Category Archives: The Story

Inspired By Series, Interior Spaces, Intersections, Personal Vision, Portraits, Social Commentary, The Story

Inspired By: Kim Weston

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Let’s start with a Weston Interview Quote:

“…..If you use a film long enough, you get to know its characteristics. I don’t use a meter, I just know the light…..”

I love the quote because I rarely use my spot meter…….

Now, what inspires me?  If you check out his website….he exclusively does nude photography.  Although tastefully done, it’s not my thing (although there is one image I do love: Nude in Cactus).  And this is as far as I go into Nudes:

Johnson_KE_Illuminate_4

What Inspires Me? First I am inspired by His warm and welcoming attitude towards film students and film enthusiasts in the Monterey Bay Region.    I met Kim Weston when he welcomed our Monterey Peninsula College Class to Wildcat Hill.  At that time he was making predominantly platinum prints and we were an Alternative Processes class.  So he demonstrated the printing method for us.  He also discussed his artistic philosophy, and let us see his famous grandfather, Edward Weston’s, simple but beautiful darkroom. Imagine yourself making fabulous 8X10 contact prints like pepper #39 using an incandescent light bulb.

Kim Weston invited us to drop by, and if he wasn’t busy, we could talk about photography.  One of my friends spoke up.  Luther was having trouble learning to use his 4X5 view camera.  Kim just said, drop by with the camera sometime.  Luther did, and Kim Weston spent the afternoon showing him how to get the most from his 4X5. His support of film photographers, especially students, inspires me.

But Kim Weston eventually took it a step further, starting the Weston Collective, a scholarship program for students in Monterey County that are studying fine art film photography.  And the Collective has taken a step forward in support of fine art photography by opening a darkroom and teaching studio.  Raising the funds and managing the space for the benefit of ‘developing’ film photographers is inspiring.

 

 

 

Architecture, Interior Spaces, Personal Vision, The Story

My Pinhole Day at Aztec Ruins

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I finally have submitted an image to the World Wide Pinhole Day site.  Last year I had a great image but never uploaded it. Darn! But this year I didn’t let it pass me by:

KEJohnson_WWPHDay_2019_AztecRuins2

From the Aztec Ruins, New Mexico.  A misnomer of course, because this was built by the “Ancient Ones” circa  11th Century BCE.  The Great Kiva was reconstructed in 1934 by Hopi and Puebloan workers.  The image above was the one I submitted…..Below all of the best images.  Reality So Subtle 6X6F Pinhole Camera, Kodak Portra 400 Film, @ 5 minutes exposure time:

Inspired By Series, Intersections, Personal Vision, The Story, Themes

Inspired By: Don Anderson

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You won’t find my Don Anderson listed online.  He died recently and his website has been taken down.  Too Bad, because as my Instructor for Experimental Methods and Alternative Processes at Monterey Peninsula College, He was a huge influence.  I was introduce to photographic concepts I would never have tried on my own.

So let me show some examples of techniques I never would have tried without Don Anderson:

Cyanotypes & Van Dykes:

Memorial_Day

Experimental Developing Methods:

Shrove_Tuesday

Liquid Emulsions:

Anniversary_New

Crappy Cameras,  Holga & Diana:

HolgaAtHome

Pinholes:

Fall_River_Road

The most important thing that I learned was, that even if these are not methods you will focus on, the exposure to these methods will have a positive influence on your Mainstream Photography.

Landscapes, The Story

My Kodak E100 Experience: Hot or Cold?

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I waited with baited breath, as they say, for results from early E100 Film Testing.  Always reliable, I delved into the EMULSIVE Review, which compared various exposures, by processing at EI 100, 200, 400 800.  At first glance I like the EI200 images, so I started by comparing EI 100 vs EI 200.  The Cameras, my nearly identical Minolta X-700 with Tamron 28-200 zoom lens, which I’ve used for a number of side by side film tests:

 

Two_X-700

I took a second look at the EMULSIVE results after reviewing my own tests, and can’t believe that I didn’t see the EI 200 images were colder.  Also, the example scenes were not typical subjects that I would have photographed (the exception being flowers).  I had fears about the new E100 because I new that it was based on E100G, which I had always found to be too cold.  I always used a warming filter with the old E100G.  The long gone warm tone balanced E100GX had been my favorite.

So my results, E100 @ EI 125 (following Galen Rowell’s recommendation) on the top and EI 200 on the bottom.  All of the photos are the original raw scans with no adjustments of brightness, contrast or levels and no warming filter:

E100_125_MeteredE100_200_Pushed

The Cathedral Rocks in Arizona,  I tried to get the same perspective, but there is a slight difference. Below viewed from a distance:

E100_125_Metered2E100_200_Pushed2

And zoomed in:

E100_125_Metered3E100_200_Pushed3

Note the color of the Red Rocks and the Soil.  Since I frequently shoot Red Rocks, I’d like them to have the truer Red of the EI 125 images.  Below I’m showing the EI 125 exposed a +1 stop.  It probably offers a truer color rendition:

E100_125_TrueColor

It’s probably time for me to test E100 with a warming Filter vs. Portra 400.  I’ve found Portra 400 to be an acceptable color film for my current use.  I’ve also been spoiled by the wide latitude of exposures that a C-41 film allows.  Since I mostly shoot B&W now, I’m not sure that E100 has enough zip to bring me back to E-6.  But I’ll wait on a final E100 choice after the 120 is available.  I’ll test that vs Portra 400.

Intersections, Portraits, The Story, Uncategorized

Through the Glass: Rounding 3rd and Heading for Home….

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I Rang Out on Wednesday using the Solari Bell.  By the time you see this I will be on my way Home:

 

And Yes, I am taking my ‘friend’ the Mask.  More Scenes from my life over the past 2 Months:

 

I still have tons of images to post from my Arizona Experience.  Those will appear from time to time throughout the Summer.

Intersections, Personal Vision, Social Commentary, The Story, Urban Landscapes

Good Friday: The Photo Story

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Good_Friday

From the Riverside Cemetery, Denver, Colorado.

This post IS for Good Friday.  But there is also a Story to be told.  This was my second visit to the Riverside Cemetery in Denver.  Dragging around my Mamiya 645 in its rolling case.  The Riverside Cemetery is a place to go for History Addicts, as it is the oldest Denver Cemetery.  It needs some love, but is now being managed by The Friends of Historic Riverside Cemetery.

But things aren’t as they seem, when I scanned the film from my second visit I reversed the negative.  And on my first visit I had taken the Long View. The original perspective and correct orientation is below.  What do You Think?

Cemetary_Jesus

Notice the lovely Oil Refinery in the background, which is why on my second visit, I  moved in closer to “crop in the camera”, and show the face of Mary.  I also had better light on the second go around.

 

Inspired By Series, The Story

Inspired By: Where the Series is Going

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I thought about starting this Series when I heard that “Mountain Light’, Galen & Barbara Rowell’s Gallery, was closed, and that was my first post.  Reading his books was a turning point in my use of E-6 films.  I wanted to start acknowledging the Photographers that have influenced me and what about them I find Inspiring.

So I thought of lots of “Famous” Photographers”, some of whom I’ve actually met, and put them on my ‘to do list’.  But Lately I’ve realized that my ‘colleagues’ (people that are amongst the best but not famous yet?) are perhaps MORE inspiring.  People whose Blogs and Tweets I care to follow must mean something to me, right?

Unfortunately, some of those who Inspired me, Like Galen Rowell, have passed on.  Their websites may no longer exist.  But I will share with you wrk that I never would have tried without their Inspiration.

So, If I’m following you, especially if we communicate a lot, you may see yourself here.

Pinhole_Experimental

 

Nature, Personal Vision, The Story, Themes

Through The Glass: Passing the Halfway Point

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Arizona_Cactus1_Posted

I’ve completed half of my Proton Bean Treatments.  Wooooo Hoooo!  So I’m sharing one of my husband’s digital images of:  Argentine Giant (Echinopsis candicans).  Happily blooming in a median at the Mayo Clinic.

My Film Cacti Photos Coming Soon!