Happy Trails

I'm hitting the road in about five hours for a week of hiking and camping in The Great Smoky Mountain National Park. My fisheye and digital point and shoot are packed and ready, no "real" cameras, but as Warren Miller says, "If you don't do it this year, you'll be one year older when you do." 

Chimney Tops, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, March 2009

The Third Times a Charm!

Not only did I pass Math 099N (as in no college credit) after taking it for the third time, but my third roll experimenting with the Fisheye has been the best.

Don't forget to take the lens cap off. 

Family Store, Freeport, Illinois. 

What Was Papa Johns, Freeport, Illinois. 

Shelby Rogers is wonderful. 

The Fisheye No. 2 had a bulb shutter setting. This was my first and only experiment with it. 

Doris. 

Mat Cleaner, Naperville, Illinois. 

Sculpture on the River Walk, Naperville, Illinois. 

Dandelion Fountain, Naperville, Illinois. 

Shoot From the Hip, Naperville, Illinois. 

Dick Tracy, Naperville, Illinois. 

I'm listening to Reflection Eternal's new album Revolutions Per Minute. Of course I'm only a few tracks in and its already some of the best hip hop to come out this year. It's no surprise that Reflection Eternal's second and most anticipated album is sick -- c'mon its Talib Kweli & Hi Tek what do you expect?! Though I think they could have a come up with a better album title. Have they never heard of this Revolutions Per Minute album?  

Snail Mail!

Since letter writing is one of my favorite forms of communication (with smokes signals in a close second), the first five people to email me with their snail mail address will get a postcard from The Great Smoky Mountains National Park! This idea came from my friend Nick Hawkins over at Where is Hawkins?, who must have sent out hundreds of postcards over the last year. This is my little way to pay it forward Nick.

It's here!

Hope to have a roll to show by Wednesday!

John Hemingway, a former professor and fellow photographer, once told me to RTFM (though on his site its just RTM ;) and that's just what I'm doing, reading the manuel and getting to now this camera.

Vamos Chicago!

Pushing Kodak T-MAX 400

These are two of my favorite photographs I have taken (and thats not because my wonderful girlfriend is the subject, but it doesn't hurt). The process I used to achieve such high contrast is called "pushing." It's a rather simple process, shoot a roll of 400 but set the ISO on the camera at 800 and process it as if it was 800.

Photograms

This was my first assignment for my photography class. I was pleased how my photograms turned out.

 Untitled.

Solidarity.  

LomoEye

I borrowed my friends Lomography Fisheye (you can get them cheaper on Amazon). I was very pleased with it, I have always loved the barrel distortion of the fisheye. Here are the worth while shorts from my first rolls. I ordered a Fisheye No. 2 should be in my hands by the end of the week!
First Roll Kodak 400

Front, Chadwick, Illinois 

Back, Chadwick, Illinois. 

Rock Falls, Illinois. 

Kokomo's Shaved Ice, Rock Falls, Illinois. 

Second Roll Kodak 800
A few years back my Canon Elan7e refused to shoot under 1/125th, I tested it out with a few shots on this roll be rewound it back in the cartridge. Fast forward four years I found this roll in my camera bag and popped into the fisheye, forgetting the rolls history. Thus I got a couple double exposures. 

Toyota Park, Bridegview, Illinois. 

Civic Pride, Toyota Park, Bridegview, Illinois. 

Analog camera party, Toyota Park, Bridegview, Illinois. 

Top Gheezers, Toyota Park, Bridegview, Illinois.

Morning Commute I, Macomb, Illinois.  

Morning Commute II, Macomb, Illinois.  

Morning Commute III, Macomb, Illinois.