Last week Nonnie and I drove to Port Angeles for two nights to try out my new camera. We took the Bainbridge Island ferry, which always offers some interesting views looking back at the downtown skyline and the Space Needle. During the rest of the drive the weather was cloudy and overcast but it didn’t rain, and the traffic wasn’t bad. I guess not too many people go to such a rainy area in February.
Originally I had thought about taking pictures of the coastline in the sunshine, but since there wasn’t any Nonnie suggested we go to Victoria BC for the day. The ferry ride took ninety minutes and when we arrived the sun was shining, intermittently at least. After assuring the authorities that we were not coming from an Ebola afflicted country, we were allowed to enter Canada. I had never been to Victoria before, and Nonnie said that the empty flower beds that I saw everywhere were full of dazzling blossoms in the spring. We walked through the Empress Hotel and thought about having high tea there, something we have talked about doing for years, but decided to save it for another trip.
We went in search of a great breakfast but found only a mediocre waffle shop. The old section of town was picturesque, and the Chinatown area had some interesting decorations for the upcoming Lunar New Year. The architecture in that part of town is interesting with many old iron buildings. It looks very British, at least the way Britain used to look.
Back in Port Angeles that night I made the mistake of ordering stuffed calamari at a very nice looking restaurant. They took forever to arrive, and when they finally did they were cold and tasteless. The waitress was very apologetic and did’nt charge me for the dinner, or for the excellent desert Nonie and I shared later. Some cold beer helped the whole evening’s experience seem more like an adventure.
Our last morning we drove to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park. The road was clear of snow, more like August than February. We drove through fog all the way, but when we finally arrived the clouds were breaking up and the sun was burning through, making for some dramatic pictures.
Going home we took a different ferry, to Edmunds, north of Seattle. This time we didn’t have to wait at the Hood Canal Bridge and whole trip home was smooth and enjoyable. And I did get a few interesting pictures, which I will post here.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
My New Camera
For several years I have been thinking about buying a high quality single lens reflex digital camera, but up to now I have hesitated to make the commitment.
Twenty years ago I bought a Hasselblad medium format film camera, which I loved. It was a very high quality camera, totally mechanical - no autofocus, autoexposure, or auto-anything. It didn’t even have a light meter. But it took great pictures.
Ten years ago, just as the digital revolution was well underway, I found a used Leica M6 camera for a good price and I loved that camera also. It used 35mm film, had a light meter, and was solid as a rock. It too was a mechanical camera - no autofocus or autoexposure. And it took wonderful pictures. Using it was a joy.
I thought these cameras were timeless when I bought them; I thought I would hand them down to my sons. But time did it’s terrible dance, and the cameras became obsolete almost overnight. Film became scarce and darkrooms scarcer. The other day I took the cameras out and realized I had forgotten how to load them. So, after all this time and indecision, I finally decided to sell them and buy a new digital camera.
In digital photography size matters - the size of the sensor (more than the number of pixels.) The bigger the sensor the better. Of course cost is a limiting factor, so a new digital sensor for my Hasselblad was not a reasonable choice at $20,000! But a full frame sensor, one that is the same size as a 35mm film negative, was. Although Leica makes a wonderful digital camera, at $5,000 for the camera body it seemed too expensive for my needs (but not for my wants!)
Now I am the proud owner of a Nikon d750 with a 28-300mm zoom lens. I downloaded the 500 page owners manual and am trying to understand it. What a change from my first camera, a single lens reflex all mechanical film camera. Will the Nikon make me a better photographer? Not directly but it will encourage me to take more and better pictures. Now I won’t be able to fault my camera. Now it’s a matter of being in the right place at the right time, and seeing the right picture. If I can see it, the camera can certainly take it.
Twenty years ago I bought a Hasselblad medium format film camera, which I loved. It was a very high quality camera, totally mechanical - no autofocus, autoexposure, or auto-anything. It didn’t even have a light meter. But it took great pictures.
Ten years ago, just as the digital revolution was well underway, I found a used Leica M6 camera for a good price and I loved that camera also. It used 35mm film, had a light meter, and was solid as a rock. It too was a mechanical camera - no autofocus or autoexposure. And it took wonderful pictures. Using it was a joy.
I thought these cameras were timeless when I bought them; I thought I would hand them down to my sons. But time did it’s terrible dance, and the cameras became obsolete almost overnight. Film became scarce and darkrooms scarcer. The other day I took the cameras out and realized I had forgotten how to load them. So, after all this time and indecision, I finally decided to sell them and buy a new digital camera.
In digital photography size matters - the size of the sensor (more than the number of pixels.) The bigger the sensor the better. Of course cost is a limiting factor, so a new digital sensor for my Hasselblad was not a reasonable choice at $20,000! But a full frame sensor, one that is the same size as a 35mm film negative, was. Although Leica makes a wonderful digital camera, at $5,000 for the camera body it seemed too expensive for my needs (but not for my wants!)
Now I am the proud owner of a Nikon d750 with a 28-300mm zoom lens. I downloaded the 500 page owners manual and am trying to understand it. What a change from my first camera, a single lens reflex all mechanical film camera. Will the Nikon make me a better photographer? Not directly but it will encourage me to take more and better pictures. Now I won’t be able to fault my camera. Now it’s a matter of being in the right place at the right time, and seeing the right picture. If I can see it, the camera can certainly take it.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
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