The Official Head-Case Photography Thread.

[blessingx]

Diane Keaton Moonlighted as a Photographer

https://aperture.org/editorial/how-diane-keaton-moonlighted-as-a-photographer/ 

 

[EdipisReks1]

Re: Pixma. I’ve done 2 13x19, 2 11x17 and about a dozen 8x10 prints. I’ve used about 20 percent of the dye. That seems reasonable, and suggests decent longevity. Paper is about $30 per 50 sheets. Per print cost is probably a couple bucks. If I had gotten all of these professionally printed, and it’s all photos I wanted printed and framed, we would be deep into the cost of the printer. I’m very glad I bought it. 

On 8/14/2025 at 2:27 PM, blessingx said:

When one of my favorite, faaarrr from perfect, quirky, no one should buy in 2025, cameras shows up in a new article... 

https://petapixel.com/2025/08/14/the-retro-styled-nikon-df-dslr-was-both-behind-and-ahead-of-the-times/

Mine, unfortunately, didn't come with a pocket watch. 

 

I love my Df.  It’s so fun, and the sensor has a certain magic to it. 

[blessingx]

The M EV1 is official 

https://leica-camera.com/en-int/photography/cameras/m/m-ev1-black 
 

 

[Grahame]

2 hours ago, blessingx said:

The M EV1 is official 

https://leica-camera.com/en-int/photography/cameras/m/m-ev1-black 
 

 

So when are you getting one, Ric?

[blessingx]

 

5 hours ago, Grahame said:

So when are you getting one, Ric?

Need time to setup the GoFundMe 

Edited October 23 by blessingx

[blessingx]

In the consumerism thread, I mentioned tracking down a copy of The Pillar by Stephen Gill, a self-published photobook that made waves a few years ago. Thought some of you may enjoy a few shots also. 
 

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/karl-ove-knausgaard-on-stephen-gills-bird-images-in-the-pillar 

https://www.1854.photography/2019/07/the-pillar-by-stephen-gill/ 

https://www.photohastings.org/book-review-the-pillar-by-stephen-gill/ 

 

Edited October 25 by blessingx

[blessingx]

One more Stephen Gill post as I find his work fascinating and you may too. He followed the above with Please Notify the Sun. "It was in 2017 that I began to have an inkling that a single fish might contain a universe of infinite proportions and how amazing a journey within its body could be. So I started to research everything I would need to embark on such an expedition. By January 2020 I had built a work top, obtained a microscope, a camera, optics, lights and fridge."

 

https://collectordaily.com/stephen-gill-please-notify-the-sun/

https://americansuburbx.com/2021/02/stephen-gills-sublime-decay-please-notify-the-sun.html 

 

[Knuckledragger]

 

[jpelg]

Posting this here instead of the "Consumerism" thread, as likely only viewers here would possibly find this interesting in any way. 

I've always wanted a try a medium telephoto on my full-format DSLR, mainly for portraits. So, when an inexpensive Rokinon 85mm 1.4 in the Sony A-mount sat on B&H's used site for a few weeks, in a weak moment I succumbed to the temptation & placed the order:

Literally the first snap from my A900, in a dark living room with one lamp lit, at f1.4 yielded this, which shocked me in its [insert typical "medium-format like" or "3D" quality superlatives here], particularly since it's manual-focus with the usual sliver DOF at minimum aperture:

Of course, I've yet to reproduce anything since that approaches these qualities. So clearly I got very lucky on my first snap & will have to invest more time to learn how to get the best out of this big chunk o'glass. Also, so far I've only shot in B&W (which is my current favored MO), and yet to play with the color output (and deal with the reported CA at minimum apertures). But it's a beautiful piece to fondle & hear the clicks from the aperture ring.

Edited November 2 by jpelg

[mikeymad]

 

 

[blessingx]

Caira (formally Alice) AI camera reviews. Changes coming. 

 

 

 

[blessingx]

I Photographed an Appalachian Family for 15 Years

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/opinion/appalachia-family-photographs-poverty.html?unlocked_article_code=1.zU8.sPlI.uB8LeWerNWJP&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare (gift article) 

 

[blessingx]

Nolan Streitberger's Oregon’s Trail of Tears wet-plate photographs 

https://petapixel.com/2025/11/05/photographer-retraces-oregons-brutal-trail-of-tears-with-wet-plate-camera/

https://www.nolanstreitberger.com/trail-of-tears-1

[Knuckledragger]

Remember when I mentioned 19th century railroad bridges a few months ago?  A part of my re-visiting of photos I took in 2010, I ran a few shots I took of the Chester Arches and water below through modern software.

Luminar 4 is a fine tool if one wrangles it properly.  I'm still not much enamored by Luminar Neo.

 

Watch out for that train!  Tune in next time for a walk around town with a not very good Tamron superzoom "vacation" lens.

[blessingx]

Great shots. 
 

Back from another PhotoFair, just throw shit on the table edition. Also their 50th anniversary. I was good and only bought two $5 “tabletop” old tripods (the only type I seem to use anymore). That justifies buying the ridiculous new lens I really want, right? 

[EdipisReks1]

Rollei 35 on Gold 200.

[EdipisReks1]

I have decided that I’m going to shoot digital only soon. I have a significant amount of film in my freezer, but once it’s gone my film cams are conversation pieces only. I can fortunately shoot the vintage Nikon glass on the Df. Thinking about going to a Hasselblad 907x.

I guess I’ll get a Ricoh to replace the Rollei. It’ll be a lot less charming. I’m able to get shots with that camera that I couldn’t with anything larger and less charming. I hope a GR meets those requirements. 

Edited November 17 by EdipisReks1

[Knuckledragger]

DO want.

[mikeymad]

keep your sensor clean

 

[Knuckledragger]

A while back, I bought a lot of camera gear because I wanted one specific piece.  The lot was cheaper than the item on its own, because eBay.  Included in the pile of gear was a Tamron "vacation lens" (all-in-wonder, not good at anything) 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD A010.  Yes, that's its name.  I was not expecting much with the Tamron and it's barely delivered even on that meager promise.  With that said, I did have some fun with it.  This past September, I took the 5D IV and Tamron for a walk around downtown EDG.

This New Beetle is parked in front of this shop all summer.  78mm @ F/9, 1/200.

 

Old Beetle!  It made genuine air cooled noises, and belched out noxious exhaust fumes.  87mm @ F/8, 1/200.

 

The main drag, which is one way, because it was built for horses. 70mm @ F/8, 1/200.

 

Zoomed in on the same, 179mm @ F/7.1, 1/250.  Main St. never meant to hold a Wagoneer.

 

A rather famous boat, with Chappy in the background. 28mm @ F/10, 1/320.

 

Speaking of famous, the Dolphin returns to harbor.  71mm @ F/10 1/320.

 

Both On Time ferries, 109mm @ F/9, 1/320.

 

A Series III on Kelly St.  That's a pet pickup truck I see in the summer behind it. 195mm @ F/7.1, 1/200.

 

The line for the On Time, Daggett St. 97mm @ F/8, 1/160.

 

Mose St. is two way, and has parking. It's even less suited for Wagoneers. 97mm @ F/8, 1/200.

 

The Connaught House, now just another goddamn rental.  109mm @ F/8, 1/250.

 

North Water St.  179mm @ F/7.1, 1/250.

 

A cute MG and absolutely garbage bokeh.  223mm @ F/7.1, 1/320.

 

South Water St, which I have callously ignored for 20 years now. 87mm @ F/8, 1/200.

 

September is still vacation for some. 43,mm @ F/8, 1/250.

 

The Tamron is not a very good lens.  It covers a large focal range and not well.  I had to work over many of the above pretty thoroughly to get decent results.  I also had a bunch of shots that were not really worth the effort to salvage.  Tune in next time for Vineyard wildlife and some seasonal colors.