Pritchard Photography

Writing on the Wall

2006-11-06T19:51:00.000-05:00

This is Ericka. I shot photos of her wayyyy back in teh day when I was first starting out. She's almost done with college now, and needed a headshot for a play that she is performing in. While we were making the headshot, we did a few other things. This is one of the things we did.

I hadn't posted in a while, and want to keep up a string of photos to make up for my absent time, so I photoshopped this one up last night, mostly for your entertainment. I like the photo, but it wasn't quite done for me. So I added a few effects to spice things up. I hope you enjoy it.

Don't forget about Gala Corina on November 10th. It is going to be a great time, and I hope to see you there.

Dave

What We Really Are...

2006-11-02T20:52:00.000-05:00

Okay. Before I get teased about shooting a girl in a bikini, let me explain what it is exactly that I like about this photo.

This is the girl that I met in the stranded boat. She and her friend asked me about what I was doing, and about art and whatnot. They were interesting folks. They could hold their own in conversation.

I love portraits, and try to take portraits of strangers whenever possible. So I asked to take her picture. She was wearing a towel around her waist, and sitting down when I asked. When I asked her, she jumped up, threw the towel down, struck that pose, and said, "Yeah!"

People are interesting. What fascinates me about this photo, and this young woman, is how she chose to represent herself. I don't want to speack negatively about her, because there is nothing bad to say. I just really found it interesting that after her well-conceived conversation about art, she would like to represent herself as the rockin' girl in the bikini. People are interesting.

Anyway, Richard Avedon would be proud of me.

How ya doin'?

2006-11-02T20:45:00.000-05:00

I know. I know. It has been way too long. I may have mentioned before, but I was so burned out that I just needed a break. The break was so well received. I am happy to be shooting again. In fact, I recently took the toy cameras out to the beach. I will be posting some images that I got at the beach over the next few days.

While I was shooting (more on my subject matter in the next few days), there were some ladies in a boat. The boat had lost its propeller, and they had drifted ashore where I was shooting. We struck up a conversation and I snapped some photos while we chatted. This, obviously, is the bow of the boat.

While I have your attention, I would like to mention that I am in Gala Corina this year. This is a fantastic show that is hosting 120+ artists from all over the world. I will be showing six pieces that have never been shown before. Some of it is VERY new work. Things that no one has seen. If you'd like to go to the show, just email me or follow the link to find out more about it. I would LOVE to see you there. The opening party (and it is a fantastic party) will be on November 10th from 6pm to 1am.

I'll keep an eye out for you.

Strength

2006-09-02T20:45:00.000-04:00

I have a few rolls of film that took forever to develop. I am embarrassed to admit that I have a roll from LAST summer, and not the one that just ended. Someday I will get it done...

So this started in color, which was just a bad choice. I think I am done with color in the Holga, and maybe just done with color in general. It just doesn't do it for me in the fine art area anymore. This has my signature duotone. I think it works.

Earlier, I posted a picture of a cross. This is the same cross, held by its owner. If you want to hear the story of the cross, check the previous months.

Bobby and I were trying to shoot an icon. An image that stood for something. Bob is not a small guy, obviously. But with the cross, he was showing his true sore of strength. That is what I was going for. I feel that I achieved what I was after. I hope you comment to tell me if you agree.

Best to you and yours...

Dave

Marked

2006-08-27T08:36:00.000-04:00

Tattoos fascinate me. I don't have one, and could never decide what to actually pick, so people who have that level of commitment really impress me.

This is Becky. That's her tattoo. She's a great young lass that I met when she came with a friend to a shoot. I'm pretty pleased with the shot, and it is leading to some other ideas of a project that I would like to get done. I'll post more on that later.

On a side note, I have been having great difficulty with Blogger.com to get the blog updated. I may (I hope not) have to move the blog to a different site or service. I'll keep you posted.

Wild Goose Island

2006-08-24T20:32:00.000-04:00

It was a pretty hard day, so I was just wishing I was back on vacation. So I did the next best thing.

This is Wild Goose Island. It's located in Glacier National Park. It took me three tries to get a halfway decent image. So here it is in its halfway decent glory. I hope you enjoy it!

Untitled Portrait

2006-08-19T15:35:00.000-04:00

I shot this one a while ago, but have been waiting for the model release to come back so I could post it. I shot some family portraits for a friend of mine, and tried to to get individuals of each member. This supercool dress, and Sarah's personality just screamed to be photographed. In fact, I have several very strong photos of her.

But this one was my favorite. I don't really want to tell you too much on how the portrait was made, because I think that it has a vibe that is lessened when explained.

So here it is. I am really proud of this image. I hope you enjoy it too.

SPOON!

2006-08-07T19:36:00.000-04:00

So not the greatest image today, but this one has a good story.

We saw this tiny little shop in Glacier called the Spiral Spoon. The shop sold... you guessed it... spoons. Nothing but spoons. All hand carved. They were really nice.

We went to this stupid store like 3 different times. That's a lot because we were only there two days! Rosa and I were both impressed by all the different ways that one person could make a spoon.

This is the lady who owns the shop. I grabbed a shot of her with the Holga, which she enjoyed as it was especially duct taped together that day. The purple spoon she is holding isn't dyed. It's actually from a wook that is that color. Rosa loved that wood.

So, anywho... that's all I have to say about that.

African Idol

2006-08-02T19:59:00.000-04:00

Admit it. You were expecting singers...

I have to admit, I am pretty proud of this one. I shot it while taking Rosa to a Josh Groban Meet-up (no, he wasn't there... all the crazy fans, who are actually really nice, meet up and have lunch. I am Rosa's chauffer). Rosa, wisely, found this place in Orlando called Olde Town to entertain me with some toy cam photos. I shot this while walking around there.

I was most pleased with the richness of the blacks and the whites in the image. The selective focus came out pretty strong. And the duotone really adds to the mood of the thing.

So let me know what you think. I am thinking of offering rag stock giclee prints of this one. 8x8 inches for $20. Let me know if you are interested...

D

Self Serving

2006-08-01T20:05:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted a picture of the little cutie in a while. Recently, I was doing a headshot for a friend, and Jos wanted to be a part of the action. It's not the greatest photo in the world. I just wanted to share what the little one is looking like...

Finally... an entry

2006-07-30T21:06:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the down time. A few weeks ago, I cleaned my office. I found four rolls that I hadn't developed yet and seven rolls that I haven't scanned. I am down to one roll to scan, two to develop. I have been using all my free time to get that done.

My buddy Chris S. and I dragged our ladies out to Tarpon Springs lately. The gals had a great time shopping. Chris and I shot a few rolls. Here is one of my favorits from the day. I may post a few more.

Summer is officially over for me now. Classes resume on Wednesday. I will definitely post more often than lately, but be patient with me!

Espresso or wampum, anyone?

2006-07-16T08:58:00.000-04:00

We actually drove back from the next town to get this one. The teepee is concrete. Click on it and read about the door. Talk about the American Melting Pot. This sure ain't no Starbucks!

Chilly Willy

2006-07-16T08:54:00.000-04:00

Hye all,

Sorry I have been away from the blog the last few days. Jos and I have been hitting the Gymboree as much as we can, and I had a couple of shoots, and a gallery opening, so it has been pretty hectic.

I am not done with the pretty pictures from Montana yet, but I would like to show you a little side project that I did while I was there with the Holga. We found the oddest things on the side of the road up there, and I shot them with the Holga. Here is the first. This is also the first image I made on that entire trip!

Cut Bank, Montana is the coldest city in the nation, as the sign says. Our little friend here is just a quiet reminder of that wonderful fact! Rosa wanted to give him a hug!

Happy Birthday, Alex Smith

2006-07-09T07:33:00.000-04:00

This is Avalanche Lake. It is one of the most beautiful places I have seen on Earth. Five waterfalls coming down the mountains into the lake. Chipmunks running around begging for food. Deer walking around and drinking from the lake. I counted 4 deer that I could see on the edge of the water.

What a beautiful place.

So I photographed it with a toy camera. I am an idiot! I like the result, though.

Heaven's Peak

2006-07-06T08:01:00.000-04:00

It may be obvious where I got the title for this one. This was shot on the Going-To-The-Sun Road at one of the turn-outs. There isn't too much to say about it. The picture pretty much sums it up. I guess, as a photographer, I finally did my job.

Off in the distance...

2006-07-05T21:37:00.000-04:00

I made this image on the way out of the park. One thing I know about the way Rosa and I travel. We never go back to the same place twice. So I was sad to be leaving all that beauty. I am sure that we will go to other great places, but man, it is such a beautiful world. I wish I could see it all.

I scanned this one a little larger than the last panoramic. Clicking on it should give you a better payoff. I do hope you enjoy it.

The Valley Below

2006-07-04T14:49:00.000-04:00

Happy 4th of July! I hope you are having a great day, you are enjoying our freedom, and you use that freedom to eat far too much at the family barbaque.

This one I think is a decent picture, one of my better ones of the trip. The Horizon version is much better, but I am saving that one. I will show it to you later. I'd like you to see this one for now.

This view was taken from the Going To The Sun Road in Glacier National Park. The road was closed for several weeks. It opened two days before we left. We drove it just to see things like this. As nice as the picture is, it isn't anything like being there. It reminded me of the book title, Their Eyes Were Watching God.

I hope you enjoy this one. I hope you click on it to make it big and just enjoy it for a little while.

Dave

Deer at St. Mary Falls

2006-07-03T11:00:00.000-04:00

This was the deer that I was telling you about last time. I shot this with my long lens on the 10D, but I was only about 8 feet away. I even followed the deer up the trail to get the shot. She was just happy to keep eating out of the tree. I wasn't too much of a bother to her.

We saw so many deer at Glacier that we actually stopped taking pictures of them. The first deer that I saw, I broke out three cameras and shoved lenses into my pockets and my wife's hands. By the end of the trip, we were like, "Oh. Cute. A deer. That's nice."

I did get a GREAT Holge picture of a deer slipping in the water and almost falling down. I wasn't even responsible.

St. Mary Falls

2006-07-02T15:54:00.000-04:00

My buddy Eugene made a great point. I never said where I was going, and what I was doing there!

My wife and I made the trip to Glacier National Park in Montana. We were there for 6 days. We hiked 7 miles the first day, 4 miles the second day, we went whitewater rafting the third, took a bus tour (bad idea...) the fourth, drove around, shot photos and hung out the fifth, and stayed at the B&B on the sixth. It was a great trip.

I took four cameras with me. The Canon EOS 10D with a wide, normal, and telephoto lens. I took two Holgas, one for color, the other for black and white. I also took the Horizon 202, my seldom used panoramic camera. This is the camera that got me the best results. I'll be posting from all three of the cameras over the next few days. I hope you enjoy them.

This is St. Mary Falls. It was a short hike in to get to the falls. We did it mostly as an after dinner walk. What a beautiful place that this is the result of your after dinner walk. While we were walking, there was this deer that followed us up the trail. It didn't move, even when I walked up to about 6 feet away from it. My next post will be a picture of that deer.

Logan Pass

2006-06-30T13:34:00.000-04:00

You really need to click on this one to make it bigger. It just doesn't have the same impact at this size. Click on it and take a look, and I will wait until you get back...

Well? What did you think? This is Logan's Pass, the pass that you have to get through to get from East Glacier to West Glacier. The Pass was closed 4 of the 5 days we were there. It opened right before we left, so Rosa and I drove it a few times. It is such a beautiful place.

This image was taken about 100 feet outside of the visitor's center parking lot. I am looking south. I shot it with the Horizon 202. It is a panoramic camera that takes shots with a 120 degree field of view. Cool stuff. I don't get to use it too often, but I got to use it a lot on this trip.

I was so impressed that there could be snow on the ground in June. And there was a LOT of snow!

I have a lot of the images scanned now, so be ready for more regular posts.

Best,
Dave

The First Image...

2006-06-26T20:24:00.000-04:00

Hey all,

We are back from Glacier National Park, and we had a great trip. I took many pictures, and I am going to start posting away.

I will be developing the Holga and Panoramic films in the next few days, so keep an eye out for those. I am really excited about the panoramic rolls. If they turn out at all, they are going to be AWESOME!

This image is of MacDonald Lake in West Glacier. We pulled off the Going-To-The-Sun Road, which is just an amazing road (an 8 inch stone wall is all that separates you from a 4,000 foot drop!) and shot this. Let me know if you enjoy it. I am looking forward to lots of comments in the upcoming days!

Love, Dave

I wish I looked like this.

2006-06-18T08:47:00.000-04:00

Hello all,

I created this image of Bobby a few weeks ago. If you don't recognize him, picture his face on CNN when his sister, Terri Schiavo, was allowed to starve to death.

Alas, I am not Bobby. I have been getting messages for him. I have forwarded those messages on to him, but I am just a poor photographer who isn't nearly as dashing as Bobby is.

Sorry for the short post. I am going on a shooting expedition tomorrow for 5 days, so expect LOTS of images coming up!!!

Dave

The Icon

2006-05-29T13:20:00.000-04:00

I finally got that roll of Bobby developed. It took me a while. I just scanned it in, and I had forgotten about taking this shot. I used the macro lens on the Holga. This is the relic that was given to Bobby from that guy in Ireland. I posted about that a few weeks back.

I am very pleased with how this image came out. I wanted to share it as soon as I could.

We are moving into summer now, so you can expect posts a little more regularly. Thanks to all who subscribe to my RSS feed or to the email editions. You guys mean a lot to me, and I try to share what I think is good stuff with you. I hope you are enjoying my work.

Stay tuned as I just got accepted into an upcoming show. I'll post more details about when and where, but it will be in late July at a very cool gallery! More on that soon! And I will have more Bobby pictures from that last shoot over the next few days or so.

Best,
Dave

Valve

2006-05-16T19:42:00.000-04:00

I'm still here. The day job has been hopping.

A little bit of a departure today. This is a macro I shot at the part a few weeks ago. Lots of Photoshop adjustments going on. I'm just in that kind of mood.

Not feeling the greatest tonight, so I am going to post this, then go watch American Idol and hide under a blanket. I hope to have more soon.

Kiss all the girls that ask about me.

White Space

2006-05-09T19:39:00.000-04:00

This is the last for now of Bobby. I will develop and scan that Holga stuff that I shot soon.

Here again, I was going to accentuate the cross. This one is very simple, and you know the story of the cross already, so there isn't much to say. If you want to know more about Bobby, read about him here.

The Relic

2006-05-07T10:04:00.000-04:00

This is the second of the Bobby images. I really need to develop two rolls of film, so I might have to continue this series later. Let me see what else the digital stuff yields. But let us enjoy this image for now.

Bobby is a Right To Life advocate. He speaks for audiences on this topic, upon which he knows much. He recently went to Ireland, and was interviewed by this Catholic gentleman.

After the interview was over, the man was so moved by the story of Bobby's family that he said, "You have to have this." He reached inside his shirt and pulled out this Benedictine cross. Bobby tried to refuse it, but the man wouldn't hear of it. The cross was blessed by Pope John Paul. Bobby's new friend said that Bobby needed it more than he did.

Bobby wears if often.

This Jam's for the Ladies

2006-05-06T19:24:00.000-04:00

It has been a LONG time since I have done an artistic portrait just for the purpose of shooting portraits. I had forgotten how much I enjoy it.

This is Bobby Schindler. He does a lot of public speaking, and needed a new head shot. I can get a headshot in about 8 seconds. So I did that, and we did some other work.

Obviously, Bobby is physically fit. That is fun to play with. It isn't often that you get a perfect human form, and someone you are comfortable enough with and who is comfortable enough with you to say, "Hey, man. Take off your shirt." That is wrong in so many contexts, but it works here.

Bobby, who used to model for catalogues, admitted that he was never good at posing. That was exactly what he was saying when I snapped the shutter here. I like the natural look to the faux-pose. I shouldn't have cropped his hand, but I didn't like the look of it framed any looser, so I did it the way I want.

I have a few more images of Bobby that I would like to share, and he is a totally fascinating guy. I'll share some images and some more of his story, much of which you probably know if you were alive and had a TV last year. Look for that over the next few days.

Kicking it old school

2006-05-02T19:48:00.000-04:00

Hey all. Sorry about the gap, but I have come to the realization that I just can't post every day. I can't generate enough quality work, and I can't get to the computer. I can read a little girl a story every night. So while you are very cool, she wins.

But alas, I have an image tonight. This is taken with my macro filter, and my physical range finding apparatus... a stick that I trimmed to tell me how far away to hold the camera. Good stuff. I will call it my PRFA from now on. They are for sale at a reasonable price of $29.99. No more guessing at macro focal distances with your Holga.

Anywho... enjoy the image. This old 2.5x2.5 was given to me by a dear old friend, Don Tears. Maybe my dad will forward this posting to him. I think he gets email.

Mike Gomek Baker and I went shooting a few weeks ago, and I brought this camera along. Mike had 4x5 film, and I was going to try it. Then I learned that it is 2.5 by 2.5, and they don't make that film anymore. You have to cut down 4x5 film in total darkness. I was crushed. It would have been soooo cool.

Showing one's age

2006-04-22T23:42:00.000-04:00

I wonder why the mold didn't grow on the red part of the wood. I found that odd.

A quiet image today. I'm feeling a little quiet. Enjoy.

I'm ready for my closeup!

2006-04-22T09:56:00.000-04:00

I am in a baby posting mood. I have had a fever, so I can't play with the Squeak, which is a real drag.

This is one of three of Jos' Easter dresses. She loves that hat. We took her to UT and Bayshore Blvd, as I posted a few days ago. This is a family favorite.

Incidentally, if you have a little one, and want his or her portrait made in a fashion like this, I am looking to get into this line of the business. Let me know if I can offer my services to you.

Have a great weekend!

Rubber Duckie, your the one...

2006-04-21T17:08:00.000-04:00

Here is one that I have been excited about since I clicked the shutter. This is Jos' rubber duckie. She loves rubber duckies, just like she loves stuffed kitties and well... anything else stuffed.

I had the day off work, and nothing to do, so I shot a roll of macro stuff in my office. I'll post some the the results over the next few days...

Looking Out

2006-04-19T19:55:00.000-04:00

I took Jocelyn, Rose, and James to the park the other day. There is a boardwalk that follows a river. With the lack of rain Florida has been going through, the river is VERY low. There were a lot of birds hanging out on the banks looking for food. Here is one of my shots of those good looking fellows. This was made with the Canon 10D and the 100-300mm zoon at 300mm.

I hope you like it...

What;s Out There?

2006-04-18T19:59:00.000-04:00

I really like my kid. I mean, of course I love her, but I really enjoy her personality. Even though I have to read her "Otto's Birthday Party" three times in a row before she goes to bed.

I love her curiosity. She wants to know everything, and that makes me excited for her life. Curiousity is the single most interesting attribute a person can have.

Which leads me to today's photo. When we went to Bayshore, she couldn't see over the rail. She spent MUCH time looking though the pillars. I took this picture but hanging over the rail and sticking the camera randomly down in hopes of framing her. Gotta love that wide Holga lens! I really got lucky with this one. I was worried that I would drop the camera into Tampa Bay. That would have not been good.

I hope you enjoy the photo. I have a roll of macro shots that I made recently. I'll try to develop it tonight. I have some other kid shots that I am proud of, but I try not to overrun you guys with Jos Photos.

Kiss all the girls that ask about me.
Dave

The Factory

2006-04-17T10:36:00.000-04:00

Here is the cigar factory. The broken wall that I posted a few days ago is there. The break is just to the right of this shot. These old buildings are beautiful, and are in such a great state of disrepair. It's a total shame. There are three or four of these in a row on the same street in Tampa. One of them is being refurbished. How cool would it be to have one as a studio!?

Easter Dress

2006-04-16T19:56:00.000-04:00

In normal fashion, my daughter got three dresses for Easter Sunday. All three of them were cute. My mother-in-law actually bought Jos the dress my wife made me put back because it was too expensive. That is what Grandmas are for! And she has good taste. So we took Jos to Bayshore Blvd. for a "Photo shoot." She loved it. I wanted to use the Holga so I could get some vintage looking images of the lass. I love this photo, except she is giving me the "leave me alone, Dad! I'm walking here!" look. She loves that hat, though, and wouldn't take it off. She'd of slept in it if I would have let her.

I hope you all had a great Easter. One of my favorite days.

Barred and Boarded

2006-04-07T20:20:00.000-04:00

Here is a close-up of one of the windows from that old cigar factory. These old buildings have such great stories to tell. I so badly wish that I could go inside. That would be supercool!!!

Anywho, I haven't shot in that formalistic style for a little while. It is fun to do, but I often find it to be a cop-out. It is just so easy. This one is a bit different, though. It's the lines that lead me to this shot.

I am going for the rule of thirds, here. That is hard to do with a Holga as the viewfinder doesn't even come close to representing what the lens sees. I have a ball park from shooting over 30 rolls of film with it, but there is no way to be sure. I was pretty successfull here.

Then you have the horizontal lines of the brick, the vertical lines of the bars, and the arch just to screw things up. Without the arch, I would hate this image. But there it is... in all its archy glory.

I hope you enjoy the image today. And have a great weekend while you're at it.

Straight Up

2006-04-05T22:46:00.000-04:00

This shot is pretty cut and dry. There it is. A building. In all its black and white glory. I love the tones on this. The brick in the color world was red. Here, that red takes on almost a black tone. I didn't use a filter, and there was no funky Photoshopping going on. That is just the way it is.

I'll be at the Lightning game tomorrow, so I am going to post an extra one tonight, but then will be gone for a few days. Never fear. I'll be back.

The Wall

2006-04-05T08:44:00.000-04:00

Over spring break, I got to shoot a whole roll of film. SWEET! James and I found this old, rundown building.

I shot several images here, and I am certain that you will be seeing them over the next few days. This wall, and the way it framed around the image really made me photograph it. Looking at the result, I am pretty happy. I do have to admit that this makes a much better print than it does a screen image. You never know... Gala Corina is only a few months away.

More closeness

2006-04-04T15:50:00.000-04:00

Here is that second one, as promised. I don't know what the spots on the wings are. Maybe water from the sprinkler system.

If you remember the stone from a few photos ago, you can see it here holding down the butterfly. Just an interesting side note.

Gotta run. Jos wants up from her nap.

Very Close Up

2006-04-03T08:17:00.000-04:00

I found a poor dead butterfly in the back yard. Well, I thought, at least he will be still enough for me to photograph him.

I shot this with the digital camera, but I used my Holga macro filters, which I just held up to the lens. It's about as sharp as a butter knife, and the depth of field is stupidly shallow, but that was about what I was after. I have another of these that I will post tomorrow. I think the colors of the wings are beautiful, and that was all I was interested in...

Avacado

2006-04-02T09:36:00.000-04:00

I have been looking at a lot of Edward Weston this year. I am really interested in the simplicity of his photos. They are lovely. I don't have a black backdrop, but I suppose a trip to the fabric store could fit that. Maybe I am attracted to him because I don't need hours on the road, or to even leave the house to shoot like him. Still life is definitely growing on me.

My daugher ate half an avacado for breakfast. I liked the shape of the empty rhine. I have always loved the look of the split avacado. This seems to me like the perfect before and after shot. So I hope you find it half as refreshing as Jos did that morning.

Stone Hands

2006-04-01T14:31:00.000-05:00

This is my favorite image for a while now. My wife picked up these rocks out of a river way back while we were on a vacation. The rocks have been kicking around the house. I love the shape of this one particular rock, and have been thinking of photographing it in some sort of context for weeks. I wanted someone's hands, and I wanted either someone old, or someone young.

In walked Rachel, my sister's daughter. She's perfect, and four. She follows directions, even while giving me weird looks.

So I shot this with the Holga and a macro lens on TMax 400, my as-of-late film of choice. And here ya go. Developed in the kitchen and scanned in the office, it's home grown art. I even shot it in the driveway.

I shot most of another roll today, and will finish it up and develop it soon, so keep your eye on the blog. Don't forget the RSS feed, too, which will help you know when I update.

Kiss all the girls that ask about me.

An odd one today

2006-02-26T08:01:00.000-05:00

I was feeling the need for a little PhotoShop in my life today. This isn't the greatest image. I do find it odd that they will let you stand right next to a train that is going 50 mph!. So anyway, it started off in color, and ended up like this. Enjoy.

Like Rings On A Tree

2006-02-24T19:09:00.000-05:00

I have been thinking about this image a lot. I actually shot it a long time ago while out with Henry. There was an old building that had been gutted. This wall was what ajoined the shop to the rest of the strip mall. It was too old to be a strip mall, though. This is like smallville America we are talking.

I was impressed with the paper and the stenciling. Someone put a lot of work for that. All for naught. Time collects us all, I suppose.

Obviously, it's Friday, and I really need a weekend. Peace, love and happiness...

Determination

2006-02-23T20:45:00.000-05:00

I'd never seen a two-dimensional tree before. This thing was amazing. It covered most of that wall.

Much work to do this evening, so I am going to leave you here. I hope you enjoy the photo.

Everything

2006-02-22T20:22:00.000-05:00

Here is everything in the world. All the cliches that parents tell people without kids are true. I spend every minute I can with Jos.

I did a bridal portrait recently. Before the bride showed up, I needed to test out the studio lights to get exposure. What better subject is there than Jos? So I threw her in the middle and snapped away.

She's funny because when I put the camera to my face, she knows the flashes are going to go off soon, so she squints. It's hilarous, but now, I have a hard time getting a photo without her face all smished up. She's smart, though. She thinks the flashes are funny.

Les is More

2006-02-21T20:14:00.000-05:00

I showed some of the B&W images from the shrimp docks a few weeks back. Here is one of the color ones. I like it a lot. Mostly, I am proud of myself for getting my hiney on the dock were I wasn't allowed to go.

Not much to say. Enjoy the work.

Where Ya Been?

2006-02-20T20:10:00.000-05:00

This wooden indian has been looking for my blog. I won't even try to explain the hiatus. It's nice to be back. I'll tell ya, though. It has been very hard to get any shooting done. I have a few things that I will post over the next few days, but I really need to make a trip out.

This image was made on the Gomek Excursion. Good stuff. Ybor City is always good for something interesting, even if it is getting more Disney-esque every day.

The Holga is in grand form here.

Well, there it is. I'll see ya tomorrow.

Hangin'

2006-01-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

I love porch culture. I love hangin' out on the porch, talking to your neighbors, and just enjoying life sans TV.

Mike and I passed these two guys hanging out, and they were more than cool. Mr. Daniels, the gentleman on the left, chatted with us for a while, and let Mike even shoot some pictures with his slow as molasses 4x5 view camera. I got off a few exposures with the Holga. This is my favorite.

It was nice to meet you, Mr. Daniels. I hope you enjoyed your apple core.

If 6 were 9

2006-01-20T07:52:00.000-05:00

I have a project that I started over a year ago to shoot all the numbers from 1 to 9 by themselves. I have three numbers. It is hard to find single digits big enough to shoot.

I am not sure if this one counts, because you can see the 9, but it is pretty close.

Showing the Ropes

2006-01-19T08:49:00.000-05:00

You can really see why men were ordered to "show the new guy the ropes!" That must be very confusing!

A very busy shot. Kinda a departure for me, but I am always looking for different.

This is the same quadtone as yesterday.

Bow

2006-01-18T19:46:00.000-05:00

Here is the front of the boat that I showed you yesterday. I was aiming to make the pulley the central point of focus, and I think I pulled that off reasonably well.

I used a quadtone on this print, which is like a stupidly complicated version of a black and white. My friend Chris S. does this very well, but this is a first attempt for me. I'm not sure the quadtoning really adds anything to the overall image. I may just stick to B&W.

Night Hawk

2006-01-17T19:43:00.000-05:00

This is a great example of the wonderful failure. I have a friend named Ericka, who uses foreground like no other. She does great things with sticking things in the front of stuff. I love her work.

So I was thinking that I would use the frame of then netting around the Night Hawk, the boat in the back. I obviously didn't get close enough. But as a result, you get these great details in the netting that I wasn't expecting.

So, end result, I am happy with this. The scan and print look pretty good too. There is a chance that you'll be seeing this at Gala Corina next year. I don't know for sure, though. There is a lot of film to shoot between now and then!

315 S. Collins

2006-01-09T21:32:00.000-05:00

Look closely. All is not as it seems. I am in love with the optical illusion of this one. I hope you enjoy it!

Best to all of you. Jocelyn is one year old tomorrow!!!

The Gomek

2006-01-04T19:41:00.000-05:00

This is Mike. He is a great freakin' guy. Literally one of the nicest guys that I have ever met. He also has (according to today's email, I should make that had) the greatest beard ever.

That is his Crown Graphic. It is a 4x5 view he is making use of there. That is a great camera. We collaborated on a few photos, and he let me fly solo on a few. With the view camera, that is a big deal, a few images. He only shot 10 images the whole day. That thing is wonderful difficult to use.

Anyway, I really like this shot of the old beast. (Do I mean Mike or the camera? You'll never know.) I shot it with the Holga using fill flash because of the strong backlight.

Not too much to say other than that.

2006-01-03T19:04:00.000-05:00

I like this picture a lot. Now, I understand that it isn't for everyone. I break darn near every photographic rule there is with it. I do follow the rule of thirds. But that is about it. The macro lens that I used to get the close-up means that the camera has absolutely no viewfinder. I used my hand-held light meter to determine that the room was 1/4th a second at f8. That means 20 clicks with the Holga. I tried that, but it didn't work too well, so I did another one and went with 50 clicks. That is sitting here at the table, and clicking the shutter 50 times.

I like the very narrow focus on the ring of the cigar. I am also happy with how the coffee cups broke up the background. Overall, I am pleased with the results, even though they are totally off the wall. I hope you like it, too.

2005-12-31T19:11:00.000-05:00

Man, I went on a shooting spree with this guy Mike, and it was the best experience ever! We shot so much film!

Anywho, this is a quick polaroid scan that I shot yesterday. I want to say Happy New Year to all of you. I hope that the best of your yesterdays are the worst of your tomorrows!

God bless you in '06!

Dave Pritchard

Friend's Studio

2005-12-29T20:15:00.000-05:00

You know me! I am drawn to a camera shop. This one was closed down, though. For a long time, from the looks of it. Inside the building was gutted and dusty. What a great place to have a studio though. Lots of room and high ceilings. I could go nuts in there.

But the sign is there for prosperity. And, me being me, I snapped it up for all to see. You can see the tell-tale light leak from the Diana on this one, too.

Anywho... more soon.

The Arch

2005-12-27T16:11:00.000-05:00

Here is another favorite from my recent trip with ole Henry. Just for the record, Henry leaves for Hong Kong tomorrow. I hope you have a great trip!

There was this old shed outside downtown Plant City. There are a lot of buildings like this in Drew Park in Tampa. They were airplane hamgers in WWII. I liked the way the blue sky contrasted with the rust on the shed. So, I snapped away.

The Diana is developing a touch of a light leak when the sun is at my back, or over my shoulder. I haven't been taping it up, but I will have to start. I am glad that it is subtle on this image. I am not too big of a lightleak fan. Luckly, I have a nice fresh roll of tape in the bag.

My Precious

2005-12-26T14:03:00.000-05:00

I get to indulge again.

I had the Holga lying around, and I really needed to finish the roll in it. Plus, I love when the Squeak peeks up over the table. She had just started learning how to stand when I snapped this pic.

I was using some slightly expired film. Not anything too old like the stuff from 1997 I used in my new 1968 Olympus EES-2! (That is a different story.) But the color was just tweaked enough to give these shots a nice golden tone. I really like that.

Anyway, Jos gets cuter by the day. And I learned that 800 speed film works great in my living room.

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-25T12:21:00.000-05:00

Hey all,

Remember. Today isn't about gifts and men who break into your house to leave you stuff based on the intelligence that he somehow illegally gathers. Jesus was born today. That makes all the difference.

Merry Christmas!

X marks the spot.

2005-12-24T09:18:00.000-05:00

Hey all,

We met this guy and his son. They were train guys. They knew about trains. They talked to Henry and I about the tracks. They were talking about how this diamond, the point where two tracks cross each other, was falling apart. The bolts, indeed were loose. These were big bolts! But, you know me. I liked the lines and textures, so I snapped it up.

I shot this with my Diana. I am really starting to like that little camera.

Merry Christmas Eve, you guys. I am spending the day with my family. I hope you are, too.

Dog nothin'!

2005-12-23T21:04:00.000-05:00

My buddy Henry and I went on our own version of a Jazz trip. This was more of a Modest Mouse, Techno trip, but the premise was the same. We wanted to wander through the junkyards of Plant City to take pictures of old cars. Surprisingly, no one would let us in. Except this guy. Except he wasn't there at the time.

Now, read the sign carefully. "Beware of the dog." Yeah, right. So I walk up to the fence to see what I could see, and this damn goose comes running over to the fense. Don't get me wrong. A dog would tear me to pieces. But a goose? And this is one ugly goose! Seriously!

I'll be posting images from this trip over the next few days. It was a fairly productive shoot. I had a good time. Henry is an entertaining guy.

More soon.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve. (Or Christmas Eve if you read this tomorrow. It's getting late.)

The Heart Gallery

2005-12-20T20:45:00.000-05:00

I don't have a photo to post today, but let me tell you why. I have been photographing children all day for the Heart Gallery. These children are kids who have a low rate of adoption. They are maybe siblings that want to stay together, or older kids who still need a family, but aren't cute little babies like everyone wants. These kids have all been through some trying times. They have seen things that would make grown men cry. And they need a home.

Because they are foster kids, I can't post a photo of the children. That's okay. Today isn't about self-promotion. It's about promoting the Heart Gallery. The gallery is opening of February 11th in Tampa. If you are reading this post from a city other than Tampa, then there is a very likely chance that there is a Heart Gallery in your city. It is a national thing.

So look into maybe going to the opening in your town. If you have been thinking about helping a child, or about becoming a foster parent, then this is a great opportunity to have the type of love that you will never find anywhere else. Talk about saving the planet!

If you have any questions about Heart Gallery, let me know.

Tes One

2005-12-19T20:22:00.000-05:00

Tes One is a cool artist that does this stencil type stuff. I don't really know how to explain it. Go to http://www.TesOne.com to figure it out. Take a look. It's actually very cool.

What makes me happy about this image is the fact that I got the composition to follow the rule of thirds without a viewfinder. And I even meant to do it. I shot this outside Gala Corina on the closing evening. My buddy, DJ Paul lent me a roll of film (thanks Paul) and I shot away.

Anywho, I liked this simple little pic, so I thought I would share it with you. Enjoy.

Signs of Success

2005-12-18T11:31:00.000-05:00

I am very pleased to say that I actually sold a piece of art at Gala Corina. I was very excited about it! I documented this accomplishment by photographing the hole that was left when my new patron took the art home. So here it is. See the little sign under the hole? See the sticker on the sign? It looks like a little teeny dot. It is actually a smiley face. That placard is hanging on my first like a spelling test from a second grader.

Now, here is some trivia. My friend Jane (names changed to protect the guilty) was screwing around at Gala, and said, "Take my picture!" Then she stuck her butt out. I forgot to advance the film after shooting the wall, and I snapped an exposure before she could retract said protruding butt. So if you look closely, you can see someone's butt right along side my art. Maybe this is fruadian commentary. I guess it depends on how you feel about my art, and how you feel about Jane's hiney.

That made me laugh.

reaching back...

2005-12-17T11:25:00.000-05:00

I was looking for a negative that I shot years ago (I didn't find it) and I ran across a test print of this really bad image. For being really bad, I really like it.

I took it at school when I was learning to use the Holga. It is from my second roll. Now, I can look at the amount of light and guess if I have enough or not. I didn't have this skill on Roll 2. I was just guessing. This is the thinnest nagative ever. It took some excessive photoshopping to get ANYTHING out of the neg. Here it is in all its scratched glory. I kinda like the somber mood.

I hope you enjoy it, and that you have a great weekend!

Oliver's World

2005-12-14T20:17:00.000-05:00

The is Oliver Norden. He is a genius. Not in the sense that people say that someone who has a singular good idea is a genius, like the guy who invented Smoothie King. Oliver is the real deal. His web site is...http://oliversuniverse.com.

Oliver had several pieces at Gala Corina. But that was not all he did. He found blank walls and hung paper that he found lying around. He ran to the car and got his chalks. He drew these works of art like the one you see here. That big. They were FULL of color! Every inch of the paper was full of color and shading and brilliance.

When you talk to Oliver, he is pleasant and soft-spoken. He actually qualifies as charming. I was glad to meet him.

I hear that he is going back to Europe soon. That is our loss. What an artist. Oliver, it was nice to meet you.

The Stockings

2005-12-13T20:01:00.000-05:00

Okay. I know. It's been like two weeks. I'm sorry. The world exploded, and I had to go looking under the couch for all the pieces. Things are much calmer now. It took me two weeks to find the time just to scan the rolls I took in November. Pitiful.

But, I hopefully reward you with an image that I like very much. I met this young lass at Gala Corina. I loved her stockings. When you add the dress, forgetaboutit! I photographed her legs twice, both times asking permission. I mean, wouldn't YOU freak out if someone stuck a camera near the bottom of your dress and started clicking away? She was very cool.

She and her sister (?) have a podcast that I listened to and is interesting. You can check them out at http://www.jennyandsabrinatime.com.

There will be some more images from Gala over the next few days. I am hoping to go shoot soon. Keep an eye out!

Pipes

2005-11-25T11:11:00.000-05:00

So this one is from way back in the day. I had just gotten my first Holga, and was wandering around Ybor with it. I think Harry was with me.

Not a lot to say today. Still sleepy from the turkey. It doesn't help that I had turkey for breakfast.

I hope you had a great day.

Flower Store Window

2005-11-24T13:17:00.000-05:00

First of all, happy Thanksgiving. I am truly blessed in my life, and I feel that every day, but this is the day I am supposed to say so outloud. Enjoy your turkey, and everything else that God has provided for you. Oh, and if you're not American, enjoy the day anyway.

It has been my intent to print and hand-color this image for a long time. In fact, when I shot it, I knew that I wanted to hand color it. I just haven't gotten around to it. Well, tonight may be the night.

Here is the story behind the image. My wife and I went to Duluth, GA to visit my dad and his wife. Cherie took us for a stroll around the downtown area of Duluth, which is actually quite pleasant, and I wouldn't mind exposing a few more rolls there. This flower store is on the main drag.

When I get the hand tinting done, I will post it. I tried a hand tint job on a different photo, and enjoyed the process, but the photo itself was a little lame. Flowers. Well, I had to start somewhere. There will only be a little bit of recoloring on this one, but it may or may not be effective. I'm curious to see.

The Ferris Wheel

2005-11-23T20:14:00.000-05:00

This is an odd image that I found on a roll at the bottom of my closet. I shot it at a carnival a few months ago when we took Jos, and my sister's kids.

I like the color palette of this image a lot. A lot of people like the light leak that they get out of the Holga, but I can't stand them. This one is because the spool didn't take up tightly, and light bleeds into the rolled film when you take it out. It isn't too damaging to this photo, although I would never make a fine print of it. I thought you faithful viewers might enjoy it, though. Let me know if you do.

Local Hero

2005-11-19T19:38:00.000-05:00

This is John Langley. There is a strong chance that I got his name wrong, but let me tell you who this guy is. He is a huge proponent of the arts in Tampa. It's a pleasure to know him.

I took a Holga with me to the Gala Corina opening to explain to people how I make my art. I figured, I might as well pop a roll into it. This is with TMax 400 and the on-camera flash. Good stuff. I shot the whole roll over the course of the evening, but mostly to document the friends that showed up or things like that. I could have covered the event better, but hey, that wasn't what I was there for.

At the end of the night, around midnight (the event was supposed to end at 11), I found John hanging out in a chair in the back corner of the gallery. I popped this portrait type thing at him, and he was like, "Great. I'm sure I look mighty fine." Well, John is always cool, so I think he even looks cool here... Bald is so in.

Alaskan Tacos

2005-11-18T19:07:00.000-05:00

I don't know why I am going so far back into the catalogue this evening. It just feels right. After looking at Gala Corina, and the work there, I am seeing new value in some of my older works. This is one of those...

There isn't really too much to say about the images that I have made that are like this. Really, it is very simple, and very straight-forward. Life is odd. Selling alaskan tacos in Tampa is just downright wierd. What do I need to do photographically to enhance that oddity? Nothing, in my opinion. To do so would be overkill. Sublety is key.

So there it is. In all its glory or lack thereof. I hope you enjoy.

Five Pumpkins

2005-11-17T16:10:00.000-05:00

I told you one was coming. Here is the picture of Jos.

This was a few days before Holloween. The local church has this setup for people to take pictures, which is pretty nice of them. Jocelyn tried to eat every pumpkin in site.

Not much to say, but thanks for letting me post another kid pic. She says hello, by the way!

Swing, Baby!

2005-11-14T16:06:00.000-05:00

This is my favorite Diana picture to date. This is Jillian, my niece. She is six years old. We went to the park with her sisters and my daughter (oh, yes, that means a Jos picture is coming up any day!) to play on the swings.

I just love the life of the picture. She's looking at me like I'm nuts, and just swinging her heart out. This is where we would all like to get back to.

I hope you enjoy this image as much as I do!

Gala Corina

2005-11-13T15:56:00.000-05:00

I have been so busy getting ready for Gala Corina, and the Keel Opening that I have been so behind on my posts. Please forgive me. I will fix the problem. Look for me to be back to my full power as of today.

Gala Corina has been an amazing experience. I have learned so much about art and about myself that I can't contain it in a single post. Maybe later this week I will try.

Today's photo is of a person who is growing into a more dear friend every day. This is Melisa Taylor. She is a VERY talented photographer. This is her wall at Gala Corina. That middle picture is a 20x24 inch polaroid! The real deal, and not a print! Supercool. Her wall is a little ways down from me. To see more of her work, go here. To read more about her man Robyn, and his amazing story, go to http://www.thisfornow.com.

On the job stress

2005-11-07T04:37:00.000-05:00

You thought you had stress at work!

Okay. I thought that was funny. I'll post a better one tomorrow.

The Punt

2005-11-05T09:52:00.000-05:00

This shot is framed a little tightly for my taste, but hey, YOU try it.

I know that I should leave room and crop later, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I have to compose in-camera. It just has to be that way. That makes things hard when people are running really fast. Overall, I am pretty pleased with this shot. If not for anything else, then for the fact that I got myself there to shoot it.

The A Train

2005-11-04T11:29:00.000-05:00

Mike Alstott has been my favorite player since he joined the Bucs. Off the field, he is a genuine and nice human being. I have been to a few practices, and at practice he is a leader, and has a strong work ethic. If my kid has a sports hero, I hope he or she is like Mike Alstott.

Anywho... here is a photo I snapped as he walked on the field. I love the determined body language in the shot, and the ripped sleeve. That makes this shot, if you ask me.

I'll be posting a few more Bucs pics before I move on to another topic. I have two rolls that need to go to the lab. I'll get them there soon enough.

Gallery Receptions!

2005-11-02T19:54:00.000-05:00

Forgive me for not posting an image today, but I have other news.

I have two galleries opening up, and I would like to invite you to both. The first is the Gala Corina. The flier is what you see posted here. I will have 6, maybe 7, images presented in the Gala. There are 100 artists, so there is going to be TONS of good work, including some of my friends, like Melisa Taylor, Chris (a la CSPhoto fame) and Ericka Chisolm. Good stuff. I am thrilled to be in such company.

The second gallery reception will be the next day at the Jimmie B. Keel library, located on Bearss Avenue. I will be displaying over 20 images in that gallery which will run through November and December. The reception will be from 1 to 3 pm on Saturday, November 12th. Consider yourself invited.

I hope you can make it out to these events. I would love to see you, and have you see my art. It should be good all around.

Look forward to hanging out!

The End of the Season?

2005-10-31T20:32:00.000-05:00

Sorry that I haven't posted the last two days. To be honest, my wife and I took a break from everything, and it was nice. We took the baby to TWO parks, and ate out for almost every meal. Sweet.

I have had this photo, and many more from the Buccaneers/Dolphins game, but I had to wait to clear copyright. Now I am free to do with them what I choose, so I will post a few here and there for your entertainment. This one isn't so entertaining. This is the result immediately after the hit that knocked Brian Griese out for however long he has been knocked out for (the season? a few games? if there is no puck, I don't follow it!)

I shot the game for a friend of mine who got me an all access pass. It is odd to just take a day to go shoot, then jockey for position around ESPN, FoxSports, and NFL Films. The NFL Films guys are ruthless. They will kick your butt to get the shot!

Well, if you enjoy the image, and want to see more from the Bucs game, just comment away and let me know.

Lady or the Tiger

2005-10-28T12:41:00.000-04:00

I stepped across the street from where we were walking to snap this photo, and Graziana said, "There goes the artist again!" Her point was that I was always seeing something that interested me. She would have never thought to take a picture of the doors, but liked the ideas. That is one of my favorite complements of all time.

I made this one with the Holga. This negative is actually flipped. In the real world, the board was on the left. But it seems so much more balanced with the board on the right that I left it like that. So I am altering reality. Sue me.

This one may make the cut and end up on the web site, or framed somewhere. I just finished framing 27 prints for the two shows that I have coming up (November 11th at Gala Corina, and November 12th at the Jimmie B. Keel Library. Email me for details if you like!) so I think I am done with framing for a little while, but I do enjoy it. In fact, any of the images you see on my web site, or on this blog can be yours. Let me know if you are interested.

I Dunno How the Hellican!

2005-10-27T12:36:00.000-04:00

After rereading the WTCD posts, I got to thinking. I bought one Holga for that shoot to try it out. In one year, my list of toycams has grown to include...

Another Holga, this one with a waist level viewfinder
The Churchie
A Horizon 202 Panoramic
A Polaroid SX-70
The Polaroid Back for the Holga
A Diana F
A Windsorflex TLR

This is getting to be nuts. One of my buddies on the www.ToyCamera.com message board has threatened an intervention! My wife wonders why I bought a digital in the first place!

This image was made with the Holga while out in Clearwater with Armando and Graziana. He was very docile, and the waist level viewfinder came in handy. I got to be about two feet away from him. I thought he might try to eat the camera. I snapped a quick one and stepped back a bit.

Il Baccio

2005-10-26T17:54:00.000-04:00

Here they are. The Aunt and Uncle. The Italians. The newlyweds. The Lovebirds.

My Uncle Armando, who is not too much older than I am, and my new aunt, Graziana, who is the same age is I am, just got married. They are a lovely couple, and my wife and I enjoyed their company very much. It would be supercool if they lived here in America. Or if we lived in Italy.

The Churchie caught them smootching. After this shot, I told them that I missed it, and that they needed to kiss again. They did, and I pretended to snap. Instead, I walked away.

They appreciated that. Gotta love honeymooners.

MY bear!

2005-10-25T12:31:00.000-04:00

This was another hopeful for World Toy Camera Day. This is Jos with all her stuffed animals. She has a few to say the least.

I recently bid on a Diana F toy cam in a Hurricane Relief Auction. It just arrived and this is the first roll I put through it. I haven't quite gotten used to its quirks. The image is a little softer than I like, and it frames the opposite of my Holgas. The Holgas need to be closer to the subject than you'd think. The Diana needs to be further away. So, needless to say, many of the images were misframed. Oh well. Live and learn. That is the fun part anyway. I made a print of this for my mother, and the print looked pretty good, so maybe it isn't a total loss. Besides, any pic of Jos is a good one. At least when you are a Grandma.

World Toy Camera Day

2005-10-24T12:23:00.000-04:00

I am a regular on the www.ToyCamera.com message boards. I really enjoy the people over there. Each year, they have World Toy Camera Day. This is what drew me to toy camera photography in the first place. I was looking for a contest to enter. I had always loved the look of toy cameras, but the contest pushed me over the edge. When I learned about it, I ordered my first Holga. Last year, on WTCD, my Grandmother was moving from Ocilla, GA to Tampa. I loaded the van very quickly, then wandered around Ocilla and exposed two rolls of film. My entry to last years WTCD placed 19th out of 144. That is fairly successful.

This year, both the wife and the baby were sick for WTCD. Plus, there was a hurricane looming in the Gulf. I decided to just shoot around the house. I tried a few things, including a remake of my dad's trumpet photo with a toy (it came out okay...) and some pictures of Jocelyn. I also used my diopters on a bush in my neighbor's yard. There is a Cassia plant out there that I actually bought, but that was too big to plant in my yard. So I planted it next door.

Today's photo is the second best image from the four that I shot in that series. I am saving the best one for publication on the WTCD gallery. I am also featuring it at Gala Corina, which opens on November 11th. So if you want to see it, you will have to wait for me to post it here in a few weeks, or go see it at the gallery.

I am going to post some other WTCD rejects in the next few days. They are good photos, but I can only submit one, so I will save them for here. I hope you enjoy them.

The White Heron

2005-10-21T17:49:00.000-04:00

There is a short story called "The White Heron" that is just lovely. I really enjoyed it. That has really very little to do with this picture, except it made me think of the story.

This is also on the dock at Clearwater Beach. I don't have too much to say about this one. I am pleased with it.

Sorry I am quiet today. I hope you enjoy the image.

The Pelican

2005-10-20T17:44:00.000-04:00

As promised, I got the roll from the Churchie developed. I shot this roll in Clearwater when we went over to the beach with the Italian Aunt and Uncle. There will be pictures of them soon.

Anywho... I can't get the Churchie to focus. It says that is should focus between four and ten feet, but this darn thing never seems to get it spot on. It is plastic after all. I mean really. I carry it in my pocket without a lens cover. What do I expect?

I do like the tones I get from it. There is only one type of film available for it. I would love to try some Ilford HP5 in this little thing. The lens provides for like zero contrast. The HP5 would be very interesting. Overall, I like this image. It makes a nice print, too.

Tres Chic

2005-10-18T16:31:00.000-04:00

Jos has these great little sunglasses. You saw them a few days back. Here they are as they are originally intented - on her face.

This is one of my favorite images of the little girl. My wife is cute here too. Not too much to say about it photographically other than I am really glad that I captured the moment.

I am developing a roll from the Churchie tonight.

Bright Lights

2005-10-17T16:28:00.000-04:00

There is something about stadium lights. The potential for greatness... The spotlight on one's endeavors... I dunno.

I made this image with the Holga while I walked around with my Photography students. We just wandered the campus like a mini jazz trip and made image. I lost this roll of film for a while, and just recently had it developed. I got some major vignetting on this one. You can never tell how that darn Holga is going to respond.

For My Dad

2005-10-13T19:53:00.000-04:00

This is one of my first successful images. (I have film at the lab. There will be new stuff soon...) When I made this picture, I was emailing this guy named Paul Silk a lot. Paul is a master photographer, and is highly responsible for the photographer that I am today. I would open a chat box with him. He would email me an image and we would both open it in Photoshop. Then he would take me through the process of how to edit properly, using Photoshop to control exposure. He NEVER told me that my image was good. He always complained. I will love him forever for it.

This is a picture of my great grandfather's trumpet. It is also my father's favorite picture. Ole Dad actually subscribes to the email version of this blog, which I think is pretty cool, so to say thanks, I am posting it for his entertainment. If you look closely, you can see where my great grandad's fingers were placed on the keys. I think that is pretty cool.

Someday, I may recreate this image with the Holga, which I think would give it a real interesting look, but I may not. This image is a piece of my history. Were I REALLY good, this would be included in the book of images when I died. So maybe I will leave well enough alone.

The Black Door

2005-10-12T19:46:00.000-04:00

This image is verging on elderly. I shot this nearly two years ago, but found it in the archives recently. I am not sure what always draws me back to this image. I really like it. I think it is the textures of it. The broken plaster and the faded paint.

This image was made on the 10D in Ocilla, Georgia while on a visit to my grandmother who lived there at the time. I found it sad how the whole city was just falling into dust. I am pleased to say that lately, the antique market has found Ocilla, and breathed new life into it. Now it is a quaint little town with shoppes all up and down Main Street (which is actually named Main Street).

Horizon

2005-10-11T20:57:00.000-04:00

I often tease my photo students for not getting the horizon straight. So now is your change to tease me back. No, the whole world does not lean to the left. I screwed up.

However, I was very pleased with the sky in this image. I also very much like the silohettes of the two people at the right. I think that makes the image work on a different level. I could have straightened the image out by cropping, but then I would have lost the two lovers. I thought they should stay, so there they are.

In other news, one of my images was accepted to the 2006 Toy Camera Calendar. I am pretty excited about this. I entered it a while ago, and was certain that it would receive zero votes, but it actually made the cut. I am pretty proud of that.

The Shoes

2005-10-10T20:52:00.000-04:00

I have to admit. I am not sure whose shoes these are. I took this image while at work. The Holga was loaded with TMAx 400, as is becoming the norm. I hear that HP5 is more punchie, and I think that would have helped this image, but it is pleasant enough.

I lost this roll at the bottom of my bag and refound it. I took it down to the lab without knowing what is on it. I remember shooting the image. I liked the dabbled sun hitting the young lady's feet. I just wish could remember whose feet they are. If they belong to you, let me any know.

The Chair

2005-10-09T19:01:00.000-04:00

I was talking to my dad the other day, and he said something interesting. (By interesting, I mean interesting, not annoying.) I made a photo for him and sent it to him for his birthday. It was a Holga image. He had a friend over, and he showed the friend the image, and his friend said, "That's not a good picture."

Maybe he was right. I was able to tell my dad the artistic devices and elements of composition that went into the picture. The Holga is an interesting camera. People take pictures with it, and think that because it is with a Holga, it must be good. I HATE that. Regardless of what the friend said, I still like the photo, and feel that it is some very good work. The image to the left isn't that image.

This is an image I made with the Churchie. You think the Holga is hard? Try the Churchie. Only one speed of film (100) and that has to be special ordered because only one manufacturer makes it anymore (it is 127 size film.) It has more light leaks than a window, so you have to duct tape the entire thing. So this image is a train wreck. Yet I am still proud of it. It has a cetain mood attached with it that I wanted to create from the get-go.

I challenge anyone with a $3000 Canon digital to go out and recreate the mood of this image. It would be very difficult to do, and would take much time in Photoshop. For me, I put the camera on a ledge, and clicked the shutter three times. Develop, scan, sepiatone, and viola! Done. Complete with mood.

I forgot about this picture, so when I went back and looked at it, I was surprised at how much I like it.

Anywho, the visit with the Italian family is going VERY well, and I even shot another roll with the Churchie today. I'll post again soon.

Her Shades

2005-10-07T20:32:00.000-04:00

We took The Squeak (that would be Jos) to the pool recently. Those are actually her sunglasses. She will even wear them.

I liked the way the elements fell into this image. The glasses on the third. The water on the bottom half with the drain to break up the space. The texture of the bricks. The slanty light of the evening sun. I am resisting the urge to duotone this image. It should look like 1950. I think I accomplished that. And the fact that I found the image, and didn't set it up means something to me, too.

We have some family coming into town this evening. They are wonderful people, and I am excited that they are here, but I many not get to the computer the next few days. So forgive me if you don't see a post for a day or two. I'll be back ASAP!

The Date

2005-10-06T20:25:00.000-04:00

Back to my favorite little girl. We took a dear friend and her son to the beach with us. Alex is a year older than Jocelyn is. We always joke about Alex's girlfriend. But hey, he is less than two, and can already hit a baseball out of the air. He even winds up to pitch.

But I digress. I wanted that retro image of the two young 'uns. So there they are. On their date. It is the first time Jos has seen a sunset, and she enjoyed it. She let Alex know by smacking him upside the head. Alex's mom told him to give her a kiss right after she smacked him. He looked at her like she was crazy!

Another This Old House

2005-10-05T20:22:00.000-04:00

We''l set Jos aside for the time being. This is an image from the Jazz trip. We saw this place on the side of the road. As usual, with the panoramics, it looks better bigger, so give it a click.
I worked really hard on the exposure here. I wanted to have detail under the porch, but not have the brighter surfaces blown out. I actually averaged the two exposure settings in my head. I should really read the manual for my light meter. I mean, the thing has an average function, but I guess it worked out alright. This one is still coming from the influence of Mr. Evans. I should have never checked that book out of the library.

Overindulgence

2005-10-04T20:19:00.000-04:00

Here is the combination of my two favorite things. Toy cameras, and Jocelyn. We took her to the beach, and I shot lots of film. There will be pics of her for the next few days, I have to admit, but photographically, I am proud of the work I have done with her.

I posted this image for some friends to view, and one had an interesting interpretation. The tire tracks add a level of interpretation to the image. She is the proverbial damsel in distress on the railroad tracks, but modernized. I thought that was witty. Accidental, but witty.