My first classContinue Reading
When I began looking for Minolta Maxxum lenses, I came across a now-defunct site (MaxxumEyes.com) that made specific recommendations. The site recommended the classic 35-105mm AF (1985), particularly pointing out its sharpness. At the time, the only AF Minolta lenses I owned were the 50mm f1.7, 100mm f2.8 macro, andContinue Reading
