Planting Day: June 3, 2014
By June 3, the azaleas on the east side of the yard had been moved to allow for the hosta garden. The herb garden had been planted, and now it was time for the botanical section, so named because it was the intended home of the more exotic plants. Belatedly,Continue Reading
Rules of Composition: Leading Lines
Photography for Dummies was the first photography book I read. The chapter on composition was brief, providing an overview of basic techniques. There were a few images offered as examples, but, in all, the chapter was not very helpful. The Rule of Thirds was the first rule I learned. ItContinue Reading
Crocosmia: So It May Secretly Begin (Floral Version)
So It May Secretly Begin (listen) is a song track from my favorite Pat Metheny album, Still Life (Talking). I have listened to this album, especially this song, hundreds of times—driving, falling asleep, studying, romancing. I like its fluid elegance. It starts softly, tentatively, as if expressing contemplation or uncertainty. As itContinue Reading
The Vintage-Minolta Love Project: Shooting Every SLR from the SR-2 to the Maxxum 5D
The day I held the Maxxum 7000i for the first time proved to be a turning point in my life. I thought I was buying an inexpensive AF camera to take pictures of my garden. In reality, I was joining the ranks of Minolta collectors. I started down this pathContinue Reading
All My Perennials: Coneflowers, Susans, Salvia, and Phlox
By the end of May 2014, I had mapped the sun’s movement, chosen plants, and bought topsoil, mulch, and composted manure. I owned two types of shovels, a garden rake, a hatchet, a digging fork, a kneeling bench, and various smaller implements— all I needed were the plants. I hadContinue Reading
DF96 Monobath? Yeah, Baby!
For the first few months after getting my 7000i, I shot only color film because local labs charged more for B&W and only processed it once per week. I wanted to try shooting B&W, and the only workable solution at the time was to use chromogenic film. Ilford XP2 wasContinue Reading
The Ghost of Kodak (Recent) Past
I took this picture in July 2019. The building has been empty for years. It’s sad to see its promise of one-hour development alongside trash and graffiti. Film photography declined quickly with the rise of “good enough” digital cameras. As to when that occurred precisely, I don’t really know. IContinue Reading
I’m Convinced Some Flowers Only Exist in Magazines
Gardening magazines have a way of filling one’s head with all kinds of blossomy dreams only to have them dashed by the local big box garden center. The perennials at most big box stores are usually limited to two types of daylilies (yellow Stella d’Oro and maybe an orange variety),Continue Reading
The Story of Why There Is a Minolta Gear Repair Page
Once upon a time, I bought a Minolta XG-M to get the ultimate XG camera and the excellent Minolta MD 28-85mm lens that came with it. A review on the Rokkor Files had raved about the lens, calling it as good as a prime at some focal lengths. The bad news forContinue Reading
Zombie Plants? Yes, it’s A Thing…
When people at a nursery warn you about a plant, believe them. Here are my four cautionary tales. I had never heard of bee balm before deciding to dig up the yard. It earned a spot in the garden because the flowers are so oddly shaped. They resemble jester’s hatsContinue Reading
