Month: October 2016

Powerstation Theater, McMennamins Edgefield (after Sugimoto)

Photography

My next series of photographs will be my first from the Ondu MK2 6×6 format. I received my Kickstarter reward in June and immediately loaded it up with film. Over the course of the next few months I tested it with a number of different rolls.

To kick this off, I will also introduce a truly remarkable photographer. I was introduced to his work in Barcelona’s Fundación MAPFRE. I gave the visit a ridiculously quick mention in this post, which does not come near a fraction of how much this exhibition affected me.

The photographer is Hiroshi Sugimoto.  To be honest, there isn’t much to say because word fail me. I found his work simply mind-blowing. You must go visit his website. And if you ever have chance to see his work in person, for the love of god, go see it. The remarkable thing about his work are the prints and you have to experience them in person. A computer screen does not do his work justice.

The photo I am sharing with you today was inspired by his “Theaters” series. The idea was to capture an entire film in one frame of film. You can read more about it on his portfolio here. When I saw this I wanted to try it with a pinhole camera. The opportunity came when my husband and I caught a film at the Edgefield’s Powerstation theater, where you can eat dinner and drink a beer while watching the movie. This allowed me to prop my camera on the little counter in front of me instead of hauling in a tripod.

Geeky Bits:

Camera: Ondu MKII
Film: Fuji Acros 100
Exposure Time: 90 minutes
Stand developed for 1 hour with Adonal.

Thrift Store Gem – Olympus Stylus Zoom 80

Photography

When we visited Astoria last summer I picked up an Olympus Stylus Zoom 80 for 5 bucks at the best little thrift shop.  I decided to shoot my favorite film through it, Tri-x, as my first roll. My usual subject being the small town I live in, with a gust appearance by Mt Hood.

LOVED using this camera. And I am also really loving the results. I am tempted to make this my new compact travel camera.

Lightpost

Mt Hood

Signs

Camper

I brought the camera with me to Spokane when I visited family in August and shot some portraits. I will share them when I get around to scanning them.

————————————————————–

Geeky Bits

Camera: Olympus Stylus Zoom 80
Film: Kodak Tri-x
Stand developed for 1 hour in Adonal.

Holga GTLR Take 3 – Holga Week

Photography

Before I’d gotten the results back from the lab, I decided to throw caution to the wind and try out the Holga GTLR for Holga Week back in July. Unfortunately, I didn’t get my act together in time to submit them to the website, but here they are. I am very pleased with the way they turned out and, as I’ve said time and again, I really enjoy using this camera.

These were all taken around my home around town.

little red wagon

The Stuff by the fence

Donut Fix

Service

——————————
Geeky Bits:

Camera: Holga GTLR
Film: Portra 160
developed by Blue Moon Camera and Machine.

Holga GTLR Take 2 – Astoria

Photography

In my last photoblog I posted the blurry results from the first roll through my Holga GTLR. I thought for my next few posts I’d share more results from that camera.

Happy to have figured out the error of my ways, I brought it with me on a weekend  trip to Astoria, Oregon.  I had a lot of fun with it, once I realized the camera wasn’t broken!

Astoria

Astoria

Astoria

Geeky Bits:

Camera: Holga GTLR
Film: Top photo: expired slide film (I can’t remember which  brand!) Bottom two photos: Portra 160
cross processed by lab (Blue Moon in Portland, Oregon).

In which the Precepts come to my rescue.

Life, Thoughts and Opinions

I don’t know about anybody else but the upcoming election and the news around it has spun me into a state of anxiety, the likes of which I haven’t seen in a very long time. My mind is racing and I can’t get a proper night’s sleep. Combine this with the fact that it’s “that time of year” and I’ve not really been myself lately.

Depression is a sneaky bastard. Lately I will be in the middle of a really horrible, self depreciating thought and something will make me come to my senses and I will realize, “Oh, I’m in a depression. And depression lies. OK. this makes sense now.” It’s at that point when I change my approach to self compassion and doing the things that I need to do as my brain works it’s way out of this sate.

This happened to me a couple of days ago. As I was realizing the state I was in I was thinking about how I do stupid things when I’m depressed, and I do them because my brain is telling me lies. I get worked up emotionally about delusions and then I act on those emotions sometimes and then I have to deal with the aftermath of these actions.

I realized that I have a tool to help me through this! The Precepts. I am so grateful for the precepts.  I have come to look at them as like a kind of roadmap to life. When I am in this deluded state I can look to the Precepts to help guide me to the right action, regardless how I feel. I can trust that whatever action I take, if it is based on the Precepts, things will be alright. If nothing else, I won’t have to deal with the karma of  my bad actions on top of the terrible feelings of despair that go along with depression.

Just having this realization has made me feel a lot better.

As a side note to myself, In light of this realization, I think I am going to make zazen a priority. I have been having a hard time motivating myself to meditate and that’s bullshit. All of the precept study in the world does nothing if I am not regularly practicing zazen everyday.