Fronds and Fiddle Heads

In the meantime, all I have to share are snippets taken from the many remaining contact sheets of each roll. Being that it is not a finished product but a glimpse of what is on each roll of film, the quality of each image is far from ideal regarding exposure times, filtering, etc. Given that fault, many of the photos are still interesting enough that I figured “What the hell!” might as well share the ones I like.

Above are two close-ups of a fern, looking up the stem toward the fiddle head. Below is part of the same image that appeared on a test sheet along with a couple of other interesting photos that somehow survived and made its way into the portfolio (of sorts). Enjoy!

Test Strip

I have a thing for lighting and so tend to dwell on and at times take photos of interesting fixtures that I come across. This was taken at the baroque monstrosity (but I love it) that is the Philadelphia City Hall. A building worth taking a long look at, especially if you are a architectural voyeur.

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For those who may not know, a photogram is not a photograph. It’s a one time only image taken directly on photopaper by placing objects on top and exposing it to light. It is a lot of fun to do while experimeningt with different materials and exposure times. It is also a great way to get acquainted with developing equipment and chemicals before printing from film. Getting familiar with your equipment in this way will save you hours of time in the developing room later, trust me!

Another old one, but I have always liked the dream-like quality of it, so it seemed worthwhile to finally share. This is one of a pair of photos on the same subject. The other was previously posted, I don’t remember when and I’m too lazy to search through previous posts to find out. The title of the photo is Inside-out. It is rather fitting being that it was taken by putting one camera inside the another and viewing the image as seen through the eye-piece, and not the lens.  If you can find the other photo, what I did, and what the picture is of will become more clear.

It was a liberating experience to pose for my own camera. If you have never done it before, I highly recommend it, especially if you are an introvert like myself.

I really couldn't get enough of this doorway...

Charred remains in the Afternoon Sunlight

Burnt out, stripped, and mined; this old factory building on the Schuylkill River  Trail is simply a beautiful place to visit and appreciate. I love how it is just as stunning in black and white as it is in color, at least to me.

This doorway leads from the main room to a side room that was clearly burnt from an intense fire at some point. The wood beams on the second floor are all charred and broken allowing the light from the deteriorated roof to illuminate the interior. Apparently, the local teens like this room too as it always smells very strongly of fresh spray paint. With all that light, unlike the main room, there are plants growing out of the nooks in the brick and rotted wood. The flash of green saplings and vines wandering about really adds to the allure.

This empty shell filled with light and dark; is it strange to feel so at ease in such a place?

Niche

Forsythia Macro

Three Generations Out for a Stroll in the Park

Not much came out quite like I expected in this one, but I definitely love the happy baby blur. What can I say, I still have a lot to learn and it is a lot harder than I thought to walk around the park for hours with a heavy zoom lens and no tripod. The camera was in focus though, as can been seen by the bricks, it is just the slow film and they were walking surprisingly fast…. and I think I might have twitched a little. Eh, win some, lose some.

The Little Wisp

Break Dancer

Given the slow film I use, it was particularly tough getting a shot of this guy that wouldn’t result in an indescribable blur. Got pretty lucky with this one. The dancer was good and fun to watch as he pretty much just played around with the moves. At one point. a little girl, about 3 years old, ran out and started to dance circles around the guy. Being good natured, he started dancing around in circles with her. It was a great thing to watch, especially when you add a toddlers giggles and squealing.

Stairwell Perspective

Nothing much needed here. Doesn’t get much more straight forward with the stairs and a stranger . . . only missing a falling water balloon. Given the fact that I was already in trouble with the museum (recall the Foucault Pendulum photo story), it’s a good thing I didn’t have the materials at that time. I was particularly uninhibited on that particular day.

The water balloon would have been nice though, right?

If art imitates life… what does it mean when I happen across this at a Michael’s?

These shots were taken of the toys as I found them. No tampering on my part at all. Strange how random events order themselves in significant ways. In this case, it seems as if no matter of mass (plastic or flesh) will keep anything taking a cows form from being stuffed in a pen. The lambs obviously have no idea what’s going on. And the horses are understandably skittish over having a wolf next door.

It’s a strange, dark humor.

Hand on Windowsill

Another addition to my hand study series. As you can see, I’m taking full advantage of that new, wonderful Macro lens. Unlike previous hand studies were I was running around the park with a zoom lens photographing strangers hands as they worked and played, this is of my own hand at rest.

The Calm After...

The morning after the masquerade party. Three good friends, hungover and too wary to dare the walk down the narrow stairwell, reflect on the previous evenings antics. Laying in bed, our host was seemingly impervious to the poisons of the night and awoke bright eyed to the day. His house guests were however less ambitious and unwilling to venture out into the world without due diligence and glasses full of water. Slowly and cautiously they moved about the house testing their ability to function until gathering in the bedroom.  Heads swimming in a dried up sea of synapses, they gave up their wanderings for a place to anchor themselves while weathering the tumultuous vestibular storm.

So, having collapsed into bed with the our host, the three good friends reminisced on the vivid and incomplete memories of the night. The plotted pranks, odd couples, and outright inexplainable happenings were puzzled together into a more coherent whole that left all wondering and teary eyed from laughter. “How did you find the monkeys?” The beautiful leather mask. “You were bit, where?” The goat DJ. “If you were gay, she would be your type.” It was all nothing less than ordered chaos and healthy frivolity beyond our own comprehension.

I, the fourth, sat of the floor loving the moment and nursing my glass full of antidote. In the soft, midmorning light, this voyeur at the foot of the bed saw the antithesis of the adventure unfold and lifted the camera. Just a few frames left, attempted to line-up the shot and found focusing hungover far more difficult than anticipated. Oh well, the shutter flew none-the-less and I was spied by my friends. I then manage my way over to them and joined the conversation, camera and all. Flipticit! The shutter, like the night before, did most the speaking for me.

The Storm's Survivors