Articles

• Flipping Over the Brownie Hawkeye: Advanced Lomographic Techniques With America’s Favorite Camera

  written by kdstevens on 2011-10-21 #gear #tutorials

  

  Do you like soft focus? Or soft focus surround? Then check out the Kodak Brownie Hawkeye camera.

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• Beyond the Blues: Van Dyke Brown Printing

  written by kdstevens on 2011-09-07 #gear #tutorials

  

  Many of the most popular alternative processes in use today are variants of the non-silver processes developed by Sir John Herschel in 1842 and they are among the oldest of all photographic processes. The first of these, cyanotypes, was previously discussed in a recent tipster -- "Beat the Blues: Making Cyanotypes". Another process, Van Dyke Brown Printing, is nearly identical in simplicity, low cost technique but yields a rich brown color as opposed to the blue of cyanotypes. But, if you'll ask me, why not do both? Check it out.

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• Beat the Blues: Making Cyanotypes

  written by kdstevens on 2011-09-05 #gear #tutorials

  

  Cyanotypes are fun and easy and are the perfect way to begin your exploration of alternative and historical photographic processes. The chemicals involved are inexpensive and relatively safe and most of the preparation can be done under normal room lighting. So what’s not to like? Let’s beat those blues! Many places sell readymade cyanotype kits or even pre-sensitized paper (remember SunPrint?). Look for them online or at photo shops that cater to analog photographers such as Freestyle Photographic Supplies in Los Angeles or Bostick and Sullivan in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It’s by far the easiest way to go but if you are more adventuresome and want to do it yourself then I’ve got you covered there, also.

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• Ansco Craftsman: A Box Camera From The 1950s Still Relevant Today

  written by kdstevens on 2011-01-24 #gear

  

  Although box cameras have been around since the 1820s, it wasn’t until 1888 that Kodak introduced the first commercially successful box camera using roll film, box cameras to that point used plates such as wet plate collodion or tintype.

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• Pentax Auto 110: The World's Smallest SLR!

  written by kdstevens on 2010-04-08 #gear

  

  When Pentax introduced its Auto 110 SLR camera in late 1978 it caught the world by surprise. It was incredibly small, cute even, and it was a true SLR with TTL (through-the-lens) center weighted metering and interchangeable lenses.

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• Rollei A110: One of the Best Subminiature Cameras

  written by kdstevens on 2010-01-26 #gear

  

  The Rollei is a small, well-built camera with a lot of heft and nice clean lines. Unlike most 110 cameras, it is mostly metal with a few plastic parts such as the shutter button, focusing lever, and battery holder.

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