I’ve spent much more time testing cameras and lenses than trying to produce art. My still-life ambitions and desire to shoot North Georgia landscapes haven’t lessened. However, casual shooting has made it clear that I need a better understanding of the tools of the trade. A fundamental question for thoseContinue Reading
The first time I saw a picture of the Konica Pearl II, I knew one was in my future. It had the right balance between art and machine; what little I had read about it was decidedly positive. My quest for a Pearl grew from my desire to shoot withContinue Reading
Like most people who buy eBay lots, I have extra items that sellers tossed in. For example, very early on, when I had no intention of forming a Minolta collection, I won an X-700 system that came with a “G” winder still new in its box. That and the VC-7Continue Reading
Cameras with interchangeable lenses slowly goad one into buying more lenses. Curiosity often overtakes common sense, and the nagging desire to try another lens wins out. My Minolta-35 with LTM mount has done this to me. I managed to obtain a 45mm f2.8 Minolta lens for it, and that lensContinue Reading
Four peace lilies happily abide with us. Now that each has settled in a fitting spot, all bloom regularly. The bloom pictured here is about six inches long by four inches wide. These plants add a sense of serenity to a room. The tallest plant has reached about four feet. Continue Reading
Description: Seasonal window light framing a scene Background: In late autumn and early spring, light comes through the dining room’s clerestory window. The shape of the window makes for a narrow, well-defined shadow that creeps across the room in the late afternoon. Minimalist images intrigue me, especially black and white onesContinue Reading
Tri-X gives beautiful, crisp images that have just the right touch of gravitas. I like HP5+, but Tri-X captures scenes in a way that better reflects my tastes. I used Tri-X when learning darkroom development and printing and grew comfortable with it. When I began developing Tri-X at home, theContinue Reading
“The world is a carousel of color!” As a child, I watched Disney’s Wonderful World of Color TV show most Sunday nights. Tinker Bell would wave her wand and splash gobs of color paint on the screen, but they were shades of gray on my screen. Our first color TV wasContinue Reading
As you know, I have developed a new fondness for folding cameras from the 50s. I have three: a Minolta Semi-P, a Minolta Semi III, and a Konica Pearl II. The top shutter speeds range from 1/200-1/500 of a second. These relatively slow speeds make using larger apertures a problemContinue Reading
The Stars, as I call them, are a group of lenses I longed to try but never thought I’d own—the 24mm f2.8, 85mm f1.7, 58mm f1.2, 100mm f2.5, and the 35mm f1.8. The Stars are expensive but readily available— unlike those I call the Legends (20mm 2.8, 21mm 2.8, 24mmContinue Reading
