When it comes to photography, especially film photography, I keep my equipment as consistent and simple as possible. The less one has to think about while taking pictures, the better. Kodak Portra 400 35mm (the 120 is great too, I just don’t use as much of it) is my trusted film of choice. It’s popular …
Photography is a personal creative journey. On our journey we should select a tool that will help us along the way. When it comes to cameras, the options can easily become overwhelming. Megapixels, pixel size, lenses, weatherproofing, DxO scores, and on and on are discussed. The most important thing though, is that you have a …
Why The Leica M6 is the Perfect Camera (But,You Don’t Need One) Read More »
It can be the most difficult surrounding to photograph. Out of nowhere, you may find yourself stopped in the tracks of creativity before you even know what hit you. Or, it may hit you right away. You may walk, or drive, for hours looking for something to take pictures of, and return home with nothing. …
Few things are as enjoyable as loading some film into a camera and exploring a small, unfamiliar town. It’s the basis for how I came upon the name ‘Village Voyager’, after all. The, often, slow and methodical approach to composition and the new elements of a village not-yet-explored is an almost meditative process. It’s definitely …
There are times when the need to create burns inside. If that need, that feeling, wasn’t there, life would be so much easier. But, life wouldn’t be as beautiful and fulfilling. I suppose this is the artist’s dilemma. One of them anyway. If I haven’t taken photos in a while, I can tell that my …
To drive into Houghton, Michigan—a small college (Michigan Technological University) town in Michigan’s upper peninsula (U.P.)—is to be welcomed by a tidy, small-business-filled-main-street downtown. It had been years since I’d been there. It didn’t look like a lot had changed, but that’s a good thing. Change is too frequent for me and a lack of …
The season right after winter and right before summer is a strange one indeed, especially when it comes to photography. Of course, depending on where in the world you are, springtime has different meanings and styles. In the Midwest of the U.S., it’s a time when the snow is melting—not that a snowstorm won’t hit—revealing …
Ansel Adams had the majestic views of Yosemite Park. Henri Cartier-Bresson had the picturesque streets of Paris. Vivian Maier had the gritty and people-filled walkways of Chicago. If you’re like me though, places like that are not nearby. I learned long ago that there are amazing photographic opportunities right in your backyard if you’re willing …
Early springtime in Michigan is a strange season, when everything takes on the color of a brownish gray hue. It’s torture for the vivid color seeker. Photographically though, drab colors allow other colors to pop. Also, there’s an authenticity to drab colors, even if vivid colors are absent. Many photographers try to capture the best …
Film photographers rejoice! With film stocks continuously going the way of the dodo, Kodak has recently made photo headlines worldwide with their latest photography offering. Last week my Instagram-scrolling thumbs were halted in their tracks when I came across the announcement that Kodak was coming out with a new medium format film: Kodak Gold 200 …
Why Kodak Gold 200 (35mm) is One of the Best Films Read More »