troy bradford instant photos: 2014

ready to shoot...

Tyler and I got a chance to get out an explore a new area of Childress this year. We try and get at least one afternoon to photograph the town and the surrounding area. This year we headed out North of Childress on highway 83 to the Red River. I took several images that I will post over the next few weeks, but this one was a favorite from the day. Probably didn't have to travel all the way out to the Red River to get this one, but that's where it happened...

this light...

During our annual Christmas visit to Childress, we stayed at a local hotel. Pyper and I were going up to the room and out of the corner of my eye I saw this light. Fortunately, I had my SX70 with me and Pyper was good with having her picture taken. The SX70 doesn't always do good with extreme light and extreme shadows, but I definitely like the outcome of this one. Definitely one of my favorites in a long time...

under new management...

The "new management" never quite materialized. Another failed attempt at revitalizing a grand building in downtown Greenville. I have taken several photos of this building over these years. I still love documenting the decay of what might have been...

home of the jumbo shrimp...

This photo is long overdue for me. It is one of those local places that I am determined to document on film prior to it being torn down or made into something other than a restaurant. This restaurant has been through several name changes and owners, but we will always remember it's original name "Caddyshack". We spent many a weekend night here with our friends and all of our kids. It was basically the only place in town where all 15-20 of us could dine out and sit together. The kids have all grown up and the families have moved around, but we all seem to somehow occasionally stay in touch. Not the same as the days where we laughed and dined together on a weekly basis, but when we see each other it is like we never stopped...

broken view...

A partial success in taking an instant photo in downtown Greenville the other night. I posted my iPhone photo of the same view a few days ago. An almost dead chemical pod left only a small part of the building on the left side. After my initial disappointment, I realized that I really like the "flawed" image...

shawn - take 2...

Had another opportunity to meet up with Shawn Roller in downtown McKinney. Always a pleasuring gettinng to sit down and talk photography with him over coffee. It even gets better when we get to photograph each other. To add even more to this visit, he brought me a Polaroid Big Shot camera that he found and I was able to fix his Polaroid 250 (hopefully it's fixed right this time :))...

take the photo...

Snapped this one after trying to focus for what seemed like an eternity. Pyper was getting impatient...

the latest analog find...

Finally found a fully-working manual typewriter in my price range (that I liked) today. Like many things analog, it takes practice to make perfect. I forgot to hit the shift key to get the "1" in "2014", so it ended up being a small "i". It is weird seeing a typewriter without a "1" on the number row. Can't wait to use this more and more for things like sending out postcards and potentially even writing letters...

the next big shot...

Allister's first Big Shot image. She didn't even see it coming. Eventually, she will associate the super-bright flash of light with the famed camera...

twin sisters...

Was able to get two photos of the two of them together. This is a rare occurrence, because they are both equally against being photographed. That makes these images twice a momentous...

take it when you can...

Here is my last Polaroid Fade to Black shot... I have been saving it to take one of Maci. On her way home tonight, she stopped by our house and let me take the photo. It was almost dusk, so the light was limited. Looking back over the other shots, the film definitely responds better to sunny conditions. However, sometimes you just have to take the photo when you get the chance (and this was one of those times). Still love the shot...

shawn...

Was able to capture a couple of instant images of Shawn Roller tonight before all the light disappeared. Good thing I had the Fuji FP-3000B in my camera for the occasion. Shawn was gracious enough to add Sherri, Sadi and me to the session that he had scheduled with the Tyndells. After the family session, it was great getting to interact and exchange photos of each other. That being said, definitely looking forward to family photos...

a bit of reflecting...

Another one of my many reflection photos. I sometimes take these because I get bored, but mostly because I want to have images that show that I mostly inhabit the space behind the camera. These images, coupled with the many that I take of others and the things around me, will ultimately be a part of documenting my time spent on this earth...

downtown with Sherri...

Spent some time walking around downtown Greenville and combing through the antique shops with Sherri. As always, I had an instant camera with me (in this case, my Holden SX-70). Stopped long enough to snap this one before we left. It is so much better continually producing these physical prints instead of just a bunch of images on my iPhone and computer. My collection is growing by the day...

golden boy of instant film...

The "golden boy" of instant film while on a Polawalk in Downtown Dallas. Surprised at how well the PX680 film turned out, since the weather was fairly warm. Most of the time I forget to take portraits during the Polawalks, but this time I was intent on leaving with a few...

avoiding the conventional...

An image that I took of a mural that I see all the time in downtown Dallas near Fair Park. I have taken several photos, but this scan of the Fuji FP-3000B negative is one of my favorite. I really like the rough texture of the image from the scan. It gives the image a surreal feel that you do not get with the sharp, flawless positive...

abstract view...

Another abstract image that I took on my remaining shots of Fade To Black. I took this one a few weeks ago, but never got around to posting it. The colors/tones are so unique. It makes an otherwise boring shot sort of exciting. I will always prefer portraits, but an occasional abstract image fills the creative bill...

I'm positive the negative is a keeper...

I totally missed the exposure on this one (see above). I thought the film was 100 ISO and it turned out that it was 640 ISO. I didn't peel the film until later that night and realized that I had really messed it up. I decided to wash the negative and scan the portion that would fit in the Epson V600 scanner to see if I could get a better image (see below). I was floored at the detail that was buried in the negative. The 1200 dpi scan shows pores and eyelashes. That being said, the print and the negative are both pretty amazing...

fading fast...

My next to last Polaroid Fade to Black shot. Man, do I wish that I had more...

Because of the limited supply, the demands of this film creat a lot of anxiety while you are shooting and peeling it. But the end product seems to always make it worth it! So glad that Sadi let me take this one today...

allister and pyper...

It's good to start off the day with two successful instant photos. The colors in this new Impossible film is impressive. Regardless of all of that, I love it when I get to take photos of these girls...

a composite (of) Toby...

Took a few random images of Toby (using Fuji FP-100C & FP-3000B film) in downtown McKinney with the intention of creating a composite from diferent perspectives. Aligning the images yields a full-body composite that might be considered questionably taller and a bit more slender...

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...

now that's my wife...

What more can I say...

bailey - double take...

Got the opportunity to take a couple of 8x10 portraits of Baily while he was in Texas helping out Tyler with a wedding. Took the photos in Dallas in an area where I couldn't use the processor. I was afraid of a divot ruining one of the photos, so I took two. The first one was taken with the new Impossible film and the second one was taken with an October 2012 batch. Luckily both of them turned out better than I could have ever expected. If I had the choice of only one instant camera, I would trade in all my others to keep my 8x10. I am so hooked on this film...

blurred abstract...

Decided to try a more abstract photo on the Polaroid Fade-To-Black film. The photo is intentionally blurred to make it more interesting. This film is so fun to work with! I peeled it within the first minute of developing. I had a little trouble with the peeling and scratched it up a bit, but it adds character to this type of photo..

fade-to-black success...

Still working through my 10 shots of Polaroid Fade-To-Black film that was given to me. There have been some duds in the pack, but this one turned out fantastic! I love the tones of this film! It is expired film at it's best. Pyper was in awe of the transparency of her after I peeled the film. The original is screaming to be framed...

searching...

I seem to be constantly searching for the time and passion to capture photos that I will cling to as the years pass. This is one of those photos...

nothing but smiles...

gotta love it when you get to capture people when they are happy. two precious girls with beautiful smiles. it makes me smile to hold these photos in my hand...

pointing up...

a photo taken at the entrance of the downtown area in Newport News, VA...

the style makes a difference...

These three photos were taken over the past couple of weeks. It doesn't even look like the same little girl in each of these photos. Three styles of film capturing three styles of Pyper...

pre-dinner photo...

Love it when I get the opportunity to take a photo of Sherri before we head out for a dinner/date night...

don't move...

Took this one of Pyper with my Toyo 4x5 camera and a Fujinon 210mm lens using a Polaroid back with Fuji FP-100C film. The depth of field with shallow and the focus was on her one eye. To be honest, I can't believe that she stayed still long enough for this one to be taken. Such a neat thing to be able to spend time with her taking pictures...

headlights and horses

Two contrasting images, yet they belong together. Hopefully it is obvious why...

The first is color 600 film taken in Bodie, CA and the second is black and white SX70 film taken in Greenville, TX. There was no pre-planned agenda to purposefully take the photos, yet the accidental placement of these two images together seems so perfect...

one of many...

Not for sure if there are may occasions when Pyper comes over and I don't take at least one instant photo of her. This was taken over the weekend when she spent the night with us. The SLR680 is becoming my instant film camera of choice for photographing a child that is always on the move. So glad I kept this camera, instead of selling it after I bought the Mint SLR670m.