The Top 5 Cameras I'm Currently Lusting After

Just when I FINALLY was feeling like I had tried all of the cameras I wanted to try, a buddy of mine, Aragon (https://www.aragonseye.com) asked me to write a blog post with him. The subject would be “Top 5 Cameras I’m Lusting After”, or something like that.

If you know me, you already know I have a TON of cameras. I finished 2022 strong though. I had started to sell some of them. And while I DID acquire some new gear in 2022, I finished the year with far less cameras than I started with. I had hoped 2023 would continue that trend. I want 2023 to be more about the photos and less about the gear. Now, don’t get me wrong. I love the cameras themselves as much as the photos they produce, and I’m always game for trying something I’ve never shot before. But as I was just starting to feel like I had settled in on a good group of cameras to be my regular shooters, and had shot all of the cameras I had once lusted after, my buddy comes up with this bright idea to reawaken my GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) that I thought I had FINALLY put to rest.

And, down the rabbit hole I went…

The Hasselblad X1D II

YouTube is great for a lot of things, but mostly for creating GAS. I’d like to thank Todd Korol and his channel (you can check view his YouTube channel here) for making me lust after the Hasselblad X1D II for, among many things, it’s ability to create digital panoramic images in what Hasselblad calls “XPan mode”.

The Hasselblad X1D II is a 50MP Medium Format digital camera with a huge sensor ands a plethora of features, all packed in a nice tidy package. What’s not to love? if you’re a fan of panoramic images like I am, you really must view some of Todd’s amazing work created with this camera. Oh, and if the X1D II wasn’t enough to lust after, Hasselblad now also offers the X2D II, a 100MP Medium Format camera with a 1TB SSD…built in. )

The Shen Hao TFC 617-A

I recently had, and sold, a Shen Hao 4x5 camera that had the optional roll film adapter that could shoot 6x17 negatives on 120 film. I’ll probably always regret selling that camera. It was an amazing piece of gear, but I had another purchase on my mind and decided to part with some camera gear to make it happen. I always told myself I would buy that system again at some point in the near future. Then I learned of the dedicated 6x17 system from Shen Hao, the Shen Hao TFC 617-A. If you’ve ever seen any of Nick Carver’s work, you’ve seen what this beast can do (you owe it to yourself to check out his work here).

The Brooks Veriwide

I ain’t afraid of no…camera?

I first saw this camera a few years ago while rewatching Ghostbusters II. Ok, that wasn’t the FIRST time I saw the camera, as I had seen this movie many times before. But it was the first time I NOTICED the camera. And how could you not??

The Brooks Veriwide is a 6x9 medium format camera. I absolutely love the 6x9 aspect ratio. And hey, if it was featured in Ghostbusters, it has to be cool, right??

The Hasselblad SWC

Looking for a compact wide angle medium formate camera? Then the Hasselblad SWC is the camera for you! The Hasselblad is essentially a lens mounted to a film back. In fact, the only drawback I see to the SWC is that the lens isn’t Interchangeable. The 38mm lens is permanently attached to the camera body.

While 6x6 isn’t my favorite aspect ratio, I could learn to love it if I owned a Hasselblad SWC. To me, this would be the perfect “walking around town” camera. It delivers all of the sharpness Hasselblad’s are known for in a cute little package.

The Graflex RB Series D in 4x5

The Graflex RB Series D cameras came in 2x3, 3x4, 4x5, and 5x7 sizes throughout its history. While I would love to have one in 5x7, the 4x5 model is probably much more practical as I have an enlarger for making enlarged prints from 4x5 negatives, but still think 4x5 contact prints are still sufficient enough for viewing.

Why this camera? I don’t know, to be honest. I already have a couple of 4x5 cameras, but I have just always loved the way these cameras look and have always wanted to shoot one. And that’s good enough reason for me!

So there it is, my list of the top five cameras I’m lusting after! You might have noticed something all of these cameras have in common. They’re expensive!! While all are relatively attainable if I were to sell a kidney, they’re not cheap, and not likely to fall into my hands anytime soon.

So, what’s your list? I’m curious to see how others would answer this question. What are the top five cameras YOU’RE currently lusting after?

I mean, we gotta dream, right?

New Year's Resolutions - Is Your Photography One Of Them?

It’s that time of year again. The time of year between Christmas and New Year’s when we’ve all enjoyed just a little too much food, a little too much drink, and a little too much holiday cheer. The time of year when our waistlines are increasing while our energy levels are decreasing. The time of year when there are the fewest hours of daylight, yet we feel like we haven’t gotten enough sleep. The time of year when we’re a little depressed over the state of our bodies, our bank accounts, and the number of items NOT checked off on our “THIS year, I’m going to accomplish…” list. This is the time of the year when we are the hardest on ourselves for NOT doing what we said we would, and where we promise ourselves that we’re going to make a change. This is the time of New Year Resolutions.

You don’t make New Year Resolutions? I’ll bet you do. In fact, I’ll go as far as to dare you to prove that you don’t. You may not make formal New Year’s Resolutions. Sure, you didn’t get it tattooed on your forehead, painted on the side of your car, or made into shirts that you’ll wear for a Facebook profile photo that will stay active all year long…but you’ve made one. Everybody makes at least one this time of year, even if they don’t share it with their closest friend. “This year, I’m going to exercise more.” “This year, I’m going to devote more of my time towards taking care of the yard.” “This year, I’m going to learn how to cook new/healthier dishes.” Sound familiar? See – I told you you’ve made one.

Keeper or Snapshot?

New Year’s Resolutions are usually aimed towards broad aspects of our life; our health, family, or our financial well-being, for example. But this is a photography blog. And I’ll bet that if you’re reading this, you’re either a photographer, or are someone who’s interested in my photography. And you’re probably also someone who has very little interest in my weight loss goals, my lawn maintenance aspirations, or my desire to achieve culinary greatness and be invited to compete on The Food Network’s hit show, CHOPPED. So, for the sake of this article, I’ll direct the conversation back to a photographic nature.

Now, back to the New Year’s Resolutions you didn’t (did) make for 2019. The real question is…did you do it? Did you keep your promise to yourself? Did you complete the task? Did you meet your goal? No? Yeah, me neither. But that’s not entirely true. I’m sure I met some of my goals. I mean, I didn’t write them down, but I’m sure I made some progress. I must have! Right?!?!

The truth is, I didn’t meet as many of my goals as I had hoped (planned) to. I met some. I said I wanted to be more active on my blog. And here lately, I have been. But there were months where I didn’t post anything. I also said I wanted to learn to shoot Large Format film. I did this as well…or at least started to. I came out of the gate strong early in 2019, but slowed down dramatically after rounding the first turn. I also said I wanted to become a better photographer. But what does that even mean? Chances are, it means a lot of different things to different people.

Still confused about what a resolution is? I think a lot of people are. Google (“The Google”) pointed me to www.Dictionary.com, who defines Resolution as “…the act of resolving or determining upon an action, course of action, method, procedure, etc.” To me, the key word there is “act.” Lots of people say they want to do something, but that’s all they do. And by stopping there, they’ve lost the race before their horse is even out of the gate!

Take, for example, the resolution “I’m going to lose weight this year.” Yeah? How? There’s no course of action in this statement. How about this: “I’m going to lose weight by exercising at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, while eating healthier foods.” This is better, but it’s still missing some key components.

I’m a Quality Manager and Process Engineer by trade. When we discuss goals in my work environment, we use the term SMART Goals.

What’s a SMART goal?

• Specific

• Measurable

• Attainable

• Relevant

• Time Based

Let’s look at my resolution from last year of “becoming a better photographer” and apply SMART Goal thinking to it.

• S (Specific): Becoming a better photographer means more keepers. It means Quality over Quantity. It means defining a keeper, which to me is “a photograph I would be willing to offer for sale, publication, print trading, etc.”

• M (Measurable): You’ll never know if you’re improving without analyzing a trend. And you can’t even construct a trend without measuring. So, what’s my measurable? Let’s say my goal is to shoot 2 rolls a month, and that 1/3 of the roll should be keepers.

• A (Attainable): Now that we have a Measurable, is it attainable? I would love for every shot from a roll of film be a keeper, but that’s just not realistic. Is 1/3 of the shots realistic? Maybe. Maybe not. But it’s a good place to start.

• R (Relevant): Is this goal relevant? That depends on what you want to do. If all I cared about was the act of taking photos, maybe not. If all I was after was the experience of photographing, the therapy this activity provided, then “becoming a better photographer” isn’t a relevant goal. Why waste my time analyzing the quality of my photographs if my motivation was solely concentrated on the experience? But since my goals is to improve, and get more keepers per roll, improving is a relevant goal.

• T (Time Based): How often am I willing to stop and look at the data, analyze it, and determine if a change of course is required? If I shoot 2 rolls a month, and wait until 3 months has passed to develop the film to see how I did, it’s very possible I just wasted 3 months of my time, and 6 rolls of film. But if I develop/analyze as I go, I can make corrections to my process immediately. I should be able to see where the problems are, correct them on my own if I can, or ask for help if I don’t know how to correct them.

OK. So, I now have my goal defined: I’m going to shoot 2 rolls of film per month, with the goal of 1/3 of the shots being keepers.

Seems pretty simple, doesn’t it? It should be, but sadly, it isn’t. Or, at least it wasn’t simple for me. If you’ve made it this far, you might be asking why we’re even talking about this? How did we get here? I’ll tell you.

I love photography zines. LOVE THEM! And I’ve always wanted to make one of my own but never have. Why? Brace yourself, because this is a real shocker. I overthink things. And I mean everything!! Yep, there it is. My guilty admission in black and white. I overthink EVERYTHING. I have a real talent for making things harder than they need to be. Then last week, I was listening to episode 19 of the Viewfinder Vikings Podcast where Ian Barnaby Nutt showed me just how much I was overthinking the making of a zine. The purpose of this episode was to demonstrate to people that anyone can make a zine and that it’s really much simpler than most people make it out to be. In one day, Ian shot the photos (which involved a hike to the remote location), developed and scanned the film, built the zine in Photoshop, and had a zine ready to send to the printer. ONE DAY! I’ve at least spent ten times that just THINKING about how I wanted to do it.

Keeper or Snapshot?

Ian really got me motivated. I spent the last week combing through my film photos from 2019, thinking I could surely come up with 20 photos (keepers), that would look good together in a zine. The fire that was my excitement was quickly extinguished by the truth that lay before me: I don’t have enough keepers. Yeah, sure, I could do what Ian did and head out, camera in hand, with the mindset of coming home with enough photos to make my zine. But that would do nothing about my feeling that most of my photos from 2019 were nothing more than snapshots. Good photos, but not many were really worthy of being in print or displayed. And that got me thinking (I know…don’t say it).

You see, I buy/sell/trade/collect cameras. I have a ton of them. I really like shooting different cameras. If I’m going to sell the camera, I really like to be able to inform the potential buyer that the camera has been tested and is in fine working condition. And while this is a fun experience, it usually leads to me quickly blowing through a roll of film, shooting anything and everything without much thought of composition, lighting, feeling, etc. When it’s all said and done, I come away having learned a new camera, knowing if that camera is worthy of passing on to someone or not, and having generally enjoyed the experience. But I seldom come away with keepers. It’s quantity over quality. Did it make me a better photographer? Not really. Did I meet my goal? No. Was my resolution a SMART goal? Certainly not.

Fast forward to last night, when I was having a text conversation about photography with a buddy of mine. We were discussing our photographic goals for 2020 when I shared with him my disappointment in the quality of my images. That’s when I committed, at least mentally, of making my photography resolution for 2020: Become a better photographer.

Wait? Isn’t that exactly what my 2019 resolution as? It is. I just went about it all wrong. You see, I don’t think I’m a horrible photographer. I just can’t get out of my own way long enough to create what I think are keepers. I need to slow down and come up with a plan. I need to decide WHAT I want to shoot before I even decide which camera/film I’m going to shoot it on. I need to determine WHY I’m shooting: Camera test, or keepers. Is there a theme or is it going to be spontaneous? And what will the end result be? Snapshots, or prints suitable for display or a zine? You see, this is what was missing from my 2019 resolution.

William Edwards Deming was an American Engineer and statistician who is probably best know for his teachings on the Deming Cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act). While he didn’t invent this concept, he’s probably the person most responsible for spreading its awareness. The PDCA Cycle compliments SMART goals very well.

Simply put, the PDCA Cycle is as follows:

• Plan your activity

• Do the activity

• Check the results

• React accordingly.

The first two steps are easy. It’s the last two that trip most of us up, if we even do them at all. Most of us confront our problems the same way we would an attacker in the dark: panic, screaming, stabbing in the dark followed by a strong drink instead of a planned coordinated attack.

But this is supposed to be a post about photography, not Quality Engineering. So, I’m going to leave you with this: What is your resolution for 2020? For me, 2020 is going to be the year when I apply the teachings of Dr. Deming to my photography. It’s going to be the year of less snapshots, and more keepers. It’s going to be the year or more concentrated efforts, and less whimsical dillydallying. This is going to be the year I introduce to the world my zine(s). Thanks for the kick in the butt Ian Barnaby Nutt! I needed it!

BLINK Cincinnati, 2019

BLINK is an art event that occurred in Cincinnati Ohio October 10-13, 2019. The free event occurs after dark and includes light art installations and light projections in the streets, businesses, and alleyways of Downtown Cincinnati. BLINK had occurred in 2017 and returned in 2019.

I had just recently acquired a Voigtlander Bessa R and thought this would be a good time to run some film thought the camera and become better acquainted with it. I’ve also been wanting to try my hand at some nighttime color film photography and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. I loaded the Bessa up with some Kodak Ultramax 400 and we were off to Cincinnati!

The event covered 30-city blocks from Northern Kentucky’s Covington neighborhood, across the Ohio river, through Downtown Cincinnati and into Over-the-Rhine and the Findlay Market neighborhood. We parked near the Roebling Suspension Bridge along the Ohio River and headed north through the city, eventually making our way through the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood and into Washington Park.

While some of the art installations were meant to be observed, there were a great many that were interactive. It was estimated that over 1 million people attended BLINK over the course of the four day event.

The people attending BLINK even got into the spirit. This guy was wearing a LED strips on this clothes, which made for a really cool effect, turning him into a walking stick figure while he explored the dark streets of Cincinnati.

Street artists also got into the mood.

If you’ve ever visited Cincinnati, you’re no stranger to the many beautiful murals that grace the city. Some of these seemed to come alive when light was projected on them.

Some of the installations were put on by area businesses. We walked down a street we had never been down before and noticed music and flashing lights emanating from a doorway. This turned out to be a neighborhood theater where children were invited to interact with the performers.

These light sculptures were suspended between two buildings.

While some of the exhibits were static, others were very animated. The shot below was from one of the animated art exhibits that projected a series of animations on the side of the building.

I was really please with the results from this roll of film. It captured the colors just as I remembered them.

Holga Week

“Who needs a Holga??” That’s what I thought on and off over the past couple of years when friends suggested I get one. I mean, I had other “toy” cameras and “real” cameras that would give me an imperfect image, so why did I need to get a Holga? Because only a Holga can give you a Holga image. That’s why.

I decided I would partake in Holga Week this year, which took place October 1-7, 2019. Since I’ve gotten much more in tune with the film photography community lately, I’ve succumbed to the social media pressure to take part in the different community activities. I mean, who doesn’t want to be part of the club? What if I missed out on something cool??

So, I came, I spent $25 on a Holga (and another $18 on the t-shirt), and I followed the crowd. Only this crowd already knew something I had not yet learned: Holgas were cool! Yes, you heard that right. I was wrong.

Once I received the Holga from my EBay seller, I loaded it up with Ilford HP5+ and went out to see what it could do. There really isn’t much to the camera itself. It’s plastic, light, and well…feels like a toy. There is the zone focusing system. You know, the very accurate “one bloke, two blokes, a lot of blokes, mountains” focusing system. It’s even suggested you tape off the seams of the camera with tape, as it’s likely to have light leaks. How can this be any good?? Why do some many people love these plastic cameras?

Because they deliver! That’s why! I have to admit, I was blown away from the first roll. I was one of the lucky ones whose camera doesn’t have light leaks and does have a sharp lens (apparently, there’s a lot of variation between cameras). So, after the first roll, I of course put a couple of more rolls through my new best friend. And again, I was not disappointed. I mean, just look at these images! These were all shot on Ilford HP5+ and home developed in HC-110 (dilution B).

We started out at a local brewery, having a pint before we head out for photos. We chose to start in Downtown Dayton, Ohio. After walking downtown, we were to head to a local cemetery.

For the next roll, I shot photos from the parking garage at a local community college I attend.

So, long story short, what did I think of the Holga? I think it’s a definite win. So much so that I won’t be waiting for Holga Week 2020 before I shoot mine again. In fact, I’ll be keeping an eye out for some other Holga cameras. The little plastic $25 camera that could…definitely did! It won me over. If you don’t have one yet, take the splurge and give it a try. You might be surprised. I know I was.

Film Photography Day, 2019

For Film Photography Day this year, I loaded up a Nikon F with Ilford HP5+ and hit the streets of Franklin and Dayton Ohio. I then developed the photos in D76. It was a beautiful day for photography.  Enjoy!

These two photos were taken on Main Street in Franklin Ohio, the town we call home.  

At the edge of Franklin, there’s a railroad bridge that crosses the Great Miami River.  This bridge is always a favorite photographic subject.  

The Great Miami River also runs through downtown Dayton, where these next photos were taken. The city has put in a lot of effort to make the riverfront an enjoyable place for the community.  

Here we have a camera in waiting. Perhaps this one will be the subject of a future blog. 

How did you spend Film Photography Day?   

2018 Was A Great Year For Film Photography For Me

It’s here. 2019. Twenty. Nineteen.  It just doesn’t seem possible. I’ll turn 49 years old this year. And as I’m peeking over the edge of my first fifty years of existence, there are going to be some first time experiences for me...and I’m excited as hell about it.  

First things first. I have some goals from 2018 that didn’t quite come to fruition. Don’t get me wrong. It was a great year, but there were some goals that I had set for myself that I never totally achieved. But before we discuss those, I want to talk about some of the good things that happened.

2018 was the year I dove head first into film photography. I’ve shot film in the past, but never at this magnitude. I shot more film in 2018 than I ever had in any other decade, much less any other year. 

2018 was also the year I attended the Film Photography Project Walking Workshop in Findlay Ohio. In addition to the awesome folks at FPP, I also met some really cool fellow film shooters, some of which I still talk to on a regular basis. ​

I hosted my first photo walks in 2018. There were two. Some of the attendees were people I met in Findlay. Others were either friends of theirs, or had seen photos from the first photo walk and wanted to be a part of the second one. Much film was shot and great friends were made. The communal aspect of film photography is one of the things I love about being a part of this culture. There’s just nothing else like it. ​

I also made my first darkroom prints in 2018. I took a black and white darkroom class at my local community college, where I met some great people and definitely grew as a photographer. I loved that time in the darkroom creating images that can never be duplicated. It was a magical experience. ​

And last but definitely not least, I launched this blog. I haven’t given it nearly enough attention, but that’s one of my goals for 2019. I really hope to post at least once a month. I quite possibly pick up a film camera every single day. Surely I have enough material related to film photography that I could share, whether it’s new developments, a new camera, or something stupid I did that’s funny enough to share in a way that I can hopefully prevent someone from making the same silly mistake. ​

Case in point.  I did something so stupid that I can’t help but tell people about, even if it’s just so I can tell them that no mistake they may make can be any worse than what I did. Let’s go back to Findlay Ohio, August 2018​  I’m on a photowalk with other films photographers, snapping away like crazy. I knew we were going to be out shooting for a while, so I was sure to bring extra film. I’m paying attention to the frame count on my Minolta X-370, and notice I’m at 34 frames. I snap off another picture. Click, wind. I see another shot. I compose the image and shoot. Click, wind. This should be my last shot. Click, wind. Ooh!  Extra frames!  Everyone loves extra frames!  Click, wind. There’s no tension on the wind lever. Click, wind?  Two extra frames??  Really??? Click, wind. Click, wind. Click, wind. Still no tension. I think you’ve probably figured out where this is going. I had certainly figured it out by this time, but alas, it was too late. I gave it one more “click, wind” just for confirmation. Only this time, I did something I should have been doing all along. I watched for the rewind knob to turn. Only it didn’t. You see, the X-370 is a manual camera. It won’t wind the film for you. It doesn’t have a fancy beep to tell you something is wrong. It’s so simple, in fact, that it doesn’t even have a little window in the back to let you know there’s film in the camera. But somehow, while standing shoulder to shoulder in a group of film photographers, I didn’t need that little window to confirm what I had just figured out; that there wasn’t going to be anything behind the door when I opened the camera. I had been walking around the better part of the afternoon shooting blanks. This is where you laugh. Hysterically. Because that’s what I did. It’s all I COULD do.  Laugh, I did. Then I quietly loaded the camera, watching for the film rewind knob to turn before carrying on with the group.  It was months before I told any of them, but it’s a story I now share regularly. 

​Goals from 2018 that I hope to improve upon this year?  Write more, and do less stupid stuff ( like forgetting to load my camera).  I think we can do tgat  

So. Back to 2019. What ​does this year have on the agenda?  There are going to be some firsts. 

I will shoot large format photography this year ​for the first time. I purchased a Crown Graphic 4x5 camera last year, but never shot it. That baby is going to see some action this year. It’s far too pretty of a camera to be a shelf queen. 

I’m also building a 4x5 rail camera this year. I start another film photography class in less than a week, where we will be using the same type of equipment. I figured I might as well get one of my own so that I can fully immerse myself into it. 

The previously mentioned class is going to revolve around studio photography, another first for me. I don’t mind taking photos of people, but I’ve never considered myself a portrait photographer, nor did I ever think I’d be interested in becoming one. But there’s just something amazing about portraits taken on large format film. They have a special look to them. ​ A look I seem to have fallen in love with. I want to learn to achieve that look. Hopefully, 2019 is my start down that path. 

And last but certainly not least, 2019 will be the first year that I’ll take part in a year long group photography project. I’ll discuss the details and possibly some photos in my next post, but what I will say about it is that it’s a monthly obligation to shoot the same kind of film in the same camera. That’s 12 rolls for the year, all in the same camera. Should be fun! ​

So, what’s on your agenda for 2019?  A new camera?  A new format of film?  Maybe even a new shooting style?  One thing is for sure..  It’s your year.  It’s your opportunity to try something new and different. Or, you could just do what you did last year. But where’s the fun in that?!?!  Now, get out there and shoot!!  ​

Why Do You Photograph?

​October 31st. Halloween.

This day always revives many memories for me. I shouldn’t say “revives”. It’s more like “reminds”. This photograph was taken 30+ years ago. The exact amount of “plus” has been forgotten, but the 30 years hasn’t been. Neither has the Halloween of 30 years ago, for this was the Halloween that we buried my 15 year old brother. He had been hit by a car a week earlier and was laid to rest on Halloween.

Why do we photograph?  To record?  To document?  To remember?  I photograph for two reasons.

The first: to communicate artistic thoughts, ideas and feelings that I can’t through any other medium.

The second: to remember.  I’m convinced that my memory fades each passing day. It was never great, but as I age, so does it.

I read a passage in the Sally Mann book “Hold Still” recently that really made me think about memories.  It stated: “I tend to agree with the theory that if you want to keep a memory pristine, you must not call upon it too often, for each time it is revisited, you alter it irrevocably, remembering not the original impression left by experience but the last time you recalled it. With tiny differences creeping in at each cycle, the exercise of our memory does not bring us closer to the past but draws us farther away”.

I found this theory interesting. And it made me think that my second reason I photograph is the most important one. My memories change, but my photographs don’t. This photo looks the same today as it did 30+ years ago. It remembers the smile my brain would have forgotten.  Not that I would have forgotten it entirely, but I certainly would have forgotten some of the specifics about it.

There’s one thing I’ll never forget, and that’s his last words. “I’m going to try to cross. I think I can make it.”. He didn’t. And I’ve never forgotten that brisk October evening.

Rest in peace little brother.

Photograph. Share. Remember.

Be A Decent Human!

My heart hurts for those who lost a loved one as a result of the shooting that took place today at the Fifth Third Building on Fountain Square in Cincinnati.Innocent people lost their lives today for simply being in a particular place at a particular time. This isn’t an unsafe part of town. They shouldn’t have been in danger, but their lives ended today due to the selfish act of others. I will never understand the need for senseless violence and the want or intent of people to cause harm to others.Although a motive may be discovered as a result of the ensuing investigation, the loss of life will never be justified.

I have my opinions on gun control and the necessity of owning or not owning a gun, but will keep those to myself. What I ask of you is simple: BE A DECENT HUMAN BEING AND LOVE YOUR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS. Love them regardless of their race, sexual identity, religion, political views, financial stature, music preference, sports affiliation...whatever. Just love them!  Love, care about, and support each other. After you’re gone, be the kind of person whose love and positivity will be missed.

This is a I photo I took in Fountain Square last April.  I love this city, especially this area. My wife and I visit it frequently.  What happened today won’t change my view of Cincinnati even if it has affected my view on society.

Ask yourself, what have you done today to improve someone’s life? Have you done anything to diminish someone’s happiness? If so, why? What did you gain? Was it worth it?

The one goal I’ve ever had for my photography is to make others happy. Now, this photo and any of this area will only remind me of the loss that occurred here today.

Fountain Square, Cincinnati.

#erasethehate #loveoneanother #cincinnatistrong #istillbelieveinhumanity #senselessloss #askyourselfwhy #filmphotographyproject #minolta #minoltax370 #bnwphotography #cincinnati #photowalk #photography #filmphotography #istillshootfilm #kodak #kodaktmax100 #35mm #35mmfilm #ohioriver #fountainsquare #rokkorx45mm

It’s been a while...

I started this blog so I would have a place to share my adventures in photography, ​ but it's been a while since I've posted anything. You might assume this is because there have been no adventures, that I have nothing to write about, nothing new to report. But your assumption would be wrong. There have been lots of photographic adventures since my last post, which if memory serves was when I wrote about Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day...in April. 

​What adventures, you ask?  Well let's see.

I could write about the vacation my wife and I took in June when we spent a week in Gatlinburg Tennessee.   I carried a few cameras into the mountains with me each day and came home with some great photos. 

There was also the weekend when I attended the Film Photography Project Walking Workshop in Findlay Ohio.  Not only did I get to meet Michael Raso and "the gang", ​but I also got to meet Robert Hamm of The Hamm Camera Company (I'm a backer of both of his Kickstarter campaigns), as well as Phil Steblay from The Darkroom Lab.  I also got to hang out with other film photographers who attended the workshop, some of who I have kept in touch with after the workshop and hope to get to shoot with again. 

Photo credit: Robert Hamm

I've also acquired about 50,000 additional cameras since April. Well, maybe not 50,000 exactly. It's probably more like 20 or 30, which I'm sure feels like 50,000 to my wife. I've even had the opportunity to shoot a few of them, which I plan to write about in the near future. ​ 

There's also the film photography photowalk I'm leading in Cincinnati on September 15th.   My first one. To say I'm nervous about it is an understatement. But as of right now, I think it's going to be a pretty small group, which is good. I'm already working on the plans for another in October if this one goes well. Wish me luck!

What else is new?  Oh!  I'm signed up for a darkroom class at my local community college. Class starts in less than three weeks. I'm really excited about getting some time in the darkroom. I've always wanted to learn to make my own prints. We also have to develop a portfolio, which I think will be great for my personal photographic work. Who knows... maybe I'll find out that I really do have a style to my photography. Personally, I think I'm all over the place with it, but we shall see.  

Truth be told, I haven't not written because I don't have anything to write about. I haven't written because I've been so freaking busy, both with photography and with just life in general. I've taken tons of photos, some of which I share on Instagram. But that's easy. It only takes a few minutes to share a picture. Writing a blog post, however, seems to be this huge monumental task to me. And I don't know why. But I DO know that I want to make a concerted effort to write more often, even if no one reads it but me.   

I'll get better about it. I promise. Just hang in there with me. Let's make this a regular thing, yes?

Until next time...

Sam