DarrylT

Why MLK day?

2012-01-16T06:21:00.000-06:00

Images of an infamous time in American history...

Dr. King giving a speech in Washington D.C.

The students depicted above were protesting NOT being able to eat at the lunch counter in a "Grants" department store. They could work in that same store, but couldn't eat there.

Angry red neck youths who disagreed with the possibility of "colored people" having equal rights under the law.

Dr. King and several others were fined $500 and sentenced to 386 days in jail for blocking the progress of a city bus. He actually spent 2 weeks in prison because the move back fired and brought international attention to the civil rights struggle.

1956, (after over a year of boycotting) Rosa Parks riding in the front seat of a bus, after the Courts ruled that segregating the buses was unconstitutional.

2012-01-02T20:09:00.000-06:00

   I don't know which I love more, Ebay, or Photography. This is another camera I won on Ebay. I sniped this one, meaning I waited until the last 30 seconds of the auction before placing a bid. The auction began with an opening bid of $9.99. Approximately 3 hours before the auction was scheduled to end the bid went up to $10.49. So, I just waited until the last minute to post a maximum bid of $26.99. I wanted to bid high enough to eliminate other bidders, but not so high that I would not be getting a bargain if I won. With only 30 seconds before it ended, I posted my bid and watched the other "Snipers" try to out bid me before time ran out. The bids went up to $12.00, then $13.00, $18.00, $21.00, and finally $23.57, then time ran out. Because the final bid of $23.57 did not reach my "maximum bid" of $26.99, I actually got the camera for $23.57 because in the case of a "tie", the person who bid first wins the auction.

   I'm looking forward to receiving this camera because I used to own one similar to it. This is a Minolta HTsi "Plus", 35mm film camera. The camera I had prior to this one is an HTsi (minus the plus) model. It was so much fun to use, that I completely ignored all of my other cameras. When my daughter expressed an interest in photography I gave the HTsi model to her. Now we'll both have one. As you scroll through this blog, you can see some of the great pictures these cameras are capable of.

   In fairness to those of you who have visited Ebay and found cameras that cost considerably more than the prices I tend to pay, I confess that NOT EVERY camera is bargain priced. Those are the ones I don't bid on. Generally, I don't like to pay more than $30.00 to $40.00 per camera. I've purchased some as inexpensively as $5.00. And the most I've ever paid was $60.00. If you want "brand name" equipment like Nikon, you can easily pay over $1,000, but as I said, I just don't bid on anything that expensive. My Minolta brand name cameras work just fine and don't cost me a mortgage to pay for. If you've had similar experiences on Ebay, let me hear from you. 'til next time, happy shutter bugging!

Lake side

2011-12-28T23:10:00.001-06:00

I'd love to take credit for this beautiful shot, but Photographer Magnus Dahlstrom did the honors. This is actually a digital photo. While I am, and always will be, a "film photography purist", I have to give credit where credit is due.

This is a my latest film camera acquired on Ebay. I literally received it today in the mail. It is another "old school" manual film camera. I've attached a 210mm, Vivitar Series 1, zoom lens to it (not pictured). This is another bargain I obtained online. The cost was $5.00 plus $7.90 shipping. Now is a great time to bargain shop on Ebay, and every other online market place. The reason is the after Christmas prices.

This is a 128mb memory stick for older Sony brand digital cameras. So why is a "film purist" showing you a picture of a digital camera component? Simple, I came across several of these as the result of a used office furniture purchase. I've been selling them at a wholesale price ($12.99 + 7.99 shipping) on Ebay to earn money to buy more film cameras and equipment. These little devices paid for the camera pictured above. To see these and other items I'm selling on Ebay, thru the end of January, or until supplies are exhausted, just visit Ebay, and search for the Seller; "mrdlt.2". 'til next time, happy shutter bugging.

Lake tree

2011-12-15T23:05:00.001-06:00

Pond Geese

2011-12-14T22:30:00.002-06:00

Christmas Dogs

2011-12-13T21:38:00.000-06:00

2011-12-12T21:34:00.000-06:00

This short video by Dom Bower is a practical guide, showing how to use your flash to create a variety of photo effects. The size of his flash is NOT necessarily what you or I will need because every Photographer has his or her own style. The techniques work, regardless of flash size. Watch, learn, and enjoy!

My Saturday Evening

2011-10-13T19:01:00.002-05:00

On my way to downtown St. Louis, I came across this situation in Overland Missouri. Multiple fire trucks, blocked off streets, Police officers re-routing traffic, and a lot of general confusion. I had my Minolta 300si camera with me, and because I had intended to take pictures anyway, this seemed like as good a place to begin as any. Because the police were specifically directing people away from the buildings on the right side of the street, I knew I couldn't get close enough to see what was actually causing all the confusion. So I used my zoom lens to try to get a closer shot in the hope of learning what was causing all the attention to the roof of the buildings. Eventually the fire trucks began driving away, I never did find out what they were looking for, so my next stop was downtown St. Louis, Missouri.

As the evening wore on, the sun was beginning to set, so I took a few quick shots of downtown. I found a band in Keiner Plaza giving a concert. They were actually pretty good musicians. Songs by Lionel Ritchie, Michael Jackson, and Gladys Knight were part of their repertoire.

My next stop was Union Station Mall. The photo below was taken just outside of the mall stores. As you can see it's getting darker outside. The restaurant in the picture below is Landry's. The time of day is dusk. The wooden bridge leading from the mall parking lot, across the moat to the restaurant has tivoli lights that give off just enough illumination to highlight the water under the bridge.

My final shot for the evening is of this water fountain. It is dark outside, but the built in camera flash lights up the water beautifully.

This is the Minolta 300si film camera I used to take the pictures above. It's a modestly priced piece of equipment. You can find them on Ebay (where I found this one) for less than $35.00, including the shipping. A great first camera for student photographers. I used auto focus mode to take these pictures because I wanted to see for myself whether or not the rumors I've heard about this camera are true. The rumor is that it's almost impossible to take a bad picture with this model. What do you think?
If you own one of these cameras, please give me your opinion. 'til then, Happy Shutter bugging!

Glamour

2011-10-11T22:37:00.000-05:00

Debra

Suanne

I specifically did not take these photographs. The model above is from England. Her first name is Debra. The lady below is American model Suanne Haffaker. I'm posting these pictures under the heading "Glamour" because I think it's possible to have great photos that are indeed glamorous, without resorting to the seedy kind of photography that is little more that mild porn.

Occupy Wallstreet?

2011-10-11T06:35:00.000-05:00

A protester dressed as a Wall Street Broker.

A barely clothed couple engaged in open sexual activity.

A teenager under arrest for dis-orderly conduct.

A "protester" defecating on a Police car.

Of all the images above, only one seems to actually depict an act of "civil" disobedience. The rest are clearly behaving in a criminal manner. One young man interviewed by the press admitted that he was from another state, and really had no business being there. He was running from Law Enforcement because of some warrants for his arrest, and felt that; "the protest was as good a place as any to hide and crash for a while".

Switzerland

2011-10-10T22:12:00.000-05:00

Paris, France

2011-10-10T06:48:00.000-05:00

Notre Dame

Eifel Tower at Night

Scenic Canadian Wildlife

2011-10-09T13:36:00.000-05:00

Life in Bali

2011-10-08T18:27:00.001-05:00

Road-side Market

Bali Taxi

Australia

2011-10-07T22:25:00.000-05:00

Australian forest after the rain

2011-10-07T05:50:00.000-05:00

Florida Beach House

2011-10-06T20:49:00.001-05:00

Michelle shops at Target

2011-10-05T00:00:00.002-05:00

Michelle Obama shopping at Target. Can't truthfully say I took this photo, but it's such a good picture I had to post it.

Beijing China

2011-09-26T18:37:00.000-05:00

Ming Tombs, Beijing

Nature

2011-09-25T21:10:00.001-05:00

Blue Morning Glory Flower

Raccoon

Tiger Swallow Butterfly

Serenity

2011-09-24T15:03:00.001-05:00

2011-09-10T23:54:00.000-05:00

Above is the Minolta HTsi 35mm film camera I've used for the past several months. A great camera, obtained at a good price, on ebay. Several of the pictures posted here recently were taken with this camera. It's easy to use, and gives the owner the choice of manual or auto focus operation. Today, I'm moving on to a different Minolta camera, because I no longer own the HTsi model. My daughter expressed an interest in film photography, so I gave it to her.

My new (to Me) camera of choice is the Minolta 300si, also obtained on Ebay. Now, (the date of this post) is a particularly good time of year to buy camera equipment on Ebay, or any online site because the 2011 school year has just started. For many families that means discretionary spending has to come to a halt. Notebook paper, pens, pencils and other school supplies have a higher priority than camera equipment. Which means fewer people bidding on the cameras, which means more bargains for you and me. Happy shutter bugging!

Nikon N2000 film camera

2011-09-05T23:25:00.003-05:00

My most recent acquisition from Ebay. This is a Nikon N2000. It is a manual focus camera. There is absolutely nothing automatic about it except for the film advance. Originally produced in the mid 1980's, this is Nikon's first model to feature automatic film advance. It arrived with a 135mm zoom lens. I've yet to take any pictures with it. I have 2 other cameras ahead of it. This one was purchased (if I'm remembering correctly) for less than $25.00 including the shipping.

Manual camera film load

2011-09-04T14:11:00.002-05:00

For those of you who may be new to 35mm film photography, and have never loaded film into a camera before, this video is just for you. It really is a simple process, and once you've done it a few times it becomes almost second nature to you. The camera used in the video is a Yashica brand, but the procedure is basically the same regardless of brand name. Enjoy.

2012...

2011-08-29T21:38:00.008-05:00

Ok, the 3 shots above were us goofing around before getting serious about taking some pictures that could actually be used in advertising. The idea was to capture the attention of everyday people with antics we've all done in front of a camera.

My friend and model, "Tye" agreed to help me with what will probably be my final photo shoot of this summer. The T-shirt she's wearing bears the slogan, "2012...because B.O. is worse than flatulence". You've probably guessed that the B.O. referred to is the present occupant of the White House.

She's a dream to work with because she needed very little direction. We used a small park located in Overland Missouri as our setting. And, were careful to include the gazebo as part of the background. The idea was to go for the "girl next door" look, because the shirts will be sold on the "www.yardsellr.com" site. A social, networking site where everyday people buy and sell. No super models, or aristocrats, just everyday normal working class people. The shirts will be for sale beginning Labor Day Weekend.

The camera used was a Minolta HTSI film camera, with a 70mm - 300mm Tamron zoom lens. The film was 800 ISO, (film speed) Fuji brand 35mm film.

Night Time Photography

2011-08-15T21:15:00.004-05:00

As you can see the images above were taken at night. I used Fuji film (800 ISO) for all the shots in this post. The lens for shots 3 and 4 were taken with my favorite, a Tamron 70 to 300mm, auto focus, zoom lens. Additional lighting was provided by my Minolta HTsi Camera Flash. The camera was set on "auto", and the pictures (I think) came out "ok".

Shots 1 and 2 were taken with the same camera, using the same roll of film, with the same "auto" setting. The difference is I used a smaller lens, a Minolta 35 to 80mm auto focus lens. And, I added a "star" filter, which is what gives the star effect from the street lights. I like the effect, but hate the graininess of the pictures. I'm experimenting with this camera, and I thought a few night time shots would be a nice change and challenge. In the future, I think when using a shorter lens, I'll also opt for manual mode instead of auto. Doing so would have let me over-ride the camera's aperture setting, and given me the option of letting in more light.

If you have any night time photos tips, let me hear from you. Until then, happy shutter bugging...

Ebay "hiccup"

2011-08-04T20:01:00.005-05:00

In my last post I told you about the Nikon, model N4004 I won on Ebay. Well, there's been a slight hiccup in the transaction. I should have received the camera yesterday (Wednesday August 3, 2011) I did not. Instead I received an e-mail message at ebay telling me the Seller wanted to cancel the auction. He did not give a reason in the request to cancel the auction, however, in a separate message he did state that "Ebay had incorrectly listed the camera's price. (please keep in mind that I won the auction for $19.49) There should have been a minimum price of $25.00", because that's what the camera cost him.

I checked my Paypal account to see if the Seller had been paid. He has. I don't want any of this to scare you away from buying on Ebay. It's a great place to get good deals, but I do want you to be aware, that occasionally a Seller who thinks he did not get a high enough price for his merchandise, may try to "gouge" you for more money. My purchase is protected by Ebay's Buyer Protection Plan. If I don't receive the camera or my money by August 18, Ebay will refund my purchase price, and then they will deal with the Seller. 'til next time... happy shutter bugging...

More bargains on Ebay

2011-07-30T22:18:00.006-05:00

These are pictures of more bargain priced cameras I purchased on Ebay. I don't want to give the impression that every camera for sale on Ebay is necessarily a bargain. You do have to shop and sometimes even "snipe" (wait until the last few minutes of an auction to place a bid on the particular piece of equipment you want) in order to get some of the better deals. Beginning with the model directly above the cameras are:

1. A Minolta SRTMCII, an "old school" manual focus SLR (single lens reflex) camera. As of this writing, I have a partially exposed roll of film in the camera. As you can see from the picture, this one was produced back in the days when camera bodies were constructed of metal. It is a heavy piece of equipment. The lens shown above has been discarded because the Seller indicated that the aperture did not function properly, and as you can see, it is use-worn badly. (which by the way was one of the reasons I wanted this camera). Often, other buyers will walk away from a camera when the Seller admits the lens doesn't work. I had previously purchased some lenses that I knew would work on this camera, so I wanted it. The price: $12.50

2. A Nikon F50. This one came WITHOUT a lens, but it's a Nikon! If you're unfamiliar with 35mm film photography cameras, Nikon is one of the best brands you can buy. I don't presently have a lens for it, but I will scour Ebay until I find one (at the right price of course). This model has auto focus as well as manual focus capability. The price for this camera (body only) $5.68

3. A Nikon N4004. As of this posting I haven't actually received this one yet (I just won it today). It does come with a 50mm lens, and is also capable of both auto focus and manual focus photography. After it arrives, I'll put a roll of film through it and post the pictures here. The price of this camera on Ebay: $19.49 (I sniped this one)

Many of you know my personal preference in camera brand names is Minolta, but I won't pass up a chance to get a good deal on a major brand name like Nikon either. Now, I must make a "disclaimer" of sorts. Ebay is GREAT place to buy used equipment if you're (like me) a weekend photographer. If however, you're looking for great deals on newer equipment, or professional grade equipment, ebay is probably NOT the place to shop. The reason for this is the Sellers are often people who've inherited the equipment, or someone who acquired it in an estate sale, or simply had the equipment for several years in a closet. These people don't know much more about the equipment than you do. Having said all of that, I do hope you'll consider ebay as a source of good equipment at bargain basement prices. Happy Shutter Bugging!

More Pictures of "Cotton"

2011-07-19T22:58:00.001-05:00

Remember little "Cotton" (her real name is Marley) from my previous posts? Well, here's an update. Little "Cotton" isn't so little anymore

Amazing what regular feedings will do. She's "potty" trained now.

St. Louis Summer Concert

2011-07-16T21:01:00.002-05:00

Like most medium to large size Cities, St. Louis has a "summer concert series". Entertainers of various music genres give free concerts. I'm usually NOT impressed by singer "wanna-be" entertainers. And I'd never heard of, much less actually heard the young lady above sing. I was on a photo hunt for this blog when I happened to be downtown in St. Louis city and heard her singing. I was blown away. Never have I heard a live singer deliver such a crisp and perfect performance. And, she seemed to be doing so effortlessly. With all do respect to Alicia Keyes, Kristy Menekee (above) could give her some good competition. During her performances, I noticed other people were stopping to listen, just as I had. If she ever comes to your area, don't deprive yourself of the experience. Even the little guy below stopped to listen.

Old Cars

2011-07-02T14:42:00.002-05:00

Remember the "good ol' days" when plastic models of cars like these were only $2.00? Tubes of glue (model cement) were 10 cents, and tiny jars of model paint were 15 cents each. The big names in model kits were (at least in Nashville, Tn where I grew up) Monogram, Revell, and AMT. If your (Parents') budget didn't allow for such extravagance as these, there were the 29 cents, and 50 cents models. They didn't come with genuine rubber tires, metal axles, or the "chrome" bumpers and windshield borders like the more expensive models, but you just had to buy some black and chrome paint to fix that problem. Seeing these real life cars reminded me of that much simpler time before computers, the internet, or cable TV, when people had to use their creativity and imagination.

These pictures were taken with my Minolta HTsi 35mm film camera, using Fuji brand 35mm film. The lens was a 300mm telephoto lens, and the film speed (ISO) was 800.

Ebay update

2011-06-26T16:52:00.000-05:00

These are Hoya brand Macro Lenses. As you can see by the markings, they are plus 1,2,& 4 in strength. With these lenses I can take very good close up photos that I might not otherwise be able to. I won these at an ebay auction. The price was .99 (yep, that's ninety nine cents). Of course the shipping costs pushed the actual price to around $7, but that's still a big difference from the retail value of $55.00.
When I started this blog I had (what I considered to be) one good camera, a Minolta Maxxum 3XI 35mm film camera. Today, I have seven cameras. Three are point and shoot view finder models, and four are Single Lens Reflex (SLR) models. Of the total seven, 5 are Minoltas. If you've been following this blog at all, you know I'm a big fan of Minolta cameras (even though Sony, the company that bought them out years ago no longer makes Minolta cameras). You can still find bargains on Ebay.

Now, a word of caution about dealing with Sellers on Ebay. Before you plunk down your money to buy anything on Ebay, please look at the Seller's rating. If He / She has a rating of less than 10, proceed with caution. The reason for this is that a Seller can easily accidentally set up their account incorrectly. If you win an auction and attempt to pay for the item, but the Seller's account is incorrect, your payment WILL NOT register (especially through Paypal), and (If the Seller complains to Ebay) you will be given a "Non-Payment" strike. That means that you will have a non payment mark against you, and if you try to buy or sell anything on ebay in the future, the person you're trying to buy from or sell to, will see that you have a strike against you, and they may be unwilling to do business with you. Generally speaking, Ebay(ers) who've done at least 10 transactions have been around the block enough times to know what they are doing. Having said all of that, I concede that I personally have purchased from people who have ratings lower than ten. I've not had a problem, but I wanted you to be aware of what can happen. Also, you want to pay close attention, to the pictures of the items you're bidding on, especially if that item is coming from another country. Be sure the item description matches the photo. I recently bought a tripod from Hong Kong. I was excited because I had seen the same tripod for sale at Walmart for $58. I bought it on Ebay for $15, or so I thought. When the box arrived I eagerly opened it only to find an inferior model that looked similar. I decided to check the ebay listing again, before sending the Seller a "Nasty-gram". To my dismay, the tripod I received was exactly what I had bid on. I remembered seeing a sturdier model, which is what I really wanted, but in the rush of bidding (I was bidding during the last few minutes of several auctions simultaneously) I bid on the wrong model. Ebay can be a good place to find bargains if you either don't have a lot of money, or like me, you're just cheap. Check it out, see for yourself, and drop me a note and tell me how you did in your search for bargains.

Cotton

2011-06-05T20:07:00.000-05:00

This is "Cotton". A Lab and (I forgot what else) mix. She's about 10 weeks old, very docile around children, yet playful with adults.

Cotton and Ali playing catch me if you can.

Playing in the grass

Responding to, "come here girl"

Sitting next to my daughter

Film speeds

2011-06-02T22:24:00.002-05:00

Film is film...right? Wrong. Depending on what kind of conditions you're shooting under, you want either faster or slower film. The chart above specifically applies to Fuji brand film, but is a good general guide to use when planning a shoot. Because I usually use my 300mm zoom lens most of the time, I keep a supply of 800 speed film. I also have 200 and 400, and occasionally use them, but my personal preference is faster film. As you can see from the chart above, faster film can be used in any situation. Slower films have more limitations, and if you use multiple cameras as I do, it can be difficult to remember which camera has which kind of film in it. I have a Minolta HTSi, a Minolta Maxxum 3000, and a Minolta Maxxum, 300si. The Htsi always gets the faster film because that's the camera I use the most. I don't like having to change lenses, so the 300mm zoom stays on that camera. When it's time to reload, I know the long lens means 800 speed film.

400 speed film is a good all occasion film, but if you're going to be using a telephoto lens, or taking action pictures of any kind such as sports, it sometimes doesn't perform as well. It will be cheaper than faster film, but if it can't perform as well, how much did you really save?

200 speed film works wonderfully...under specific lighting conditions. Usually outdoors, or when a flash is used. It is even less expensive than 400 speed film. But it comes with limitations that make it a good choice only under the conditions above.

It doesn't matter what kind of film camera you have. (I'm personally partial to Minoltas) Kodak, Fuji, and even store brand films will usually work quite well as long as you remember to buy film based on the conditions under which you'll be shooting. Happy Shutter bugging!

Golf, the thinking Man or Woman's Sport

2011-05-30T00:52:00.000-05:00

Without question, golf is one of the most frustrating, yet satisfying sports I've ever played. And, while I have to admit, I haven't been to the course yet this season, I'm looking forward to playing at least once a week beginning in June. These are not my photographs, but my love of the game insists that I include them in the absence of photos of me playing. I usually play the St. Ann Municipal course in my area. Most of the course is relatively flat, but it is still challenging, and it will make you use virtually every club in your bag. Later, I hope to add some pictures of me playing (hopefully not digging my way out of the sand trap).

2011-05-15T10:52:00.003-05:00

Marmaduke? (Tied to a pole in the center of the picture. Left click on the picture to enlarge it). This picture was taken in St. Louis's Central West End area, near the Medical Complex of Barnes Hospital, and Washington University Medical Center. A financially and socially upscale area where an eclectic, cross section of society is the norm.

Central West End sidewalk

Small flower garden outside a Condominium complex. Why the Owner chose to plant all the same kind of flowers is a bit puzzling to me. But I thought this "mini-floral sea" would make a good shot. All three pictures were taken with a Minolta Maxxum 3XI 35mm film camera. Using, Fuji 800 ISO film. The lens used was a 35-80mm zoom lens.

Felukke Egypt

2011-05-08T21:08:00.000-05:00

Abu-Simbel

2011-05-05T20:17:00.000-05:00

Egyptian Pyramid & City

2011-05-04T23:37:00.000-05:00

Bin Laden's last hide out

2011-05-02T22:49:00.000-05:00

Eiffel Tower

2011-05-02T00:07:00.000-05:00

Big Ben

2011-05-01T09:52:00.001-05:00

Dunce

2011-04-30T19:08:00.000-05:00

Can't truthfully say I took this one, but I wish I had.

More of my Sunday pictures...

2011-04-18T21:47:00.000-05:00

This is a homeless lady I met Sunday evening while I was shooting my pictures. She had a "homeless, please help", sign as she stood by the street corner. We spoke briefly and I handed her "coffee money" as we parted company.

This shot of George "the shoe man" Hutchings' trailer was a "must have photo" for me. Mr. Hutchings collects pairs of used shoes. He then sells the shoes for 35 cents per pound on the 3rd world market. The shoes go to people who cannot afford new shoes. And the 35 cents per pound he collects goes toward building or digging wells in impoverished areas like Haiti and Kenya.

Squirrel

2011-04-18T04:59:00.000-05:00

I caught this little guy Sunday afternoon in the Park. Thanks to the 300mm zoom lens, and his cautious curiosity about me, I was able to get this close up without actually getting too close to scare him away.

Minolta Htsi 35mm film camera

2011-04-17T22:19:00.001-05:00

These pictures were all taken with the Minolta Htsi 35mm film camera I won on an Ebay auction. The camera came with a 35-80mm zoom lens and a 70-300mm zoom lens. These pictures were all taken with the larger lens.

This is part of the St. Louis "Earth Day" celebration in Forest Park. The temperature was a pleasant 70 degrees. Families came out in droves for the free music concerts. And of course there were Vendors like the one above.

A "poor" couple out for an evening drive in the park.

While I did not see a badge, usually when you see one of these fellows on a horse, riding through the park, you're observing an officer. The horses make it easier for the police to get to "trouble" spots if someone has had a little too much to drink.
I'm very happy with the camera. I hope you'll consider trying the Ebay auctions to purchase your equipment too. Having said that, I hasten to add, the equipment you purchase at this type of auction usually is NOT of professional quality. Also, the sellers themselves tend to be novices who don't really know much more about the equipment they're selling than you or I do. So, if you're looking for weekend hobby purchases at bargain basement prices, Ebay may just be what you're looking for. If you want Professional Quality equipment, you're probably better off dealing with your local camera professional. He or She has a vested interested in making sure you're happy with your purchase, and that you tell your friends.

*Correction; The pictures above were taken with the Minolta HTsi camera. But, the camera I recently won was actually a Minolta 300si. I accidentally put the large zoom lens on the wrong camera. So, I still have to try 300si. I'll post the pictures here too.

Dutch Tilt | Composition Lesson 11 | Photography School

2011-04-15T02:14:00.000-05:00

Elle McPherson

2011-04-07T22:14:00.000-05:00

Ooops, I did it again

2011-04-03T16:04:00.000-05:00

Never dreaming I'd actually win the last camera I bid on, I also entered a bid for this Maxxum 300si 35mm film camera. Like the last camera I bid on, it too is a Minolta. It comes with with a 35-70mm auto focus lens.

It also comes with a Tamron 70-300mm Auto Focus Zoom Lens. Great for Spring and Summer time photos of nature when you really want that close up, but know you can't get too close to your subject. The Ebay Seller indicated that the lens does fit and work with the camera I won. (By the way, I priced this lens online, and found one for the low price of $124.95) There is also a Vivitar 70-210 Auto Focus Zoom Lens included in this purchase. I found a Vivitar lens like this one online for $105.00.

This lens does NOT work with the camera I purchased, but the Seller included it in the purchase price. The good news is I already have 2 other Minolta SLR 35mm film cameras, and I'm thinking the lens will fit one of them. The auction price I paid for all of this equipment was $60.00, plus 10.50 for shipping! I also went online to price the camera I bought, and found one for $58.00. So, I've gotten hundreds of dollars worth of camera equipment for $60. I should be receiving these items Tuesday or Wednesday. And, like I did with the last camera, I'll put a roll of film through it and post the pictures on my blog.

Speaking of pictures, there's still time to post some of your pics here on my blog before April 15th. 2011. Remember, that's the day I'll give U.S. Gold(en) coins to the winning photo entrants. 'til next time shutter-bugs, happy picture taking!

2011-04-02T22:50:00.000-05:00

Remember my new (to me) toy I posted about a few days ago? The Minolta Maxxum "htsi" 35mm film camera I won on Ebay?! I took it out today and shot a role of film with it. Below are some of my pictures.

This last picture is of a local "ham" (front passenger side of vehicle) who saw me taking pictures in the Central West End area of St. Louis, and yelled out "take my picture". I'm very happy with the camera. It performed flawlessly.

horses at sunset

2011-04-01T00:16:00.000-05:00

My new toy

2011-03-27T22:32:00.001-05:00

My latest acquisition from ebay. This is a Minolta Maxxum htsi, 35mm film camera. I just won it via an auction. It comes with a 35-70mm auto focus zoom lens. The price was a budget busting $19.99, plus $6.50 for shipping. I'm looking forward to receiving this (new to me) toy, because the weather is changing, and spring is always a great time to take pictures. I should receive it by this Friday. I'm still bidding on 2 other cameras, both of which are Minoltas (yes, I'm partial to that brand name), and I even found a couple of 70-200mm auto focus zoom lenses to bid on. If you've been viewing this blog for a while, you're aware that I don't like paying high prices for anything. So, I'm hoping to get the lenses for around $20 each. Ebay rocks!

I was shopping at Wal-mart Saturday and found they still carry (at least in my area) Fuji brand 800 speed 35mm film. The price is $10.98 for four rolls. If you've found a better price in your area, or a different store, or perhaps on line, please feel free to share the information with the rest of us. Also, if you've gotten a particularly good deal on camera equipment, go ahead and brag. The rest of us like to know where the deals are too.

Long Exposure Photography Tutorial (Light trails)

2011-03-23T20:23:00.000-05:00

Superman in St. Louis

2011-03-22T22:13:00.003-05:00

Can't take credit for this picture of Clark Kent / Superman. It was actually taken by a friend, from Church, John Shryock.

Danang Vietnam

2011-03-21T21:41:00.000-05:00

Koala Bear

2011-03-20T21:48:00.000-05:00

World Vision: Japan Quake and Tsunami Relief

2011-03-13T16:18:00.001-05:00

World Vision: Japan Quake and Tsunami Relief

St. Louis St. Patrick's Day Parade

2011-03-13T06:48:00.004-05:00

St Patrick's Day Parade in St. Louis, Mo

Model T Ford Club

Irish Pageant Queen

What lawn mowers have to do with St. Patrick I haven't figured out. But these guys were in the parade.

The USO

These Guys are sitting in motorized movie theater chairs.

These are some of the pictures I took at the parade. They were all taken with a Minolta Maxxum 3XI 35mm film camera, equipped with a 35-80 auto focus, zoom lens. The film is Fuji 800 speed film.

My Minolta Auto-Focus Camera

2011-03-12T20:57:00.000-06:00

The picture above (top) of my neighbor's door was taken in the evening. As you can see by the "decorations" these pictures were taken back in October. (I'm back logged on film developing) The picture below it of the skeleton positioned in front of the Overland, Mo Fire Department, was taken at night.

This picture has nothing to do with Halloween, but it's one of my favorite places to eat. They've got super chicken wings. Their buffet prices are reasonable. It's a family oriented restaurant (as far as I know they don't serve alcohol). And, the owners are some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. If you're ever in the Overland Missouri area, you'll want to stop by the "CHINA FUN BUFFET" restaurant, located at the corner of Woodson and Midland roads.

All of the pictures posted here were taken using Fuji 35mm film. The film speed is 800. And the camera used was a Minolta Freedom 70 EX with auto focus.

California Beach

2011-03-10T19:59:00.000-06:00

Vietnamese Transportation

2011-03-10T19:54:00.000-06:00

Vietnam

2011-03-10T19:50:00.000-06:00

Danish Brewery in Vietnam

2011-03-10T19:46:00.000-06:00

Platonic Friends

2011-03-05T23:46:00.000-06:00

Sunrise

2011-03-05T23:38:00.000-06:00

Sunset Lovers

2011-03-05T23:14:00.000-06:00

Lake St. Claire Tasmania

2011-03-05T22:46:00.000-06:00

2011-02-27T21:50:00.001-06:00

May I give you a gold(en) coin like this one? It's easy to get, and it's real, legal (spendable) U.S. money. Just go to my blog and post one of your pictures there. It DOES have to be one that you photographed. Just tell me what kind of film, and camera you used to take it. On April 15th, I'll choose the 25 pictures I think are the best, and post a list of the winners, and request address info so I know where to send the coin(s). That's it!

Please keep the photos "family friendly" (no nudes). And while baby pictures are encouraged, bare bottoms are not. By submitting a photo, you are stating that YOU took the picture and have the right to post / publish it. Thanks in advance for participating.

Video 1

2011-02-12T11:22:00.001-06:00

This video was shot with a Logitech webcam, and Microphone. The camera was about $25 at Walmart, and the microphone was $15. The "graininess" of the video could have been avoided by plugging the camera into a high speed port instead of using a full speed port. Being new to digital video, I'm having to learn as I go along. I like the camera. I was surprised by the number of options available to me with it, considering the nominal price for the equipment. I can take still photos, make videos, and even do web cam video phone calls.

Dog & Sunglasses

2011-02-10T21:28:00.000-06:00

As much as I'd like to credit for taking this picture, I did not. But I do find the shot interesting. I can't imagine how the Owner got this pooch to sit with those sunglasses on long enough to snap the picture.

Meagan Fox

2011-02-06T21:52:00.000-06:00

Downsized

2011-02-06T01:52:00.001-06:00

This post is a long time overdue. I had hoped to post it during the 2nd week of January, but a lingering cold virus kept me both off of work, and bed ridden until now.
On January 2, 2011, I showed you a modest 2 bedroom apartment. The room-mates living there had to (for economic reasons) downsize their living accommodations. What actually happened was two former friends have since parted company. He was trying to help his "friend" get back up on her feet financially by splitting the cost an apartment for 6 months. She promised to pay her fair share of the expenses. For the sake of privacy we'll call him Mike, and her Mildred. In my previous post you saw the apartment. This post will show you how far down he has downsized.

This is the hallway of Mike's new living quarters. It is a room in an older hotel. There is no central heat because the Owner neglected to pay the gas company, and the gas has been turned off. Each tenant/guest has an electric space heater for warmth. There is a "common" restroom and shower that the tenants share.

Mike discovered that his "friend" was a drug addict. Originally she claimed that she had no real family living in the area. She had lived with her brother, but claimed that he was not very responsible financially. Over a 5 month period Mike learned who the financially irresponsible one really was. In that time frame, his friend paid rent on time once. After that she either was late, or didn't have the money at all. So, in an effort to cut his losses, Mike simply notified the landlord of the situation he was facing and moved out. Mildred couldn't (or wouldn't) pay the rent even though she was working the entire 5 month period. He later learned that she was blowing the money away on lottery tickets and marijuana. Today Mike is much happier even though his living accommodations are not what he's used to. The rent is just over two hundred dollars per month cheaper, but you get what you pay for. The obvious reason for the need for cheaper rent is the judgment the previous Landlord acquired against them both for breaching the lease. Mike is currently paying $50 monthly to satisfy the judgment, and it's rumored that Mildred was fired from her job, and now collects $90 weekly in unemployment benefits. The previous Landlord (through a collection agency) is seeking to garnish her benefits. The pictures below are of Mike's room.

2011-01-02T21:11:00.002-06:00

2 Bedroom Apartment

These pictures are all of a modest apartment located in St. Ann, Missouri. It is a 2 bedroom apartment, but only one bedroom is shown here for the sake of the privacy of the occupants. As a photographer, I thought it would be fun to shoot pictures of how most of us still live. And also show how the down economy has forced many, to be creative as they've downsized their living accommodations. The apartment shown here is of brick construction. The floors are carpeted. Their is central heat and air conditioning, and there is an on site laundry room. You can't see the cable TV box, high speed internet modem, or telephone jacks in any of the pictures, but they are there. For most of us these accommodations are "standard". Next week I'll be shooting a rooming house, and showing the creativity of the same occupants who've had to downsize their living area.

Jennifer Lopez

2011-01-01T09:24:00.000-06:00

John & Elaine Mellencamp

2010-12-31T17:30:00.000-06:00

Actress-Kate Winslet

2010-12-31T17:20:00.000-06:00

Harley Davidson

2010-12-29T20:04:00.002-06:00

Rocker-David Bowey & Model (Wife)- Iman

2010-12-29T20:03:00.000-06:00

Adriana Lima

2010-12-29T05:06:00.000-06:00

Bolton Abbey

2010-12-29T05:05:00.000-06:00

Baby Seal

2010-12-29T05:02:00.000-06:00

Photography Forum | Camera Lessons | Ask Questions

2010-12-27T22:19:00.000-06:00

Michael Jackson

2010-12-27T22:13:00.000-06:00

Miley Cyrus

2010-12-27T22:12:00.000-06:00

Sunflower

2010-12-26T22:15:00.000-06:00

Three Puppies

2010-12-26T22:10:00.000-06:00

Warm Sunset

2010-12-24T19:37:00.000-06:00

Kangaroo

2010-12-24T19:34:00.000-06:00

Eskimo Life

2010-12-22T23:49:00.000-06:00

Schweizer Garde - Rome

2010-12-22T06:17:00.000-06:00

Arch Constantine - Rome

2010-12-22T06:16:00.000-06:00

Fort Myers Beach Florida

2010-12-21T21:55:00.000-06:00

Ocean Drive

2010-12-21T21:54:00.000-06:00

Life

2010-12-21T04:32:00.000-06:00

Cold Winter Day

2010-12-19T20:54:00.000-06:00

The Woodson Road Project

2010-12-19T20:48:00.001-06:00

In addition to photography, I also have a (part time) interest in flipping Real Estate. Flipping, is a term used to indicate a quick purchase and resale of property. This little 2 bedroom house on Woodson Road in my area looked like the perfect candidate. I met with the Owner, who is a professional investor. He indicated that he had long ago paid off the house, and was taking his time disposing of it, because he didn't need the money. He had dropped the price down to $19,000 cash, which is what got my attention. So, I took the pictures you see, with the intention of posting them on the web, and to some investors I know. The hope was to generate some interest, quickly write up a contract price for $21,500 to my Buyer. Then do a double close where I would pay the Seller $19,000, and pocket the difference of $2,500. Unfortunately (or so I thought) someone else had access to immediate cash, and actually got the house for around $17,000. You win some, you lose some. I've since learned that there may be some zoning issues that I wasn't aware of. The new Owner did begin to make some rehab efforts, but the work has stopped. The little house has been in a state of dis-repair for several months now, so it appears that the one that I didn't get, didn't get me. With the economy being as bad as it is, I think real estate is one of the few vehicles that still offers the little guy (that's probably most of us) an opportunity to make some good money in small chunks.

Testing my camera timer

2010-12-19T11:21:00.001-06:00

This image of me is a result of testing my "timer" feature on my Fujifilm Smartshot 35mm film camera. It is one of 5 cameras I've purchased over the past several weekends; at thrift shops, garage sales, flea markets or Ebay. If you've been visiting my blog, you already know I'm a big fan of shopping such venues. With the economy being in the slump it's in, there are dozens of bargains for the taking. This picture was taken back in October, but it is December 19, 2010 as I make this post. With Christmas right around the corner, I've not shopped for additional camera equipment this month. And, speaking of equipment, if you're a purist like me (you still prefer to use film cameras) there are lots of "photo enlarger" bargains on Ebay. In fact I repeatedly find everything from film tanks, to tongs, to photo papers at bargain prices on the internet right now.

Romantic Couple

2010-12-18T11:50:00.000-06:00

2010-12-18T11:48:00.000-06:00

Candles

2010-12-18T06:35:00.000-06:00