Obsessions and Addictions

 

OK, confession time. 

I have developed an (un)healthy obsession with pinhole photography.

What started out as an experiment in "something different" has now turned into a full blown obsession.

I have always been a bit of a tinkerer, and this journey is really engrossing me. Unusually, I got the order the wrong way round, starting out on the digital side of pinhole photography and now working my way back to the more traditional way of doing it. 

The photo above is of the Dodder Waterfall in Tallaght, in Dublin. This is probably my 10th attempt at making a perfect pinhole. Definitely getting better at it, but not quite there yet.

In desperation, I have now succumbed and ordered pinholes from this lad. Unfortunately he is on vacation at the moment, so there I am, waiting.

No worries.

In the meantime, I have dipped my toes gently into the trap that is analogue photography. 

I am hooked.

I have previously written my Ode to the instamatic camera and it's 4 x 4 prints. I can now, with confidence, say that it was due to the 126 film, that this square format was the flavor of the month. Shortly after writing that, I wondered what it would be like to take a similar type of photograph in this day and age. Enter the 35mm point and shoot. A Ricoh I bought on ebay. I tested it on a trip to the beautiful Glendalough and then took it with me to Bohernabreena Reservoirs. Instant addiction!!

There is nothing with as much soul as a proper film photograph. Pity that processing and printing has become so costly. In my ignorance I purchased an Illford HP5+ film to test the camera, only later to find out that the developing cost for this film is higher as it cannot be developed locally by the lab!? Has to be sent away.

So I bought my own development kit from thephotohsop.ie, because that is the type of person I am.

Doubly hooked now.

There is nothing to compare with the feeling of developing your own film.

And then on to the digitizing of the film. Now if you look at the bottom of the photo above, you will see that the focus has gone a little south there. It could be the camera... the last 35mm film camera I owned back in 2002 did exactly that. Or it can be that the film is not held 100% flat when I scan it (a process that will be the subject of another post, to be sure).

So being the tinkerer that I am, I have now designed my own film holder, and will be designing a more manageable scanning process to get it all spot on. Watch this space.

I am however now firstly busy with building a pinhole camera. Yes building or, more accurately, printing. Will test drive it with photo positive paper and may then try film on it as well. Or negative paper. Oh the endless possibilities!!!

And that is my story for today. I have sooooo much I want to explore in film photography, that I find myself doing more than one thing at a time. Bad idea. 

So, deep breath.

4x5 Pinhole Camera first....

Pinhole?

 

I am a self taught photographer. On top of that, most of my photography happened during the digital era. So I was intrigued when I came across pinhole photography.

Pinhole photography is a fascinating technique that takes us back to the roots of capturing images. Forget fancy lenses and complex settings – all you need is a light-tight box, a tiny hole, and some light-sensitive material. If you are, like me, stuck with all types of digital cameras and no light sensitive material except my stash of 35mm film, then you improvise and go all high low tech.

Pinhole photography is all about going back to basics. Instead of relying on high-tech cameras, it embraces simplicity, using a small hole to create stunning images. Dating back to ancient times, pinhole photography has evolved into a beloved hobby and artistic medium. 

I love the blurry, retro look that you get from the pinhole photographs. I meandered down to one of the local parks this morning, all gung ho and fired up. Then realised it is not as easy as it looks. I did get some reasonable images, but the bulk of them were a little too blurry.

Pinhole photography requires the lens (pin hole) to be perfectly round and punched through a very thin material. I used an old aluminum can to punch the hole in. Went for a couple of different size holes, and tried some of them. 

Now, bear in mind that the lens is, in fact, now a hole, and will not stop any dust from entering the camera. I therefore whipped out my old Canon 20D and started experimenting.

The first thing that was absolutely crystal clear to me is that the 20D's sensor was EXTREMELY dirty. Because of the small hole the aperture is in the 150's range. This gives a pinhole camera a ridiculous depth of field. So ridiculous, in fact, that the dust on the sensor is now in focus.

Nice little dust spots visible all over the photo. So I cleaned the sensor and tried again.

The results were much better.

For the smallest pinhole I have made, the images came our reasonably well, albeit a little on the underexposed side. I'm working on that.

Due to the small aperture, the exposure times goes up to the 30 second range. It gives the images a dreamy, soft look which I particularly like.

I then proceeded to change the insert to a larger pinhole.

Well, disaster.

The focus was well out, making even the blur lover going "That's not right!"

The two photos below was taken of the same area, one with the smaller pinhole, the other with the larger pinhole. The difference is plain to see.

Granted, the exposure on the second image was better, but that was due to the fact that the shutter speed came back greatly due to the increase in aperture size. (Just a side note, I do not have a remote release for the 20D, so bulb mode is not an option. 30seconds is my max shutter speed and that is why the other images are underexposed).

So back to the drawing board then? Oh yes. 

My gut feel is that the smallest pinhole is still too large. I need to get it smaller. May have to ramp up the ISO to be able to shoot with a smaller pinhole, and on the 20D that maxes out at 1600. But I will not be deterred. The possibilities are too great not to pursue this further.

To create your own pinhole masterpieces, you'll need just a few basic materials and a bit of patience. So, grab a cardboard box, make a tiny hole, and let your creativity shine through the magic of pinhole photography. For further information you can delve into the following websites:

The Pinhole Camera - Make your own camera and explore the history of pinhole photography: www.thepinholecamera.com

Pinhole Visions - A community hub for pinhole enthusiasts, featuring galleries, tutorials, and forums: www.pinholevisions.org 

Pinhole Resource - Dive deeper into the technical aspects of pinhole photography with articles, workshops, and resources: www.pinholesolutions.co.uk

Not a Puddle of Mudd

 And the title here is  my best attempt at being clever. It also gives away my age!!

In the early noughties, the band, Puddle of Mudd, had a hit with the song "Blurry". 

Clever, hey?

But back to the task at hand!!

I recently came across the work of Olga Karlovac. She is a street photographer that does absolutely beautiful work, all with blurry images. You really have to look at her work to appreciate it. 

The image below is from her Instagram feed. I would highly recommend you go and have a look. I really like her work. Stunning.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by olga karlovac (@olga.karlovac) 

I also love her street and building images. The effect on the images of the pedestrians are spectacular.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by olga karlovac (@olga.karlovac)

Which now brings us back to the image at the top of this post. My feeble attempt at recreating the same effect. Now, I have to say, I think it is not that bad. It is however not as easy as it looks to achieve the effect. Hat tip to Olga. Funny how you get everything blurry and out of focus until you purposefully want to achieve the effect!!

I have also tied to recreate the effect in colour:

Granted, it was an experiment, it was difficult to judge if the effect worked correctly on the camera's LCD, and I was not sure if colour was, in fact, the best choice. 

I do think though, that the effect is quite nice. I am also going to go out on a limb here saying that the woods lends itself to this effect in colour. Not sure how colour would work in street photography. But I am willing to give it a go.

To check out some of Olga Karlovac's work, you can find here website here.

I've looked at clouds that way

 For the longest time I've had a fascination with clouds. Living most of my life on the Highveld of South Africa, I've come to love clouds. Especially Cumulus Nimbus clouds. The fluffy ones that looks like cotton wool.

They make you feel small.

Due to the high summer temperatures in South Africa, these clouds grow massive. And then, BOOM. Thunder storm.

I've been living in Ireland now for almost 4 years, and if you ask me what I miss about South Africa, there are really only two things;

Summer sunsets.

The clouds.

So, if you will indulge my nostalgic pining for clouds...

I will start this nostalgic journey with the fluffy clouds that we all know and love. Taken on a warm (no doubt) spring day in South Africa. The photo below was taken on the same day, believe it or not, but just early in the morning with the sun rising over the reservoir.

 

The following two were taken on the same day during the height of summer. This would have been late afternoon, and I was just amazed at how quickly the shades changed, from lights and fluffy to dark and angry.

And then there is the Towering Cumulus Nimbus. These ones happen when it is especially warm. They are beautiful and huge. Just looking at the photo takes my breath away.

And they do not necessarily happen when the sky is blue...

 

But by far my favorite would be the light and dark clouds. The photos do not pay justice to the sheer size of these.

Love how the light plays with the clouds. The sheer white where the sun hits and the dark tones where the sun gets all but blocked out.

And then, my favorite....

I have only had the pleasure once in my life to see this cloud formation. It is an absolute stunner. Nature at it's best. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Cumulus Nimbus Mammatus:

And wrapping up the African Cloud Pining:

And then, Ireland. Dublin, where I live, would not be known for it's thunderstorm activity, and the clouds here does not really pack the punch that I remember from Africa. Or am I mistaken?

I have recently started really looking at the clouds. And although not the same, it really has it's own charm. The sky in Ireland is spectacularly blue, more so than the heat drenched blue of the South African sky. The contrasts are beautiful. And I have been treated to some spectacular sunrises. The one below is an absolute gem of a sunrise over Dublin.

I have also managed to find my beloved Cumulus Nimbus in all its towering glory. The photo below taken from Bray Head, just outside Dublin.

It is an interesting phenomenon that, once you start looking for things, you tend to notice them. I have now turned my eyes to the sky more and more. If the clouds will obscure my starlit skies, I will hunt them down and photograph them!!

Astro Photography - How not to do it

 There is nothing I like more than staring at the stars. Love it.

I always marvel at the photographers that are really skilled at Astro Photography. Even just pretty pictures of the Milky Way makes me swoon. 

Now, I have never dabbled in Astro Photography because, frankly, I have always assumed that I would have to sell my car to afford the camera required to be able to do this. Then I came across this video on YouTube. 

I am instantly intrigued. 

So there I go, off to the nearest darkish area on the outskirts of Dublin to try my hand at setting up and at least focusing on some stars. 

Let's just say, my first attempts were less than spectacular.

OK, it was a disaster.

Firstly, my focus was WAAAYYYY off. I tried to focus using live view, but due to me setting up too low, it was spectacularly difficult to see anything on my fixed screen. I should have taken my time, but I was a little to rushed. Next time. So I was out of focus, my shutter was open too long, causing each of the shots to have small little star trails, and I had no warm coffee. 

Disaster.

So I went back to look for ideas, tips and tricks. There are some guys out there that are really talented, and does not mind sharing some how-to's.

So if you are looking for some resources and inspiration, feel free to go click crazy on the following links:

Anthony Lynch Photography - Stunning night photos, straight outa Ireland

How to Master Night Sky Photography 

Blog Post by Adrian Hendroff

As for me, back to the drawing board. 

If you think "It could not be that bad", for your viewing pleasure I present, the disaster:

Additional note:

Ireland is not known for it's clear skies. Since the day of the disaster a week ago, there has not been one night with clear skies. This looks like being a waiting game. It does however give me time to get my head screwed on the right way round.

An ode to the 4 x 4 Photo Print

 Call me old fashioned.

Go ahead, I'm waiting.

Thanks. 

That out of the way, I will confess how I become nostalgic when I see an old 4 x 4 inch photo. There is something about it that takes me back to my childhood. Back in the 1970's the Kodak Instamatic camera was the weapon of choice for most middleclass South African families, and mine was no exception. I can't see my dad being the photographer. It is not his scene. So I'm going to assume my mother was the reason for the collection of 4 x 4's in the four or five photo albums that formed part of my childhood.

Later years the Instamatic was upgraded to a later model of Instamatic and the prints turned from a 4 x 4 into a 4 x 6, but the essence remained.

My brother managed to salvage a lot of the old photos, bless his soul. He also happen to scan said photos and shared it via the cloud to the entire family. 

Me and my Dad - Circa 1976

The old photos are grainy, but it is funny how it brings back grainy memories. My mother was no photographer, but the point and shoot Instamatic did not mind. It just churned out the photos. 

Me and my Grandparents - Circa 1975

I remember the 4 sided flash that rotated on top of the camera. Single use (or 4 in this case) and then you threw it away. We rarely took photos in less than favorable light conditions because the flash was, lets just say, inadequate for the novice photographer who did not understand that light intensity on goes so far.

My two grandmothers during a family holiday
Early 1980's

Years later, I have come to appreciate these photos. I was too young to remember when most of these were taken. Only snippets of memories, if any.

The snow in Spring in South Africa I can remember. It was the first time I have ever seen snow. Thank you Instamatic (and mom).

Snow in South Africa - A first for me and my sister
September 1981

Family holidays were always fun. My mom capturing this one of my Dad. He wanted to walk down to the beach with us, but was not properly dressed for the occasion (1989, I think). OK,  granted, this is not a 4 x 4, but you have to admit, it is a good one.

And then there were the school-days. 

Me on my first day of school. 1981.

And me in my final year of school - 1992 (complete with light leaks)

And here I am now, a lifetime later, looking at these photos and thinking that it would be nice to be able to recreate these type of photos. Because I want to.

Friday past was an day off for me. I grabbed the camera (actually two cameras) and headed off to Temple Bar down in Dublin City. Sunday was St. Patrick's day and the area was crawling with tourists and landlords paining the place green. Got a couple of shots, which I will share sometime. During post I decided to go all retro and grainy on them. 

I rather like this one. In retrospect, and to be true to the 4x4 theme, I should desaturate the image. I might do a couple of desaturated ones and see if I like it. But in this case the red wall just works. And it needs to pop, in my opinion.

This photo was taken on my EOS1000D with a Nifty Fifty. The max resolution on this camera is 10MP, and I probably lost about 20% of that with cropping. So getting to a grainy look was not that difficult.

For the picture below I used my Powershot, that has a 20MP resolution. Different story here. Had to crank up the grain strength quite substantially to get the effect. Once again, may need some desaturation, but the jury is still out on that one.

All in all, I am quite happy with these two images as an ode to the 4 x 4 Print. I may explore this further, you never know...

Hello World - A Fresh Start

Nine Arches Bridge - Dublin

I am mostly terrible when it comes to blogging, journaling or anything that requires me to put effort into it. I do appreciate people who do make the effort, and I hereby pledge to do my best.

I have, on several ocassions attempted to document various instances of my life and have learned through all of this that I am, indeed, the king of procrastenation. I intend to change that now. 

I became interested in photography at a young age, but due to finances (or more accurately the lack thereof) and buckets full of procrastenation I never really did anything about it.

With the advent of digital photograpy I was a happy camper, snapping away at anything. Although this increased the size of my photo folders to no end, it was a little aimless.

About a year ago I made a decision to really make an effort. To work on my photography. To capture images that I like. And here we are.

What am I trying to achieve with this blog? To hold myself accountable and inspire me to continue to learn. To document my successes and failures and hopefully help somebody else along the same journey.

So from now on, I will be blogging here on a regular basis. Telling the storey of my journey and sharing my progress.

All the photos shared here will be my own, unless otherwise indicated. Some will be good (I hope) most will  be bad, but all will be taken with the same enthuisiasm. 

Welcome to my journey.

Ha' Penny Bridge - Dublin