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The Trees of Birdsong
Pentax K1000
It's hard to believe the origins of this post go all the way back to June 2020. Back then, I was part of a community project called the Partnership of the Passing Pentax. A Pentax K1000 was being shipped around the country with different photographers using the same camera, the same lens, and the same film to photograph their area.
I wanted to make sure the camera would not get stuck with me for too long and only kept it for two days. Day 1 was a roll of Kodak Double-X in Birdsong Park, day 2 was another roll on the shore of Lake Erie (more on that in a future post, hopefully not in two more years). This project and my approach allowed me to see the park quite differently.
Twinkle in the TreesTrees of Birdsong
Twinkle in the Trees
Birdsong on Pentax K1000 and Kodak Double-X
So what was different? Since I visit the park often I try to be very careful about what I photograph. Did I photograph it before? Is it any different? Should I press the shutter? I question every single photograph and try to talk myself out of it. This evening, I fully intended to go through a whole roll of 35mm film. I had just over an hour to get approximately 36 photographs. Even rounding things a bit for simplicity that is about a photo every two minutes. That was definitely something I had not done in this park in a long time, probably since my very first visit.
Creek Gate
Birdsong on Pentax K1000 and Kodak Double-X
There was another significant difference that evening. My cameras usually have a wide angle lens, like a 28mm, attached as the default. The Pentax K1000 used for this project came with a 50mm lens and that was quite a difference. It was a whole different world. Back in 2020, using a 50mm lens was a complete unknown to me. And looking at it now, I suspect it was this experience that opened up the world of normal lenses to me. I now go out with 50mm lenses much more often and even went on whole big trips with that focal length as my only lens!
Old Branches
Birdsong on Pentax K1000 and Kodak Double-X
There is a saying "can't see the forest for the trees" but I think my usual wide angle approach resulted in me not being able to see the trees for the forest. I'd always be framing for my foreground, middle ground, and background. With the 50mm lens, I could place more focus on details, on narrower areas, I could, or even had to flatten my plane of focus on a specific feature. The opening photo of this post is a scene one gets to see immediately after turning into the woods. It always makes an impression on me, yet, I had never been able to photograph it that way. This evening, I could. The same experience followed just a few steps further into the forest with the gorgeous branches of the old tree. I was able to raise my camera up and focus on just the scene that caught my eye, the branches.
Dead Tree Up CloseTrees of Birdsong
Blooming Bush
Birdsong on Double-X 5222 for the Partnership of the Passing Pentax
This old and very dead tree is the only photograph in today's post that is outside the woods. I love the tree and I always stop, admire it, and sometimes take a picture if I can convince myself that something about it looks different. And again, the normal lens facilitated a different perspective.
Blooming Bush
Birdsong on Double-X 5222 for the Partnership of the Passing Pentax
However, we are heading right back into the woods. There was something magical with the light that evening. Whether it was a figment of my imagination or reality I am not qualified to say due to my bias towards these photographs but even now more than two years later I still see that shimmering light. Maybe it was the lens, maybe it was the backlight painting the pictures on the Kodak motion picture film, maybe it was my imagination, or maybe it was a combination.
Creek in the WoodsTrees of Birdsong
Creek in the Woods
Birdsong on Double-X 5222 for the Partnership of the Passing Pentax
To close out today's post we're stopping by the creek. This particular spot has captivated me for years but it has been only the last year or two that I've really come to appreciate and enjoy the full length of the creek as it passes through the park. The combo of the creek and the leaning trees along both banks creates some very charming scenes. In this specific location, the fallen tree crossing the creek and its reflection add a little extra to the whole scene.
Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! #etbtsy
- Original project posts: The Partnership of the Passing Pentax, Roll Number 1, The Partnership of the Passing Pentax, Roll Number 2
- My first ever post from Birdsong: Adapt, aka Plan but Welcome the Random
Do you enjoy reading my photography blog? Would you like to see more photographs from Buffalo and Western New York? Visit my Buffalo Cityscapes and Buffalo & Western New York Landscapes and enjoy! For more travel photography, my Travel Photography gallery offers an interesting mix of places all around. Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered, I will be happy to help! For a quick reference to all photo galleries and collections as well as all photo products currently offered through my site, please, visit the Products page.
Birdsong in Purple, Part II
Continued from Birdsong in Purple, Part I
It's already the second half of August and my Buffalo & Western New York Landscapes photo gallery still has winter photos at the top! Wow! Let's change that right away with some color. And while moving from white to color, why not go with some crazy colors?
I think this makes for a great opportunity to wrap up the walk around Birdsong Park with a Pentax Spotmatic loaded with Lomochrome Purple special effects film. I am not big on filters and I am not big on special effects films, however, I am trying to keep my mind open and try different things out here and there. Who knows, maybe I'll find something to my taste!
A Creek Flows ThroughBirdsong Park on Lomochrome Purple
A Creek Flows Through, Birdsong Park, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a Pentax Spotmatic on Lomochrome Purple film and developed in Arista C-41
I think it's a little more complicated with my statement above. I am very interested in alternative processes with black and white photography and some of them definitely form a departure from reality. You've seen me post a lot about Cyanotypes, a process that results in blue and white photographs. And I love those! I also tried my hand in lith printing and loved those tritone prints. Somehow, I am more open to crazy results with black and white photography whereas more conservative with color photography. So yes, Lomochrome Purple is definitely pushing the envelope for me! And if I ever get the Lomochrome Turqoise it will be no different. That being said, I love the light in the first photograph shared here, purple or not!
An Accidental Tee PeeBirdsong Park on Lomochrome Purple
An Accidental Tee Pee, Birdsong Park, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a Pentax Spotmatic on Lomochrome Purple film and developed in Arista C-41
I have gone through a change of my likes and focus in Birdsong and the two photos above are from the surroundings of the creek flowing through the park. It is the creek and the wonderful old leaning trees lining its banks that have become so captivating to me recently. In contrast, the next two photos have no water featured, which is a bit strange given the fact the park is basically a swamp.
Purple CanopyBirdsong Park on Lomochrome Purple
Purple Canopy, Birdsong Park, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a Pentax Spotmatic on Lomochrome Purple film and developed in Arista C-41
I love this park and it is really close to where I live. And I love making photographs close to home. There is always something new to capture and things are changing all the time. Sometimes, I find new subject matter, other times I go for a new take on something previously photographed. Now that I have selected the photos for this post I went back to the archives to see if I had posted more traditional versions of these. If you are curious and want to compare, feel free to scroll down once you finish reading.
Among TreesBirdsong Park on Lomochrome Purple
Among Trees, Birdsong Park, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a Pentax Spotmatic on Lomochrome Purple film and developed in Arista C-41
How do you like this purple look of Lomochrome Purple? Any favorite photos from this post or from Part I? What do you think about their comparison to the three below?
Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! #etbtsy
Do you enjoy reading my photography blog? Would you like to see more photographs from Buffalo and Western New York? Visit my Buffalo Cityscapes and Buffalo & Western New York Landscapes and enjoy! For more travel photography, my Travel Photography gallery offers an interesting mix of places all around. Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered, I will be happy to help! For a quick reference to all photo galleries and collections as well as all photo products currently offered through my site, please, visit the Products page.
Leaning Trees of BirdsongOrchard Park, NY
The Tree Tunnel of BirdsongOrchard Park, NY
The Music of Fall at BirdsongOrchard Park, NY
Nights around Buffalo, East Aurora
Previously at Night: Ice Cream at Night - Michigan Street Bridge at Night - Buffalo at Night - Welcome to Buffalo
This will be a four part series of night photography around Buffalo, NY. Today, we are starting in East Aurora. The next three sequels will be Hamburg, Orchard Park, and Buffalo. We're also traveling back in time a bit to 2020 and some photos may date themselves as such. Can you spot them?
Nikon FM2n with 50mm f/1.8 Pancake35mm Film Camera
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For these night photography outings I loaded my Nikon FM2n with a roll of Kodak T-Max P3200 film. I like that specific camera for night photography because of its LED light meter that is very easy to see at night. On my other cameras, like the Nikon FE, I enjoy their analog match needle meters quite a bit but those become of limited value in the dark. And that's where the LED lights shine. I paired the camera with a fast 50mm f/1.8 lens to see through the night even better.
Let me get another technical detail out of the way right at the beginning. While I like the grain that film brings to the photography game I like it in measured doses. Based on my previous experience with this film, it came out of the developer rather thin when exposed at 3200. Setting my meter to 1600 and developing normally certainly worked much better for me. For this roll, I took things one step further. I exposed the roll at EI 800 (overexposed by 2 stops) and later developed for 1600 (1 stop pull) in Kodak XTOL. I'm quite happy with the results and will stick to this method in the future unless I absolutely need a higher ISO. However, it turns out 800 speed film and an f/1.8 lens are a great combo for night photography, whether black and white or color.
Rookies Sports Bar and Grill at DuskEast Aurora after Dark
Rookies Sports Bar and Grill at Dusk, Night Photography, East Aurora, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Nikon FM2n on Kodak T-Max P3200 Black and White Negative Film
Nights in the suburbs can be devoid of people even under normal circumstances but these photographs document September 2020, the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic. I never went after documenting that period directly but the emptiness definitely crept into some of my photographs, like here, and you can definitely spot other clues about the times.
Aurora Theatre Showing Fifty Shades of Grey SweatpantsEast Aurora after Dark
Aurora Theatre Showing Fifty Shades of Grey Sweatpants, Night Photography, East Aurora, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Nikon FM2n on Kodak T-Max P3200 Black and White Negative Film
The Head over Heels Women's Boutique across the street was just about perfect for a night photograph. I definitely enjoyed the brightly lit shop window.
Head over Heels Women's Boutique after DarkEast Aurora after Dark
Head over Heels Women's Boutique after Dark, Night Photography, East Aurora, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Nikon FM2n on Kodak T-Max P3200 Black and White Negative Film
And we're going to close today off with an East Aurora classic, the Vidler's store. It opened in 1930 during the early days of the Great Depression and despite the odds made it and is a staple on today's East Aurora's Main Street. The first photo captures the store at dusk before things turned dark. In the background, you can see "Vidler on the Roof", or the store's long-time president Edward W. Vidler, welcoming you to the store from its rooftop.
Vidler's 5 & 10 at DuskEast Aurora after Dark
Vidler's 5 & 10 at Dusk, Night Photography, East Aurora, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Nikon FM2n on Kodak T-Max P3200 Black and White Negative Film
And then the night settled in. I always enjoy the one-figure clock when walking along the Main Street. Alright, it is not a clock but a thermometer but I always go through these thoughts. Too bad there was no illumination in the actual clock in the background, that would have made the photo even better. I don't know if that was just a malfunction or if it is never illuminated and now that I realized it I may have a new reason to revisit the location.
Vidler's 5 - 10 & $ at NightEast Aurora after Dark
Vidler's 5 - 10 & $ at Night, Night Photography, East Aurora, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Nikon FM2n on Kodak T-Max P3200 Black and White Negative Film
So there you have it, this has been Part 1 of Nights around Buffalo. I hope you'll be back for parts 2, 3, and 4. Thanks for stopping by!
Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! #etbtsy
Do you enjoy reading my photography blog? Would you like to see more photographs from Buffalo and Western New York? Visit my Buffalo Cityscapes and Buffalo & Western New York Landscapes and enjoy! For more travel photography, my Travel Photography gallery offers an interesting mix of places all around. Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered, I will be happy to help! For a quick reference to all photo galleries and collections as well as all photo products currently offered through my site, please, visit the Products page.
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All posts in the Nights around Buffalo series: #1 Nights around Buffalo, East Aurora - to be continued
Nostalgic Hydraulic HearthCity nights
Hamburg Palace ClassicCity nights
Stormy over Buffalo Central TerminalWorld without Color.
Lomo Buffalo, NY
Smena 8MA simple plastic Lomo camera
This day's photography was all about experimenting and seeing what I could come back with from familiar places using not so familiar tools. In my hand, I had a very simple plastic camera, the Smena 8M, which was actually the camera I started my photographic endeavors with back in the 1980s.
It's a very simple fully manual camera that requires no power as there is not meter or any other electronics. Both shutter speed and f-stop are set on the lens. The shutter is cocked with a dedicated lever also on the lens and is thus separated from film advance. While that may take some getting used to it's not really a problem. And if you forget and click the shutter release button? No problem, cock it and fire away again. It's also very simple to do multiple exposures if one so desires. Focus is accomplished by zone focusing. The real bonus? Given the simplicity the camera can deliver some surprisingly good quality and sharp photographs.
To complete the Lomo experience I loaded the camera with a Lomography Metropolis color negative film, which delivers photographs featuring a different color palette and pronounced grain. Colors are mostly muted and somewhat shifted towards the greens. I used that film before and was not much of a fan for natural landscapes but enjoyed the results from urban settings.
BUFFALOA scene from Canalside, Buffalo, New York.
BUFFALO, a scene from Canalside, Buffalo, New York.
Photographed with a Smena 8M 35mm camera on Lomography Metropolis color negative film
For the first photograph I struggled a bit as the space in front of the building is limited and the camera has a fixed 40mm lens. At first, I was reluctant to raise the camera up as I am not a fan of converging vertical lines in architecture but I eventually had to accept reality. Plus, it was a lo-fi kind of a day so why not? In the end, I am now very glad I did. I like both the version above as well as the Cyanotype print I made with it.
Next up was a walk over to the Naval Park to see how the ships would look with this lomo combo. In the end, I opted for an obvious angle I had photographed before. I think the colors of the film go well with the steel hulls.
USS Croaker and CompanyBuffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park
USS Croaker and Company, Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park
Photographed with a Smena 8M 35mm camera on Lomography Metropolis color negative film
And finally, away from the Canalside and waterfront, the next photo is on Buffalo's Main Street with its signature Buffalo Metro Rail.
Train on MainThe NFTA Metro Rail train on Buffalo's Main Street
Train on Main, The NFTA Metro Rail train on Buffalo's Main Street
Photographed with a Smena 8M 35mm camera on Lomography Metropolis color negative film
Overall, this photographic outing revealed that this extremely simple plastic camera is perfectly capable and I will certainly be using it again. And I still like the Lomography Metropolis film for urban settings. I guess they picket the name (Metropolis) well.
Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! #etbtsy
Instagram @danielnovakphoto - Facebook @danielnovakphoto - flickr @masinka
Do you enjoy reading my photography blog? Would you like to see more photographs from Buffalo and Western New York? Visit my Buffalo Cityscapes and Buffalo & Western New York Landscapes and enjoy! For more travel photography, my Travel Photography gallery offers an interesting mix of places all around. Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered, I will be happy to help! For a quick reference to all photo galleries and collections as well as all photo products currently offered through my site, please, visit the Products page.
Vintage USS Little RockBuffalo, NY
Erie Canal Harbor à la 70sBuffalo, NY
Vintage USS CroakerBuffalo, NY
Spring Morning at the MuseumBuffalo, NY
Morning ReflectionBuffalo, NY
Cyanotypes X: From Black and White or Color
Rolleiflex Automat1940s Rolleiflex Automat
Welcome back to my cyanotype series and its tenth installment. After focusing mostly on the tiny village of "Horní Rozsíčka" where I spent a lot of time as a child, we're moving over to the city where I live currently. With city scenes, buildings, and architecture I remain a fan of the rough texture of the Shizen Design watercolor paper. After going monochrome, blue in this case, the rough texture obliterates a lot of the details and I am left wit a further abstracted photograph, which I like.
For photo number one we're headed to Broderick Park in Buffalo, NY and to the Bird Island Pier that starts there. It frequently suffers weather and winter damage, which is a shame, because it is a really unique and wonderful way to walk several miles literally in the middle of the mighty Niagara River. So far, it was always repaired in the end and I hope that continues, even though some of the recent damage has been slow to fix and the pier is cut short as a result.
Camera of choice on this day? A World War II time Rolleiflex Automat. It needed quite extensive repairs to be in its current shape but right now it's like clockwork. I loaded it with Fomapan 400, attached a yellow filter to the taking lens and headed out.
What you see in today's first cyanotype is the view one gets when reaching the unpassable damage area and turning around. It's the pier heading back to Unity Island and Broderick Park and the signature Peace Bridge between the United States and Canada.
Bird Island Pier CyanotypeBuffalo, NY
Bird Island Pier Cyanotype, Buffalo, NY, An Original Hand-Made 5" x 7" Cyanotype
Chemically printed on a hand-coated Shizen Design textured watercolor paper
Smena 8MSmena 8M 35mm Camera
For cyanotype number two we're headed into the heart of the city. It's hard to believe Canalside really wasn't a thing until a few years ago. I did something different for this cyanotype. I normally select from one of my black and white photographs but for this one, I picked a photo captured on Lomography Metropolis color negative film. These cyanotypes are printed using a digital negative and even for this one I first converted the color photo into a monochrome.
However, I have heard of people printing their negatives in color and getting great results. Maybe I'll have to try that soon and compare with a monochrome one to see if there's a difference in practice. In theory, each color allows different levels of UV to pass through. That is similar with different density of black. Would the color negative result in more or less contrast?
Oh, and the camera of choice for this downtown Buffalo expedition? Smena 8M was the camera I started my (film) photography endeavors with back in the 1980s. Indeed, there was no discussion about film versus digital back then. Film was all there was and our family's film choice were black and white film stocks from Orwo. I don't remember why but my Dad was not a fan of Fomapan. He used to buy Orwo in bulk on our occasional trips to East Germany. I used that camera on several school trips and got alright results for the purpose they were supposed to serve. Some of them even saw the light of day as darkroom prints. Even now in 2022 I was rather pleasantly surprised about what one can get from a simple camera like this.
BUFFALO, Canalside, Buffalo, NY, An Original Hand-Made 5" x 7" Cyanotype
Chemically printed on a hand-coated Shizen Design textured watercolor paper, bleached and toned in green tea
Yes, a short post today, just two photographs. Come back soon and maybe there will be a new post with more to share. Do you like one of these two cyanotype prints or one from the past posts in this series? You can see them all in my Cyanotype Gallery and if you're interested, you can order one there too and get your own unique and original print. No two are the same. I coat the paper by hand and print of textured papers. As a result, they each have their own look and feel.
Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! #etbtsy
Previous posts in the Cyanotypes series: 1. First Cyanotype - 2. More Cyanotypes - 3. Highlands Cyanotypes - 4. How do Cyanotypes Happen? - 5. Cyanotypes V: Tweaking the Curve - 6. Cyanotypes VI: Toning - 7. Cyanotypes VII: More Toning - 8. Cyanotypes VIII: Toning Different Papers - 9. Cyanotypes IX: Horní Rozsíčky - 10. Cyanotypes X: From Black and White or Color
If you like cyanotypes you can explore the Cyanotypes Photo Gallery dedicated to my growing collection of them. Would you like to browse through traditional darkroom wet prints? Visit my Darkroom Photo Gallery and enjoy! Do not hesitate to contact me whether you would like to learn more or would like to purchase one of my prints.
House of Memories, Cyanotype IIHorní Rozsíčka
On the Way from School, CyanotypeHorní Rozsíčka
U Vlachů, CyanotypeHorní Rozsíčka