Dec 30, 2018 | 1 VR 10-30mm f/3.4-5.6 PD-Zoom, 1 VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6, 7 Image Stories, AF-S 50mm f1.4G, AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR, IMHO, Nikon 1 V3, Reflections on 2018
Reflections on 2018 | a 7 Image Story 2018 was again a year like all years, filled with those events which alter and illuminate our time. (Thank you, Walter.) For me, 2018 was a year filled with very little travel while focusing my clicks closer to home. My camera captured fewer event images and fewer wildlife photographs.
Cardinals don’t seem to mind winter. The female and male Cardinals stay close together. Getting a good image of both of them in the same frame is more than a little difficult. Although this female is not a brilliant red like the male, she still stands out against the snow. Most of the time, it’s hard to see the red tail on a Red-tailed Hawk. This lucky hawk image was captured through the windshield while stopping to see why the Red-tailed Hawk was sitting along the side of the road.
Each image will be posted individually this week under category Reflections on 2018.
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Dec 16, 2018 | 1 VR 10-30mm f/3.4-5.6 PD-Zoom, 1 VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6, 7 Image Stories, AF 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR, AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 ED VR II, AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR, AF-S TC 2.0 E III Tele-converter, Aviation, B-25 Mitchell, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-22 Raptor, F/A-18 Hornet, IMHO, Nikon 1 V3, Nikon D200, Nikon D300, Soft Sepia Aircraft, Spartan 7W Executive, Waco YKC
Soft Sepia Aircraft | a 7 Image Story Some airplanes look really nice in B&W Sepia, some don’t. Weather and background also make a big difference whether a B&W will work for a given airplane at a particular location. My preferences tend to be sharp contrasts and a larger depth of field. Generally, I capture the images in color and convert to B&W in post; even if I know the finished image will be B&W.
Just like color aircraft images; bald skies are the pits. The bald sky tends to end up almost black. A few clouds make a big difference, particularly on flying aircraft.
Each image will be posted individually this week under category Soft Sepia Aircraft.
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Dec 2, 2018 | 7 Image Stories, Action, Ektachrome, Europe, IMHO, Nikon Coolscan V, Petri Color 35 - 44mm f2.8, Petri Color 35 to Europe, Places
Petri Color 35 to Europe | a 7 Image Story Although my trip included many places in Europe, it started and ended in London. Oddly, I really did not get much time for photographs except when in London. In preparation for my trip, I needed a new, smaller 35mm camera that would easily fit into my carry-on. Somehow, I found the Petri Color 35. The Petri Color 35 camera is a compact mechanical, scale-focused, leaf-shuttered 35mm film, viewfinder camera with a 44mm f2.8 lens. The camera has a built-in coupled CdS meter with a match-needle indicator and a manual estimating aperture control; both visible in the viewfinder. For this December trip, I used the Ektachrome instead of Kodachrome slide film because it is faster.
The flight to London was on a BOAC Vickers VC-10 airliner. British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) later merged into British Airways. The Vickers VC10 is a mid-sized, narrow body, long-range British jet airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs Aircraft Ltd. It’s able to operate on long-distance routes from the shorter runways. The VC-10 still holds the record for the fastest Atlantic crossing by a non-supersonic jet airliner; call sign: Speedbird.
The changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace displays colorful British pageantry at its finest. During the Changing the Guard ceremony, known as ‘Guard Mounting’, a new British regiment relieves the one on duty. The Queen’s Guard consists of the St James’s Palace and Buckingham Palace detachments. The New Guard during the course of the ceremony becomes The Queen’s Guard. Their march to Buckingham Palace from Wellington Barracks includes musical accompaniment from their band.
10 Downing Street, also known as Number 10, is the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, a post held by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. It’s also the headquarters of the government of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, London, the 300+ year old Number 10 has approximately 100 rooms. The private residence occupies the third floor. Besides offices, the other floors contain conference, reception, sitting, and dining rooms. Number 10 has an interior courtyard and a terrace overlooking a half-acre garden. Located next to St. James Park, it is near Buckingham Palace, the London residence of the British Monarch, and the Palace of Westminster, the meeting place for both houses of parliament.
The White Cliffs of Dover are located on the Kent coastline facing the Strait of Dover at the point where Great Britain is closest to continental Europe. On a clear day they are visible from the French coast. The cliff’s face reaches a height of 350 feet and stretches eight miles encompassing the town of Dover. It owes its white appearance to a composition of chalk streaked by black flint.
For more information on the Petri Color 35 camera, see Petri Color 35 Camera.
Each image will be posted individually this week under category Petri Color 35 to Europe.
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Oct 21, 2018 | 7 Image Stories, AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 ED VR II, AF-S DX 12-24mm f4G IF ED, AF-S DX VR 18-200mm f3.5-5.6G IF-ED, Badlands, Grand Tetons, Illinois, IMHO, Michigan, Montana, Nikon D200, Nikon D300, Nikon D3x, Nikon P7000, Panoramas, The Ranch
Panoramas | a 7 Image Story A great pano provides real context to the story; particularly if the story is about landscape. These images were all stitched, but many newer cameras provide the capability to capture a pano in the camera. Sure there are some limitations. Still, they can make some nice images. By capturing vertical images and stitching them together, a larger pano can be produced. For the purest, panos can be challenging. Most of my panos were cropped after stitching to smooth the edges.
Each image will be posted individually this week under category Panoramas.
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Sep 9, 2018 | 1 VR 10-30mm f/3.4-5.6 PD-Zoom, 1 VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6, 7 Image Stories, AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR, IMHO, Nikon 1 V3, Summer 2018 Hodgepodge
Summer 2018 Hodgepodge | a 7 Image Story It’s that time again to share a few images from this summer. They are in no particular order; just random images I find interesting from this summer.
A day at the airport is almost always a good day. This day, after working all morning and part of the afternoon in the office, a flying break seemed in order. A quick look out the office window confirmed it; a storm is coming quickly! This Red-tailed Hawk was sitting on the airport security fence this summer as I passed through the gates; maybe 20 yards away. He did not seem to mind me photographing him as long as I stayed in my vehicle.
Eastern Kingbirds nest on a branch just a few feet over the water. A long telephoto lens is really required. If you get too close the male Eastern Kingbird starts screeching and dive bombing you.
One night this summer just as the sun was setting, this scene came into view on an early walkabout. The light was right. Simple click! One simple click after another; a Pug, a nap, and cookies make for many simple clicks. Watch out. Sometimes those simples click hide in the weeds.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Summer 2018 Hodgepodge.
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Aug 12, 2018 | 5x7 Dry Plate, 5x7 Dry Plate Restorations, 7 Image Stories, Black & White, IMHO, Imperial Junior 5x7 Dry Plate
5×7 Dry Plate Restorations | a 7 Image Story 5×7 dry plates were popular with photographers during the late 1800s and early 1900s. This story started for me after I went to an estate sale where I bought a 5×7 view camera in very good condition and a box of exposed 5×7 plates. After realizing the 5×7 negative dry plates could be scanned, I began a project to scan and restore print images from the 5×7 dry plate negatives. Remember, these are 5″ x 7″ negatives capable of yielding very large prints. The substrate of the dry plate is glass where proper handling becomes very important.
The six images chosen from the box of exposed 5×7 dry plates were the best of the lot. My instinct tells me that this box was a box of the photographer’s throwaways. Several of the dry plates restored into decent images; several did not. Restoration time for each image was significant. Actually, the restoration completed thus far allows me to post these images, but is not thorough enough for larger prints. To learn more about the restoration process, see 5×7 Dry Plate | a 7 Image Story.
Imperial Junior Camera Based upon the camera type, Imperial Junior Camera, and patent for the shutter/lens, this camera was likely manufactured in 1902 by the Imperial Camera Company of La Crosse, WI; using a Wollensak Optical Company lens and shutter mechanism. It’s a beautiful wooden 4×5 camera with a brass lens and leather casing. A 5×7 dry plate camera, similar to this one, produced the restored photographs in this week’s images.
July 4th Parade This 5×7 dry plate image appears to be a summer parade, probably the 4th of July, marching down a dirt street somewhere in small town USA. From the dress of the band and the onlookers, the image was captured sometime in the early 1900s. Also, notice the horses hitched to a wagon near the windmill. From the other pictures in the box of dry plates, the town is likely in the upper Midwest like Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Michigan.
Lake Excursion The boat excursion was on a large lake boat capable of handling the Great Lakes. The image also appears to have been taken in the early 1900s. Notice the clothes; quite fashionable for 1900. Back then, people dressed up to travel. It was a slower, gentler time.
River Canoeing Even river canoeing down a nice river in a northern Midwest state, probably Wisconsin or Minnesota, reminds us of a slower pace.
Cowboy on a Cliff This cowboy is holding his hat over his six-shooter and holster. Perhaps, he’s looking over the herd of cattle he is driving to market. As you can see, the image is overexposed in the background.
Cattle Round Up Looks like an old fashion cattle round-up to me; complete with cow ponies, wranglers, and chuck wagon. Since there are no mountains, this image was likely taken in the Great Plains or Midwest.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category 5×7 Dry Plate Restorations.
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Aug 5, 2018 | 7 Image Stories, AF-S 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED, AF-S 50mm f1.4G, AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 ED VR II, AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR, AF-S DX VR 18-200mm f3.5-5.6G IF-ED, Arizona, California, Illinois, IMHO, Montana, Nikon D300, Nikon D3x, Sunflower, Sunset, Trains, Way Cool
Way Cool | a 7 Image Story The obvious question: what do you mean by “way cool.” Way cool, as a term, has been used for many years now. To me, it’s a feeling of accomplishment, uniqueness, a bit of luck, and the WOW factor. These images may not be my best in class image. Yet, they all tell a certain story of their own.
The small world of a Wild Sunflower turns into a universe for the Lady Bug. ● A train carrying its special cargo, a 737 fuselage, travels through a Montana mountain valley. ● An old train sits permanently parked outside an old western town train station at Nevada City, Montana. ● As the sun sets on the Port of Los Angeles, a freighter from Japan brings automobiles to the USA. ● The sun sets on serene Patagonia Lake after a beautiful, balmy 60ºF+ Arizona winter day. ● The changing landscape of the American farm from family farm to corporate windmills; while, at least, the lightning stays the same. ● And finally, the hope found in spring’s renewal of life.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Way Cool.
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Jul 1, 2018 | 5x7 Dry Plate, 5x7 Dry Plate, 7 Image Stories, Epson V600, IMHO
5×7 Dry Plate | a 7 Image Story 5×7 dry plates were popular with photographers during the late 1800s and early 1900s. How in the world did I get started on this project? Well, I went to an estate sale. The person selling part of their estate was a collector. He had a 5×7 view camera in very good condition and a box of exposed 5×7 plates. I won the bid on both items. For camera details and more restored images, see 5×7 Dry Plate Restorations | a 7 Image Story. After realizing I could scan the negative dry plates, I began to learn how to scan and restore print images from the 5×7 dry plate negatives. Remember, these are 5″ x 7″ negatives capable of yielding very large prints. The substrate of the dry plate is glass. One must exercise caution when handling the sheet glass. The sharp edges of the cut glass are lightly beveled to reduce the chance of getting cut. More on handling will come later.
Now, a word about this particular image! This post will display this image in 7 different ways as it gets restored. The image appears to be a summer parade, probably the 4th of July, marching down a dirt street somewhere in small town USA. From the dress of the band and the onlookers, the image was captured sometime in the early 1900s. Also, notice the horses hitched to a wagon near the windmill. From the other pictures in the box of dry plates, the town is likely in the upper midwest like Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Michigan. Why did I pick this image? It’s one of the better ones and it seemed appropriate for this July 4th week. The following steps were used to restore the image:
1. Scan Dry Plate Negative The exposed emulsion on the plates scratch and smudge very easily. They must be picked up by the edges with no sliding against other plates or the packing sheets. This plate was scanned using an Epson Perfection V600 flatbed scanner. The scan was a 2400 bpi straight scan using 16 bit gray scale into a 471 MB TIFF file with no software fixes or enhancements on the inbound scan. Although it seems obviously that a sharper scan should result from the emulsion side down, it worked out better for me to put the shiny side down. See 5×7 Dry Plate | Negative Scanned for more detail information on handling, scan details, and file management.
2. Convert Negative to Positive Now, the image scanned in the last step is a scanned negative. Several methods will convert the scanned negative into a positive for printing. For me, using the “curves” function in Aperture worked the easiest and fastest. Set the “Range” to “Normal” before dragging the control points on the RGB curve up and down. Drag the top right corner to bottom right, and drag bottom left to top left, effectively inverting the curve.
3. Crop Edges The beveled edges of the dry plate glass usually looked distorted and sometimes have smudges due to handling. To make a nice print, the edges are generally cropped. The Aperture crop function worked fine while keeping the same 5×7 scale.
4. Restore Of course, the restoration step takes more time and effort than all other steps combined. My restoration objective was to only restore the image to a new condition but not enhance it. Aperture’s brush tools were used to restore the image including: retouch, skin smoothing, dodge, burn, and definition. Also, a crop was necessary to remove large smudges which were not repairable. The restoration process removed hundreds of age stops; dark or light spots mostly like due to the age of the dry plate. It also removed or fixed smudges and scratches as well as fixed distortion due to liquid droplet spills on the emulsion. The image is still not in a new condition, but it’s much better than is was. Under magnification, small black spots can still be seen.
5. Black & White Print After restoration, it only seem fitting and proper to display a standard black & white print much like a good photographer in the early 1900s would have developed in the darkroom.
6. Sepia Print Sepia prints developed from B&W negatives remains popular. Again, although I developed this print image in my digital darkroom, it can easily be developed in a traditional chemical darkroom.
7. Antique Print Antique prints developed from B&W negatives still remains popular. Again, although I developed this print image in my digital darkroom, it’s easily developed in a traditional darkroom.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category 5×7 Dry Plate.
Click any image below for a slide show!
