Window Dressing- Portra 160 And Colors

After exposing a roll of Portra 160 to maybe too much light, while walking downtown Fitchburg, MA for a bit, I came across some very cool window displays at Shack’s Department Store. They really were the perfect experiment for Portra 160’s rich color palette. While digital photography is now known as a medium that offers a very wide offering of colors, looking at these closely really makes one wonder if there is a viable alternative. The film scans beautifully, and honestly, there are some colors I see here that I have never been able to capture digitally.

I have used 160 NC and VC, the old emulsions, mostly in 120 on the Hasselblad. This new emulsion seems to take the best of both. The colors are certainly rich and vivid, but not in a wonky, over the top fashion, such as in VC, or the previously blogged about Ektar. That is also a beautiful film, but Portra 160, one may argue, is a more realistic one. While it is doubtful that it has the wide latitude of Portra 400, nor the versatility, this film has breathtaking color and sharpness. Yet, it seems almost ideal for portraiture, where Ektar may produce tomato-like skin tones.

Once again, shot with the F3HP, and 50mm f/1.4Ai, these shots really make me want to get out there again soon, and shoot more rolls. Needless to say, thrilled with the results. Kodak, if you are listening, keep pumping out this gorgeous film, please!

These are truly the colors as metered and photographed. At Shack’s, Fitchburg, MA.

I think these are some of the best colors I’ve ever shot with film, including on Kodachrome.

Flowers

Memorial Day, 2012- Nikon F3HP, Portra 160

Took these, out in the midday sun, with Kodak Portra 160. This is the view on Fitchburg Common, Fitchburg, MA. Portra is a gorgeous film, but I did struggle a bit yesterday with overexposure and “hot” images. “The Golden Hour”, while in principle a great rule, is not always practical, or realistic. I have been trying to train myself to shoot away from the sky, and sunlight, but when doing landscape, urban landscape, things of that nature, does not always work. For this walk, I took the newly CLA’d and serviced Nikon F3HP. I also had a brand new LCD display installed, as after 20 plus years, the panels started to dim. Nikon USA service is indeed great, as they had the camera for less than a month. In July, Nikon will no longer sell parts to the general public, or independent service techs. So, if you need coupling prongs, screws, etc, this might be a great time to do it.

One WWII veteran visiting this site said to me “there are almost too many here to photograph”. Sad, but true.

Each memorial has a flag.

White subjects under the bright sun did present quite a challenge to photograph.

Freedom Is Not Free- Memorial Day, 2012

I thought with Memorial Day in the US right around the corner, this might be very timely. Last month, I visited the Worcester County Korean War Memorial in Worcester, MA. As I was at the dedication in 2007, I have wanted to return to this beautiful, moving statue, showing a protective, stoic Army soldier, with a sweet, proud little Korean boy standing side by side with him. It is very hard not to be moved to tears, as it shows strength and courage in what truly was a brutal bloodbath of a war. Yet, beautiful stories came out of it, such as US soldiers feeding and protecting orphaned children.

Remembering them, these were taken with my FE-2, 105mm f/2.5, 50mm f/1.8, and Kodak Tri-X. Never forget. Enjoy your Memorial Day.

From http://www.kwmworcester.org/index.asp :

The Worcester County Korean War Memorial on Foster Street (formerly Worcester Center Boulevard), Worcester, honors the 191 young soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in the Korean War. This phase of the memorial was dedicated on November 9, 2003. Thousands of people attended the ceremony, which was the culmination of an effort that spanned decades.

Phase II construction completed the memorial and a final dedication was held on October 20, 2007. Phase II includes educational signs, additional flagpoles and a new Walkway of Honor situated in a park-like, tree-lined setting. It also includes Heroic-sized statues of a Korean War American soldier and a Korean child, representing the 100,000 orphans helped by the GIs during the war and symbolizes the hope and bright prospects for Korea’s future. Plus, the new Walkway of Honor includes bricks for fallen heroes of Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Somalia and Philippines, as well as American ex-POWs. Bricks are also inscribed for six American news correspondents who died in Iraq and Pakistan.

For Information or to make a donation to the Memorial call Toll Free 1-800-343-0939, ext. 0234.

Standing side by side, St. Vincent’s Hospital in the background.

The little boy is so strong and proud.

Side profile- the statue truly is life-sized.

“I Really Miss That Sound!”- Photojournalist For A Day

Last month, on the way home from Photographica, I stopped off at a Tea Party Rally. I figured it would be a great way to practice some photojournalism, old school, with the F3HP, motor drive, TriX, and a kit full of fast Nikkor glass. Good call.

A local newspaper photographer, shooting digital, came up to me, hearing the MD-4 and shutter, and said “I miss that sound!” To which I responded, “I can’t get enough of it”.

The supporters were polite, well-behaved, and demonstrating for what they feel was right. Agree or disagree, well, I guess, neither, as a photojournalist for a few hours. The F3 was the hit of the Party.

This was a blast to photograph. High contrast B&W seemed to lend itself perfectly to the event. I also shot some color in the F2, with not nearly the same impact visually. Here are a few frames from the couple of rolls I shot. My Flickr stream will have a lot more-

Tea Party Representative From Brandeis University

Tea Party Supporter

Hoping For Change

WCRN News Director Hank Stoltz on the left, engaged in conversation.

Shots From Photographica- April, 2012

As I blogged recently, last month, there truly were bargains to be had at Photographica. Ironically, despite being a mostly analog show, I was one of the few folks I saw there who was actively shooting film at the event. My Nikon F3HP received several ‘is that one for sale” inquiries, as well as “what film are you shooting with” questions. I was amongst friends, so the usual “you can still get film?” was not a question. The lighting was very dark inside, and as I did not shoot with a flash, I shot wide open at f/1.4. Outdoors, at about f/8.

Here are a few shots from the weekend (April 14-15, 2012)-

So nice to see a Hasselblad on the sign!

Fellow PHSNE member Al Holmy always has great gear for sale- and is very, very knowledgable.

Lots of film photographers were buying, and the prices were, after haggling a bit, very reasonable.

This gentleman had some fantastic Canon glass for sale.

Trying a tripod out.

The next Photographica is September 22-23rd, in Wakefield, MA. See www.phsne.org for more details. This show, the prices seemed much more reasonable, in line with what is out there online, and the dealers were indeed haggling. Maybe a sign of the economy, but also great for us. This show is a must see for film photographers in the Northeast.