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  • At Least I Have ONE Good Habit: Carrying the Debonair Everywhere

    Power

    It seems like we're always hearing about bad habits and how to break them.

    Well, I have a habit that's actually good! Every time I leave the house I carry a camera with me. Since I'm working on a 52-Rolls Project this year, the FPP Plastic Filmtastic Debonair is it. I can't believe how quickly time is passing -- and I also can't believe how quickly carrying the Debonair has become second nature. 

    These are a few photos from week 14.

    Path Closed

    Mystery Glow

    I posted the entire roll from week 14 photos on Flickr. Be sure to check out the 52Rolls group blog, too. My colleagues are doing great things over there! 

  • Bees, Butterflies, and Turtles - Snakes Not So Much

    I love Poplar Pond, a small pond that's part of Long Branch Nature Center in Arlington, Virginia. It's an easy walk from my house and I go there twice a week on average.

    Butterfly Crossing


    The bees haven't moved in yet


    On the day I made these photos, it was bright but overcast and the colors were beautiful.

    The platform at one end of Poplar Pond


    An Eastern painted turtle relaxes on a log in the middle of Poplar Pond


    Last year, in early May, I discovered that Northern watersnakes were living in the pond. How exciting! 

    An Eastern painted turtle crawls over a Northern watersnake at Poplar Pond, May 2012.


    The day I took the photos for week 13 it was still too early in the season for the snakes to make an appearance. I'm keeping an eye on the place though!

    All of the week 13 photos are in The 52-Rolls Project: Week 13 set on Flickr. 

    Be sure to see what my fellow 52-Rollers are up to over at our blog 52Rolls.net.

  • April 2013 Film Photography Madness, Part II

    The film from my trip to Ohio is starting to come back from the lab. I'm so excited!

    Omega Music

    WICA and I usually try to get to the Oregon District whenever we're in Dayton. It's an old part of the city and it's got great restaurants, coffee, galleries, and vintage shops. It's also home to Ohio's largest Halloween party. We especially like eating at Blind Bob's. They've got an exciting and very creative menu as well as excellent service.

    Radio Station Building 

    I don't know the name of this building, but because it's got quite a few radio station call letters on the side, I call it the Radio Station Building.

    The Neon

    We wandered around other parts of downtown after lunch. This is a brick wall that I love to photograph every time I'm there.

    Brick Wall

    I also love to photograph The Flyover, a large public art sculpture by David Black. This 150 feet long, 43-foot high sculpture is located on a median strip of Main Street between 4th and 5th Streets. It represents the first powered flight made by the Wright brothers. Across the street from The Flyover is a bench with two bowler hats on it, also by David Black.

    The Flyover by David Black

    A collection of my photos from previous downtown Dayton wanderings is on Flickr in The Streets of Dayton set.

    Stay tuned! I'll have more photos soon!

  • There's a New Camera in the Lineup

    A couple of weeks ago I sold my backup DSLR. It served me well, but I nowadays I'm more interested in using film cameras, especially vintage ones. I really enjoy giving old cameras a new life.

    Because I suffer from a moderate case of G.A.S. (aka "Gear Acquisition Syndrome"), I've acquired more than a few new-to-me film cameras. Recently, a friend contacted me to see if I'd like to have a Voigtlander Bessa folding camera. He wrote:

    "I found it in my grandparents basement about 15 years ago. It was in with some stuff that belonged to my late great uncle who died in the 60s. It had film when I found it."

    How could I say no?! Unfortunately the old film that was in the camera didn't have any images on it when he had it developed.

    The camera is in excellent condition. Clearly it had been lovingly cared for.

    I put a roll of black and white film through the Bessa on a walk to the library. I stopped at Poplar Pond, one of my favorite photo spots, and shot a few frames.

    And my favorite photo from the roll:

    Many thanks to Brian for giving me this fabulous camera. I'm loading it up with some color film for my next outing. 

    Stay tuned.

  • A New Addition to My Camera Collection

    A New Addition to My Camera Collection

    Photographer friends of mine know that I suffer from a mild case of G.A.S., also known as Gear Acquisition Syndrome.

    Last week I acquired a gorgeous Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera from a very good friend of my husband's family. I'm thrilled to have it and will definitely give it a good home!

    I shot some expired Impossible Project PX70 instant film in the backyard last night. Every camera is different and it takes a little time to learn the quirks. But that's part of the fun!

    Why not join me?! Dig out your old Polaroid cameras and give Impossible Project film a whirl. Check out Justin Goode's Ten Reasons to Shoot Impossible Project Film. 

  • Frogs, and Turtles, and Snakes - Oh My!

    Frogs, and Turtles, and Snakes - Oh My!

    There's a small pond near our house called Poplar Pond. It's part of Long Branch Nature Center, one of three nature centers in Arlington County. 

    For some reason I'm obsessed with this little pond. I stop there at least once a week, if not more often. I love how the change in seasons affects the pond. Different critters are active at different times of the year and you never know what you're going to see. I think I've taken a bazillion photos there.

    Earlier this week I was on my way to the library and I stopped by the pond. I was shocked to see a small snake gliding around on the surface of the water. I hadn't seen any snakes in the pond before. 

    As I walked around the pond, I saw several more snakes, including a large one who came out of the water to lay on the platform. (You can see the platform in the two photos above.) Soon she was joined by two smaller snakes and they proceeded to mate. I counted six snakes total.

    I went inside the nature center and asked the naturalist about the snakes. He said they were Northern Watersnakes, very common to freshwater here, and that it's mating season. These particular snakes give birth to live babies, usually between August and October.

    This morning I went back to the pond armed with my camera, hoping to see the snakes again. One of them was resting on an exposed log, and there were two others swimming and basking in the sun. I walked all the way around the pond looking at the snakes, American bullfrogs, and Eastern Painted turtles.

    One turtle climbed out of the water and walked over the top of the snake who was resting on the log. The snake didn't seem to mind at all!

  • I Declare Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day 2012 a Success!

    I Declare Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day 2012 a Success!

    Earlier I wrote about my previous and not-so-successful attempts at pinhole photography:

    Mark Your Calendars: Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day 2012 Is Coming Up Fast!

    And now, all that's changed. I finally got images on my film using a pinhole camera!

    This was the first year I've participated in Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day, which happened on April 29, 2012.  Just to be on the safe side, since I've had limited luck with cameras I've made myself, I used a MintyCam, an empty Altoids tin reborn as a fantastic little 35mm pinhole camera. I bought my MintyCam from Chris Keeney, a very cool guy who makes very cool photographs, and not just with pinhole cameras either.

    The image above was the one I submitted to the Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day website. If you have time, I highly recommend taking a peek at all the great pinhole photos submitted from all over the world.

  • Finding Pictures Everywhere

    Finding Pictures Everywhere

    I've done a pretty good bit of traveling over the past few months: Provincetown, MA; Oregon, IL; and Missoula, MT. It's been great to escape the oppressive heat and humidity of the Washington, DC, area. I found pictures everywhere I went. Now it's time to develop all the film and edit all the images I made during these trips. 

    The photo above was a complete accident. I ran a roll of 35mm film through a Lomo Fisheye at Floriade in Canberra in 2008, at least I think it was 2008. This past April I was looking for a roll to stick in my Spinner 360 and I accidentally used the roll from the Fisheye. 

  • Welcome Home, Voigtländer Bessamatic Camera

    Welcome Home, Voigtländer Bessamatic Camera

    On Saturday morning I stopped by Stifel & Capra to hang another piece in the Alcove space. It was super busy on Friday evening during the FIRSTFriday and I didn't have a chance to look and see what's new in the shop. 

    On the way out I saw a camera kit in a glass cabinet and had to take a closer look. It was a Voigtländer Bessamatic in pristine condition. It came with three lenses: 35mm, 50mm, and 135mm. It also came with a leather carrying case and little leather cases for each of the lenses.

    This camera is really heavy! We're talking more than two pounds! It also had a roll of film inside. 

    I think you know how this story ends. I bought the camera kit. Later that afternoon I took it out for a walk and finished the roll of film. Stay tuned for photos.

    For more information on the Voigtländer Bessamatic, check out the Camerapedia page about it.

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