Minolta Rangefinder Meet & Greet
Time passes quickly, as it was a little more than two years ago when I wrote a post (Minolta Love—Enjoying My Toys!) describing my impression of all the cameras I had at the time. Should you read that post, you will find that I had only two non-SLR cameras—a 7sIIContinue Reading
The Winter of My Discontent (Hoping for an Art-Filled Spring)
Like gardening and photography, my artistic efforts, especially painting, have taken a hit in the last two years. I don’t pretend to be an artist, but I have seen encouraging progress since I started in the summer of 2020. Unfortunately, my efforts have been in spurts. Typically, a few weeksContinue Reading
Minolta XK Day!
The XK was Minolta’s first stab at a professional camera. It did not sell well. However, it was advanced for its time and backed by a range of excellent gear. These days, the XK is very much a collector’s item. Working models are pricey and, until recently, relatively hard toContinue Reading
Lemony
Ahh…it must be January! The sitting room is bathed in the fragrance of lemon blossoms! Only a few have opened, but already, the downstairs has taken on the delicately sweet aroma. The tree has been with us since 2018, and in most years, it only had a few flowers, butContinue Reading
My December: The Canon Serenar 50mm 1.8 LTM was a Bust, and the Vivitar 35ES…
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
Winter Warriors
Geraniums add a splash of color and a dash of understated charm each summer. I usually put two colors together, one pink and one deep magenta. Typically, sweet potato vine or creeping Jenny adds a bright green counterpoint, while a purple flower, like alyssum, adds a final accent—none of theseContinue Reading
Window Light and the Minolta Hi-Matic 7s
Window light fascinates me. Maybe because so many paintings feature scenes with windows as a light source. Since the light typically enters the scene from the side, it throws shadows that increase the depth and texture of the scene. I’ve spent the last four years studying the lighting patterns atContinue Reading
Come November
As I remember, Wednesdays were when we had our weekly music class in fourth grade. We had songbooks, and the class was conducted via radio. We would listen to a lady who would tell us about a song, and then we would sing along as she played. For some reason,Continue Reading
Peach Peace
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
Autumn Fruit (Cezanne-ish)
Simplicity is one of the aspects of Cezanne’s work that I most admire. His paintings have a quiet, contemplative demeanor in which vibrantly hued fruit casually rests amid linen waves. The groupings are often haphazard as if spilled or gently dumped on the table for inspection. Oddly, the linen foldsContinue Reading
