Nostr notes by Ralph Brandi

Interesting. I use Yunohost to install my instance, so maybe ...

2026-09-16T21:04:19Z

In reply to nevent1q…3m5x
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Interesting. I use Yunohost to install my instance, so maybe there's something messed up in what it's doing.

In the meantime, Pixelfed is not a full participant in the ...

2026-09-16T20:55:48Z

In reply to nevent1q…nwlk
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In the meantime, Pixelfed is not a full participant in the Activity Pub based Internet. I mean, I get wanting to rearchitect; I spent 31 years as a web developer before retiring a couple of years ago. I also understand that if a key feature isn't working, you fucking fix it, now.

Three updates to Pixelfed in the past two days, but still no fix ...

2026-09-16T20:25:08Z

Three updates to Pixelfed in the past two days, but still no fix for the site failing to incorporate any references or likes from Mastodon (or anything else that uses Activity Pub). Really disappointing.

Fuck you, Apple. ...

2026-09-01T22:52:42Z

Fuck you, Apple.

Love the videos. I've been focused more on salt prints ...

2026-08-16T14:07:39Z

In reply to nevent1q…efqv
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Love the videos. I've been focused more on salt prints lately, but will be doing a few Kallitypes in the next few days for a gift I'm making.

The company I bought my radio from has four employees. Just the ...

2026-08-06T11:43:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…ezjy
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The company I bought my radio from has four employees. Just the kind of small enterprise you suggest they want to kill. I looked into the forwarding services and it’s a clever hack, but yeah, a killer especially for small purchases. I found a friend of a friend who ships a lot of radios out of Germany who was willing to help me get this radio, but that’s a high value item and the extra money I spent a trivial addition to the cost of the radio. For small stuff, it's prohibitive.

This explains why it was such a pain to buy a radio from Germany. ...

2026-08-06T10:45:38Z

In reply to nevent1q…ytgj
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This explains why it was such a pain to buy a radio from Germany. The company used to say they wouldn’t ship outside the EU; now they say they won’t ship outside Germany, and I didn’t understand why, because isn’t the whole point of the EU to make commerce inside Europe frictionless?

I found a way to get my radio anyway; It should be delivered this afternoon. No thanks to the EU’s shipping regulations..

Honestly, anyone accusing me of making my prints and photos with ...

2026-07-21T11:33:20Z

In reply to nevent1q…xfe3
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Honestly, anyone accusing me of making my prints and photos with AI would be instantly blocked.

I bought a bunch of silver nitrate a few years ago and haven’t ...

2026-07-09T15:02:16Z

In reply to nevent1q…sxej
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I bought a bunch of silver nitrate a few years ago and haven’t run out.

It makes sense if you consider that the suppliers like the price ...

2026-07-09T13:36:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…jqdh
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It makes sense if you consider that the suppliers like the price to be higher, and if their cost of goods goes down but the market has adjusted to a higher price, they get to keep the difference.

Former UK prime minister Gordon Brown writes about Nuremberg ...

2026-05-29T22:10:04Z

Former UK prime minister Gordon Brown writes about Nuremberg style tribunals to bring justice against Vladimir Putin and his lackeys.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/may/29/vladimir-putin-trial-crimes-russia-ukraine-plan--gordon-brown

Oh, and I'm currently switching between Pictorico and ...

2026-05-14T17:54:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…w3l8
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Oh, and I'm currently switching between Pictorico and Fixxons. I think for salt the Pictorico is better, but the Fixxons is working for most shots. I just had to reprint one negative on Pictorico this afternoon for one shot where the Fixxons didn't work.

The nice thing about making a salt print on an overcast day is ...

2026-05-14T16:33:34Z

The nice thing about making a salt print on an overcast day is that I can put the contact frame in direct sunlight and still get a slow contrast-enhancing exposure. #AltProcess

I was surprised that 60 minutes didn’t blow things out too. I ...

2026-05-05T11:52:43Z

In reply to nevent1q…luph
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I was surprised that 60 minutes didn’t blow things out too. I know salt has a wide range, but the fact that there’s indistinguishable blocks at white but not black tells me that the exposure was just a bit too short.

That meter is really useful. It’s a shame the guy stopped making them.

The LEDs in my unit are 365nm. I’m going to do another step ...

2026-05-05T10:55:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…8k35
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The LEDs in my unit are 365nm. I’m going to do another step wedge today and use the sun just to see if that makes a difference. I have a Light Measure UV meter, so if I can get a proper step wedge print with the sun, I should be able to transfer that dose to the LED box, even if it’s longer than I would prefer.

Goddamnit, I reached the end of the Internet. What am I going to ...

2026-05-03T08:23:45Z

Goddamnit, I reached the end of the Internet. What am I going to do now?

(Insomnia sucks….)

Final step wedge all dried down. 60 minutes was apparently not ...

2026-05-01T20:56:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…9ffm
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Final step wedge all dried down. 60 minutes was apparently not enough to get steps 1 and 2 to merge; several at the other end did.

May have to do salt prints outside with sunlight instead. Kallitypes take 6 minutes to expose for maximum black.

First step in calibrating a new-to-me process (in this case, salt ...

2026-05-01T14:25:21Z

First step in calibrating a new-to-me process (in this case, salt printing) is finding what exposure provides maximum black using a Stouffer step wedge. Salted the paper a few days ago, sensitized with Silver Nitrate this morning, and now into the contact frame and into the UV box. #altprocess

I think today, a day when the President of the United States has ...

2026-04-07T14:38:08Z

I think today, a day when the President of the United States has threatened to annihilate another country with a nuclear attack, is the doonscrolliest of all doomscrolling days. I feel sick to my stomach in a way even Ronald Fucking Reagan didn’t induce when nuclear nightmares were a common thing.

Wishing everyone who celebrates a Happy Ether. I hope you got a ...

2026-04-05T11:55:11Z

Wishing everyone who celebrates a Happy Ether. I hope you got a visit from the Ether Monkey.

Stumbled across a listing on Freestyle Photo for photobooth paper ...

2026-03-23T01:47:57Z

Stumbled across a listing on Freestyle Photo for photobooth paper from Foma, because you can't get the russian Slavich paper any more. That led me to this interesting article about how to buy a photobooth:

https://www.aastudiosinc.com/post/how-to-buy-a-photobooth

I'm trying to get my Pixelfed server up and running and ...

2026-03-17T11:41:46Z

I'm trying to get my Pixelfed server up and running and linked here again. The server's up, I can post photos, but I don't see the posts here, so here's what I posted this morning.

https://pixelfed.thereisnocat.com/p/thereisnocat/939482090845727235

Filled my car for the first time since I got down here almost a ...

2026-03-10T23:26:07Z

Filled my car for the first time since I got down here almost a week ago. Jesus. Cost me $15 more than I paid at home. A gallon costs $1.10 more than I was paying at home, 60 cents more than I paid filling up on the way down.

It’s going to be a bloodbath for Republicans this November….

Like, Minneapolis? Really? You want people to go to a place ...

2026-02-26T15:22:53Z

In reply to nevent1q…kafz
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Like, Minneapolis? Really? You want people to go to a place that’s in turmoil, a veritable war zone? A place where people who aren’t American are being kidnapped by government thugs and sent to disease-ridden prisons? Where Americans who protest that are gunned down on the streets? WTF Flickr?

Okay, we have an answer. Mode is a conference, a festival, an in ...

2026-02-26T15:05:50Z

Okay, we have an answer. Mode is a conference, a festival, an in person get-together. September in Minneapolis.

https://www.modefestival.com/

I self host my own PDS, but yeah, too much depends on their ...

2026-01-16T19:09:50Z

In reply to nevent1q…a22f
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I self host my own PDS, but yeah, too much depends on their centralized services. I think Blacksky is trying to set up a completely separate but federated instance, but if even they struggle to, I don’t see any way for a lone person like me to.

Interesting documentary about Japanese photographer Daido ...

2025-10-11T18:21:45Z

Interesting documentary about Japanese photographer Daido Moriyama, shot in 2000.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b88CUXH29PE

Saw an Olympus Pen-F at a local camera store this afternoon. ...

2025-09-20T22:45:07Z

Saw an Olympus Pen-F at a local camera store this afternoon. Couldn’t see a price, and I needed to get home. I don’t need another camera. I don’t need another camera. I don’t need another camera….

I think my Smartflex camera is finally on its way. I got an ...

2025-08-21T17:53:49Z

I *think* my Smartflex camera is *finally* on its way. I got an alert from the DHL app on my phone about a package shipped from Guangzhou via Hong Kong, and when I look at the “Signature Release” section, it tells me that the package is almost 20 pounds and is roughly 2 ft long and 1 ft wide & high. That’s way too big to be the film I’m getting from Reflx Lab, which would be the other possibility.

Yesterday was my birthday. I gave myself the present of (mostly) ...

2025-07-31T13:09:28Z

Yesterday was my birthday. I gave myself the present of (mostly) ignoring social media for the day. Came back this morning to hundreds of posts. Y’all post waaaaaay too much. BlueSky in particular is starting to serve the same function late Twitter did; irritating for no good reason. Mastodon less so.

Got mail from the township on Saturday that our sidewalk was ...

2025-07-23T18:47:02Z

Got mail from the township on Saturday that our sidewalk was broken and we needed to fix it or get a $2000 fine. Sidewalk is at the far end of our corner lot. I called because I thought that was the township’s job. Nope, law says it’s mine.

This afternoon, the township is fixing the sidewalk.

I’m not complaining. They just saved me $3000. But I am going to enjoy calling the guy I had a contentious phone call with to tell him his colleagues fixed it, just like I said they should.

Just went through comments on some of my photos on Flickr and ...

2025-07-12T21:22:35Z

Just went through comments on some of my photos on Flickr and blocked anyone whose comment was a variation on “Congrats on Explore”.

I don’t give a flying fuck about getting into Explore. It doesn’t appear to have any relation to quality of my photograph, and I don’t consider it an accomplishment.

Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot was performing an art piece ...

2025-06-15T15:37:00Z

Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot was performing an art piece based on her experience of the russian police state at a museum in Los Angeles. The arrival of a police state in LA shut down the museum and deprived her of her audience.

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/jun/15/pussy-riot-nadya-tolokonnikova-police-state

Did an experiment yesterday. I shot this in the Auto Reflex 5x7 I ...

2025-06-12T18:48:58Z

Did an experiment yesterday. I shot this in the Auto Reflex 5x7 I bought recently on FP4+ that took some water in the fridge and was damaged. While developing, I opened the Stearman 810 for a second halfway through. One sheet came out negative, this one came out positive. #BelieveInFilm

Timothy Snyder in the Kyiv Independent (and probably elsewhere) ...

2025-06-11T19:50:02Z

Timothy Snyder in the Kyiv Independent (and probably elsewhere) about Trump as weak strongman.

https://kyivindependent.com/americas-weak-strongman/

I’ve been reading Macintouch for decades, pretty much since it ...

2025-06-04T13:52:38Z

I’ve been reading Macintouch for decades, pretty much since it started back when its author was writing for MacWEEK magazine.

It’s shutting down because abusive robots (think AI) are causing server costs to go through the roof.

This is why we can’t have nice things.

https://www.macintouch.com/

My solution to this issue was to post to Pixelfed with alt text, ...

2025-05-13T12:43:53Z

In reply to nevent1q…46hz
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My solution to this issue was to post to Pixelfed with alt text, then link to that on BlueSky and boost it on Mastodon. Not quite what you were asking for, I know, but it’s where I landed. Would be interested if anything else comes up as a result of your question.

Took the ONDU Eikan 4x10 out today for the first time. Need to ...

2025-04-21T20:24:19Z

Took the ONDU Eikan 4x10 out today for the first time. Need to test it before an upcoming trip.

Read it yesterday in one session. Couldn’t put it down. Glad I ...

2025-03-16T00:19:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…r3gk
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Read it yesterday in one session. Couldn’t put it down. Glad I ditched Facebook years ago. Simply appalling behavior described in the book, and the narrative arc from idealism to disillusion makes it thoroughly believable.

A5 You can see 259 shots of raindrops at ...

2025-03-13T18:01:43Z

A5 You can see 259 shots of raindrops at https://www.flickr.com/photos/thereisnocat/albums/72177720321081274 .

It’s hard to pick a favorite, but here’s a representative sample.

#photochat https://mstdn.ca/@AlexLuyckxPhoto/114156389230521473

Looks interesting. Pity it’s Instax Mini, a form factor ...

2025-02-28T13:24:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…z5qe
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Looks interesting. Pity it’s Instax Mini, a form factor I've never been able to make work. Would be more interested if it were Instax Square.

Mom and Me I didn’t take this picture. I’m in it. My dad took ...

2025-02-27T12:58:50Z

Mom and Me

I didn’t take this picture. I’m in it. My dad took it in our house in what was then Sterling Township, Michigan (now Sterling Heights) with his Polaroid 250 on Type 108 film. This is my favorite photo of me and my mom.

My mom, Diane Brandi, died yesterday after a brief illness. She moved in with us three years ago as her mobility issues made it harder for her to live on her own. She was 81. I am going to miss her fiercely.

Renovation This building just off the boardwalk in Sea Bright is ...

2025-01-27T12:47:12Z

Renovation

This building just off the boardwalk in Sea Bright is having some work done. Konica Autoreflex T3, Hexanon 21mm f/4 lens, ORWO NC400 film, ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm

Blob There are raindrops in here, but oddly, more visible at a ...

2025-01-26T15:51:21Z

Blob

There are raindrops in here, but oddly, more visible at a smaller size; look at the photo larger and it kind of disappears. Nikon F3HP, Ars-Imago IMAGO 320, Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

Ten things you can do to resist neo-fascism by Robert Reich in ...

2025-01-25T18:37:29Z

Ten things you can do to resist neo-fascism by Robert Reich in the Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jan/24/trump-fascism-what-to-do

Raindrop Got the lens effect on this one just right. Nikon F3HP, ...

2025-01-10T15:50:22Z

Raindrop

Got the lens effect on this one just right. Nikon F3HP, Film Ferrania P33, Rodinal 1:25.

#BelieveInFilm

Just cancelled my subscription to Grainery. If you don't know ...

2024-12-31T15:58:55Z

Just cancelled my subscription to Grainery. If you don't know what that means, that's a good indication of why. It started two years ago as a photo sharing site for film photographers. It promised a lot, most of which failed to show up. There were beta versions of mobile apps, which worked fairly well, but those were abandoned several months ago. The site just never reached escape velocity, the community there is shrinking, and it just isn't worth paying for at this point. It's a pity.

Raindrop Another digital bonus raindrop, this one shot this ...

2024-12-31T00:00:04Z

Raindrop

Another digital bonus raindrop, this one shot this morning with the Fujifilm GFX-100s.

Belford Harbor A familiar scene in an unfamiliar format. I ...

2024-12-26T12:57:14Z

Belford Harbor

A familiar scene in an unfamiliar format. I don't often get the entire harbor in a single shot. KMZ FT-2, Santa Color 100, ECN-2 development. I think the camera needs some help; I'm getting banding in most of the shots from this roll.

#BelieveInFilm

Fishing Out at Spy House. Pentax 67, Reflx Lab Pro 100 (220), ...

2024-12-22T12:19:35Z

Fishing

Out at Spy House. Pentax 67, Reflx Lab Pro 100 (220), ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm

I saw that as part of DocNYC a couple of years ago. Loved it, and ...

2024-12-12T19:18:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…r34k
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I saw that as part of DocNYC a couple of years ago. Loved it, and it's fun to see a film where I actually know and have met in person some of the subjects.

UNESCO has recognized pysanky, the Ukrainian art of decorating ...

2024-12-03T23:58:03Z

UNESCO has recognized pysanky, the Ukrainian art of decorating eggs, as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage. This is the sort of thing russia wants to destroy.

https://kyivindependent.com/unesco-adds-ukrainian-egg-decoration-to-intangible-cultural-heritage-list/

They're all in a series on @npub10zg…39hw , which should ...

2024-12-03T21:37:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…g8cs
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They're all in a series on Glass (npub10zg…39hw) , which should make it easy to catch up. :-)

https://glass.photo/thereisnocat/series/547U2cgNSObkT5dQPrUupf-raindrops

Only took 160 of them. ;-)

2024-12-03T21:14:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…t645
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Only took 160 of them. ;-)

Raindrop Nikon F3HP, Fujifilm ACROS Neopan 1600, Rodinal 1:50. ...

2024-12-03T16:14:00Z

Raindrop

Nikon F3HP, Fujifilm ACROS Neopan 1600, Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

Why stop? Only reason I can think of is if you get bored with ...

2024-11-30T12:11:46Z

In reply to nevent1q…03xu
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Why stop? Only reason I can think of is if you get bored with making them. 🤪

Yup. Reflx Lab respools Kodak Aerocolor in 220 format as well as ...

2024-11-16T15:53:49Z

In reply to nevent1q…p56w
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Yup. Reflx Lab respools Kodak Aerocolor in 220 format as well as 120.

Manco & Manco The classic Ocean City pizza place. Pentax 67, ...

2024-11-16T12:50:38Z

Manco & Manco

The classic Ocean City pizza place. Pentax 67, Reflx Lab Pro 100 (220), ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm

Freelensing with slide film…. Morag is either very brave or ...

2024-11-08T13:40:45Z

In reply to nevent1q…gdsu
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Freelensing with slide film….

Morag is either very brave or very foolish…. ;-)

(Seriously, having enjoyed her work for years, I know it's the former)

Officers’ Row Two of the many deteriorating houses on ...

2024-11-02T15:00:37Z

Officers’ Row

Two of the many deteriorating houses on Officers’ Row at Fort Hancock on Sandy Hook. Hasselblad 500cm, Kodak Portra 160NC (220), expired Feb 2009, ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm

I’ve found it to be mediocre with Apple Music (I often have to ...

2024-10-29T18:08:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…wy2r
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I’ve found it to be mediocre with Apple Music (I often have to spell out the name of a band), and completely useless for playing podcasts. This was a source of some frustration just yesterday as I drove 400 miles to get home.

As someone who has been researching his ancestry since before all ...

2024-10-17T11:49:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…ekag
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As someone who has been researching his ancestry since before all this stuff was digitized, just a friendly reminder that anything you get from other people's trees is a clue, not proof. More helpful if they include citations, but there are a lot of family trees out there that are just plain wrong. The farther back you go, the easier it is to misinterpret the documents.

Arcade Another view of the boardwalk in Wildwood, slightly north ...

2024-10-13T15:21:34Z

Arcade

Another view of the boardwalk in Wildwood, slightly north of yesterday’s shot (you can see So Sweet in this one as well). Hasselblad 500cm, Reflx Lab Pro 100 (220), ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm

Remarkable talk by @npub1sac…kcpe. I watched it last night. ...

2024-10-09T20:55:43Z

Remarkable talk by Erin Kissane (npub1sac…kcpe). I watched it last night. Really crystallizes the issues I’ve been having with social media lately. We do indeed need to fix the fucking networks. https://xoxo.zone/@xoxo/113273230296491707

Shane Balkowitsch writes for PetaPixel about a tiny wet plate ...

2024-10-08T18:46:04Z

Shane Balkowitsch writes for PetaPixel about a tiny wet plate camera a friend of his made for him. It shoots 1.5 x 1.5 inch tintypes, and it works.

https://petapixel.com/2024/10/08/smaller-is-better-my-tiny-wooden-wet-plate-camera/

A Blast From The Past A diner on the boardwalk in Wildwood. ...

2024-10-08T14:56:36Z

A Blast From The Past

A diner on the boardwalk in Wildwood. Hasselblad 500cm, CineStill 400D, ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm

That Little Noticed Third State There’s Open, there’s Closed, ...

2024-10-05T14:51:40Z

That Little Noticed Third State

There’s Open, there’s Closed, and then there’s that little noticed third state. Hasselblad 500cm, CineStill 400D, ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm

Raindrop Took a few weeks off from social media. I wrote about it ...

2024-09-28T13:04:04Z

Raindrop

Took a few weeks off from social media. I wrote about it on my blog if you care. Here's a raindrop. Nikon F3HP, ORWO P400, Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

Monkey Business Shot this in Wildwood with my pre-war Contax III, ...

2024-08-29T18:02:03Z

Monkey Business

Shot this in Wildwood with my pre-war Contax III, 21mm Biogon f/4.5 lens on Ektachrome E100. Developed in my jerry-rigged process of HC-110 for 6.5 minutes, exposing to light for 4 minutes, & running through ECN-2 dev for a little longer than usual. Looks very similar to E6.

#BelieveInFilm

Midway Tequi La Bar Interesting kerning there. Hasselblad 500cm, ...

2024-08-19T14:46:21Z

Midway Tequi La Bar

Interesting kerning there. Hasselblad 500cm, Reflx Lab Pro 100 (220 format), ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm

Raindrop Nikon F3HP, Kodak 5222 Double-XX, Rodinal 1:50. ...

2024-08-13T18:00:10Z

Raindrop

Nikon F3HP, Kodak 5222 Double-XX, Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

Cooked SEAFOOD to TAKE OUT Another shot of Keyport Fishery’s ...

2024-08-11T11:55:51Z

Cooked SEAFOOD to TAKE OUT

Another shot of Keyport Fishery’s fine signage. Kiev 88cm, CZJ 180mm Sonnar f/2.8, Film Ferrania P30, Rodinal 1:50.

#ShittyCameraChallenge #BelieveInFilm

Park Pavilion I just liked the strings of lights overhead. ...

2024-08-09T14:47:55Z

Park Pavilion

I just liked the strings of lights overhead. Hasselblad 500cm, Shanghai GP3 100, Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

Shore Looking back from the end of the pier. Kiev 88cm, Arsat ...

2024-08-04T12:09:02Z

Shore

Looking back from the end of the pier. Kiev 88cm, Arsat 30mm f/3.5 fisheye lens, Ilford HP5+ (expired October, 2011), Rodinal 1:50.

#ShittyCameraChallenge #BelieveInFilm

Donovan’s Reef This bar in Sea Bright has a deck that ...

2024-08-02T14:44:01Z

Donovan’s Reef

This bar in Sea Bright has a deck that intersects with the boardwalk. Hasselblad 500cm, Reflx Labs Pro 100 (in 220 format), ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm

Ramp A shot from the beach at Spy House in Port Monmouth on the ...

2024-07-31T12:05:54Z

Ramp

A shot from the beach at Spy House in Port Monmouth on the bay, probably the closest beach to my house. Kiev 88cm, HP5+ (expired October, 2011), Rodinal 1:50. Part of my tests of the backs for the camera. They all had leaks. I ordered new ones from Arax.

#ShittyCameraChallenge #BelieveInFilm

Sunrisen About ten minutes after the previous sunrise shot that I ...

2024-07-30T18:09:42Z

Sunrisen

About ten minutes after the previous sunrise shot that I posted yesterday, the sun rose above the low level clouds. Hasselblad 500cm, Reflx Lab Pro 100 (in 220 format), ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm