cold and blue...

Another 4x5 selfie in the record books. I can't quite figure out how to control the color of this film.  It's definitely not the temperature of the film. I heated this film before exposing and before processing to get it to 80-90 degrees. I think it must be the color of the light. This was taken in the shade and it seemed like a blueish light. At least it matches how cold it was outside in the shade. Regardless of the results, it is always fun to play around with my 4x5 camera and instant film...

before we left...

Today, I wanted to use a film that I hardly ever use and take it in a place that is not my norm. The film was expired Polaroid Type 59, the camera/lens was my Toyo-View G 4x5 / Fujinon 210mm f/5.6 and the location was in my office using cloudy window light. Because of the scarce lighting, I used a shutter speed of 1/2 second and hoped for the best. Sherri is becoming more accustomed to me surprising her with another hairbrained idea for a picture. I have taken so many pictures of her lately with all of my different cameras and film, she is probably becoming numb to it. This picture was a spur-of-the-moment photo request when we were on our way out the door. I had the camera set up in my office with a film holder loaded for the occasion.

Not for sure why this particular box of film has the orange band across the middle, but it has been there on every shot. If the exposure is dark, it seems to show up even more. Even with the orange band, I can't wait for more pictures with this film. Glad I still have almost 3 boxes of 20 left...  

off the beaten path...

Always amazes me the things you can come across if you just take the time to get off the beaten path and explore the backroads. Most of the time I am in a hurry to get somewhere and I take the fastest route which usually involves Interstates. Not exactly the scenic route. Saturday was such a refreshing day in that I had an open schedule to do whatever I wanted with no reason to be in a hurry. I spent some time in downtown Denton to visit with Armand at Denton Camera Exchange and then headed north to Dennison, Sherman and Celeste on my way back to Greenville. Didn't really find the "fall landscapes" that I was looking for, but definitely found my share of stops. I caught a couple of the stops on some Polaroid 690 expired film that ended up being my favorites for the day...

together...

It's always good to be together again as a family. It warms my heart to see these two talking and laughing with each other. It takes me back to simpler times when they were growing up...

from above...

Took this one tonight as the sun was setting. This is exactly why I had my Holden SX70 converted to a 600 camera by @2ndshotsx70service . It makes the camera so much more useable and versatile. As you can see, the exposure is perfect! The beauty of an "instant" print in your hand is beyond compare...

all together...

We have our separate lives, but every so often we all meet in one place. Such a good time getting together. Took some digital images, but it's always more rewarding to capture these times on instant and 35mm film. Took this one with my Polaroid 180 camera and snagged some others with my Leica (to share later)...

the result of boredom...

Been a while since I shot my Toyo 4x5 camera. Was at home tonight with little to do, so I got the camera out and shot a couple of large format selfies. I look at this process as creativity as a result of boredom. It is so neat having instant film, like this Polaroid Type 59, to get such unique photos that you can hold in your hand as a finished product within minutes.

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...

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...

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...

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...

me and my M6...

A photo* of me and my Leica M6 in the Patriarch Grove of the Bristlecone Pine Forest. I cannot wait to get the 35mm film photos back from my trip...

*photo taken by Toby Hancock

i'm a girl...

So slow in getting some important pictures posted to my blog. This was one of my favorites of Allister taken in the hospital room. We moved her over by the window to get some sunlight. Right when I snapped the picture, she yawned. Fortunately, it was one of those pictures that turned out anyway. Looks like she is crying and the colors are astounding. Also, the name tag with "I'm a girl" is partially in focus. All together this makes a great photo...

enchanted rock state natural area...

This is by far my favorite landscape photo from the Saturday that Sadi and I spent on the trails around Enchanted rock State Natural Area. I literally had one sheet of Polaroid 669 on the trip and I used it for this shot. Polaroid 669 film is the king of films for color landscapes. It renders the colors and yields a timeless photo that can't be matched by any other film or editing software. What an incredible memory from such a great weekend with Sadi...

Matt...

Met Matt at Oak Lawn Coffee last week. I already posted an instagram photo of this Polaroid, but since the photo turned out so good, I wanted to get the scan on my blog. I was with Sadi so I normally wouldn't ask people to take their photograph because I am more comfortable asking that question when I am alone. You just never know when you are going to get a yes or no and I can't survive the constant reenactment at home if I get a no. Matt and I had already talked about my Leica and I showed him my Polaroid cameras, so I felt like I was pretty safe in asking. Definitely glad I stepped out and followed my instinct. I took two photos so that I could leave one copy with him...

8x10 Self Portrait...

Of course this blog image will never do this photo justice. I have said multiple times that it is an amazing thing to see an instant 8x10 image of yourself. It really never gets old. That being said, I really don't like images of myself, but part of the process of photography is satisfying the urge to create. Some days, you just need to create something. Yesterday was one of those days. I used up one of my two exposures of 8x10 Polaroid 809 film. I am saving the other one to take a photo of Sherri that matches this relative subject size. Looking forward to sorting through these images years from now and reminiscing at how great we really had it...

lunch time self portrait...

Took this image today at lunch holding and looking through a severely scratched-up piece of glass. The imperfections & reflections are blurred by the shallow depth of field of the Polaroid 180. The expired Polaroid Sepia film is still producing great images...

fade to black - hibiscus...

My first successful try at Polaroid Fade To Black film. My first shot was a portrait of Sherri via the instant lab, but I botched it during the peeling process. Took this one of a hibiscus plant in our back yard at lunch today (with my SX-70) and peeled it successfully.  I am now determined to take a portrait next because the tones will inevitably yield an incredible image...