Paper Clip Sculpture

There is a wonderful and quaint collectible store called Mish Mash in the heart of Chinatown Honolulu, where I found vintage photos taken in Israel by an artist probably during the 70's and 80's. In wanting to creatively display them, I hot glued a bunch of paper clips into an empty Altoid container to create this sculptural image holder. Check out the other close ups below and feel free to leave a comment about what you think.

Ilford HP5 Plus 400 film

 My favorite black and white film that I like shooting with is Ilford HP5 Plus. The results that I get with my 1966 canon ft are sharp low key photos.

The photograph above is of two elderly gentlemen that were sharing a conversation and a bottle of congnac.

Bell Peppers

Bagels

No Biodiesel 

Iolani Palace

The perspective of the photograph of Iolani Palace tells a story of how the monarchy fell when the Queen was held captive in her own palace in the early 1900's. The palace fades into the background and the foreground are of arrow tips of the front gate which is the way I had planned to take this photo. What I didn't plan for was very neutral contrasting and so the photo doesn't pop but nevertheless, it stands on it's own because it captures the essence of the subject matter. Perhaps if I had used a film with a lower ISO, then the results would be better contrast.

Vette Tail Light

As I was roaming the wonderful neighborhood of Kaimuki in Honolulu, Hawaii, I strolled near an old corvette that I so admired. I had my 35mm Canon FT manual camera made in 1966 and a box of Tri-X 100 ISO black and white film. I snapped several shots and later developed the film and printed copies in a darkroom on acid free paper. I have a print of this in my living room. I have one copy that I'm offering on etsy. Click here for more info.

Eat Drink Laugh

Taken with Velvia 100 Film

Lomography for the Apartment

Snap Sights Underwater Camera

The revolution for digital cameras changed the face of photography in the snap of a shutter. It made it easy for the average Joe or Jane to become a photographer, to edit photos, and to print pictures without a traditional darkroom.

Mango Camera

Polaroid Spectra AF

Analog cameras have become a thing of the past and they sell for about 2 cents to the dollar which means you can get them used for about five bucks. Most of the ones that I have found from thrift stores are in perfect shape. Some of them have light leaks which lends to creating dreamy images. In fact, homemade pinhole cameras, the Diana cameras, and Holga cameras, are made with light leaks purposefully to create the lomography style. Click here to see more about lomography.

Some of the cameras that I use are the Nikon L35, a Mango camera, a Polaroid Spectra, an underwater Snap Sight 38mm, a Konica MT-9, and a Yashica 38mm.

Yashica 38mm

Konica MT-9

Nikon L-35

Some of these cameras like the Mango camera produce artsy images from the light leaks and the cheap plastic lens. What you get are photographs that are unique and decorative and when blown up and framed they make great apartment art. I've enlarged many of these images and alternated them to keep the the look of the interior interesting.

Mango Camera

Snap Sight Underwater Shot

Snap Sight Underwater Shot

Profile Picture

Photographing children and getting natural poses from them can be challenging especially if they feel the need to move around and be active. Activity, curiosity, desire to learn, attention, and fun is what every child seek. In a recent photo-shoot, I taught Laney how to shoot a 35mm film camera which relaxed her for other natural poses and shots. We faced off and I caught a profile photograph of her catching a profile photograph of me catching a profile photograph of her. Both photographs will be framed and placed together as a set. I also have to admit that she took a better picture of my profile than I did of hers with a 1980s Yashica point-and-shoot over my 1960s Canon FT with a 50mm lens.

Mango Analog Camera

Film cameras have been thrown out to the curbside or orphaned in local thrift shops because digital technology is the wave of the present. As a good samaritan of elderly cameras, I have rescued a number of them with less than a $1 a day or less than the cost of a cup of coffee a day. By the time I get to them, they have been used up, banged up, and abused. With a little TLC and a roll of film, 90% of these film cameras are fully functional and they all work to earn a spot for boarding on my shelf. Some of them produce photographs that digital cameras cannot without photoshop merely by having a few light leaks and some uncertain blurring (lomography). Look at what the above Mango camera did by yielded that wonderful 8x10 photograph below that sits in my bathroom which I enjoy everyday. So yes, digital cameras can create images so crisp sharp that my eyeballs could shatter if I look at them too long, but old school film cameras are perfect for taking photos to what my eyes are meant to perceive and capturing the moment and a feeling just as well. 

Get a copy on etsy: http://www.etsy.com/listing/56213308/sky-tower

Get lomo equipment: http://usa.shop.lomography.com

Check out Photobox photos: http://photo.box.sk/about.php3?id=100

Develop your film: http://www.rainbowphotovideo.com/

See other photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/artandthings/

Mango Brand Film Camera