Happy National Camera Day!

Like we really shouldn’t need to remind any photographer to go out and use their cameras, but if you’ve been lacking for inspiration, all you need to know today is that it’s National Camera Day!

Grab a camera, any camera... Mine are always packed and ready!

So grab your closest camera (yes, even your phone will qualify!) and make some image magic. And don’t just stop there. Share your work on your favorite sharing platform, and you can even, (dare I say it!?)… PRINT THEM!

So go ahead, get crazy. You all have our permission.

 

 

 



It’s Another Great Day for Film Photographers!

Rollei, through their distribution partner, Macodirect have announced a new slide film to be available for pre-order soon. Called Vario Chrome, it’s designed to be especially versatile, with an ISO rating which can be set between 200 and 400. According to their announcement:

Rollei Vario Chrome 135-36 is a medium to high-speed color reversal film that is intended for photography under low-level daylight illumination or under other light sources using proper filtration. Rollei Vario Chrome has a medium degree of sharpness, its image results are characterized by a slightly visible grain and a warmish image tone.

As the name of the film suggests it has a broad exposure latitude from 200 to 400 ISO (DX coded at 320 ISO). If you intend to project the slides we suggest to shoot the film at 200 ISO whereas 320-400 ISO is preferable for scanning applications.

If this film does all that Rollei claims film photographers will have another excellent tool to add to their arsenal.

Creative Inspiration: Ruth Bernhard

If we're open and aware to the world around us, inspiration will find us in many different ways. Too often, photographers, like many artists, become so enamored of the work that they and other members of their tribe are creating, they fail to notice how rich inspiring the work of other artists can be.

Those that work with other media and other fields can shine light on to paths we might never have discovered on our own. We'd  do well to remember that creating art is just half of the equation. The other, and equally important half is creating an artistic life.

Ruth Bernhard offers us a recipe for doing exactly that...

Never say: "Never"! The Holga 120N is Back!

For photographers that appreciate all that's soft and dreamy, for those who understand that less is more, for all who understand that plastic is fantastic... your prayers have been answered...

That's right: The Holga 120N is back!

Many film photographers who were saddened by the demise of that wonderful little plastic miracle that is the Holga can now rejoice at it's return. For reasons that were not clearly stated at the time, the company that made the Holga announced in 2015 that the camera was going out of production and with the molds and dies being destroyed, would never return. Now, however, with the backing of Freestyle Photo in Hollywood, CA, the plastic classic returns.

The classic Holga 120N

The Holga camera was initially introduced to the Chinese public, in 1982, as an inexpensive camera for everyday use. Shortly after its introduction, it became an underground artistic phenomena. Using the Holga is an exercise in breaking free from dependence on technology, precision and controllability. The slight softness of the images, vignetting and random light leaks produce dream-like, one-of-a kind images. There is simply nothing else like it.

Don't pass up this opportunity to make some photo magic. Locally, Holga's are available at Peace Camera in Raleigh. If you're farther afield, they can be found at Freestyle Photo here.