the allure...

An older photo from one of my trips this past Spring to San Diego.  Not for sure what it is about this photo that appeals to me, but I just keep going back to it. Probably has something to do with the allure of the ocean. My hope is to be able to go back someday...

no lifeguard on duty...

More from my trip to Oceanside Pier. It always amazes me how the simplest of scenes can make such a unique instant image. Many of these images will end up in frames on my walls...

sun bathing...

A couple of images from a stop after work at La Jolla Cove California a few weeks ago. The blue in the images is a bit overwhelming, but at the same time it compliments the water beautifully. Nothing like getting close up to take an instant photo of a sea lion. After I pressed the shutter and the picture ejected, the sea lion's eyes opened and then slowly closed back. Wasn't the least bit phased by me. Gotta love that calm attitude...

staying after class...

Ended up taking my Leica M6 and one of my Polaroid SX-70s on my trip to Carlsbad, CA. This was my favorite capture from the short time that we had on the beach before sunset. I often take images without people, but I always stray back to taking images that somehow include people in them. I shot this one while walking back from taking a photo of the Oceanside Pier from the beach. The students were going over some post-surfing class pointers with the surf instructor. To me, this image is perfect on black & white instant film.  It makes the image timeless and I really like that...

laguna beach in black and white...

The black and white shots from my trip to Laguna Beach seem to be my favorite. The dark, gloomy mood makes the photo something that I keep coming back to time and time again. After going through several packs of the new Impossible black and white film, my opinion is that it is best used for landscapes. The contrast, and tendency to go darker than expected, makes it a terrible portrait film but a fantastic landscape film...

todd...

Following an afternoon/evening at Laguna Beach, we ended up going back to Shutter + Light to shoot some studio portraits and talk instant photography. One of the many advantages of Fuji FP-3000B is that you just need a little light to get the photo. The shadows make the photo even better.

It is so rewarding to have friends around the US to be able to visit when you are travelling. Definitely appreciate all of my friends in California. Both instant & film photography have opened so many opportunities for me to meet new friends that I would have otherwise never met...

laguna beach silhouettes...

Sometimes removing the colors brings out the shapes. This is definitely one of those times...

laguna beach sunset...

The result of getting a chance to travel to California the day before a business meeting. Not a bad end to a day in Laguna Beach. Impossible instant film renders the sunset quite a bit different than a digital image. More of a pastel tone and darker shadows, but defintely still a breath-taking view that I will never get tired of photographing...

laundromat and showers...

Spotted this in Big Pine California.

That's what you call and all around wash...

cross road...

A photo taken while looking up Green Street in Bodie California. Polaroid 669 expired film was made for this town...

bristlecone patterns...

Patterns painted on the film using sunlight and a bristlecone pine tree in the shade...

the lonely road - patriarch grove...

Patriarch Grove is home to some of the largest and oldest bristlecone pines (patriarch trees). Such a surreal & lonely place. Not exactly packed with people, because of the remoteness. Caught this guy walking up the trail to the top...

Toby in the Bristlecone Pine Forest...

the minarets - a faint view...

The trees are predominant, but the intent of the photo was to capture a faint view of the Minarets on the horizon. Such a awe-inspiring view in person, but I feel that there was no way to capture the emotions in a photo...

convict lake - california...

A beautiful rendering of the view from the shores of Convict Lake in California on my polaroadtrip3 adventures...

toby - mammoth...

I brought three sheets of Polaroid Type 59 4x5 film on the California road trip. On the last morning at the lodge in Mammoth, we took a few photos of each other. Todd from Shutter Plus Light was generous enough to let me use his 4x5 camera for this portrait of Toby. Seeing this guy, who is famous for his intergral film shots, with a packfilm camera around his neck seems a bit ironic...

bodie at night...

Flew from Dallas to Santa Ana and then drove over 1000 miles over 5 days, including this stop in Bodie, CA. Couldn't have asked for a better opportunity to try out my newest addition to my camera family (the Mint SLR670m). This was my first attempt at a night photo and it was exposed for approximately 20 seconds and captured on Impossible 600 Test Film (the building was painted onto the image with a flashlight). I could have easily taken the same photo with my Canon 6D, but it would have never had the character of this image. I really cannot wait to explore the unlimited artistic possibilities of the Mint camera... 

joshua tree sunset...

My first photo taken at Joshua Tree National Park... Happened to still have a couple of shots of the American Woods film left in my SLR680 camera. Wish I would have taken more of this film... 

juli and will...

Finally getting around to scanning a few more from the Joshua Tree trip. This was my last shot of Polaroid Chocolate film. Juli and Will are always fun to photograph and this was definitely worthy of the last shot...

todd - shutter + light...

Pola road trips always seem to open the door to meet new people that share a common interest in instant or analog photography. My initial purpose of meeting up with Todd was to get a tin type portrait made at his store in Santa Ana, California. His tin type skills are phenomenal! It is such a unique process to get to watch. Also, what a super neat store/studio to get to visit. It didn't take long to realize how much I would love to be able to hang out and visit this place more often. Thanks Todd, for letting me take your photo before I jetted for the airport...