Category: Film

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Nikomat EL

I was making some prints in Photo Kanon  today and I found interesting camera on the shelf. They had Nikomat (Nikkormat) EL and Nikkor 50mm 1.4. It looked brand new, like it had just came from Nikon factory. So I asked how much it was, and I was surprised, only 18,000 yen. The meter works, and it even came with new battery.

I’m not very interested about cameras. Especially digital cameras. They release new ones every year and new cameras take cleaner and cleaner images and pack new features. They are like miniature computers. The whole race for convenience turns me off.

But Nikomat! This camera was made before I was made! They produced these in Japan from 1972 to 1976. There is something that genuinely attracts me with really nice objects like this. It feels like a real tool which has a story.

I shot a roll of Lomography 400 with my Nikomat this afternoon and I really love to shoot with this camera. My Bessa R3m feels like a plastic toy after I hold this brick on my hands. It’s obvious that this camera is made to last.

Metering is nicely implemented, and is really easy to get used to. I didn’t try to shoot with aperture priority mode yet since I’m really used to shoot full manual. Downside with this camera is that if battery dies, you can only shoot with 1/90 (unmarked shutter speed), since the shutter speed js controlled electronically. That would mean ND filters if shooting outside. Battery is, by the way located under the mirror! At least you won’t lose battery door..

This is SLR all right and focusing is very different than with rangefinder. There’s no autofocus. But also it feels kind of refreshing to see exactly the image I’m going to capture, through the lens. I’m so used to shoot with my rangefinder. And this can focus closer than Leica.

Shutter is kinda loud that is to be expected from SLR.

The Nikkor 50mm lens is a big question mark for me. I have never shot with Nikon lens but this is as wide as 1.4 so it should be really nice lens for indoor photos. My Nokton 1.4 lens is very contrasty one, so I do hope Nikkor would offer a bit more gentleness what comes to contrast. I will develop my first roll tomorrow, so we’ll see.

I will write a complete review of this camera after I get acquainted with her more.

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Lajos Siro in Flickr

Great medium format monochrome images:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sl_6x6/

The stream is almost endless, there are tons and tons of images.I love the certain geometric style of Siro watching the flow of monochrome images in square format is almost meditative.

Simplicity is just never boring.

And it never gets old.

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Regarding Documentary

私は人間の内的なPowerを強く信じている。それは大きく、実に美しいPowerであり、しかも誰もが有している。これが私のドキュメンタリーを制作する理由だ。私は媒体として動画を用い、この不可視のPowerを可視化したいと望んでいるのだ。
これらのドキュメンタリーは、人々の生活に影響を与え、個人がより自然なライフスタイルを見い出すのにきっと役立つだろうと、心から信じている。
今から私はいくつかの短編動画を創るつもりだ。どうかVimeoで御覧ください。

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From the Depths of Lizard Point

Although this one didn’t make it to the final artwork, I still love this image because it conveys so much.

Actually, the black cloth was just an experiment what I wanted to try in addition to the main set-up, a torn black camisole which exposed her much more. I shot about four rolls of TMax 400 with her wearing the camisole. Those images turned out to be cool, but it was finally the chemistry with her body and this simple black cloth which really conveyed the idea.

It was really such pleasure to work with Yuki since she has so strong talent and intuition both as an artist and as a model. It wouldn’t have been possible to make this with anyone else. I’m also very grateful for our comrade Paulo who shot video of our shooting and gave a great help for us.

I made silver gelatin prints of the five final images in Dark Room Intl. with kind guidance from the staff. These are the final prints that you will see in exhibition.  I love the feel of traditional dark room prints because every print is unique, like an artwork itself. It’s the spirit of human feeling that I wanted to convey with these works, so I’m glad I decided to use analog media.

If you’d ask me now,  “If you would keep exhibition, what kind of images would you show to convey your own inner world?” I would answer, “images like these”.

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Printing Lizard Point

I had great time making first prints for Lizard Point photos in Dark Room Intl. in Yokohama. I was really glad to get advice and guidance from the kind people there.

I really love the look of real silver-halide prints. They look substantial and delightfully analogue. Since I was after the high contrast, I felt I really chose the right medium this time by choosing film versus digital.