November 28, 2003

Beach (pioneer)/Documentaries


pioneer616_wards_trees.jpg

Beach (Wards Island)
Taken with Agfa Pioneer 616

I figured since I started talking about documentary television a few entries back, that I would list a few documentary films off the top-of-my-head that I've enjoyed at one time or another.

  • I Am a Promise: The Children Of Stanton Elementary School (1993) -- A heartwrenching examination of an inner-city elementary school in North Philadelphia riddled with poverty, problems of drug addiction and various other troubles.
  • Come on Children (Directed by Allan King, Canada, 1973) -- It's Canadian, filmed in the year of my birth, the pregnant girl reminds me of how I imagine my own mother during her pregnancy with me, the guy from Rush is in it... This documentary is like a distant precursor to "The Real World: Episode 1" (before they had the formula down). Ten teens and young adults from the big city are housed on a farm in the country for 3 months (?) while the cameras watch their every move. As you can imagine there's tons of pot smoking and folk music jams. I just love this film and have watched it many times. My favourite part is when the former speed head kid plays 'Mr. Bojangles'. Another great scene is when the parents come for a visit. As soon as they're out the door the pot head girl can't wait to get high. Come to think of it my new hair (which is already growing in) is frightneningly similar to hers.
  • Stevie (Directed by Steve James 1993) -- Directed by the same man who made another documentary jem, 'Hoop Dreams', this film is a disturbing and bleak but also compassionate look at the life of a troubled boy who has grown into an exceedingly troubled man. While I found the subject matter difficult to watch, I applauded the real attempt to examine the notion that people who do bad things weren't born that way.
  • Hell House -- I was brought up with fundamentalist and evangelical christianity (It didn't take, been an athiest ever-since, yet I can still recite verse after verse from memory.) and as a result have an enduring fascination with any sort of portrait of religious extremity. "Hell House" follows the rather 'unique' version of a haunted house put on annually by the congregation of Trinity Church, Texas. Their attempt at 'Soul Winning' is so fucked up, violent and extreme I've been unable to sit through the actual tour through the haunted house but have watched the rest of the film several times.
  • The Devil's Playground (Directed by Lucy Walker) -- This film follows several Amish teens as they enter the rite-of-passage known as Rumspringa. This period of their lives starts at age 16 and continues until they either decide to join the church or leave. I found what transpired when these kids were given free reign to go nuts really fascinating. While it would seem that they had a great deal of choice, it seemed to me that when the choice is be free but lose everything you know AND face the possibility of hell, or go back and join the church, there is no choice at all.
  • Procedure 769: Witness to an Execution (Directed by Jaap van Howijk, 1995) -- Documents the vastly different accounts of 11 people who were witness to the 1992 execution (by gas) of Robert Alton Harris. It was astonishing how each witnesses experience of the situation differed. For some people every moment and every detail hung suspended in slow motion, and others were very limited and quick in their recall.
  • Standing in the Shadows of Motown -- Terrific film but I truly wish they had thought to have someone (anyone!) other than Chaka Khan perform Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On". That was so very, very wrong.
  • Grey Gardens (1976) -- To say these women are eccentric is an understatement. A testament to what I can imagine my mother and her mother could have become had they been left alone together for 30 years... and were white, upper class former debutantes living in the Hamptons.
  • Posted by Gayla at 12:22 AM | Comments (6)

    November 27, 2003

    Fort/Swings/Scarf


    pinhole_fortswings.jpg

    Taken with Zero 2000 Pinhole

    Various Thoughts

  • I finished my scarf yesterday. It is ever-so-slightly itchy on my bare neck and chin. Alas I may have to switch to those super soft synthetic yarns.
  • Am SOOOO looking forward to next week's No-client-work-winter-cleanup-extravaganza. If you're expecting an email reply from a month back I may actually get to it.
  • The holiday season is drawing near and with it all the bullshit that comes with the people I never hear from coming out of hibernation and wanting to talk, see, whatever. The baby jesus does not care if you call me during the holidays. "Lumps of coal for all of you", I say.
  • After 15 years as a New Order fan I've finally commited to "Ceremony" as my favourite song even though it's a Joy Division song.
  • Posted by Gayla at 12:54 PM | Comments (4)

    November 26, 2003

    Chair / Man Alive


    holga_colourschair.jpg

    Another chair
    Taken with Holga

    Lately I've become addicted to the CBC documentary series 'Man Alive'. They play two old episodes (mostly from the 90's I think) back-to-back on the documentary channel. It's hard for me to catch it because I'm usually working, but when I get a chance I try to catch both episodes.

    When I went about searching for a link describing the show I was stunned to find "Man Alive explores expressions of faith, spirituality and religion in today's world." - from the CBC site. I had no idea it was a non-denominational religious show. I have read that the mandate became more open-ended as the show aired for many years, but I really thought it was about sociology and human life in general rather than human spirituality. I mean there was a whole episode that was just a racing, manic interview with Camille Paglia and who the hell even knows what she said in those 30 minutes. I had to keep muting the volume to prevent hurting myself. Last night I watched an excellent show about lying and another about the effect absentee fathers have on developing boys. I didn't agree with a lot of what was said in that episode but it was still interesting.

    I also caught a part of an old episode of "The Nature of Things" (another fave) on child development during my lunch break yesterday. I was stunned during a segment on child rearing in a kibbutz in which they filmed naked children of all sexes showering communally... and shown without pixelation. I'm not stunned because I think it's wrong, but because it is something they would never show on television now-a-days. It was interesting to note how much we've backtracked in many ways both socially and culturally during the last 30 years.

    I really miss documentary programs like 'Man Alive' and 'The Nature of Things' (which btw is currently still airing new programs) in which fragments of the human condition are examined. These days similar programs tend to focus on popular culture or celebrity rather than on human life in general. Now that I've finally kicked my tabloid habit I could give a fuck about the screwed up lifestyles of the rich and famous. I want to know what makes all of us tick collectively and individually.

    Posted by Gayla at 11:26 AM | Comments (4)

    November 25, 2003

    Snow, Knitting


    holga_redgreen.jpg

    Taken with Holga

    Today's photo at LalaLand

    ----------------------------------

    First day of snow on the ground that has actually stuck.

    ----------------------------------

    Over the weekend I tried knitting for the first time. I am now close to 3/4 done a large scarf (I'm going for a blanket scarf).

    My mother was big on crochet, and tried teaching me when I was very young in some twisted singular attempt to partake in the tear jerking tradition of mothers imparting domestic wisdom on their daughters. She was not a very good teacher. Unless teaching involves ridicule and belittling.

    I do everything crafty and handy under the sun regardless of gender assignment, but I have always refused anything involving yarn. That was my mother's territory and I had no interest in even remotely associating myself with her. But my need to be self-sufficient has finally outdone my need to protect myself from the bad feelings I have associated with the repetative hand movements of yarn over a needle and I decided fuck this I'm going to learn and I'm going to make a scarf. Maybe eventually a hat.

    Knitting: a small act of rebellion.

    Posted by Gayla at 10:43 AM | Comments (4)

    November 24, 2003

    Pinhole Marsh, Beach


    pinhole_marshbeach.jpg

    Taken with Zero 2000 Pinhole

    My using 120 film in a 616 camera is up on Photojunkie.org this week.

    In case anyone is wondering it turns out that I didn't need to put any sort of frame inside to prevent light leaks. All I did was tape the outside seams of the camera as I do the toy cams and that worked just fine. I usually don't have that sort of bad seal with the box cameras so I wasn't expecting that to be the problem. But happily it was.

    Posted by Gayla at 11:56 AM | Comments (6)

    November 21, 2003

    for Chris


    pinhole_forchris.jpg

    for Chris
    Taken with Zero 2000 Pinhole

    I think I may have a better photo from the 'for Chris' collection of photos taken of this table hockey game. But I haven't had the film developed yet.

    See more photos of this game at LowResolution.

    Posted by Gayla at 10:49 AM | Comments (3)

    November 20, 2003

    Super Long Alley


    pioneer616_alley.jpg

    Posted by Gayla at 10:38 AM | Comments (5)

    November 19, 2003

    Paper Laundry


    lubitel

    Taken with Lubitel 166U

    Posted by Gayla at 10:47 PM | Comments (8)

    Green Rusty Wall


    lomo_greenrustwall.jpg

    Green and Rust
    Taken with Lomo LC-A

    A closeup of this door can be found at LowResolution.

    -----------------------

    Don't forget to catch my Carnival series on ToyCamera while it's still showing on the homepage. I still have TONS of carnival/midway/concession stand photos taken with an assortment of cameras sitting here that I'd like to post. I may have to get off my ass and do an actual gallery instead of randomly posting them. Sometimes I get a little bit bored of scanning though. Tonight I get back four rolls of 120 which amounts to about 50 or so scans. eek.

    Posted by Gayla at 11:18 AM | Comments (8)

    November 18, 2003

    Chinatown Plastics


    windsor_plastics.jpg

    Chinatown Plastics
    Taken with Windsor (Diana Clone)

    Posted by Gayla at 10:50 AM | Comments (4)

    November 17, 2003

    WTCD/ROM/Ward Island


    holga_x.jpg

    X
    Taken with Holga

    The results of WTCD are in. I did not win but I did pretty well overall. Shown above is another of the final four contenders that I did not use.

    ---------------------------

    I actually had an unusually full, completely recreational activity-based weekend. On Friday we went to the R.O.M cause it's free on Fridays after 4:30pm and I like free... We were attempting to see the Art Deco show (not free but rate reduced) but the lines were too long and I hate lines. I don't like Art Deco that much. The visit was okay except that all my favourite sections (especially the Chinese Art sections) were closed for the renovations they're doing to the building. Personally I think it's going to be an ugly Postmodern disaster when it's complete and I hate the look of the new galleries which are very open and minimalist. Bring back the stuffy, dark rooms filled with wood cases and cheesy full-sized dioramas of taxidermied animals damn it! Because my favourite galleries were closed, we instead saw my second favourite gallery, Egypt and Mesopotamia. Visiting this gallery always means a stop at Palette of Narmor 3000 B.C, literally the only thing I remember both the name and date of from first year Art History class.

    After the R.O.M we went to see Elephant. I really liked the slow meandering shots in which the camera followed the teens closely as they walked around the school. I also loved that the lighting seemed mostly natural.

    We got very lucky on Saturday when we decided to give Ward's Island a go before it gets too cold. It seems the Island was the only place in Toronto with sun for any stretch of time this weekend. In fact it appeared as we approached the Island from the ferry that the clouds lifted and a ray of sun decended. As we scurried about snapping pictures I kept muttering "We are so damn lucky". I was sure it would give out at any moment but it lasted until the usual winter sundown time of 4pm.

    On Sunday we went downtown to purchase pants and found ourselves in the middle of The Santa Claus Parade. Both Mr. Risk and I HATE crowds and try to avoid any and all events that may include large hourds of people whenever possible. It was fairly entertaining for the few minutes we caught as we travelled down the street along the route in an attempt to get away from the crowds. There was one float full of kids dressed as chickens with somber looks on their faces that I wish I had taken a picture of. Between the parade and a brief stint at the mall I've already heard more fucking xmas music than I can stand.

    Posted by Gayla at 11:26 AM | Comments (10)

    November 15, 2003

    Pioneer 616 -- Boys


    pioneer616_boys.jpg

    Teen Boys
    Taken with Agfa Pioneer 616

    Got my first roll back from the Agfa Pioneer 616. This was taken on a really grey, blah day with 800 asa film. Tons of light leak which means I may have to try making some kind of insert to make up for the fact that the 120 film is shorter in height then 616.

    Regardless I still like the result and will try to make my next time out be on a sunny day. Poor gal/guy's panoramic indeed.

    Posted by Gayla at 12:47 AM | Comments (2)

    November 14, 2003

    ICE / "Shooting"


    windsor_icebox.jpg

    ICE
    Taken with Windsor (Diana Clone) 120

    This is one of the WTCD images that made it into my final four. That's all I can say at this time as voting is still going on.

    --------------------------

    Lately I've been wondering how people came to refer to taking a photo as "shooting". eg. "Stand over here so I can shoot you."

    Ummm o-kay.

    The history of language is interesting to me and you've got to admit this is a pretty weird bit of slang. Yesterday a friend showed us a photo of a Russian camera called a Robot with the longest, craziest, scariest lens that truly exemplified the term. I can also imagine that perhaps it came into use during wartime when photographers first got into the field with soldiers. Or perhaps it had something to do with the explosion of chemicals when the first flashes were used. Maybe it's something crazier and more abstract say, like, how you're killing time when you capture a moment on film (the photo as a memento mori), that someone thought up while lounging on a velvet chaise smoking opium. Who knows? Anyways it's a bit violent and I'm conscious of that when I'm saying it.

    I'm not suggesting we change the slang and start using a new fluffy bunny term like "sparkling" or "hugging"... I'm just saying.

    Posted by Gayla at 11:14 AM | Comments (3)

    November 12, 2003

    Pumpkins


    pumpkins.jpg

    Jack-O-Lanterns
    Taken with Holga 120

    Posted by Gayla at 09:51 AM | Comments (3)

    A Cheap n' Easy Way to Use 120 Film in a 116 Camera

    A Cheap n' Easy Way to Use 120 Film in a 616 Camera

    Six-16 film is pretty near impossible to find and when you do the developing cost is high and probably not worth the expense. Here's how I modified 120 film spools to fit inside a 616 camera. Keep in mind that 616 film is much taller than 120 film. As a result you will end up with images that are shorter, but long, not unlike panoramic shots.

    Agfa Pioneer 616

    Materials

  • 1 616 camera

  • 1 roll 120 film

  • 1 empty 120 or 620 spool for take-up

  • 2 small wall plugs

  • 1 x-acto knife or scissors

  • 1 120-620 washer-type adapter (only required if using 120 spool for take-up)

  • contact cement or other bonding agent
  • Method

    1. Eyeball the length of the 616 spool that came with your camera.

    2. Insert a wall plug into the end of your 120 or 620 take-up spool. If it is too long remove the plug and cut it down with an x-acto knife to an approximate length. Accurate measurements really aren't necessary since this is a "shove-it-in-and-make-it-work" method. [See a Photo]

    Wall Plug


    3. If using a 620 take-up spool you can skip this step. I bought these crappy 120-620 Adapters on ebay some time ago. Actually the seller threw them in when we had a disagreement about another item but I digress. At the time they weren't worth a thought (I've got plenty of 620 spools) but now I've found a use for them. The opening at the ends of 120 spools are much larger than those of 620 or 616 spools. As a result the end of the winder thingy doesn't fit snuggly into the end of the 120 spool and you can't wind the film. These little adapters are basically thin washers with a hole cut to the correct size (like a key hole, with the winder being the key). I'm not sure but it may be possible to find these things in a hardware store. Anyways, I used contact cement to bond the washer/adapter with a 120 spool. I used a metal 120 spool for a more permenant bond. (Don't forget to ask for your spool back when you take the film in for developing). You only need one on one spool end as only the end inserted into the winder side requires a special shape. [See a Photo]


    4. Cut the second wall plug to the length of the first. Insert into one end of your unexposed roll of 120 film. Load up the camera.

    The spools in the camera

    5. Watching the film counter, advance your film to #3 for your first shot. For every shot thereafter advance three frames. i.e. Your second shot will be on frame #6, and then 9, etc resulting in 5 photos on a normal 120 roll.

    Posted by Gayla at 09:49 AM | Comments (1)

    November 11, 2003

    Cross-Processed Spartus / Anny-35 / Agfa Pioneer


    spartusx_ie.jpg

    ie (green)
    Taken with Spartus Full-Vue

    Certainly not the best photo I've ever taken but felt I should post one of those surprise cross-processed Spartus Full-Vue pics from World Toy Camera Day.

    -------------------------

    My guy was profiled on PhotoJunkie. He's growing up (right before my eyes).

    -------------------------

    Two New Cameras

    The Houay (or Howay. Not sure which) Anny-35 camera. It's a plastic lens 35mm camera Made in Japan. I was expecting a light, plastic thing but it is actually quite heavy with metal parts. It's kind of like the designers kept changing their minds when they designed it. It's made to look like a Russian Rangefinder, and is even sort of weighty like one, but then it has this shitty plastic lens that easily screws off revealing all the inner workings of the camera. The film counter is manual and the ASA dial is fake. Bizarre but highly entertaining. I also love the styling of the "35" on the orange background.

    My second arrival came this morning. It's an Agfa Pioneer. The good news is I only paid 3 bucks for it. The bad news is I was expecting a 620 film camera and the one I got is the 616 model. Well, 616 film is much taller in spool size than 120 or 620. The film is also impossible to get. Developing a roll costs 20 bucks U.S. No thanks. So I spent about an hour this morning searching online for possible solutions. I found one. I can't show a photo because the film is in the camera already but basically I used those plastic plugs you use to stick in the wall for hanging stuff as extenders. I just cut them down a bit to size and stuffed them into the ends of 120 spools. Okay it was slightly more complicated than that... I'll post instructions someday. But it works like a charm. The cool thing is I read that the resized 120 film gives the correct aspect ratio of a panoramic image so I now have a makeshift 120 panoramic.

    I was not expecting the size of this camera. It's HUGE. It really is a box camera refashioned into a different shape with a big lens stuck on the front. It has two shutter speeds, regular and 'B', and what looks like plugs for a flash unit on the top. That's it. There are no other features.

    Posted by Gayla at 12:18 PM | Comments (6)

    Sorauren Building


    lookslikeindia.jpg

    Looks Like India
    Taken with Holga 120

    The Municipal election is over. The candidate I chose for mayor won but sadly the candidate I chose for councillor of my ward lost.

    --------------------------

    Had the task of chosing my WTCD photo tonight. Got it down to four and then struggled. It was so difficult because sadly the weather sucked that day and they aren't some of my best photos. I had some Spartus images from that day that were cross processed and I'll be posting a few soon. It was my first foray into x-processing... and an unintended one. I had purchased a bunch of old film ages ago and didn't realize one of them was slide film until I took the roll in for processing the other day and the guy at the counter asked me if I wanted x-processing. Sadly of my two Spartus Full-Vues that's the one with the crappy light leaks so most of the photos are blah. Basically they're just really crazy bright green. My brother thought I should submit one of them as my WTCD submission but I felt it was too gimicky.

    Posted by Gayla at 12:18 AM | Comments (2)

    November 09, 2003

    No Clue But Looks Cool


    holga_wild.jpg

    No Clue But Looks Cool
    Taken with Holga 120

    P.S.A : If you're living in Toronto don't forget to VOTE in today's Municipal election. See ya later Mel. Good riddance.

    Posted by Gayla at 10:31 PM | Comments (0)

    November 08, 2003

    big day

    before. after.

    Posted by Gayla at 07:17 PM | Comments (7)

    November 07, 2003

    Sun/Plato Chess


    holga_chess_plato.jpg

    Plato
    Taken with Holga 120

    It's sunny! One more day of grey, 5:00pm all day weather and I swear I would have cracked.

    Posted by Gayla at 10:36 AM | Comments (3)

    November 06, 2003

    Faile, Photo Face


    brownie_fail.jpg

    Faile
    Taken with Brownie Hawkeye

    Rannie posted a great photo he took of me on our Island jaunt last weekend. I like it because it's a good photo, but also because I'm doing something. I hate posed photos of me. I get uncomfortable waiting for the shutter. I end up looking goofy or fake. When I'm doing something, I look like me, being me. I'm making normal facial expressions. I'm being myself as I am without the awkwardness.

    I also blame not having a "photo face". I swear to god there are people who develop this by practicing in the mirror. They go over various smiles and facial expressions until they find one or two that make them look good. This is one of those crazy things I've learned about people that I wouldn't even think of. You can really see it in action sometimes too. I was in a wedding party once... which means lots of posing for photos... among other things. And damn, the second the photographer said "okay" a sea of fake, but totally perfect smiles and expressions sprung out of thin air. And then there was me straining to create a genuinely pleasant expression when I clearly was not genuinely pleased.

    I was joking to Mr. Risk last night that, that's what I need to do. I need to pencil in some time in my busy schedule to develop a photo face. Then after I've got that very important project sorted I can work on my behind-the-camera face. Rannie's photo is an exception because normally when I'm taking a photo I make the dumbest-concentrating-really-hard expression. I don't think I do it with the box cameras, just the cameras that require fiddling with focus and various other bits. Mr. Risk has taken enough photos of me looking like a fool that I know this is true.

    Posted by Gayla at 11:24 AM | Comments (7)

    November 05, 2003

    Guilty TV


    brownie_shoes.jpg

    When They Closed the 7-11
    Taken with Brownie Hawkeye

    Anyone who currently does or ever has watched television has a guilty pleasure program. I've had many but recently, along with tabloids and tabloid television I have begun to cut out most of my guilty pleasure shows. I just don't feel the need to fill my head with tons of vile, useless crap like I used to.

    But there is one show I can't give up. The opening credits are incredibly well-designed (anyone know who did them?), the theme song is sickeningly, and I mean SICKENINGLY infectious... and damn it I just enjoy watching those girls fight and obsess about stupid shit. That show is "Sorority Life" on MTV.

    Yes I know there is a male counterpart. But "Fraternity Life" is boring. Similar but masculinised design (why it's blue for boys of course!), same obsessing about stupid shit, yet somehow less exciting. Actually I know exactly why Sorority Life is better... females are cruel. I'm a female. I've been through public school, post-secondary school and I've worked in offices... when females are nasty, they're fucking brutal. I have lots of good ideas and thoughts about why that is that I won't go into here. Let's just say that it's a learned behaviour. No female is born passive-aggressive. Academics aside, when I watch Sorority Life, I can see it all in action without being in the middle of it. I get front row seating into the crazy world of sororities without actually being in a sorority. I can hate on the girl with the super-long American tips and spiral perm and root for the alienated girl who is intellegent, but insecure and fucked up enough to have considered being a part of "the team" in the first place (until she says something really dumb that I can't get behind and it's all over).

    Here's where the guilt part of guilty pleasure kicks in for me.... It's too easy. I think we all "get" that shows like this reduce people down to something one-dimensional. It's easy for me to hate on the American tips/spiral perm chick because she's presented as a non-human, future Stepford Wife. I used to be okay in believing that when you sign up for that kind of show, you must know what you're getting into. I even used to believe that I'm in this camp and people like supernails girl are on the opposite side of the field. That it was okay for me to dehumanise her because she did it to herself everyday. But I don't know anymore. I know better. I don't want to participate anymore in a culture of binary opposites. And everytime I turn that damn show on, I'm admiting that there is a little side of me that is entertained watching other people suffer and dehumanise themselves. That despite all my thinking and postulating, I do think I'm better than Frosted tips/supernail girl. Fucking hell.

    Posted by Gayla at 11:24 AM | Comments (3)

    November 04, 2003

    Springtime in the Park/Lubitel2 Revisited


    lubitel_davinyellow.jpg

    Spring in the Park
    Taken with Lubitel2

    I took this photo way back in the springtime using the 2nd Lubitel2... the one with the cyrllic lettering. I'm now making an attempt to appreciate that camera for what it is. My problem with it is that I bought it to take nice, sharp photos with a touch of softness... see the photos with the first camera to get what I mean.

    But this one is messed. It takes crazy, toy camera-ish shots... one small area of sharpness with crazy tunnel vision blur all around. The photo above is not a good example of the craziness. The colour saturation is out-of-this-world. I should LOVE this. I should be so friggin happy to have gotten so lucky. By sheer luck I got a crazy camera rather than a boring normal one. But I just haven't been because I'm a stubborn fool and I want my sharpness because that's what I bought the camera for damnit. Sigh.

    I have had nothing but trouble with these Lubitel cameras and yet I can't stop. I blame the first one. It was brilliant. Amazing. Beautiful. I still get weepy thinking about it. We had good times that camera and I. Until I broke it within a week and a half. I'm planning to make it into a pinhole though.

    Number 2 was an old Lubitel 1 I bought off ebay for $10 bucks. It never arrived and the seller went awol.

    Number 3 is the Lubitel2 with cyrllic lettering. You know the story.

    Number 4 is a 166U that is currently on route. We'll see.

    Posted by Gayla at 11:40 AM | Comments (2)

    November 03, 2003

    Carny Gallery/Google It


    spartus_cottoncandy.jpg

    Cotton Candy Popcorn
    Taken with Spartus Full-Vue

    Woo hoo! Two projects.... a gallery of toy camera photos called Carny, as well as a group project called "Close-up Lenses for Toy Cameras" are both up at ToyCamera.com. My contribution is Method #2.

    -----------------------------------

    Googling the meaning of life.

    The search query report in my stats is a daily source of entertainment but sometimes it's just downright weird and depressing. Having a site name like Making Happy results in an awful lot of search strings like "How to be happy in life", "What makes human happy", and today, my personal favourite "How to make my parents happy" (Hint: You aren't going to find the answer here!).

    I use the internet as an instant fact-finding encyclopedia on a regular basis (do people even buy encyclopedia sets anymore?), but that's to find out stuff like "How to fix a broken sink" or "What year did such and such happen". I was completely floored to discover that at least once a day someone out there is attempting to find the meaning of life through a search string typed into Google.

    This is stuff no one else can teach you. You can't read a book or a website to get answers to these sorts of questions. I blame "and they lived happily ever after", cognitive therapy and Dr. Phil. It just doesn't work that way.

    Posted by Gayla at 10:26 AM | Comments (2)

    November 01, 2003

    Ward Island Photos in the Cold


    holga_store.jpg

    Taken with Holga 120

    Today we went out taking photos on Ward Island. The air was fairly cool, and after several hours outdoors I've been left with a chill that I can't seem to shake. It was grey all day and the sky turned completely dark soon after we arrived on the island, but I think I took a fair number of decent photos anyway. Last weekend I was forced to use black and white film in the holga because I had very little colour film. Well I discovered that on a grey day, I can take really moody photos with the holga that wouldn't work with colour. So now I'm black and white crazy and it is forcing me to change my perception. I like it.

    I think what blows my mind is the fact that the possibilities for experimentation are so endless I could literally work the same area over and over with the same subject matter and always come back with something worth keeping. ...Except the area along the tracks between my place and Pinkie's Truck. I can only take so many photos of that water tower.

    I'm way beyond addicted to toy camera photography now. I have that feeling of having found something I've been unknowingly looking for.

    ----------------------------------

    I have a photo up on in the Trash My Film section of Holgasmers. Look for the "GIA EE" photo. (My name is misspelled). Check out other areas of the site. They did a nice job creating galleries that are visually interesting.

    ----------------------------------

    We just finished watching a documentary about Robert Johnson, King of the Delta Blues. I have deep respect for people who can create something out of nothing. He wanted to play guitar but didn't have one, so he hammered some long nails into the side of a house, and made it into a house guitar.

    Posted by Gayla at 09:32 PM | Comments (2)