justin and the beard...

Met up with Justin today at my house to get to take this 8x10 before he shaves the beard. I would have to say that I am envious of a man that can grow a beard like this. The beard deserved to be captured on 8x10 before it was gone. I took several different instant and 35mm photos, but this one was the one that I was looking for. Thanks Justin for stopping by and spending your lunch with me...

albert...

I have found out a few things in this venture with instant film. It is never cheap and no matter how much you think you know, the results can still be unpredictable. I have some 8x10 film with a manufacture date of October 2012. It has been cold-stored, but time has taken it's toll on the chemicals. The lesson learned here is to use more film, more often to avoid the divot results that you see above. My brother-in-law Albert and Sherri's sister were staying with us a couple of days. This photo was a last-minute, go-get-the-camera-out type of photo. The sun was setting fast and we were all in the back yard getting ready to start roasting some marshmallows for s'mores. The composition and exposure were spot on. I guess I have to embrace everything about instant film, including the divots. That is why I ultimately decided to post this photo. Made me think that instant film is much like us as individuals. Sometimes we just need to put our flaws out for everyone to see. In the end, I am so glad Albert let me take this portrait...

shawn roller...

Shawn is another one of "those people" that I met on Twitter and ending up meeting in real life. I messaged him last Friday night and ended up meeting downtown McKinney for some coffee, coversation and a portrait. The coffee at Spoons Garage was excellent, the conversation was definitely the highlight of the morning and we ended the time with a few portraits. I slightly overexposed the 8x10 and evidently somehow produced a light leak. My guess is that I didn't compensate for the film being so cold. I think that I redeemed myself with the Fuji FP-100C portrait taken with my latest acquisition (a Polaroid 180 Land Camera). Will have to give the 8x10 another try to show Shawn what the Impossible 8x10 film can really do...

a moment in time...

Here is a portrait of Sadi that I shot today before she left to go back to college after spending her Spring Break with us this past week. What at great week it was! I am so glad that we still get these opportunities to spend time together as a family. 

As I become more intentional with my family photos (both analog and digital), I have come to realize that every picture has the potential of becoming an important moment in time. I try to take as many candid snapshots as possible, but the occasional posed shot is just as important to stop that moment in time when you were exactly who you were at that moment. I want my kids and grandkids to have tons of printed analog images to occasionally sift through and have the opportunity to talk about the moment that they were taken. I want each and every portrait/candid to be something that I remember, but more importantly something that they will remember much later in life...

matt ronan...

Had the opportunity to photograph Matt again today. As always, it was a little difficult to actually meet up, but it worked out in the end. In my opinion this photo made it all worth it...

christian and me...

Was able to meet up with Christian and Elaine today in Deep Ellum to get a chance to shoot an Impossible 8x10 of him and let him shoot one of me. This was his first chance to get to shoot the 8x10 camera and all things considered, I think he did a great job. If anything, I think we didn't compensate correctly for the bellow extension and it underexposed the image slightly. Most of all today was about meeting up and having time to sit around and talk. In that sense, today was a total success. It was a great time to get to know a little more about Christian and Elaine. Had seen both of them at several previous polawalks, but never had time to really talk with them. Plus it gave me an opportunity to give away another packfilm camera and some film to reduce my hoarder status...

stratton...

Here are two images of my nephew Stratton taken when we went to Childress over the holidays. The first one was damaged when I peeled the image. I was able to clean the flakes from the photo in Aperture to save the image. Wasn't for sure how the first one was going to turn out so I took the second one when it was almost dark outside. I believe the exposure of the second one was 1 second at f/8.0. In the end, both images are keepers to me. Overall, my goal is to have 8x10s of as much of my family as possible by the end of 2014. Looks like there are lots of trips with my 8x10 in the future...

tommy...

Was able to take a couple more family photos over the past weekend while visiting in Childress, TX. Tommy just happened to still have his "santa" beard so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to capture it on an 8x10 Impossible print before it was gone...

rita...

Rita was another one of my volunteers on Thanksgiving day. I am definitely glad that she let me photograph her. What a solemn pose! When I told her to "hold that pose and expression", I know that she didn't realize how long she would have to maintain it. Everyone seem to just sigh after I clicked the shutter and told them I was done. Rita was no exception there...

kendra - closeup...

I shot two images of Kendra. This one was taken as a closeup at an angle and focused on her nearest eye.  I absolutely love the focus falloff that you get with the 8x10 camera at large apertures...

keith and debra...

Taken as the sun was setting on our Thanksgiving gathering at Kathy's house. I am so glad that Keith and Debra let me take this portrait of them...

the one and only Simon Ponder...

Was excited to hear that Simon was coming to Dallas to go on a Polawalk in Deep Ellum. I have followed his brillance on Twitter for some time (plus he is a fellow Texas Tech alumni), but this was our first time to meet in person. I would have to say that sharing the 8x10 process and fascination of Impossible 8x10 film with fellow photographers is becoming one of my favorite things to do...

Polawalk TX - 8X10 Portraits...

Last weekend a group of instant film fanatics from all around the  metroplex, the state, the US and abroad converged on Texas for our 2nd annual Texas State Fair Polawalk (ie. #PolawalkTX). Even with all the visitors, we didn't get a large Texas-sized heap of good weather. The weekend was plagued with clouds, rain, heat and humidity. Unfortunately the main event on Saturday ended up being a sunny, bright 90 degree humid day. This was absolutely brutal on the visitors (and even the native Texans). As a follow-up to this event, we spent the next day resting at a local studio in Deep Ellum (many thanks to Makeshift Photography) and just photographing each other. I had planned on spending the entire weekend using my 8x10 Toyo View Camera and Impossible 8x10 instant film at all the different locations. Due to the unpredictable Texas weather, I had to compress the entire four days of 8x10 shooting into one. Justin Goode also broke out his 8x10 Burke and James Grover to take a few photos, including the ones of Toby and Cameron below. Toby Hancock wanted to be photographed by both Justin and myself. His goal is to become the most photographed person on 8x10 instant film. He is well on his way after the Texas trip (I think he has been photographed by four people now)...

Speaking of 8x10 photography, it must be said that 8x10 photographs taken with a view camera are nothing short of amazing. The entire process takes you back to a day when photography, as the sole means of capturing a portrait, was very rudimentary. When you are behind the camera the reality of seeing a reflection of the focused image projected onto the ground glass is absolutely surreal. As all of the people below can attest, "the 8x10 process" takes patience from both the photographer and the subject. My main goal with 8x10 photographs is to slow down and spend enough time with the subject to produce an image that makes them smile when they see it. I think all of these image met that goal.

A well-deserved thanks to The Impossible Project for bringing the idea of instant film back to life and for supporting all of us instant film fanatics in more ways than we can ever mention. For me personally, without the encouragement & support from the staff at the online US Impossible Office (specifically Anne and Patrick), I would have never gone this far with instant photography.

Now to the photos...

Toby
*by Troy Bradford

Toby 
*by Justin Goode

Celina

*by Troy Bradford

Juli and Will

*by Troy Bradford

Jessica
*by Troy Bradford

Ben
*by Troy Bradford

Frank
*by Troy Bradford

Cameron 
*by Justin Goode

a portrait of Matt Ronan...

Had the pleasure of meeting Matt Ronan, in person, today. He came to Greenville to pick up some film that he bought from Tyler. Since he drove over an hour to get here, I felt I should at least ask if he was willing to do an 8x10 portrait before he left. Fortunately, he was up for it. In all practical terms, the day was definitely a bit too warm to be taking portraits outside at 1:30 pm (right at 100 degrees outside), but we found a shade in downtown Greenville and set up the behemoth of a camera and proceeded to take this portrait. Definitely glad we did! 

Another testament to the whole community of instant film. So much interest in giving back to each other and such an emphasis on meeting one another. Just like holding a physical print in your hand, there is nothing like meeting someone in person, getting to talk face-to-face, shake their hand and take an instant photo...

the beginning of something new...

What better way to start a new school year as a photography teacher than to have your photo taken (on instant film) on the day before class starts in the classroom where you will be teaching students how to use instant film...

francisco chavira...

I lugged my 8x10 camera from Greenville, TX to Sacramento, CA to get this image (and to let Francisco experience shooting an 8x10 view camera). After developing the image today, I was nothing but smiles.  I am over the top with the images that you get from the Impossible color test film. A bit muted, but the light blue background is very close to the actual panel in the shot. I prefer to play it safe when shooting this film and purposely overexpose a 1/2 stop or so. It helps bring out the shadows and overall just makes a image that is exactly how I like it...

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...

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

8x10 Color Test Film - Take Four...

Took the picture of these textile spools using available afternoon light coming through the window. A little bit over-exposed in the highlights, but still very colorful and super sharp. Large format cameras rock when it comes to nailing the focus exactly as you want.

pictures of me...

Had a great time over at the Makeshift Studio in Deep Ellum. The main purpose of the meetup was to judge the entries in the Instant Film Society scavenger hunt. Lots of great entries definitely made it hard to pick. Justin will be posting all the winners on the IFS website here.

Afterwards, Justin asked if I wanted to play around with some double exposures on Impossible 8x10 film. Justin had the idea of taking a picture of a person taking a picture of themself. I had my camera and some film with me, so we started the process... 

We discussed and tried to incorporate as many details as possible. The camera that I was using was actually my camera mounted on my tripod. The bellows are the right length to provide proper focus on my face at that distance. I intentionally smiled as the photographer and had a straight face as the subject. I made sure that my eyes were focused on my "other" face. Lastly, we positioned the cable release on my camera facing Justin's camera so that it was obvious that I was taking a picture. One item to note; I am taller as the photographer. I had the stand on a stool to see the ground glass so we felt like I should be that high in the photo.

The outcome was a incredibly neat photo! Thanks Justin for working on this with me...