Red Rain

Posted by on Mar 08 2009

We decorated an umbrella with some ‘red slime’ we created for fun. This was shot on Fuji FP100c Film.

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Someone to watch over my keys

Posted by on Mar 08 2009

We went to the Auckland Zoo yesterday and I tried out my Voigtlander Vito B. Outside the Zoo there is a park and someone lost left their keys on the table. There was a rooster who was intensely eyeing them! Shot on 35mm Film Fomopan 100:

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Voigtländer Vito B review

Posted by on Mar 08 2009

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I recently aquired Voigtländer Vito B camera through an auction – I was actually a bit lucky. The guy selling it said it didn’t work because the shutter release wasn’t firing.. However, after reading on the internet that this was common problem for the camera [check out links below], I decided to bid on it. I was a bit of punt, but I worked great.

Now the reasons I got this camera is that it was very manual. Not only do you have to guess the F Stop and the Shutter speeds (eg, no light meter), but you had to guess the distance. I wanted something to take me back to the basics of photography. This camera was perfect for that.

Here’s the good stuff about it:

  • Compact, Solid Build. Camera is 50+ years old and feels like it could last longer
  • Sharp lens
  • Being completely manual, its great for learning how intuitively measure lighting.

Here’s the bad:

  • Sticky shutter – this annoying.
  • Negatives sometime overlap each other, creating an unintended double exposure on the edges of the photos

Overall I love this little camera. Aside from issues with the shutter gettng stuck and the negatives overlapping, the shots are great! If you can get your hands on this camera to learn the zone system below is a shot from the first roll of film I took from the camera:

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Some great links about the Vito B:
How to use the Voigtländer Vito B: Perfect step by step guide to using this camera
Voigtländer Vito B Info Page: Nice article about the Camera, very informative
Voigtländer Manuals: List of Voigtlander manuals, I believe the Vito BR manual is the same for the Vito B, and should help fill the gaps not learned from the tutorial above.
Also you you are learning to shoot without a light meter, this page from Fred Parker is priceless! [link]. This will give you guides lines for guessing the perfect exposure for your  Vito B – or any other camera for that matter!

Finding Gaps- Dream from 29-Mar-2005

Posted by on Mar 07 2009

from here http://zegarkus.com/2006/10/05/finding-gaps-dream-from-29-mar-2005/


From my journal from 29-Mar-2005:

I dreamed that I was walking from Mission Bay to work. The only difference was that everyone else in Auckland was too! The streets crowded with walkers going to work (no cars).
I noticed I was ‘finding gaps’ between slow walkers and passing them with a brisk jog. I was determined to get ahead of everyone.

First a bit of background. I walked from Mission Bay to Auckland City nearly everyday from 2004 -2005. That is about 7 kilometre walk one (1 hour 15 minutes). So you can see were the walking came in. I walked because I had stuff on my mind. Mainly about my job.
I hated my job – most of my colleagues were alot younger than me and had no ambition. I also had my boss take credit for work that I had done. I was also betrayed by a coworker who I had completely trusted that led to a reprimanding by my management. So I was not happy.
In 2005 I was determined to find a new job. I had turned down an interesting opportunity in January and February. I was on the hunt for the best opportunity. In April I was going to Australia to take a course improve some of my computer skills. I wanted to improve myself and open new opportunities.
Looking back at this simple dream, I just wanted push forward and get ahead in life. I always associated walking with my job because the the 7K walk was the thing I enjoyed most about work. I was finding gaps in the crowds to move ahead – to creatively and forcefully find new opportunities for myself in my career.
The good news was that I found the perfect job a few months later and started it in June. I became a business partner in September! A bit of smug satifisfaction comes from the fact that the old company (which touts itself as being a technology leader) is struggling and falling behind the times!

Catepillar Driftwood

Posted by on Feb 06 2009

UV ID Film, Expired.

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Update on 2020 Aug 16: UV ID ws probably my absolute favourite Polaroid film, especially over exposed. I just loved the hues.