One A Day Project

Ever get into a photography slump? Don't know what to shoot?  Don't want to shoot?   Unmotivated to shoot?  Making excuses NOT to shoot?

I've been in one lately. One reason is that I've been really, really, really busy at work. Another reason is that I just haven't felt all that inspired. When this happens, I give myself an assignment. A project to inspire me and hopefully, get me out of my slump. 

Tomorrow is June 1st. Starting tomorrow, I am going to shoot one photograph a day. Something that I find interesting. Something I want to put a frame around and say..."Hey, are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

I'm loading my Nikon F2 Photomic (50mm f/.14 lens) with a roll of 36 exposure TMax 400. Fast enough film to capture whatever I'm flirting with at the moment and more than enough frames to get me through the month. I'm going to take the Nikon with me everywhere I go in June and try and limit myself to just one, meaningful frame per day. I may shoot other photographs with other cameras, but this camera is reserved for the One A Day Project.

I'll post the results here in July. In the order I took them. Even if they suck.

June 1st: Camera in my car, Day One

Rewind or shoot it up?

It sometimes happens that I come home after a day of shooting and have unexposed frames left on a roll of film. Mood pretty much dictates my decision here. If I've had a good day of shooting and feel pretty satisfied, I'm more inclined to leave the remaining frames unexposed and rewind the film into the canister. Other times, the more prudent side of me surfaces and my mind will wander to those spur of the moment, "I should use up this roll" shots that in the end, became nice surprises and I'll just go wandering around the house to see what I can put a frame around.

These are some shots from the end of one such roll. Earlier in the day, I had been out shooting interiors  in several dimly lit historic buildings on the Point Reyes National Seashore. I was using the fastest film I had in the fridge, some Kodak TMax 400 which in the end, wasn't quite fast enough. I shot two and a half rolls. After returning home, I stood and stared at the back of my Nikon FM2n for awhile and ultimately decided that 18 shots were too many to rewind. 

As is often the case, my photographic equipment became the subject of my photography. I retreated to my office, turned on my desk lamp, arranged a few things on the white top of my desk. I shot these all handheld using my 55mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor lens. It was a relaxing and fun little exercise. When I got the film back from the lab, I was pleased with the shots.

Curious to know what you do? Rewind or shoot it up?

Remembering Peter Thomas

Off topic today, I want to pause and recognize the passing of a remarkable man.

Peter Thomas

His name may not be familiar, but if you hear his voice, you most assuredly will recognize the distinctive sound of Peter Thomas. Peter passed away this past weekend at his home in Naples, Florida. He was 91. Most recently, Peter narrated Forensic Files on TruTV. You can also hear his voice on episodes of the PBS series NOVA. He narrated documentaries, recorded promotional announcements for NBC News and did countless TV and radio commercials. Over the years, he also became my friend.

I met Peter while I was working at an advertising agency in Phoenix in the late 1980s. I was a young copywriter who had just been promoted to Copywriter/Producer. The promotion did not include a raise in salary, it simply meant that in addition to writing commercials, I now had the added responsibility of producing them as well. I had been given the assignment of writing a 60-second radio commercial for one of our clients, a local art museum. Our Creative Director had selected Peter Thomas to record the spot. Peter would record from a studio in New York City and I would direct him over the phone. I was told that Peter was a national voice talent and was charging a lot of money to do the commercial. And we were paying by the quarter hour for the New York City studio. Nothing like putting the pressure on a young advertising guy.

The copy included a number of Native American Indian names which were difficult to pronounce. I wrote them out phonetically on my script so I could effectively direct Peter. When the session started, I dialed into the New York studio. The session engineer answered the phone and told me he would begin to set up the "phone patch" which would allow me to talk directly to Peter through his headphones in the announce booth and direct the session. This was my first time doing any of this and I was plenty nervous.

The engineer introduced me to Peter. He asked me a few questions about the client, where the commercial would air and a few questions about me. Then he asked how I wanted the copy delivered. Geez...I really didn't know. This producing thing was harder than it looked. Peter sensed my inexperience and said "Why don't I give you a read or two and you can see if we're on target?" Peter read through the copy, in exactly 60 seconds I might add, and his delivery was amazing except...he mispronounced one of the Indian names. I walked him through the correct pronunciation and he asked if I wanted to give him any additional direction on his delivery? I thought maybe I should produce and direct a little but all I could think of was "purple mountain majesty" and I blurted out "How about a more mountainous read?" The engineer cut in "Mountainous? What does that mean? Peter? Mountainous?" Peter, sensing that I had no idea what the hell I was talking about or at the very least, could not communicate it clearly, responded "I think I know exactly what John wants here. Let's roll tape."

Peter recorded the spot again, pronounced the Indian name correctly and delivered the most majestical, mountainous, magical read possible. After the playback, Peter told the engineer that I was brilliant and that my direction was "spot on." Over the years, I have worked with less experienced, less talented voice over and on camera talents, who treated advertising agency people as a nuisance. Peter was one of the best in the business and he took the time that morning to make a young, inexperienced ad guy feel big and important. That was a defining moment in my career. And I never forgot it. The client, by the way, loved the spot and the campaign was very successful.

I worked with Peter many, many times over the years. Some of the projects were big and some were quite small. Even when I did not have a budget for national voice talent, if the campaign seemed perfect for Peter's voice, I'd call him. He would ask me what the client could afford and I'd be honest with him and Peter would do the work. No matter how much he was being paid, he was always professional, courteous, gracious and...amazing.

Peter served in World War II in five major campaigns including The Battle of Normandy and The Battle of The Bulge. He was issued a Battle Star for each of his campaigns and a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He was married to Stella Barrineau Thomas, the love of his life, for 68 years until her death in 2014. 

A great voice has been silenced and I will miss my friend.

Here is a Peter Thomas narration if you care to check it out.

Why the Nikon F2 is my favorite camera.

I was a child in the 1960s, but I grew up in the 1970s. While I was aware of The Beatles, The Byrds and The Mamas & The Papas, I adored Boston, Fleetwood Mac, Steely Dan, The Eagles and The Doobies. The soundtrack of the 1970s is imprinted on me, indelibly. When I hear songs from the 70s, they still make me feel good.

The generation before me had The Ed Sullivan Show and Jack Paar. I had the Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, Carol Burnett and Johnny Carson. The Tonight chair has changed ownership twice since Carson ruled late night, but those old clips on You Tube still make me laugh.

The women of 1970s rock-n-roll stirred the hormones of a young teenager, sitting on the floor of his Upstate New York bedroom, listening to their music on his Technics turntable. They're older, grayer and a little less petite today, but I still find Stevie Nicks and the Wilson sisters sexy.

I got my drivers license around 1975. The Arab oil embargo was in full swing. People were dumping gas guzzling muscle cars for pennies on the dollar, trading them in on Datsun B210s and Toyota Coronas. The 396 cubic inch 69 Camaro SS was within the reach of a high school kid with a little financial help from his old man and I wanted one! I settled for a tamer 302 cubic inch version in Kelly Green--but my old 69 Camaro remains my favorite car ever.

AM radio was still vibrant in the 1970s. Album rock on FM was up and coming, but AM Top 40 ruled the airwaves. With it's 50,000 watt clear channel signal, I could listen to New York City's Musicradio 77 WABC pretty clearly three hours away in my little upstate town. Harry Harrison, Ron Lundy and the amazing Dan Ingram were the jocks that me decide that someday, some way, I wanted to be on the radio too.

Didn't have an internet in the 70s. We read magazines. Popular Photography, Shutterbug and Modern Photography. Modern was the coolest of the three. Herb Keppler wrote great gear reviews with humor and passion. Couldn't afford a single camera he wrote about, but it didn't stop me from dreaming. That's where I first read about and drooled over the Nikon F2.

It was in the pages of Modern that I first saw ads like this one. This was the camera every young photo freak wanted in the 70s, but only pros could afford them. 

I was shooting with my Dad's Kodak Retina rangefinder at this time, developing and printing Tri-X Pan and Plus-X Pan in our basement darkroom. One Saturday afternoon, I needed more chemicals and convinced my Dad to take me to Tuthill's--the "big" camera store in Binghamton. They had a new F2 in the display case and I asked the salesperson if I could look at it. Knowing that I probably had scraped together my lawn mowing money to buy the D-76 and KodaFix I had in my hands, he humored me. Holding the Nikon F2 that day solidified forever in my mind everything a camera should be. Metal, glass, gears, substantial, designed and built by hand, long lasting. They say lots of things get imprinted on you when you are young. The F2 sure did that day and stayed with me a lifetime.

It would be four decades later before I actually owned an F2. After many life changes, I finally had some time and a little money and started looking online for a good, sturdy, easy and fun to use film camera.

I've owned and had restored about a half dozen F2 variants over the past few years. I've sold one to buy another and gave one away to my blogging friend Jim Grey, but most of them I still have. Use often. And smile every time I do.

You can read just a bazillion online reviews about how great this camera is. How photographers beat off muggers by hitting them with their F2s or how the camera survived after tumbling down a mountain. There are places where you can read in finite detail about the various finders that turn an F2 into an F2SB, F2S, F2A or F2AS. There's a passionate Facebook group and dedicated Flickr pages.

I too have written some posts, both here and on a previous blog, about the wonderful technical aspects of the F2. But as I purchased my seventh...I think...F2 a few weeks ago...I decided that maybe, just maybe it was time for me to throw out the bullshit flag. Sure, the F2 is a fine camera. A really fine camera. The reason I like it...ok...the reason I love it...is that it makes me feel good. Just like listening to Deacon Blues off of vinyl, watching an old clip of Johnny cracking up as a marmoset pees on his head, Stevie Nicks, Ann Wilson, muscle cars or remembering the echoing monster sound of WABC...holding and shooting a Nikon F2 just makes me feel good. And for me, that's good enough.

Thoughts on the Sekonic L-208 Twin Mate

I have been on a quest to find a small, pocketable light meter to accompany me on hikes and photo walks with my meter-less cameras. I got pretty close to what I wanted with an old Gossen Pilot I picked up on eBay. Nice and small, Easily fits into a pocket and light enough to wear around my neck all day and still be comfortable. The only issue with the Pilot is that the numbers on the calculator dial are pretty small. At my age, I need to wear +1.50 readers for close work and don't always have them with me in the field. Finding a small light meter with larger numbers would make life easier.

As wonderful as online shopping is, I do miss the ability to stroll into a retail store and hold something in my hand before I buy it. A call to my local camera shop revealed that they didn't stock any light meters, but could order me whatever I wanted. So online I went.

I stumbled across the Sekonic L-208 Twin Mate while browsing B&H Photo's Web site. Honestly, I am surprised that Sekonic still makes a simple, analog light meter. Scrolling through the various models that are offered, most every other one is digital and there's a trend now towards smartphone type displays on many of the pricier models. Reading the reviews, it appeared that the L-208 would be perfect: a simple, small and lightweight light meter. I ordered (about $100) and of course B&H delivered promptly.

I had no doubt that the Sekonic meter would perform as advertised. I have several larger Sekonic meters and they're all quite good. The big question, as I unboxed my new meter, was if the numbers on the calculator dial were larger than my little Pilot. As I held it in my hand for the first time without my readers--yes! I could see the settings clearly! Mission accomplished.

The L-208 is powered by a readily available CR2032 3 volt coin battery. You can measure both reflective and incident light by sliding the little diffuser on the front of the meter. Set your ISO on the face of the meter and press the little button. The red needle registers the amount of light. Turn the calculator dial until the green pointer and the red needle line up and read your camera settings. Simple. There's even a presentation of EV, which is nice when I shoot my Hasselblad.

The one thing I do like about analog dial light meters is that you get a lot more information presented to you than a digital display or iPhone app. In the sample reading above, you can see all of the f/stop and shutter speed combinations that will give a proper exposure.

The L-208 comes with an adapter that will allow you to slide this meter on to the accessory shoe of your camera, but it would be pretty big and dorky on any of my small rangefinder cameras. As a small hand held meter though, it does exactly what I need and the numbers are big enough for my old eyes.

Clean, Lubricate & Adjust

For most every user of vintage film cameras, there comes a time when you might consider having your camera serviced, commonly referred to as a Clean-Lube-Adjust or C.L.A. Indeed, the prices of many old film cameras have reached the point where it may be cheaper to just toss one body and replace it with another.

There are circumstances, however, when a CLA makes good sense. Leica screw mount and mechanical M bodies are infinitely serviceable. I just received my M2 back from service by Youxin Ye in New England. My 50-year old M2 now looks and performs almost the same as it did the day it left the factory. Mr. Ye was prompt, communicated well, did great work and his prices were very fair. Leica cameras represent a substantial investment of cash at purchase, so having them serviced is a good idea. Well maintained Leicas typically outlive their owners.

Leica M2 prior to service. Note intact "L" seal indicating the camera has never ben serviced.

I've had several Nikon F2 cameras serviced by Sover Wong in the UK. While the various F2 versions are fairly common on eBay and not terribly expensive, finding a decent one takes some doing. The Nikon F2 was a professional camera and many of them saw hard use and abuse. Once you've found an F2 that looks good and mostly works, sending it off to Sover means you'll have a camera that will perform up to original factory specs and last pretty much forever. Sover is legendary in the F2 world and sending your beloved Nikon off to him is an adventure. He emails photos of his progress during service, shows you what he is doing and why. He is prompt, professional and priced fairly. When your F2 is returned, you'll swear you are holding a brand new camera--he's that good!

Chrome body Nikon F2As. Both the body and the DP-12 finder serviced by Sover Wong.

Most every 1970s era SLR you'll find online or in the trade-in case at your local camera store will at least require new foam seals. I've found Nikon FMs and FEs that looked as good as new on the outside but with light seals that turn to dust upon touching them. Many times, the reflex mirrors in these camera will stick and owners think that their cameras are broken. In reality, the mirror bumper foams have turned to sticky goo and the mirror is simply stuck in the goo. Many local camera shops offer seal replacement services. My local camera shop does it for $30. You can also buy seal kits online for most cameras and do it yourself. It's not hard, but it does require good eyes and patience.

I've written in previous posts about how pleasantly surprised I was when I shot a Canon P rangefinder camera. Before Canon started building SLRs, they released an entire line of Leica copies using screw mount lenses. The P was made in the late 1950s into the early 60s. I really enjoyed using the P and while there was nothing really wrong with mine, I decided to show it some love and send it off for a CLA. Youxin Ye did my P at the same time as my Leica M2. The P came back smoother and quieter. Can't wait to shoot it again.

The Canon that changed my mind about Canons.

When I find an old camera that I enjoy shooting in it's "as-is" state, it doesn't take long before I begin to wonder about how it would feel to shoot that camera with everything working as it was when it left the factory. For the fairly modest investment in good service, I have been rewarded each time by cameras that are even more fun to shoot and that I know I can rely on in the field. 

Jack London State Historic Park

I visit Jack London State Historic Park near Glen Ellen, CA a few times each year. It's a nice quiet place with a diverse selection of hiking trails. This winter's El Nino storms have turned Northern California spectacularly green, prompting me to visit the park in March armed with my new Leica M9-P camera and Leica Summicron 35mm f/2 lens.

This part of the park is more remote than the well visited Beauty Ranch section. The trail here is somewhat of a workout. Towards the end of the hike, the pay off is Fern Lake. The sound of a stream emptying into the lake and the wind in the trees make this a wonderful place for a picnic of cheese, crackers and maybe a nice California Pinot Noir.

I am amazed by the variety of shades of green in this image, taken while resting and having my snack.

For most all of the six years I have lived here, the Sonoma County landscape has been stressed by lack of sufficient rainfall. This Winter's rains have made everything lush, green and quite beautiful. 

After a few weeks of shooting the digital M9-P, I am itching to shoot film again. A few months back, I mentioned I was going to send my Canon P rangefinder and Leica M2 off to Youxin Ye for a CLA. Both cameras are back. He did a fine job and I will be writing more about Mr. Ye and my CLA experience with him soon. 

For now, time to load some film into my "like new" M2. Back soon.

Field Notes: Leica M9-P

As a mostly film photographer, it felt a bit strange not packing my bag with a stash of Acros or Portra and perhaps my Sekonic or Weston meter. And given my history with cameras that have any amount of electronics that might fail out in the field, I have to admit I thought several times about grabbing my Leica M2 or Nikon FM2n and some film as a back up for this Sunday day hike. But I decided to surrender myself to digital and slip the Leica M9-P and an extra battery into my camera bag and head out.

The Tomales Point Trail on the Point Reyes National Seashore is a good workout of machine...and man. The trail head is at Pierce Point Ranch and the roughly nine and a half mile hike meanders along seaside cliffs and windswept coastal plain out to Tomales Point and the very tip of Point Reyes.  This trail is misleading. From first glance on the map, It appears fairly flat and easy. In reality, the length, changes in elevation, trail conditions, wind and fog can turn this fairly pleasant walk into an adventure.

Lighting conditions this day went from overcast to heavy fog. Since the M9-P is new to me, I opted for some level of automation, set the camera in the aperture priority metering mode and dialed the ISO to 200. While waiting for the Leica to arrive from Ken Hansen Photographic, I ordered an Angelo Pelle half case and strap. The case hugs and protects the camera nicely and the leather strap made carrying the camera all day secure and comfortable. This particular case has a built in hand grip which made holding the camera more secure. Cases and straps can look nice online or on the camera in your living room. The real test is out shooting and this case and strap performed nicely.

The Leica M9 is a pretty simple camera and everything falls into place quickly if you've shot any Leica M. Menus are easy to understand, even for an analog guy like me. The rear display is mostly useless for looking at your images as you're shooting them and as such, made me ignore it for the most part. Which I suppose is what Leica intended as the M9 is a digital camera that is really trying to emulate a film camera.

The rangefinder is clear, bright and contrasty. Focusing is easy. Like all of the M bodies, the camera will automatically call up frame lines for most any lens you mount. Data displayed in the viewfinder is minimalist. Shutter speed if you are in aperture priority mode or the under/over/right on metering display similar to the M6, M7 and MP film cameras.

I set the camera in "black and white" mode for my first few shots of the day.

The rest of the day, I shot in the "standard" color mode.

On the return trip to Pierce Point Ranch, the fog started settling in. I am pretty impressed by how well the M9 renders images taken in fog.

I shot these with my 35mm F/2 Summicron lens. Cool thing about the M9 is that it will accept all of the current and vintage Leica lenses I own as well as my Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM lens (with the screw mount to M mount adapter)

So far, this camera has been fun to shoot and the learning curve doesn't appear to be all that steep. Funny how many times I took a shot this day and then my finger went to advance the film lever. Old habits.

Great day of hiking and lots of fun learning a new camera.  Arriving home in Bodega Bay, I was greeted by a nice sunset. Perfect end to a perfect day.

Ones & Zeroes

I've only owned a few digital cameras in my life. Both of them were Nikon DSLRs. The first one was a D70, I think. I bought it for work, to take photos of promotional events for clients. I sold it during the recession because...well, because I needed a few bucks. Years later, I traded some Hasselblad gear for a Nikon D700. I shot a few dozen snaps with the D700 and it made really nice images. I traded the D700 for a Leica film rangefinder.

A couple of things I've learned about myself as a photographer is that I don't like heavy cameras and I don't like fiddly cameras. Both of the Nikons were fairly bulky blobs of metal and plastic by themselves. Outfitted with a zoom lens, they got downright heavy to lug around all day. And the menus and settings and such on the Nikons meant far too much fiddling for me. I am not a Luddite. Not scared of technology. I manage more digital marketing platforms on my job than I care to count. However, when it comes time to relax and enjoy photography, I don't want to fiddle with menus or manage complicated settings. I want to go out and take some photographs. I suppose that's what I like best about old mechanical film cameras. They are simple tools. And they never get in the way.

I set a goal for myself this year to become a more competent photographer. Go back and study the basics. Shoot and learn. I also decided that I wanted to add a digital camera to my arsenal. I love shooting film, but there are some times when it would be great to go out, shoot, come home and look at my output right away.

I spent a lot of time online, looking at options. I knew that I didn't want to go the DSLR route, because of size and weight, even though I had some AF Nikkor lenses that would fit nicely. I could go in a different direction all together and get a Fuji or Sony body, but moving into a new camera system meant additional investment in lenses. I started thinking about the Leica lenses I had acquired and how much I enjoyed shooting the M cameras. How simple they were. How small and light. I knew I couldn't afford a new digital Leica, but there were used M8s and M9s and with some horse trading, I might be able to get a nice one without too much financial risk.

So that's how it came to be that with a few emails to my friend Ken Hansen, a trade and a bit of cash,  this Leica M9-P becomes only the third digital camera I have ever owned.

I plan to do a full review of this camera once I have driven her a few more miles. My first impression is that this is a camera that, for me, comes closest to the film experience in a digital camera. Very simple. Minimalist controls and menu. Small. Light. Wonderful feel in hand. Exceptional build quality. Very little fiddling. Compatible with all of my M-mount and LTM lenses.

A few hours after unboxing my M9-P, I headed out to the Sonoma County countryside and shot these images. Nothing spectacular, but I'm pleased with my first images from this camera.

I do like way the M9-P renders in black and white mode. Here's a monochrome selfie...

I plan to use the new digital Leica to learn and grow. Along side the chosen few film cameras I have, I hope I can become a better photographer in 2016.

Legendary Glass

85mm has long been one of my favorites, if not my favorite focal lengths in 35mm film photography. I've had an 85mm lens in one form or another for about as long as I've been shooting Nikon cameras and I love the way the world looks through this lens. Almost all of Nikon's 85mm lenses, manual focus or autofocus, are superb, but one stands out as legendary--the manual focus f/1.4 AI-s.

I have lusted over this lens for a long time. Every photographer I talked to who has one loves it and every photographer who told me they sold one, regretted it. This is one of those lenses that both collectors and shooters covet, so prices stay pretty high. After watching eBay's ridiculous prices for a while, I decided to have Bellamy Hunt (The Japan Camera Hunter) source mine. I gave him a budget and he found me a minty example for less than the eBay ones I had been drooling over.

I had this lens for about eight months before I got around to shooting it. I'd been on a rangefinder kick and kept pushing this Nikkor aside to shoot my Leicas and Canon P. I'm sorry I waited so long. One roll of Acros in my Nikon F2AS, shooting this lens at Spud Point Marina in Bodega Bay on a Sunday afternoon and I must say, I am impressed.

This lens is super sharp and delivers creamy, dreamy bokeh. It's quite nice for black and white work. Like all Nikon AI-s lenses, it's well made with excellent fit and finish. Focus is smooth and steady with just the perfect amount of friction. F/stops are wonderfully clicky. Only downside is that this is a big and heavy beast...over a pound and a half of metal and glass. Mounted on my F2 body, it is a lot to heft around.

There's a lot to learn and much to explore with this lens. I don't shoot portraits very often, but this lens makes me want to try some. In the meantime, here are some shots from my first roll. Nikon F2AS, 85mm f/1.4 Nikkor AI-s on Fuji Acros 100 film.

Mission Carmel

Long weekend getaway in Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea and Big Sur--my first time ever on the Monterey Peninsula.

I packed lightly--Leica M2, Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM, handheld meter and a brick of Kodak TMax 100 in my ONA bag. One of my stops was Mission Carmel. Established in 1771, it's California's most faithfully restored of all the missions. Working parish, museum and Catholic school for grades K-8.

This trip came at a perfect time. The end of 2015 was busy and stressful at work. I needed some rest and recharge time. It also got me thinking a bit differently about where I want to go with my photography in 2016. More on that and more from my wanderings around Carmel in the coming days.

New Years Day at Pierce Point Ranch

Heading out to the northern stretches of the Point Reyes National Seashore, a bumpy road takes you through pine forests until you cross the Inverness Ridge and break out onto the Pastoral Range. Tens of thousands of acres of coastal plain, occupied first by the Coastal Miwok and then by dairy ranchers, providing milk, butter and cheese to the growing population of San Francisco Bay.

Solomon Pierce bought the land furthest out on Point Reyes, bordered by Tomales Bay and the vast Pacific Ocean. Pierce built a small town to supply his dairy enterprise and his ranch became the top producer in the region. As transportation in the area improved, first by rail and then automobile, ranches closer to San Francisco began to cut into Solomon's business. Eventually the ranch closed and all of the land on Pt. Reyes, along with Pierce's and dozens of neighboring ranches, were acquired by the National Parks Service. 

Pierce Point Ranch is open to the public today and is the starting point for several incredible hikes that take you either down to the windswept beaches or high up on a bluff overlooking Tomales Bay, Dillon Beach, Bodega Bay and the Pacific. New Year's Day was spent hiking out to the tip of Point Reyes with my Nikon FM2n, 55mm Micro-Nikkor and Kodak's Portra 160 exposed at half the box speed.

Here's the historic ranch house at Pierce Point Ranch, now home to Park Service Personnel.

Another shot from a hill above the ranch.

A herd of Tule Elk call Pierce Point Ranch home. If I had a telephoto lens, I could have snapped some great shots. The Elk seemed to care less about me being there.

The Tomales Point Trail wanders along some of the most dramatic and rugged coast at the National Seashore. New Years Day was warm and windless.

I got the feeling that lots of folks were contemplating the year ahead. Looking out at the Ocean does that to a person.

This far out on the Point, the immenseness and quiet of the place wash over you. It is a good place to think, consider the year ahead and plunk down a resolution or two.

On the way back, I saw more Tule Elk. This herd was grazing in a small canyon. That's Tomales Bay in the background. The Marin hills are turning green from all the rain.

The sun started slipping lower in the sky. Time head back to the trailhead.

I wandered around Pierce Point Ranch a bit as the sun was setting. I was trying to imagine what life must have been like living and working in a place so remote and so beautiful.

This was a good place and a good way to spend the first day of the New Year. It was good for my photography. It was good for my soul.

This just in...

Kodak announced a NEW Super 8 movie camera at the Consumer Electronics Show. A revival of film? Probably not, but the camera looks cool and they've got a neat plan for processing and conversion to digital.

Plus X

The last days of 2015 had me at the beach. Low tide. Contax RX in tow. Shooting up some of my dwindling stash of beloved Kodak Plus X film. I bought quite a bit of this film and it all expired last year. Cold stored though, so it'll be fine to shoot for a while. But I will miss it when it's gone for good.

The Joy of Old Gear

I'm on a first name basis with most of the people who work behind the counter at my local camera shop. They do almost all of my color processing and scanning and some of my black and white stuff. I feel I'm lucky to live in a town where there is still a Mom & Pop camera shop, so I give them all the business I can.

One of the young guys who works there, asked some weeks ago, why I don't just list all of my old film cameras and lenses on eBay and take the proceeds and buy a really nice, new DSLR or mirrorless digital camera? Truth is, listing all of my old Nikons, Canons, Leicas and Hasselblad on eBay and selling them at a reasonable listing price would indeed net me enough to buy one very good digital kit. And as mouth watering as that new Nikon D810 or Leica Monochrom looks, I wouldn't have half the fun I've had shooting analog photography relics.

I love the hunt of finding an old camera, either on eBay, Craigslist or at a photography swap meet or antique shop. I've even found a few in the trade-in case at the above mentioned camera shop. I enjoy learning how these old cameras work. Some are intuitive, some far from it. It's wonderful to live in an age where you can Google up the owner's manual of cameras made over six decades ago.

There's something very wonderful about the whole process of shooting film. Loading, setting controls, metering, focusing. In a world where everything moves pretty fast, old gear slows you down.

I love the sound old cameras make. Film advancing over metal sprockets, gears and spools. The distinctive sound of cloth, foil or metal shutter curtains. 

Advancing film, rewinding film. Setting film speed. Sliding the little cardboard end flap from film boxes into the memo holder on the backs of some cameras. Mounting and indexing lenses. Buttons, levers, knobs, self timers, frame line selectors...ahhhh.

I explained to the young man behind the counter that shooting film in old cameras is just like the people who prefer to drive old muscle cars or classic sports cars over newer and more dependable Civics or Corollas. The attraction? Joy. Pure joy.

Small & Simple

Several of my favorite cameras do not have built in light meters and the Sunny 16 Rule can be tricky with the changing light conditions of the foggy north coast of California. So an accurate, easy to use, pocketable light meter is essential.

I have several light meters (Weston Master III, Sekonic L-248 and L-308s). They're all great, but none are really small. And lately, I am on a quest for simple, minimalist photographic tools. So I went searching and shopping and came up with a cool selenium meter produced around 1960 -- the Gossen Pilot.

Selenium meters don't need batteries. Light powers the meter. The downside of these meters is that the selenium cells degrade over time, so they aren't always accurate. In addition, selenium meters don't measure low light levels very well, so they're best used outdoors. Which is exactly what I wanted this meter for--a small, light, simple exposure meter that I could slip into a pocket for long walks with my camera.

I found my Pilot on eBay for under twenty bucks. It came in it's original box with manual and plastic clam shell protective cover.

I tested my Pilot along side my modern digital L-308s and it's still accurate. Gossen and Sekonic make modern analog and digital display battery-powered meters that are as small as the Pilot, but they're both well over $100. I can buy another Pilot or two as spares in case this one dies and still be ahead of the game. There was also a Pilot II produced around 1975. Same meter with updated look.

I like this meter. It measures incident and reflected light.  It's small, simple and is easy to use and read in the field. Perfect addition to my minimalist photographic toolbox.

Got a favorite light meter? I'd love to hear about it!

Thankful

Honestly, a day doesn't go by that I don't feel thankful. Thankful that somehow, at this late stage of my life, I was given the opportunity to reinvent myself one more time and live in a place that really nourishes my soul. Thankful that I can grab a camera and explore some of the most beautiful coastline in the US. These are some of my favorite images from the past six years, all taken along the coast of California from San Francisco north to Mendocino.

Myers Grade, Nikon FE2 with 85mm Nikkor

Leica MP, 35mm Summicron

Nikon FE2, 85mm Nikkor

This is Spud Point Marin in Bodega Bay shot with my Leica M3

Expired Fuji 400H film

I love shooting late in the day.

Nikon FE2 with 85mm Nikkor

Starfish near Bodega Bay

Nikon F2 on Bodega Dunes

Pentax ME Super

Leica M4 with 35 Summicron

The beach changes by the hour.

Leica MP and I think I was shooting Kodak Plus-X

Nikon FM2N with 55mm Nikkor

A rare warm day on the Sonoma Coast

Magic Hour

Leica M6TTL with 35 Summicron

Leica MP with 50 Summicron

Heading home...

Play It Again Sam

The medium format Hasselblad V-Series cameras were the iconic picture taking machines of my youth. They were big and loud and complicated and insanely expensive. I remember looking at the ads for the vast Hasselblad system in the pages of Modern Photography and Popular Photography, then flipping through to the camera store ads in the back and gasping at the cost. Hasselblads were for working, professional, mostly studio photographers.

A couple of years ago, I got bit by the Hasselblad bug and with film cameras becoming more and more affordable, I decided to indulge myself. I got a nice deal on a 501c body, a couple of finders and lenses and two film backs from Marc Miller in Tucson. I shot a couple of rolls of color and one or two of black and white, put the camera away and hardly used it again. Eventually, I traded my Hasselblad for a Nikon digital camera and mostly forgot about Hasselblad. Mostly.

Early in November, I started thinking about Hasselblad again. I started asking myself what was it about the camera that made me set it aside so quickly? I started thinking that maybe the Hasselblad was too ambitious a camera for my experience level at the time. And, unknowingly, I configured my first Hasselblad in such a way that it was big and heavy and overly complex. What I had learned, since I parted ways with the Hassey, is that I feel most comfortable when a camera is simple, straightforward and if possible, stripped to its most minimalist form.

So I went looking for another Hasselblad. This time, I settled on the 500C/M. Pure. Simple. Mechanical. I opted for the basic waist level finder, 12 exposure film back and Carl Zeiss 80mm f/2.8 Planar CF lens.

I had a metered prism finder on my first Hasselblad and while it made shooting the camera at eye level a lot like shooting a 35mm SLR, it added lots of weight and size to the camera. In the studio on a tripod, that's fine. Out in the field, not so much. So I went this time for the lightest, smallest, easiest to handle configuration. And with the metered finder, you still had to transfer the meter's suggested exposure to the lens (no auto-exposure here), so why not just use one of my small, handheld meters?

I went for the chrome version (they come in chrome and black and all black) because I like the way the chrome Hasselblads look. I opted for the crank-style film advance. They also offer a knob-style. I like this one better. The CF version of the Zeiss Planar is one of the later versions and there's not much more to say about amazing Carl Zeiss optics than has already been written.

I got a great deal on my 500C/M from Marc Miller in Tucson. Marc has an eBay store. He's an honest seller with great gear at fair prices. He included a nifty lens hood at no charge.

I shot my first roll of Kodak T-Max 100 with the camera today. The 500C/M in this configuration is much smaller and easier to handle than my earlier Hasselblad with prism finder and 150mm lens. The waist level finder is big, bright and clear. Precise focusing with the flip up magnifier is easy. Loading film into the camera's film back was intimidating the first time around. This time, it was like riding a bike. I might pick up a second film back and keep one loaded with color and one with black and white. With the Hasselblads, you can change backs mid roll if you want.

Too soon to tell if the 500C/M will be a keeper this time around, but I'm feeling it will. This simple, small, light configuration is fun to shoot. I like the square format. And after shooting Leica M2s and M3s, I am not intimidated by unmetered bodies or different methods of film loading.

The Hasselblad is an acquired taste and maybe I am at a point now where I can truly appreciate this fine camera. I'm going to shoot a few rolls and post the results soon.

A Slower Portra

For several years, Kodak's Ektar 100 was my favorite color film. It is forgiving of exposure errors and renders satisfying, saturated colors. I shot Kodak's Portra 400 only occasionally, thinking that it was better suited, as its name implies, to portraits of people rather than still life or landscapes. Then one day, I mistakenly set my camera to ASA 200 when it was loaded with 400 speed Portra and headed out to do some photography. Overexposing Portra 400 gave me the colors I had been looking for all along. I always shoot my Portra 400 now at half the box speed and am quite pleased with my images.

Recently, I picked up a ProPack of Portra 160. My thought was to use it to shoot the nice Fall colors in the abundant sunshine of October and November in Wine Country. The first roll shooting any new film is an adventure. You never know what you're going to get. I mounted a 55mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikko to my Nikon FM2N, set my camera to ASA 100, grabbed a coat and went out for a walk.

All in all, I am fairly pleased with my first roll of Portra 160. I think I might dial the meter back to half the box speed on this film as well. There are enough rolls left in the ProPack and enough nice Fall days left to experiment some more. 

The Keepers

I happened to pause a moment while looking at my "camera shelf" the other day. Six years into this process of buying, using and selling old film cameras, it's interesting (to me at least) the cameras that I have kept and continue to use. Here's my list, in no order of any particular importance.

Nikon F2 with AS Metered Finder

NIKON F2: I love the F2. I have two bodies and four different prism finders. I thought that the F2 was a bit too heavy the first time I held one. I wouldn't have imagined at that time that it would have made this list, but the F2 is a camera you appreciate more and more as you use it. It's a flexible, dependable photographic tool. I'll be buried with my F2s.

Contax RX with Zeiss Planar

CONTAX RX:  I bought my RX and 50mm Planar lens because I like the way the Contax cameras of this era look. I was surprised at how wonderful this camera is to use and the great images the Carl Zeiss lens is capable of. My RX was produced just as auto focus was taking hold, so it has the brain of an auto focus camera without the capability to actually focus the lens. A little indicator in the finder tells you when your subject is in focus. You don't need it though. The finder in the RX is big and bright and snappy.

Leica M2 with 50mm Rigid Summicron

LEICA M2:  My favorite of the un-metered M bodies, the M2 is simple, quiet, precise and an absolute joy to use. Designed as a less expensive alternative to the M3, the M2 has a cult following for good reason:  it's a damn fine camera!

Nikon FM2N with 85mm Nikkor

NIKON FM2N:  I bought one of these when they first came out and sold it during my divorce. I regretted it as I was counting the money. This is a wonderfully simple and reliable camera that many pros had in their camera bags as back up bodies to whatever pro model Nikon had out at the time. The FM2N just goes. I had Japan Camera Hunter source mine and it was a great experience. Want a great simple SLR? Get one of these.

Mamiya 645Pro with Metered Finder and Power Winder

MAMIYA 645PRO:  I don't shoot medium format much, but when I get the itch to, I grab this camera. The Mamiya handles like a 35mm SLR, has oodles of lenses and accessories and is easy to use. With finder and power grip, it's a big and heavy beast. Strip it down to the basic waist level finder and crank-style film advance and it's very portable. When I was shopping, it was a toss-up between the Pentax 645 and the Mamiya. The vast array of accessories available for the Mamiya won me over.

Leica Black Body MP with 50mm Summicron

LEICA MP:  The first new camera I have purchased in forever and probably the last one I ever will. The Leica MP is the camera I grab most often. Probably because it's small. Also, it has a spot on built in meter. It's simple. Easy. Feels and sounds great. How great is this camera? It's a film camera and it's still in production.

Nikon F4 with MB-20 grip

NIKON F4: I held one of these in a camera shop in Tempe, Arizona when they first came out. I thought it was the most amazing camera I had ever held. Autofocus...wow! Nikon jumped way high over the competition when they introduced this camera. Take a look at cameras today and then look at the F4. It's the mother ship. This was the camera that changed everything. By today's standards, the F4's autofocus is pokey, but for what these sell for today, you've just gotta shoot an F4 once in your life.

Canon P Rangefinder with 50mm F/1.4 Canon LTM Lens

CANON P: This is the Canon that changed my mind about Canons. I've never liked 'em. Ever. I picked up my P from an eBay seller in Japan. I had Bellamy Hunt source me a 50mm f/1.4 LTM lens for it. The P is a great camera! Fun to shoot. Tack sharp glass. Takes Leica screw mount or Canon LTM lenses. These are cheap online and they are really, really neat cameras. Want one? Get one!

Leica M3 Single Stroke with 50 Rigid Summicron

LEICA M3: Hardly an instance goes by when I am out with my M3 that someone doesn't say: "That's a cool old camera!" The Leica M3 is what made Nikon and Canon eventually get out of the rangefinder business. Like the Beechcraft Bonanza airplane, designed in 1947 and hardly changed at all through the years, the M3 was so perfect from the start that Leica only made simple refinements over the years. Today's MP is just the M3 with a meter.

Pentax ME Super: Small Camera, Big Features!

PENTAX ME SUPER:  My photography friend Jim Grey sparked my interest in trying a Pentax SLR. I picked up a body and lens on eBay for well under a hundred bucks. This camera was such a pleasant surprise! Fun to shoot, great images, small enough to slip into a coat pocket. If you want to shoot film and not spend a lot of money, pick up one of these!

So there's my list of the keepers. The cameras that I've grown to love.  In my AnalogBook, elsewhere on this site, you can see the full gallery of all of the picture takers that have come my way.