Reflecting.

Reflections at the Garden. SX-70 Model 2 camera, Impossible Project PX70 first flush film.

Amazingly, this PX70 photograph has been very popular on Flickr. Well, popular as far as my photostream goes! I am quite flattered that so many have enjoyed the beautiful reflections of these trees at the Chicago Botanic Garden. There is something so wonderful, so amazing about the reflections of light in water. It might be a minor obsession lately, trying to capture these reflections. I'm ok with that.

This is wonderful color for the PX70 film, although it has shifted a bit toward the green end of things. Also, I am painfully aware of the Newton's Rings all over the water surface of this photo. It's the first time I've noticed them, but now I can see them on other scans, too. Alas!

Impossible Reflections

I love reflections, love the way water reflects the light and mirrors what we see. So beautiful, so ethereal. On Monday I attempted to find something wonderful to photograph for Polaroid Week {I might be stressing myself out over something that is supposed to be fun}. Here's what I found:



I took one photo on Monday. That was it. I turned into the short road going to a forest picnic area, glimpsed the water in a clearing reflecting the trees, stopped the car, jumped out, framed the photo, pressed the button... and hopped right back in the car. Honestly, I was absolutely thrilled with the results. It's not exactly what I'd planned to take in the forest. The orange hue was not what I wanted, either, but it was warm outside, and that's what PX600 does. But, oh, that reflection...

feeling overwhelmed

It's not that I don't often feel overwhelmed... I do. Sometimes I realize I'm reading too many blogs, following too many people (and I don't follow many, really) on twitter, looking at too many gorgeous photostreams on flickr - and I start hyperventilating thinking about all the things I could be doing that I'm not!  {along the lines of - why am i not sewing things to sell on etsy? why am i not practicing my photography so i take better exposed, better composed photos? why am i not exercising right this second? wait... when DID i last exercise? why am i not outside right now? when was the last time i went hiking? *is* there hiking around Chicago?}

Well, ok, in reality, although I do waste a lot of time, my husband is finishing up the classes he's teaching this week - lots of work - just got back from a conference, and my dad was in town all week for his own work conference. I haven't had much time to myself. Then there was that pile of computer components sitting in my living room (mentioned those a while back...) - my dad and I put it all together! In fact, I should be downloading drivers for the motherboard and video card right now. But I'm not.

The Impossible Project has released PX600 film, and I'm quite excited to try it. Of course, I don't have an SLR680. Have you seen what people have been paying for those things?! I'm not going to list my cameras (uh, today - I'll probably document them all in the near future, though). So what am I going to put that PX600 in?

Oh, wait - maybe I should throw some more photos in this post (now that I've bored y'all to death):



Do I have a problem? Why do I keep wanting to photograph fixtures? Oh, hey, there's this cool bathroom over at the park... but anyhow... Here's a sign that I've enjoyed for the last couple of years {but just photographed last week}:


(this one is 600 film in my dad's SX70, Alpha 1 Model 2 - he brought it for me to use! seems to have a problem with the gears sticking - the mirror got stuck after one shot)

The weekend was cold and rainy, so I didn't take any photos. Sad, I know. This week I'm hoping to get out to the Chicago Botanic Garden!! How many cameras should I take? Oh, and can you believe my mother asked why I couldn't just shoot digital? I'm feeling misunderstood.

Oh, why can't I get these right?

I now have an SX-70 to use! This one is a Model 2 (with rather icky leather, to be honest), and I'm not sure how much I like the cream-colored plastic. Nonetheless, at least I can shoot some film again! I needed to try out the camera, so I ran outside and took a couple shots. NOT SO GOOD. I know. You don't need to tell me these aren't stellar shots! The sandal/foot shot would be 20x's better at least if I had some colored polish... but alas, I don't own any.

Of course there are no magnolia trees (or anything much blooming for that matter) on my block. I really have a lot of trouble with 600 film for some reason. I tend to get somewhat blurry shots (is it the nd filter on the film pack?). Well - at least I know the camera works (for now). Maybe I'll have a chance to take some more inspired photos tomorrow.

keeping it in perspective.

Ah, spring is here. See the proof? A blooming magnolia tree! Amazing, amazing. Honestly, although I'm not a "pink" person, after a long, cold winter these trees make my heart leap. This photo, shot with my Polaroid ProCam on Image film is currently sitting on my {again messy} desk. Yes, I did clean off the desk a few weeks ago, but it is hideously messy again. Taxes due this week (must get those in the mail tomorrow), tape from a recent package sent, the Real Simple magazine that arrived just today... At least the magnolias make me smile.

Then there is my SX-70 land camera. Sitting sadly in the corner of my desk. Soon after my last post, I got a little over-zealous and decided there were some shots I wanted to try with the PX100 film. Rushing to get another pack of film in the camera {it was getting late and I needed to make dinner, etc.}, I carelessly left the camera on the edge of my desk. My desk has wheels. Slight breathing, bumping, walking on nearby floorboards all make it shift slightly. Can I just say, "oops," or "I'm an idiot?" So, my camera FELL OFF THE DESK. Yes, it's my own fault. If you knew me, you'd know that I was the kid with the Barbies still wearing their original clothes, the My Little Ponies with hair all combed properly, my CDs and DVDs always, always in their cases and nearly unscratched. Yes, I'm messy and I hate to clean. But, I don't drop my cameras!

Cut to the chase, you say? Yes, it is broken. Oh, how my heart dropped out of my body when it fell so loudly, so awfully onto the floor. I was so excited to have someone notice my photographs for once - oh, they only have a few comments and a couple "favorites" on Flickr. I'm also the girl that nobody ever noticed. Smart, shy, aloof... and nobody ever listened. So, to me, having this camera break... so soon after we'd met, was devastating. Nobody noticed me until I took Polaroid photos. My digital photos are nothing to write home about.

I spent the next 24 hours trying to fix the SX-70. I don't have a repair manual, or probably the patience, to fix it. I checked eBay hundreds of times looking for a good deal (yikes, these are currently going for CRAZY prices for un-tested cameras). Luckily, I suppose, I didn't have much time with this camera. I didn't get as attached as perhaps I might have if I'd had it for years. Perhaps I can get it fixed {i am impatient}.

It's ok. I can't shoot my PX100 film right now, and I'll have to wait for more fun experimentation (that Showerhead shot was my very last). It's just a camera, though. And there are many, many SX-70's out there, even if I've damaged this one beyond repair. I feel ridiculous mourning the loss of a camera when there are so many awful things going on in this world. Just because I was noticed once, briefly, is no reason to get attached to a "thing."

Why did it happen? Perhaps because I suddenly felt proud of myself {hubris}? Because I was forgetting what is important {relationships}? Because I was rushing {haste makes waste}? Because I was not being present.

I need to have "be present" tattooed on my body. Where I can see it everyday. No, really - I'm serious!

be present. be happy. live life today.

First Flush...

I just finished my first pack of PX100 film from The ImPossible Project today. These are my three favorite shots:







I had quite a bit of difficulty shooting with this film outside, and even on my back porch. My indoor shots definitely came out with better tones than the outside photos. The top photo of my trowel and favorite brush (um, archaeologist here...) is washed out. I made a second attempt, but it was worse, despite trying to darken it and keep it warm while developing.

My favorite is the shower head shot. Yes, that water is on, and yes, I was standing IN the shower when I took it. I've been wanting to take that shot for days, but hadn't had the guts to do so until today. I think it was boredom that made me do it.

Go here to see the rest of the set! I've written notes on the flickr pages about my experience with each of the photos (what I remember; I wasn't being especially scientific about it). I did get frustrated a bit - especially with my last outside shot. But, I'm not ready to give up. I'm inexperienced with the film and with the SX-70. This is only my fourth film pack. Oh, and let me tell you - these are better than my first set of 600 film. I'm not even going to scan those! Might be a problem with my nd filter (a film pack filter).

I've also been experimenting with my Spectra System:



Honestly, I'm enjoying my cheap Spectra! It's definitely awkward to hold (especially while carrying a toddler), but I like what I've managed to get so far.

A Few of My Favorite Things

Here are a couple of recent polaroid shots that I took this past week. I feel a bit more comfortable with the Artistic TZ film than the 600 film - in part because I have to remember to put the filter on the film pack. Initially I forgot, and of course, the photo I shot was quite light.






Those two are Artistic TZ film. I just love those chains - who knows how long they've been there? {at least 2 years} At Wilson Park in Chicago there is this beautiful, twisted tree (first photo above). I have never been brave enough to photograph it, because I felt I wouldn't capture it's essence. The photograph isn't perfect, but it makes me happy. {giddy, even}



This is one of my 600 shots - not at all what I'd intended! I've taken three shots so far, and none is very good. This is my favorite, despite it's odd coloring and all. In fact, I'm thinking now that I'd like to photograph my memories with the SX-70. I'm a bit giddy thinking about taking more photographs with film! Yes, I've still been using my digital camera - but mostly to photograph my toddler (he's really too fast for the SX-70 and manual focus).

Ok, I'm off to make dinner. We seem to have come down with season-change colds, and my son (who is speaking VERY loudly behind me) kept me up most of the night. That might also explain why I've felt so forgetful today.

*I have a few more camera bags to post about! I realized that I completely forgot about Etsy sellers - and there are a few interesting options there.

They Made the Impossible, Possible.

The Impossible Project has produced film for SX-70 and 600 film cameras! Amazing, amazing! So excited to try out the new PX Film, despite my minimal polaroid-shooting abilities. Film will be available for purchase THIS THURSDAY, March 25, 2010.

Later this year, color film for both SX-70 and 600 film cameras is expected, as well as film for Spectra cameras. Someone suggested to me that I might still be able to get an inexpensive Spectra. I guess I'm quite suggestible, and I got a bit overzealous and bid on a few. Well, I guess I won one of them, so I hope it works!

Here are my last few SX-70 photos taken this past Friday. It was such a lovely, warm day! Saturday, it snowed (on the first day of spring).

My World, Modified

These are a few of the shots I managed to take with my Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera with Artistic TZ film. I had some difficulties with the camera at first - the picking mechanism was not working, thus the photos not ejecting. It was so upsetting - so much anticipation... waiting for sunny skies, to be alone - only to run outside, snap a shot... noise, then no photo! Thank goodness I found this the next morning.

So, how bad are they? I know they aren't perfect, but to me there is still something magical about them. The top edges have been exposed to light slightly due to the removal (multiple times) of the film pack. Hey, I didn't know what I was doing - what can I say?

What I love about these is how different they are from my reality. None of them came out exactly as I expected. But that's ok. That's what makes life (and polaroid) fun.