Shutter.Stutter

The previous post was via the wordpress app on my iPhone, so now I know it works, yippee!

Now for a little rant. I was in major crisis mode last night when I loaded a fresh roll into my Mamiya (which had been sitting neatly in my cabinet, untouched, for about six months now) and found that the shutter wasn’t releasing and that auto-focus wasn’t going. Yikes!

After about an hour of sweaty, exasperatingly useless fumbling and lots of googling, I finally got it checked out by a local camera guy who confirmed that a little dooby inside was broken (hence the funny whirring noises and error messages), and that it would take 4-5 weeks for a replacement part to arrive from Japan.

I think I heard my heart crack a little then. I’ve been so excited about shooting medium format for this trip, even laying down the dosh for 75 rolls of Provia 400X. I had envisioned the entire trip framed in 645, a beautiful ratio, and now I have to start thinking in 35mm, which is longer than I prefer.

So I’ll now be taking my Canon digital setup, at least it’ll be easier workflow-wise….

…cry…

…and what am I going to do with 75 rolls of Provia 400X?!

Quick reminder - don’t forget that Festival First Night is tonight! Loads of performances will be on around the city, and a expected 250,000 people will be doing The Sydney dance simultaneously.

Here’s a shot from last month when I went to a mass dance class in Hyde Park for the festival.

Learn how to do The Sydney!

It’s been years since I’ve been to Flemington, and it was out of sheer coincidence that I had a few frames left on a roll and decided to jumped in the car with my parents.

I was surprised how many childhood memories came back - of being wheeled around in a shopping trolley loaded with produce, weaving through a forest of legs, holding onto the back of dad’s shirt to avoid getting lost, and the sinking panicked feeling when I actually did.

The sound and smell of the markets hasn’t changed either. Sweat and fresh produce and fish, and booming voices shouting out bargains. It was GREAT. Maybe this will be my next project.

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I accidently underexposed, and had to do some saving in photoshop. Turned out to be a happy accident, as I quite like the heavy grain and saturation.

This is mum and the man we bought our mandarines from - he was a bit shy and didn’t want to be alone in the shot.

The temperature on this Saturday past rocketed to 31 degrees, so a few friends and I thought it would be a good idea to chill under some shade at the Royal Botanic Gardens and welcome the hot weather back to Sydney.

It also gave me a chance to try out the M645 macro extension tube (manual focus) that I got for my AF (auto focus) Mamiya. Needless to say, it didn’t fit. Duh. But you’ll be surprised what a bit of masking tape can achieve.

I got the film back today and surprises of surprises, the macro shots actually turned out. Even though my camera display was flashing a big ‘F’ (which I assume means ‘fail’) while I was using the tube, the manual exposure settings I inputted before installing the tube seem to still hold. Go figure.

These are the macro shots I attempted. Flowers, I know, very original.

Yes, that is my hand shielding the sun. I need a lens hood…

As the sun set we ended up on the steps of the Opera House, watching crews set up for the Bridge Run Marathon. This was a “Look Ma, no tripod!” shot.

more here…

I’ve reached an exciting time in my major project - I’m actually starting to produce the final product. Whoopee!

This is Dane, who you’ve met before. She’s one of my final subjects and this shoot was held in her amazing bedroom. I’m happy with these photos, but I can see where I can do better.

Rest of the photos are here.

My family and I went on a short family trip to Ulladulla this May. Ulladulla is one of those idyllic coastal towns south of Sydney, full of sunshine and not much else.

As holidays go this one wasn’t so much relaxing as invigorating. We had three cars and quite a few people, add to that mix the usual bickering amongst the kiddies (myself included haha), and you get a pretty full-on trip.

This trip was particularily significant to me because it was my first time shooting in medium format ever, and the first time using my mamiya ever.

Here are some scans from the third and fourth rolls (the first I loaded incorrectly, and the second I underexposed badly :/ ), the rest are here.

Sis, conveniently wearing white and posing for me.

Dave and my sister, wilting under the heat.

The extended family.

Here are some more photos from the session I had with my gramps.

It’s funny how the light can change within a half hour, and give photographs completely different meanings. I’m trying to decide which one I like better, the warm golden tones or the more severe bluer one.

I love photographing my grandfather.

I don’t know if it’s our relationship, or how completely comfortable he is in front of the camera, but every time I have a session with him, something magic happens.

I’m in the process of scanning the rest of the roll, but thought I’ll share a peek first as I’m pretty damn happy with this image. Gramps suffers from dementia, which makes this image is all the more poignant for me.

A couple of weeks ago some good friends and I went over to Cockatoo Island for the Sydney Biennale. Cockatoo Island is the largest island in Sydney Harbour. It begun as a imperial prison and then changed to a reformatory, then gaol, then shipyard, and finally a heritage site.

For the Biennale, old warehouses, tunnels and cells were turned into art spaces - spookily so. I didn’t really undertand most of what was on display, but I did enjoy William Kentridge’s animated projections.

Anyway, it was a good chance to dust of my neglected mamiya and my past-due-date rolls of slide film. Despite the confusing artwork and windy weather, Cockatoo Island is a truly interesting space to photograph in.

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This is the token tourist shot, via the free MCA ferry to the island.

This gentleman was clicking away the amount of people coming off the dock. He had such a great face, and very awesome eyebrows, that I had to ask for a picture.

Reflections are fun.

The sky wasn’t actually this dark, so this photo was tweaked a bit in photoshop. I like the dramatic doom and gloom quality, and also the little rainbow next to the sun.

Donica

Hoi, fellow medium format geek.

This is one of those photos frustrating photos that I know could have been so much better. In this case, I wish I was on the outside of the ferry (check reflection), that I moved just a little to the right (to avoid the window sill on the left), that I carried a polarising filter (to filter out some of the blinding reflection on the water), and that I clicked a little faster (so the sailship is larger in frame).

To that end, I’m still including this because I’m a sucker for back-lit pictures, and I love the light through the sail.

This is me nearly at the end of roll and trying to finish the frames so I can get the role developed. Family members and pot plants are useful in these situations. Meet my mum. She’s so cute :).

more here…

Well, so it’s only a university publication and it’s not 100% yet, but there’s something about vocalising a potential event that somehow makes it doubly possible. Besides, it’s my first page in anything - and I’m excited.

So here I am, putting myself out there and telling the internet (which may as well be the world) that I will be claiming the back cover of the October issue of UTS U:Mag.

The picture that they’ll be using is this editorial shot of my gramps, along with a wee bit of text. So if anyone is around UTS in october, please pick up an issue!

p.s. If you come back in a month’s time and this entry’s been deleted… you’ll know why.