Looking for 620 Film?

I finally found a company that makes 620 film. I wasn't sure where to look for it initially, but I ended up finding it on J and C Photo, a company that specializes in making film for older cameras. Even the pictures taken with it look kind of old, like the one below. Instead of the Odessa Meteor Crater, you might expect to see a picture of unsmiling, dour-looking women in stiff, uncomfortable dresses and corsets. You know, pictures you find in a box in the attic and wonder, "Who are all these people?" It could be the faculty of Harvard's Women's Studies Department shortly after discussing Larry Summers. It could also be the staff of the local library with someone holding up a 75 year-old overdue library book as the photographer snaps the photo. Probably it's just that everybody is a bit peevish at being forced to wear corsets and sit still for a picture taken in 85 degree heat.

At any rate, if you have an old camera that takes 620 film and you want to get it out and use if for old time's sake, go to jandcphoto.com They also sell flash bulbs to go with the cameras. Any high-end camera shop camera shop can develop it. Additionally, they sell 126 film if you have an instamatic hanging around and medium format infrared film. All good stuff.

All Hail the Argus Seventy-Five!

Okay, I didn't really get the film wound tight enough, but the first three pictures came out great. The subsequent photos got progressively worse, not to mention the fact that the photo developer apparantly didn't cue in on the fact that medium format film isn't printed out as a 4X6. I guess the giant spool with 120 printed on it didn't catch their attention. Oh, well. I was just happy to find out the camera worked.

I took the Argus Seventy-five out for a West Texas excursion one day and stopped at the Odessa Meteor Crater. I expected to see a giant hole in the ground. I saw a giant hole in the ground filled with cacti and mesquite. I was a little disappointed, but it occurred to me that that sort of thing happens after a few millenia and since I'd driven all that way, I took the pictures anyway.

Lewis and Clark Slept Here

Do you live in a state in which Lewis and Clark passed through? Have you gone to any of the bicentennial celebrations? Have you heard so much about it that you're ready to pitch yourself screaming out of an open window?

I'm from Nebraska and happened to be stationed there last year when the whole bicentennial thing was going on and it was quite a lot of fun and very interesting. But it just kept going...and going...and going...

By the time I left Nebraska, I was about Lewis and Clarked out. But just to remember the good times, here are a few snapshots courtesy of my good friend the Holga.

Nothing says Westward Expansion like a blanched cattle skull. The bicentennial committee managed to drum up three of them for this event.

During My Exile to San Angelo...

...the Air Force's education command let us out of our cages on the weekend to go wherever provided we filled out the requisite paperwork detailing down to the gnat's behind where we would be every waking second and promising not to do anything dangerous, like crossing the street (they consider EVERYTHING to be dangerous--they even have instructions on classroom safety--you just never know what can happen when you're using Sharpies to draw on a piece of laminated paper).

Anyway, during several of my escapes from Angelo-traz, I visited San Antonio. Here's the Alamo. The great thing about cheap plastic cameras, is I can get that dreamy diffuser look without actually having to use a diffuser.

I Love My Holga

I love my Holga. It's currently mummified with black electrical tape to keep out the light leaks. I took it with me to Nova Scotia when I was at the Halifax air show. Somebody asked me something to the effect of did I get this piece of you-know-what out of a cereal box. Of course not. I had to eat five boxes of cereal and send in $29.95 to get this treasure. Not really. I just sent in $16.95 to Adorama.

Things like focus and lack of vignetting are so overrated.

This was taken at the Henry Doorley Zoo's Desert Dome in Omaha. It has a slightly ethereal look.

Stay tuned. There's more to come...