Welcome to my blog! Read about photography, film photography in 35mm, medium, and large formats, pinhole photography, about darkroom printing, alternative photographic processes, and more. Thank you for visiting!
Twelve Months, Twenty Photos - 2021, Black and White
As promised in the previous color edition of this post here's the 2021 in review in black and white. During the selection process it was very obvious what role the seasons play in me choosing black and white or color. While my color photographs did not kick in until April I could fill this whole grid with black and white photographs between January and March.
As a result we're starting this grid on the home front with winter scenes from Orchard Park and East Aurora. Everything was beautifully covered in snow. The sky was almost permanently not so beautifully gray. Nature looked black and white to me and that drove my choice to stick with black and white film during those months. I'll see what 2022 brings but so far we are lacking the white cover, everything seems to be gray, and my bias towards black and white holds. But who knows. If we get some nice sunny days with blue sky it might be cool to go for color contrast. Stop by in a year and we'll see.
Then came the road trip to Arkansas with a repeat stop at Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis, MO. It provided a nice driving break, an opportunity to stretch our legs, and had plenty to offer photographically too. Then a short drive along the wonderful Route 66 that we like to seek anytime we get close enough, and finally Arkansas. We visited the charming little town of Eureka Springs several times, hiked several areas of the Hobbs State Park, and went for a longer 1-day trip to explore the Buffalo National River area.
Next up was a summer trip to the Czech Republic with a mix of hiking and castle chasing. Some of the places we enjoyed that made it to the 2021 collage are Rymice, Radhošť, Milotice, Holešov, Helfštýn, Karlštejn, definitely a dirt road, and Praha (Prague).
And finally, the selection is closed by a home front sample from the long-term large format Niagara River Project photographing locations along the river with a 4x5 camera on Foma film developed in Caffenol. It was a big year for Caffenol. After some experimentation I settled on developing Fomapan 100 and 400 in Caffenol Delta and was able to get consistent results very much to my liking. The project is far from over and I will stick with the chosen constraints into 2022.
Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! #etbtsy
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.
Twelve Months, Twenty Photos - 2021, Color
I did not make it before the year's end so let's start the New Year with a photographic recap of the one before. A wonderful spring road trip, a great summer trip to the Czech Republic, and many local expeditions, all full of photographic opportunities to preserve the memories.
What's in the grid? It starts with the road trip to Arkansas. Along the way, we had an opportunity to drive Route 66 again and that's something we do not turn down. Then Table Rock Lake with it's many boat marinas and a sometimes even rental offices on the water. Further south, Beaver Lake and Hobbs State Park offered many hiking trails and natural and historic sites for the camera. The Van Winkle Historic Site at the edge of the Beaver Lake seemed like a paradise. The trail was short thus there was not much hiking to do but the natural beauty was intense there with the West Fork Little Clifty Creek flowing into Beaver Lake. Next a trip to Buffalo National River, established in 1972 as America's first National River. Being just a 1-day trip this was more of a scouting expedition for a future trip than a thorough exploration. Still, we managed two hikes and saw that the river as well as the surrounding area are true natural wonders well worth their protected status. All along we had an opportunity to stop at and explore the wonderful small towns of Arkansas. Eureka Springs was definitely a gem.
In my photography I usually stay away from photographic gimmicks but once in a while they provide a nice change of pace. In 2020, I had an opportunity to photograph a roll of Adox Color Implosion film, which definitely yielded unique photos. I also tried cross-processing E-6 slide film in C-41. It was also the year of Lomochrome Metropolis. In 2021, I continued to play with Metropolis but have to admit I struggled finding suitable opportunities for that film. I also tried Lomochrome Purple for the first time. It's definitely an in-your-face type of an effect with no subtlety but I rather liked it. Not a film I'd use all the time but I liked that it provided a change of pace as well as gave old subjects new looks. I spent time with it in nature and next up are cityscapes.
Next up the beautiful little country of the Czech Republic. For the longest time the country had no official abbreviation. Now, for couple years, Czechia has been an approved one but I really don't like it and am sticking to the full name. We hiked in the Beskydy Mountains and their Radhošť Peak. We explored more medieval castles including Helfštýn, Karlštejn, and Konopiště. And we visited several historic cities including Kroměříž, Holešov, and Praha (Prague). While this was between Covid waves its impact was quite stark. The touristy places lacked tourists. They were not empty but significantly below the normal levels. And we had some areas just to ourselves. While that was great for us to explore it definitely placed small businesses relying on tourism under stress.
As every year, I also made sure to photographically explore and document the home front. And I took it even closer to home this time and while still venturing to Buffalo, NY quite a bit I photographed Orchard Park, NY even more. I also gave in to GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) in the second half of the year after a long break and could not resist the pricing of Minolta cameras on Facebook Marketplace. For $30 one could get a great camera with a lens. And that range held for both the old manual line up as well as the newer auto-focus cameras. The good news? The cameras and lenses needed testing and the home front was the best place to do that!
I used to do a combined collage of color and black and white photographs. For 2021, I decided to change things up and create one of each. You've seen the color one today and the black and white one is coming soon!
Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! #etbtsy
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.
Moody Orchard Park Backroads
After showing off some of the main areas of Orchard Park, NY, we're onto the back roads today with a few moody black and white photographs. A weather front has just moved over and it was dark to the east and almost bright to the west.
Support this blog: Do you like my free content but are not ready to buy a photograph yet? Using my links (Amazon) to do your shopping helps me share more photographs and write the stories behind them.
To add to the moody light I was out with a roll of old Agfa APX 400 black and white film. It's common to rate older film stocks at lower speed to insure they get enough exposure. On this occasion though, I went in the opposite direction and pushed the film to EI 800. I developed the roll in Caffenol Delta and added time for a 1-stop push but the negative came our very thin. That ended up exaggerating the contrast and grain during scanning.
Moody United MaterialsOrchard Park, NY
Moody United Materials, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a Zorki 4 35mm camera on Agfa APX 400 black and white negative film
What caused the thin negatives? Hard to tell. It could have been the older film as mentioned above, it could be that this emulsion does not respond well to Caffenol Delta or extra development time in it, or it could be my mistake when mixing the Caffenol developer and starting with coffee instead of ending with it. The whole mixture was very foamy!
Moody United Materials OfficeOrchard Park, NY
Moody United Materials Office, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a Zorki 4 35mm camera on Agfa APX 400 black and white negative film
After spending some time with my favorite plant in Orchard Park, NY, I pointed the camera to the skies. The tops of two utility poles caught my attention. It was not the first time that happened. There is something captivating in the criss cross of wires we all depend on so much.
Power in all DirectionsOrchard Park, NY
Power in all Directions, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
Some cities and states have begun renewed electrification push in order to lower and maybe one day discontinue the use of fossil fuels for heating, cooking, and lighting. There are so many questions going through my head. How will the electricity be made? Coal-fired plants would certainly not serve this purpose, would they? But more pointedly to these poles, is the grid ready for the accelerated use of additional electricity? The power plants claim so but I have my doubts living the regular power outages every time the wind picks up.
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.
Using my links to do your shopping keeps me sharing more photographs and writing the stories behind them (commission earned) and costs you nothing. You can also use the Amazon search box in bottom left for anything at all. I truly appreciate each purchase, no matter how large, no matter how small. Thank you!
Swannie HouseBuffalo, NY
Freezer QueenBuffalo, NY
Loading a Truck at Standard Grain ElevatorBuffalo, NY
Cyanotypes V: Tweaking the Curve
I have fell down this cyanotype rabbit hole really deep and thus started numbering this series for an easier reference. This is the fifth installment and I already have a few more in the works. If you'd like to catch up on the previous episodes, I've provided links at the bottom of this post.
Support this blog: Do you like my free content but are not ready to buy a photograph yet? Using my links (Amazon) to do your shopping helps me share more photographs and write the stories behind them.
So what was the next thing to learn? As you can see in the first photograph below, I have been getting very dark mid-tones resulting in a compressed tone curve with mostly dark tones and then usually blown highlights.
Milotice Chateaux CyanotypeOriginal Tone Curve
Milotice Chateaux Cyanotype - Original Tone Curve, An Original Hand-Made 5" x 7" Cyanotype
Chemically printed on a hand-coated Shizen Design textured surface cold pressed recycled watercolor paper
To fight back, I had tried to select mostly bright photographs that seemed to work much better, as in the Helfštýn print below. However, I did not want to be at the mercy of the process and wanted to be able to print any of my black and white photographs.
Helfštýn Castle Palace GateOriginal Tone Curve with a Brighter Print
Helfštýn Castle Palace Gate - Original Tone Curve with a Brighter Print, An Original Hand-Made 5" x 7" Cyanotype
Chemically printed on a hand-coated Shizen Design textured surface cold pressed recycled watercolor paper
Since I am printing inkjet negatives for my Cyanotypes, I decided to address the problem by adjusting the tone curve of the original print. Aparently, what looked great on screen or in an inkjet print did not look its best as a Cyanotype. I fired up Gimp and created the below swatch of tones. I started at an RGB value of 0 for all colors and added squares of increasing brightness all the way through 250 for each color. At the end, I had room left for a few more squares so I also added 215, 225, 235, and 245 just in case the fine details mattered but that did not end up being the case. Then I printed my negative as usual and created a Cyanotype.
A Cyanotype Test Tone SwatchOriginal Tone Curve
A Cyanotype Test Tone Swatch - Original Tone Curve
Chemically printed on a hand-coated Shizen Design textured surface cold pressed recycled watercolor paper
As you can see above, the results confirmed what I saw in my prints. There was pretty much no tonal difference between 0 and 90, then a nice range between 100 and 200, and then cut, max brightness reached. I did a bit of Internet searching and found that some take this to an exact science where the print can be scanned and run through software to generate as accurate of a curve as possible. I chose to wing it and leave more to the chance. I actually liked the deep tones of my prints and did not want to open the shadows to a point of the prints looking like a regular black and white print, just in blue.
Looking at the swatch I decided that my current value of 50 really should be at 100 and pushed the curve up accordingly. I also lowered the peak from 255 to 230. I don't claim these adjustments make it perfect neither do I know whether I am settled on these values with finality but it was certainly a step in the right direction, at least to my taste. Take a look below.
A Cyanotype Test Tone SwatchOptimized Tone Curve
A Cyanotype Test Tone Swatch - Optimized Tone Curve
Chemically printed on a hand-coated Shizen Design textured surface cold pressed recycled watercolor paper
I liked I got a much nicer gradation even if there was still a bit of compression left in the darkest and brightest tones. So what was left? It had to be tested, right? I made the same tone curve adjustments to the original Milotice photograph and reprinted a new negative and a Cyanotype. You can see the result below.
Milotice Chateaux CyanotypeOptimized Tone Curve
Milotice Chateaux Cyanotype - Optimized Tone Curve, An Original Hand-Made 5" x 7" Cyanotype
Chemically printed on a hand-coated Shizen Design textured surface cold pressed recycled watercolor paper
And to close things off for today's post? Let's put the two side by side.
Milotice Chateaux CyanotypeOriginal Tone Curve
Milotice Chateaux CyanotypeOptimized Tone Curve
If you decide to try Cyanotypes I hope this quick overview will help you out. If you have any questions about this process, don't hesitate to ask, I'd be happy to help. And if you like one of mine and decide to buy it, that would be great too and I'd enjoy shipping it your way very mcuh.
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
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.
Using my links to do your shopping keeps me sharing more photographs and writing the stories behind them (commission earned) and costs you nothing. You can also use the Amazon search box in bottom left for anything at all. I truly appreciate each purchase, no matter how large, no matter how small. Thank you!
Buffalo, NYCyanotype
Edward M Cotter's Solo ShowCyanotype
Old HouseCyanotype
A Walk through Orchard Park
I am sharing a little different post with you today. Instead of the usual introduction of a photo or two I am sharing a selection of photos from a whole roll of 35mm film. That's right, 36 pictures to start with edited down to a more manageable number that still shows some hallmark locations in the village of Orchard Park, NY.
Support this blog: Do you like my free content but are not ready to buy a photograph yet? Using my links (Amazon) to do your shopping helps me share more photographs and write the stories behind them.
The reason for this walk and for going through a whole roll of film was a new camera test. After couple years of holding back and not adding to my film camera collection I have had a few momentary lapses of reason in 2021 and entered the world of Minolta cameras. It was hard not to as many can be had under $20 - $30 with a lens. The one that started it was a Minolta XG-7. Nothing too special about this particular model, it just happened to be available couple miles from where I live, came with a 45mm f/2 Rokkor.X lens, and even a bag!
I loaded the camera with a Kodak Max 400 expired over 10 years ago. I was not sure whether testing a "new" camera with an expired film was the best choice but I had good luck with this specific batch before so I figured why not. The camera's shutter speeds sounded ok and everything seemed to work but one never really knows until a test roll goes through. I did make one slight adjustment and set the camera's ISO dial to 200 instead of 400. And since I still have couple more rolls I'll go with 100 next time.
But enough of the technical mumbo-jumbo, let's take the walk, starting at Terry Young's Auto Plaza heading south. It's a little counter-intuitive as south is up the hill from this spot and and south is supposed to be down (on the map), right?
Terry Young's Auto Plaza, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
Just across the street is a gas station that has recently changed hands and went from Noco to Speedway. However, Charlie the Butcher's Express stayed and even has a nice bright sign now.
Charlie the Butcher's at Speedway, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
The village of Orchard Park struggles to keep small businesses open and to have enough to attract a walking crowd. There are some businesses but the wrong type to get general public in there. I feel there are not enough cafés, bakeries, restaurants, and other small shops to make it worth parking a car and strolling along. That is one big and not so positive difference compared to nearby East Aurora, and Hamburg. I have heard that rents are too high and there may be other reasons too. Unfortunately, this is just another example when a recently opened small business, Kaylena Marie's Bakery, closed down its doors in he village and moved furthter out beyond the walking reach.
Empty Kaylena Marie's, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
Judith Krantz Salon & BoutiqueJudith Krantz Salon & Boutique in Orchard Park, NY
Judith Krantz Salon & Boutique, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
Mangia Ristorante has taken over one of the four corners and has been steadily expanding over the last few years. Each summer they have a beuautiful flower garden in front, which definitely cheers things up.
Mangia FlowersThe always beautiful flower garden in front of Mangia Ristorante in Orchard Park, NY
Mangia Flowers, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
I love vintage items, including old gas pumps. We even travel to Route 66 to get the does of nostalgia that comes with a more old-fashioned travel. But I was unaware of this gem right here in Orchard Park until very recently. Doesn't this analog dial of a vintage Mobilegas pump look awasome even if it's now located at a Kwik Fill gas station? I am glad they kept it!
Vintage Mobilegas PumpVintage Mobilegas gas pump at the Kwik Fill gas station in Orchard Park, NY
Vintage Mobilegas Pump, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
Now we are starting to talk real vintage. And having mentioned how small businesses struggle in Orchard Park, here's an example of one that has lasted for a while. The Anthony Brown Pharmacy opened all the way back in 1880! And with so many Rite Aid, Walgreens, and CVS locations around, I don't think pharmacies have it easy.
Anthony Brown Rx PharmacyA unique family owned pharmacy in Orchard Park, NY
Anthony Brown Rx Pharmacy, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
As I was scanning the photos from this roll of film, all looked well so far. But with the next photo I saw the first signs of troubles. See that faint vertical stripe all the way from top down crossing through the "THO" letters in Anthony? I've seen that before and it usually means the camera needs cleaning and lubrication to insure the shutter curtain moves smoothly and evenly across the whole frame. Here, the opening hesitated a bit and created a ore exposed stripe. Call me strange, but I actually like that imperfection in this photo.
Anthony Brown Rx PharmacyA unique family owned pharmacy in Orchard Park, NY
Anthony Brown Rx Pharmacy, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
The next photo is of private residence that I usually shy away from taking pictures of. I do not want to spook anyone and neither do I want to trigger a confrontation if challenged. But once in a while, I feel like it has to be done. And this unique house is one of those situations. There's none other in the village that I know of and I really like it. I call it the Castle House. Unfortunately, it's in a bit of disrepair at the moment and I hope it can make it.
Old Castle HouseA small unique house in the village of Orchard Park, NY
Old Castle House, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
Yes, it's a public library in the next photo. In this digital age of do everything from your couch they are often overlooked and I have run into young people that do not even know public libraries exist. Yet, in my opinion, they remain very relevant. They provide "free" access to an almost unlimited library of books. And since the whole county is interconnected you can order material from any library in the system and pick it up in your local library. Isn't that convenient? And it's not just books. You can get music CDs and movies on DVDs and Blueray too!
And guess what! The libraries are also going with the times and if you have a library card you also have access to free e-books and even audio books right from your couch after all. With the price of audio books, who would not enjoy free? So head out, check out your local library, and their website too to see what's available to you.
Orchard Park Public LibraryMaybe old-fashioned but still a great source of books, music, and movies.
Orchard Park Public Library, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
Next we're stopping by one of my all time most favorite locations in Orchard Park, the historic train depot. It has recently undergone a renovation and looks better than ever, as you can see with the beautiful new platform. What could be better? Well, a steam locomotive rolling in and stopping next to it certainly would not hurt.
Orchard Park Train DepotThe Historic Orchard Park Train Depot, Orchard Park, NY
Orchard Park Train Depot
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
Just a few steps down the tracks is a bridge I have also photographed quite a bit. In the past, I enjoyed its old rusty look but I have to admit this new black paint is not too shabby either. And while you cannot see that here, it certainly looks much better from the street level below.
Railroad Bridge at the Train Depot, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
If you visit my website regularly, you must be familiar with Green Lake, or Yates Park. However, I usually focus on the natural part of it trying to hide the signs of civilization. On this occasion I did the opposite and went for the park's sign throwing the lake itself into the background. Yes, this is what you will see right from South Buffalo Road.
Yates Park at Green Lake, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
The future of the Custard Lite ice cream stand is uncertain after it being in business for decades. While the business itself may go on the building's years may be counted, we will see. I have always photographed it and even more so recently while it is still here. And yes, that shutter problem creeped right back in here. The curtain's travel was even more choppy here as it created couple hard edges. Yet again, I like what it did for this photo of a vintage ice cream stand. I actually excluded couple photos from this walk where the shutter problems were really severe. Needless to say, this test roll resulted in me liking the camera but needing to send it out for a CLA (Clean, Lube, and Adjust). I am hoping that it will be back in several weeks working like new.
Custard Lite Ice Cream StandA favorite local ice cream stand in Orchard Park, NY
Custard Lite Ice Cream Stand, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
We're now nearing the end of this day's walk and are stepping into the jungles of Orchard Park. I am very grateful for some of the nature trails available here, whether it is this wetlands area or the Chestnut Ridge park no too far. And anytime I walk or run along this trail I always look forward to this section. There's something different about it than the rest of the trail and I admit, I refer to it as the jungle section.
Wetlands JungleThere's a wonderful trail through the local wetlands in Orchard Park, NY.
Wetlands Jungle, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
The wetlands also feature three ponds. They're actually part of the flood control system but make the wetlands look even better. And they provide nice progress markers especially for runners. We have creative names for them all: first pond, second pond, and third pond. Here, you're looking at wildflowers by the third pond.
Wetlands Pond WildflowersWildflowers Just off the wetlands trail, Orchard Park, NY.
Wetlands Pond Wildflowers, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Expired Kodak Max 400 Color Negative Film
Alright, that's it for today's visit to Orchard Park, NY.
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.
Using my links to do your shopping keeps me sharing more photographs and writing the stories behind them (commission earned) and costs you nothing. You can also use the Amazon search box in bottom left for anything at all. I truly appreciate each purchase, no matter how large, no matter how small. Thank you!