Ranking My Minolta Lenses I: Standings as of March 21, 2022
The Vintage Minolta Love Project (VMLP), which is nothing more than a way to rationalize buying more Minolta gear than I need, is progressing well. I’m shooting more and have enough material for a few months of VMLP posts. I have used nearly every camera in my Minolta collection multipleContinue Reading
Mint Outside My Window
This tasty weed started as a tiny mint plant bought in a grocery store. It sat in our front room next to the fireplace where it was noticeably restless. By restless, I mean it sent out long tendrils that snaked across the floor to the love seat, the corner ofContinue Reading
VMLP 20: The Minolta MD Zoom 35-135mm, f3.5-4.5—The Jury is Still Out
The Minolta MD Zoom 35-135mm came to my attention through a forum discussion about zoom lenses. Only one of the discussants had heard of or used the lens. At the time (spring 2019), the only images I could find were the few supplied in the forum discussion and this reviewContinue Reading
CineStill Df96 and 2-Step Color Kit, Two Years On
Df96 has an official shelf life of three months, but experience indicates that’s an underestimate. I began using Df96 right before the start of the pandemic in early 2020. Before then, I had access to a fully-equipped darkroom. I was just getting used to doing B&W darkroom development and printingContinue Reading
Bird Buffet
I’ve been considering a bird feeder for a couple of years. The idea started with my neighbor across the way who, after installing hummingbird feeders, waxed poetic about the thrill of their visits. Each time I’ve had the urge to try a feeder, a few moments’ reflection was enough toContinue Reading
Frame Works? Steeple and Winter Sky
Description: Church against a perfect blue winter sky Background: Churches are everywhere, so much so that I rarely pay attention to them. This church is on a residential street but is set back about forty yards from the street. The intervening distance with a grassy, meadow-like lawn that dips down from streetContinue Reading
VMLP 19: The Minolta XG-M–Second Time’s the Charm
The XG-M entered my life because it was the last model of the XG series—no romance involved. By the time I bought the first copy, the idea of owning one had been percolating for a while. I wasn’t particularly itching to buy one because I had plenty of other camerasContinue Reading
Ektar 100? Yes, But with -1.5 Exposure Compensation for Reds
This is a story about reconciliation. Flowers have been the main focus from the beginning of my photography journey. I wanted to capture the garden’s color and vibrancy and make a few elegant floral portraits. During the 2019 flower season, I tried six color emulsions: Portra 400, Portra 800, Ultramax,Continue Reading
Frame Works? “Shadow and Light”
Description: Light band across columns in afternoon light Background: With plenty of windows on the western, southern, and eastern sides of the house, I witness changes in sunlight patterns over the year. For some reason, the specific set of windows through which the sunlight washes in conveys a mood and a feelingContinue Reading
Curious Weather
Gardening makes one pay close attention to the weather. I keep a rain gauge and check the levels after each rain, then average those values over the week to determine whether I need to water. I never imagined caring that much about rainfall. Weather changes receive the same attention. IContinue Reading
