Taking the Kodak Retina II out for a spin
I promised @insaneworks awhile back that I would start taking some #crappycameraphotos again. Last weekend I took not one, but two, cameras out to Longwood Gardens with me for a trip: one film, one digital. Both crappy.
To be truthful, the Retina IIa camera should not be considered a crappy camera but, man, did I blow it this weekend. To say I was disappointed with the results is a severe understatement.
This is one of the best pictures I ended up with.
I was using an ISO 400 film on a bright, bright sunshiny (yet still rather cold) day, with a camera whose fastest shutter speed was 1/250. I had to really turn down the aperture to f/16, which ended up giving me two issues:
- Many of the pictures were underexposed
- Many of the pictures had a depth of field that was flatter than what I had wanted.
Nor did it help that I apparently really fucked up developing the film. I'm not sure if the artifacts in the pictures came from crap in my dark bag where I put the film into the cannister, or if it's on the scanner. I really don't think it's the scanner.
And I did a really shitty job of drying the negatives. See for yourself.
The one indoor picture I took turned out pretty well. In a way I'm happy to know that I do not think the camera is at fault, but the leaves only me. Live and learn.
This was a barge on the Delaware River. This would have turned out decent if it didn't streak dry.
Yet, of course, what would a roll of film be without some skeletons, hm? Yes, I keep them out year round. I also have strands of white lights on two of the trees in the front, because white lights never go out of style.
I've since bought some ISO 100 film for these super bright days. I'm going to use this camera again, next, because I know I can do better.
My other film cameras:
- Kodak Duaflex II
- Kodak Tourist
- Agfa B2 Cadet
- Agfa Pioneer
- Brownie Special Six-16
- Kodak Flashmite 20
- Exakta VX
- Graflex 22
- Kodak Retina II
- Canon FT QL
- Zenith Comet
(c) All images and photographs, unless otherwise specified, are created and owned by me.
(c) Victor Wiebe
About Me
Sometimes photographer. Wannabe author. Game designer. Nerd.
General all around problem-solver and creative type.
Blind Skeleton
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That Retina! What a beauty! And not crappy at all as you said.
The stripes, which I assume are from the drying, make an ominous feel to the photos. Like the sky is falling.
The gate and the barge photos are the best and not that crappy. In film photography, you should always think of the extra stuff that comes to the photos during developing as characteristic layers that give that something extra, some call it crappy, others, in digital photography for instance, call it filters. Like Instagram filters. :D I like this crappiness way better than any digital filter.
I don't know why, but if you would have shown me this kind of photos taken with a modern digital camera or a phone, of course usually in color, I would have thought that they are much more crappier than these. Although the end result may be the same I think photos taken with a film camera are more valuable. At least in my head. And I think as the modern cameras and smartphones are so awesome and it's really easy to take good photos with them, there should be no excuse to take crappy photos but I still see lots of those. Although, what is crappy to me may not be crappy to someone else. Anyway, crappy film photography and early crappy digital camera photos are in a higher crappy level than high quality crappy camera photos.
Well, thank you! I suppose I've actually passed the advice before that there are only happy accidents in art. When I look at the photos that I take, one of the first questions I ask myself is which room in the house this would look good hanging in. It has taken a couple days, but I can see these now.
You're spot on with that! More cameras also means more really shitty photos. One of the challenging aspects of using film is the forethought needed. For instance, it's a grey cloudy day today; likely not a good day for the ISO 100 film I just happened to get yesterday. Oy.
Most of my art is good for toilets. Not the usual modern toilets but the outhouse style toilets where mosquitos sting you, walls are covered with newspaper and you can see who's waiting their turn from a heart or moon shaped hole in the door that is locked with a hook. And spiders have made webs to the toilet paper rolls and all that you would be thinking is what the heck is this art supposed to be or am I just too drunk?
I've solved that problem. I hoard film from sales and I almost always have at least two cameras ready, sometimes more, that have different films in them. Something slower and something faster. 100 and 400 ISO are great choices and also usually something even slower like 20 or 50 ISO. And I've also learned from previous experience that it's a good think to write which film I have inside which camera and tape that info on the camera. I use BIG NUMBERS and TEXT and if it's color film then I write that there too.
Now that's an awesome idea. Pre loading film. I like it! I think I might need to do that. I'm certainly got enough cameras!
The downside of preloaded film in multiple cameras is that then you tend to take more photos, have to buy more film, load again many cameras and vicious cycle has begun and ultimately you will end up poor.
Wow you take photography to the next level . I only use my phone ~
Thank you! I use my phone a lot, too, to be honest. It's the camera I have with me most often! But I love film, too.
Oh wow last time I used a film camera was back in college class. I love the nostalgia and I would too if I had a chance. The barge photo you gave it a vintage look which is cool.
Thanks! I have a rather large collection of film cameras that I like to cycle through. Each one has it's own caveats and tricks to it, which really makes them interesting challenges. Particularly those that use odd sized film!
Your skeletons are just fluffing awesome in b&w!
Thanks! I think the neighbours have finally resigned themselves that there will always be at least two skeletons in my yard.
OMG
These remind me of my crappy early art school photos! :D
Film is just SO different to digital, innit?! I'd take these over digital any day... they're so much more atmospheric and arty.
But I think I'm getting old :/
Glad I came to find you today. I actually came to invite you to this interesting looking thing... I dunno if you're into tokens etc but I'm busy learning them and messing around with them now. Finally! It's pretty interesting stuff. Must say.
Come play maybe?
And I shared your post on Threads as well 'cause they said I should thread today. I was going to anyway because my posts are usually so long it takes days to write them and sometimes I just wanna stick up an update. Like the threads concept very much for this. :)
Hope you're warm and safe!
No older than me! Which equates to "just right". 😁
I will go check c3 out! It is new to me. Honestly, to date, I have shied away from anything LeoFinance, but I shall check! And threads, too.
Warm and safe indeed! It's a good place to be in. Keep being awesome!
Juuust right! :D
Hello! Wondered where you'd disappeared to. Or was it me that disappeared?
Why shy away from anything, dear man?
Craving and aversion are to be avoided - a suggestion from the experts. 👍
I follow my curiosity and see for myself. 🐿 It's the only way to discover any kind of truth, you know.
Also new to all of it so we will see what happens next...
But if I don't see you there I'll see you here or the other there. 👣
Sending love. Always.
!LUV
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