My Nikon FM2n. I consider it my first "real" camera. Sure, there were other cameras before the Nikon, but I don't remember any of them and I am sure if you asked them, they wouldn't much remember me. But me and my Nikon, we go way back, about 11 years last month. And we have been through a lot together. It was there for my first trip to Europe (and my second, and my third...). It was there proudly on my wedding day. It saw the birth of my son. And it has climbed no fewer than three volcanoes with me. There have been sunsets, sunrises, and long hours in between. Some laid back moments and some close calls. The lens got dropped once in a stream. The body has been into the repair shop twice over the years (I use my cameras pretty roughly). It still works and works beautifully. These days mostly it hangs out with Wendi, the 50mm f1.4 works a bit better for her. But the two of us still get together now and then, hang out, swap stories of our past adventures and every once in a while plot a new one together.
Tags: Pentacon Six TL NIkon FM2n film portrait camera bed bedroom at home Portland PDX Oregon analog Blue Moon Camera
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So perhaps you may be familiar with the theory of natural selection: the process by which biological traits become either commonplace or weeded out. But tonight I present you with another concept of natural selection: the non-random drawing together of things that belong together, but were not necessarily originally made with each other in mind. Take the Hasselblad camera and the St. Johns Bridge. I am fairly confident that good old Victor never met Mr. Steinman (although it is not out of the realm of possibility) nor saw his bridge. Yet here I was, 40 years later (my camera was born in 1971) under Steinman's bridge on a lovely foggy morning. Two things that should never have been separated in the first place brought together. Because Hasselblads and bridges, in my humble opinion, are a damn near perfect combination. Add in some atmospheric fog and how can you do better than that? ...to be fair I guess I should mention the camera this image was made with, my Innova 6x9. It is a safe bet that its creator, Don Pyle, was thinking of this bridge at some time or another while building these cameras. So perhaps it isn't so exceptional to find it under this bridge as well in the company of another fine camera.
Tags: Innova 6x9 pinhole wooden cameras St Johns Bridge foggy film analog Portland Oregon Pacific Northwest morning city urban bridge Cathedral Park Blue Moon Camera
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My Innova pinhole camera and my Elgin pocketwatch, couple of my more prized personal possessions. (Another is my Hasselblad, not pictured but certainly doing the picturing.)
My Innova was a birthday gift from Don Pyle, and I have had it about a year... maybe a bit less, but we get along like we have known each other much longer. My Elgin was made in 1871 (one could make a lot of pinhole exposures during that stretch of time). I have had it since last September when it was given to me as a ten year anniversary gift by my boss. Then there is a pile of balancing rocks. I don't know those rocks, but I imagine if I did I would find them to be perfectly pleasant rocks. They just happened to be crowding in when I set up the photo.
Oh yeah, and Abiqua Falls. Carry precious objects to beautiful locations, it's a good combination.
Tags: Hasselblad Hasselblad 500C Innova 6x9 Innova camera porn film analog square Abiqua waterfall Oregon Pacific Northwest landscape balancing rocks wet outdoors cameras pocketwatch Elgin zebra wood Blue Moon Camera
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I told you it was beautiful. My new(ish) Innova 6x9 pinhole posing on top of Silver Star Mountain. I don't normally photograph my cameras, but it insisted. I think it has a bit of an ego, which I can dig in a wooden camera.
This camera is a gift from Don Pyle, and the best way I can think of to repay him is to go forth and use it as well as I can.
Thank you very, very much Don.
Tags: pinhole wooden camera camera portrait Innova 6x9 Silver Star Mountain film Hasselblad hiking outdoors landscape nature Blue Moon Camera
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If you asked me (and I admit I am biased) the Hasselblad has to be the perfect wedding camera. Not only are its results so darn good, but the camera has an elegance that complements the formality and momentousness of the occasion it is photographing perfectly. Even when it is not the main camera, it is still so dapper. A Hasselblad and a DSLR teamed up for this image, so in a way, the best of both worlds coming together. But seriously, if I had to just photograph weddings with just one camera for the rest of my life, well.... you're looking at it.
For Jen and Keith's wedding at McMenamin's Kennedy School, I was once again the main (and only) photographer. But the couple-to-be were pretty relaxed in their expectations for photography. In fact, they requested I do more informal portraits than formal posed photos. It was a very fun wedding to photograph, especially once the makeshift digital photobooth got started up.
Tags: wedding Hasselblad Hasselblad 500C guess you would call this TTC - through the camera Portland Oregon Screw digital vs. film I prefer digital + film bridge groom ceremony Blue Moon Camera
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