Some thoughts from my niece Sarah from yesterday, Saturday May 6th, also known as day 126.
I’ve know we have been away for awhile, dealing with health challenges, but with the rebirth of spring we seem to be on the mend. So we intend to re-restart this blog again this week.
Aha! You thought I was gone. But I’m back. Those of you who have followed my illness know where I’ve been. The rest of you can read about it here. For the last few months I’ve been thinking about what I want to do with my photography. A recent article by Chris Gampat about low vision photography (LVP) inspired me to give it a try.
People often wonder how one can do photography while blind. So first let’s define what what we mean by low vision photography. Low vision isn’t exactly blind. Many of us learned photography while we still had some vision. This is why the phrase low vision is more accurate than blind. Chris learned photography after he had lost much of his vision. I’ve only recently lost significant vision, but I’ve been doing photography all of my adult life.
To illustrate this, here are two images (one above & one below) of the same subjects and scene. The first one, the blurred one, is somehow more compelling than the second, which is technically more correct.
Here are two more images. They are abstract because of the lighting and the exposure. They both have some interesting elements in common, such as strong back lighting, and some that are not, such as motion blur.
Which one do you prefer? And why?
Most People outside of RAP don’t know the connection. The GAP Band members were born, raised and started their Music career in Tulsa.
The band is an acronym based on the streets of Greenwood, Archer, and Pine in the historic Greenwood neighborhood of the Wilson brothers’ hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Celebrate the Music. Remember the loss and play some GAP Today.
I remember first seeing these Mountains 30 years ago. On a recent trip through New Mexico we decided to stop by Las Cruces to see the Organ Mountains:
I’ll have more views of the Mountains coming soon. For more information on the Ogan Mountains CLICK HERE.
Happy Easter!
IFor the 4th Quarter of 2020 I tested the Agfa Billy Clack No. 51, a 645 medium format camera from 1934/. The cost on EBay was $35. The Photos were quite successful, leading me to try my other less than $50 Pre-1940’s cameras:
| Pre-1940’s Cameras | Year | Cost | Format |
| Mom’s Kodak Art Deco 620 Camera | 1933 | Free | 620 |
| Kodak Jiffy Series II SIX 20 Camera | 1928-32 | $14 | 620 |
| AGFA Billy Clack 51 6×4.5 German strut folding | 1934 | $35 | 120 |
| AGFA Billy Clack 74 6X9 German strut folding | 1934 | $40 | 120 |
| AGFA Isolette 6X6 German Strut folding | 1937 | $35 | 120 |
So these are the primary cameras I will be using for The Frugal Film Project.
AGFA Billy Clack 74 6X9 is the January 2021 Camera I will Start with. Using Ektar 100 Film to capture the end of the Holiday Saeson.
The rest of the Cameras givin in no particular use order. I’ll just have to see what the conditions are and what’s going n that’s of Photographic interest. In other wirds, I’ll let the circumstance pick the camera and the film.
AGFA Billy Clack 51 6×4.5 I’ve had a lot of success with. So it may make more than on appearance in the project.
AGFA Isolette 6X6 shows some promise. I will probably reserve it for the faster B&W film, the Tri-X 400.
And now for the Kodak Cameras……….
Mom’s Kodak Art Deco 620 Camera. This camera needs a bit of a work out. It uses 620 format film (similar to 120 film). I’ve only put one roll of film through it. There’s no formal unboxing. M mom simply gave it to me Christmas 2019 in a cloth bag.
NEEDS PHOTO
Kodak Jiffy Series II SIX 20, The non-Art Deco version of Mom’s camera. I have not yet tested this camera. So we shall see…….
There are also some Post-1940 cameras, such as my Grandfather’s Argus Brick, which will likely be a part of this year;s Frugal Film. We’ll introduce those cameras as I apply thm.
I choose this image to sum up my feeling about the Year 2020:
A Word from My Inner Monet
Check here for my 202 0opes and Dreams.
What am I looking forward to for 2021?
Well, my brain tumor decided to return with a vengeance at the end of 2020, leaving me partially blind and with an uncertain future.
My Hopes? To maintain the stability of the sight that I have and retire on disability. Technically I am legally blind and cannot continue my work. But I can see well enough to continue with my photography. And there is a slim chance of visual improvement.
Right now I am waiting….Patience. As my surgeons try to decide if more surgery will help……
Hopefully Next Year will be better!
So I am going to go ahead and make plans for 2021, including photographic plans:
+Of course, continuing my own Blog
+Working with Pre-194’s cameras for My Inner Monet
+Continuing with the Frugal Film Project
+Continuing the Thursday Doors
+Continuing the Inspired By Series
+Adding more Pinhole work, consistent with My Inner Monet…..
+Occasionally entering contests; although not a high priority.
So I am Looking Forward to a Happy, Healthy and Productive 2021
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy 2021!
I decided to summarize my participation in the @ILFORDPhoto #CameraChallenge on Twitter, and posted on my Long’s Peak Journal.
@ILFORDPhoto and @_JasonAvery sponsor Photo Challenges on Twitter……..
@_JasonAvery
By the time you read this we will be on our way back to the Phoenix Mayo Clinic for the next 30 days. We made arrangements to stay at the Condos we had used before.
After talking to the second neuro-surgery teleconference it was decided to run some additional tests before scheduling surgery. I will tell you that I had started the steroid therapy and there was some improvement, especially for my left eye. Undoubtably this is the source of my extended testing.
Now I have the results or a preliminary evaluation…..Surgery now or Later? The vote for surgery later (maybe). We are in a wait and see mode hoping to stabilized my vision and move forward. I wii definitely ready to hear that news.
So I am off into the Mountains for a drive today. Still testing ‘old cameras’ and ‘new’ films. Taking it easy for the rest of this year. And can I Say “Hallelujah, Amen”!
myvintagecamerasblog 