Farmers Market

Every Wednesday Petaluma hosts an Evening Farmers Market. I thought these baskets were beautiful and the man that sells them sets up right across from my window. The boy zooming by on the skateboard helps tell the story, I think. I can't wait to take these shots with my Leica.

Sshhh... serenity now.

Photo of the Day

Today I am anxiously waiting for the Leica M6 body, that I am going to buy, is finished getting cleaned. I should be able to pick it up some time this week. I can hardly think about anything else. However, the guy I want to buy the lens from hasn't been answering his phone and his voicemail is filled up so I can't give him the go ahead to ship it to me. I fear that I will have this Leica body staring at me without a lens like a Mr. Potato Head missing a nose. It's like Christmas morning when you wake up to that toy you had your eyes on all year, sitting ready to go under the tree, only to find out you don't have the right batteries to make it work. Anyways, the anticipation is killing me. To bide my time I just look at every picture taken with a Leica that has ever been posted online. Robert Franks images are burned into my head. And I just read how even Ms. Digital, Annie Leibovitz herself carries her M6 with her in her backpack at all times.
I can hardly wait.

Nice Try Anyways

This is a major work in progress. I decided to dust off my old Crown Graphic the day of this wedding and see what I came up with. I was in such a hurry though (because it was raining and cold and the bride was freezing) that I didn't meter their faces. Instead I just took a metering with my digital camera and regretfully so, their faces are dark and details were lost. So now I am in the process of tweaking it this way and that to see if I can get a better photo somehow. None the less, I learned something and still came up with an interesting photo either way.

This is Keith Thompson. He is a freelance writer and talk radio personality. Keith is currently working on a new website so once he has that up and running I will post a link to his work. In the meantime, this is a short montage of the photo's I took of him on location. Really look's like he's on the air huh? Or is he?

Back to Film

So I finally processed my first batch of film last night since I was last in the darkroom of my photography school over 3 years ago. I mixed all the chemicals and brushed off the old rusty timer I just bought as a package deal with an old Besseler enlarger. As of right now I'll only be processing the film but won't be making any prints with the enlarger just yet. Anywho, this is what I've got so far. Back to my old dreamy style again. I shot this orchid with my 1947 Crown Graphic that shoots 4''x5'' film. I am a TERRIBLE film handler. I scratch it, put my fingers all over it, and smudge it no matter how hard I try not to. As you can also see somehow I allowed for a light leak to hit the edge of the film. All in all, it's my terrible handling job that makes the images come out the way they do. Ansel would probably hate to have me as an assistant, but it's my work and I like it. I do plan to be more careful in the future. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

"All art is a vision penetrating the illusions of reality, and photography is one form of this vision and revelation.
A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense about what is being photographed, and is, thereby, a true manifestation of what one feels about life in its entirety. This visual expression of feeling should be set forth in terms of a simple devotion to the medium. It should be a statement of the greatest clarity and perfection possible under the conditions of its creation and production.
My approach to photography is based upon my belief in the vigor and values of the world of nature, in aspects of grandeur and minutiae all about us. I believe in people, in the simpler aspects of human life, in the relation of man to nature. I believe man must be free, both in spirit and in society, that he must build strength into himself, affirming the enormous beauty of the world and acquiring the confidence to see and to express his vision. And I believe in photography as one means of expressing this affirmation and of achieving an ultimate happiness and faith." ---Ansel Adams

The picture is of no real significance to the post. Just pretty to look at. I'm really learning what it means to own a business. Everything from charging what I'm worth, to the book keeping aspects of it all. Any advice?