joy in the imperfections...

Felt like I needed to get out and shoot my 8x10 today. The weather was not exactly cooperating with me but I decided to try the shot. It started raining on me (and my camera) in the middle of taking the picture, so I got in a bit of a hurry. I guess I pulled the film holder away from the camera and let in some light. I lost some contrast, but I still like the final image. 

Such a surreal winter scene from the viewpoint of a winding/disappearing road through a local cemetery. As weird as it may sound, I love visiting cemeteries. Any time that I stop at a cemetery, it always makes me reflect on my own life. More than anything, I realize how fragile this life really is. Just as many of the details in this image, some days I feel that my life is disappearing before my eyes. My takeaway for today is to slow down, enjoy the things around me and cherish the memories (no matter how imperfect they are)...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

a proud dad...

I have been planning on a color 8x10 of Maci and Sadi all summer. Just hasn't worked out... Until today... Kinda a last minute, but still a bad time, happens to be the one day this summer it rains, I gotta get one before Sadi leaves for college kind of picture. All of the imperfections aside (both in the picture and in our sometime disfunctional lives as a family), I stare at this image and realize that I have lived a truly blessed life and had the honor of helping my incredible wife raise two absolutely beautiful girls.  It is moments like this where I honestly couldn't be more proud to be their dad...

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.

8x10 Color Test Film - Take Three...

Wanted to see how the film handles highlights and shadows. I metered on the actual sunlight coming in. The film definitely has a very narrow exposure (as it said in the instructions). I nailed the exposure on the side of my face with the sun. Any more (trying to get details in the shadows) and it would have blown out the highlights.

Overall, I think this is a great image. You could say that my flaws are somewhat hidden by the shadows. This film is great stuff!

And yet still more to come...

8x10 Color Test Film - Take Two...

Ok, this is actually take three. For the real take two, I put the negative in the holder backwards. That is what I get for trying to hurry a shot today at lunch. Came home this afternoon from work and re-shot this one and also a self-portrait in the back yard (will post it later).

Have to admit, I edited the image by reversing it in Aperture. I couldn't get past the word TAXI being backwards (IXAT). Other than that, it is exactly like the original.

The detail in this image is INCREDIBLE. Click on the image to enlarge and see the detail that I am talking about.

Still more to come...

8x10 Color Test Film - Take One...

Impossible Color Protection 8x10 Test Film...

Only my 2nd photo taken by me with an 8x10 camera... Ever...

THIS is the reason that I bought an 8x10 camera...

Click on the image to enlarge and see the details...

More to come...