Revisiting some old photos

Recently pickup up a scanner that can handle 4x5 negative (more on that later). So I started by reviving some shots from the field camera I had in South Dakota. 

This was a really important time in my life, so there is some sentimental attachment to these negatives. I’ve taken some liberties with the Church from Scenic South Dakota. The Prarie Fire was one of my first shots with the press camera. It was of a fire that was literally across the street from the Mission where I lived. I calculated despite guessing at the exposure, only partially developing the negative (always measure twice kids) , it still is a pretty amazing shot in my opinion.

A little more pictorialism before bed.

For anyone interested you an read about the Pictorialists and the “Straight Photograpgy” schools at the link. Long story short, it was gigantic photo-nerd, slapfight in the early 20th century that pitted one group of legendary photographers (Stieglitz, Man Ray) against another (Paul Strand, Ansel Adams). The thinking and philosophies behind each of schools of thought is still much in evidence today, and is especially relevant given what you can do with an image in Photoshop. 

A little pictorialism on a rainy night.

Original image with some color adjustment

More moodines to come

Normally I’m a “straight photography” guy.  A guy with his camera and all the limitations it brings, his vision and minimal retouching/repair. I’ve always felt that a lot of photoshop is cheating - especially when you start adding things that aren’t there. But all things in moderation right?

Tonight I’m posting some “constructed” images, heavily enhanced to evoke a mood or a sense of time or place. These images began as fairly run of the mill snapshots on the beach, shot with the Rolleflex on Fujichrome 100 (color positives). Dropping some infrared filters to make the blacks pop and layering in some blurs and vigneting to give it a vintage feel.

Results vary.

 

Developed an old roll of film

From a vacation at the family place up in Laporte, PA last year. Shot on Velvia 120 film on the Rolleflex. 

Since the roll was C41 (print film, and therefore WAY easier to get developed) , I just dropped it off at the local camera store and was surprised to find a few gems here and there (not bad for a roll with 12 images). I scanned them in, and did some minimal retouch and cropping (mainly for dust). Funny - even when I have color negatives, I convert to B&W. It just sort of feels that’s the way a picture is supposed to be. 

This is the first of the bunch. More to come. Kinda goes without saying, but all the images are copyright 2011 by (me) Trip O’Dell. 

A little photoshop work to end the day

This is a shot from last September, at a Renisance Fair near Freemont California. It was a great family outing. Maeve’s princess obsession was in full swing, so we bought a little outfit for her audience with the ‘Queen’.  It was a very big day for her. There was this little garden off the path, and it just seemed to perfectly complement the vibe she was giving off. I almost expected at giant, white rabbit with a pocket watch to go barreling by.  Photoshop enhancements : Black and white layer filter (lighter), a couple of brightness/contrast layers with selective masking on highlights and very minor blemish removal with an unsharp mask filter to make the edges pop.