as easy as flying a kite...

Sherri and I took Pyper out to fly kites today. Pyper really liked the idea of flying a kit. The trouble was, when you handed her the handle, she panicked an threw it down every time. Sooooo... Sherri and I spent alot of time flying the kites and chasing the kites when Pyper let them go. Was able to at least capture one image of the afternoon...

lively decay...

Doesn't happen all the time, but today was the day. Pulled my Land Rover up into an unknown/unsuspecting person's driveway just to take a picture of this flower bush. It was a very rustic yard (aka. unkept), but the extremes of the liveliness and the decay stood out as I passed by. I am sure glad Sherri wasn't with me. That way I didn't have to explain my keen sense of creativeness to her all over again... 

catastrophy averted...

Captured this image today with my Polaroid Big Shot camera. I started having trouble with the developer spreaders a few weeks back and this image was the last one that I was able to pull through them before they completely broke apart. As you can see, it tore the edges of the film and the developer only spread on part of the image. Film is so unique in that an otherwise ruined image can be salvaged. In addition to saving the image, I fixed and improved my Big Shot camera. I had a Polaroid back for a Hasselblad camera that I bought at a garage sale for $5. The roller assembly snapped right in the slot where the spreader bar assembly was on the Big Shot. Until I get a Hasselblad camera, this works great...

the mystery machine...

saw this van in a parking lot on my way home tonight...

golden palm...

threes...

In celebration of the 3rd birthday of the Impossible Moment in Time Flickr group, this month's theme is three. Here are my two photos of three...

three cups of coffee in the morning...

and three tacos for dinner...

as american as instant film...

Now this is what can be done with Impossible PQ 8x10 Color Protection Film! Based on this photo, I am ready to place my next order on the day the film releases public...

glowing start...

My first image with my recently acquired Impossible/Holden SX-70...

success in the studio...

A collaboration with the one and only Justin Goode. With this setup taking so much time, I couldn't imagine letting Justin just take one 8x10. This is my version with Polaroid 669 film and the 600SE camera...

little princess...

my instant hobby/habit...

It has been a little over a year and a half of shooting instant film for me. I have spent more money on all of my cameras, film and accessories than I ever really want to think about. My hobby, photography, has always been expensive. At least Sherri has come to accept that. Now when a package arrives unannounced at our house she doesn't open them to see the how much I spent. She just waits for me to get home and ask the same two questions: what did you buy and how much did it cost. I answer the questions and that is all that she says about it.

So I've spent alot of money on instant photography... With that money I have produced more personal satisfaction than digital photography can ever dole out. There is nothing like producing an image that requires so much thought and is instantly available to hold in your hand. Something about holding the image in your hand; right after you take it. Something about watching the image develop; it's ok to peek while it is developing. Something about having all the images stored away; even if it is in a shoe box.

As much as I enjoy shooting expired Polaroid and Fuji film, I can't imagine instant photography without The Impossible Project. Not only have they revived interest in instant photography, but they are a group of individuals that genuinely want you to enjoy the experience of instant photography. They continually are going out of their way to make sure that information and inspiration is constantly available to all that want to embark on this journey. To TIP, I owe a huge amount of thanks!

With all this being said, here are my final images for Roidweek 2013:

Set up one of my SX70 cameras on a tripod and used a self-timer to capture this. I can never seem to leave the house with just one camera. This kinda shows a typical photo outing for me...

Roidweek 2013 Day 5, Image #1

Shot this 8x10 portrait with my Toyo 8x10 camera pointing directly into the sun. I had hoped for a little flare, but instead a got a low contrast image that I really like...

Roidweek 2013 Day 5, Image #2

so happy...

Wouldn't be a completed roidweek without a photo of my most willing instant film subject, little miss pyper...

Roidweek 2013 Day 4, image #2

in perspective...

Roidweek 2013 Day 4, image #1

the hardest part of leaving...

Roidweek Day 3, image #2:

"the hardest part of leaving is what you left behind"

Sometimes inspiration comes from the strangest events...

Leonard...

Roidweek Day 3, image #1:

I met Leonard in Baton Rouge, LA last Sunday. We stayed downtown on Saturday night and I got up early Sunday morning to walk around with my Polaroids. Leonard and I struck up a conversation and as always it led to him asking me about the SX70 camera that I was carrying. We talked about the camera and the film. Leonard told me how he used to take pictures all the time, but that was long ago. I asked him if he wanted a photo and of course he said yes.  I took two and gave him one...

Roidweek 2013 - Day 2...

Proof that adding "instant" to any vacation makes it even better. 

Below are my 'Day 2' images:

the shack...

sadi in black...

Roidweek 2013 - Day 1...

Inspiration has been hard to find over the past few months. I think it takes an event like Roidweek to make you dig down deep and search for inspiration in the past photos and look for inspiration all around you to capture new. That being said, here are my first two images for the week:

by the sea...

taken back...