It's Calendar Time: Florida Calendars for 2015!

2015 is a New Year.  If you are looking calendar that will look good on your wall, please check out my calendars here: GatorDude spotlight on Lulu. I've republished my calendars for 2015. My topics are the Forgotten Coast of Florida! It's a relatively undeveloped stretch of the Florida Panhandle.
The Rusting Cars of Wakulla. It's a graveyard for vintage cars and trucks
 from the 1950s near Crawfordville, Florida.
 Finally, what trip to Florida would be complete without Alligators. I've got lots of my best alligator shots right here:
These calendars are a beautiful addition to any kitchen wall or office space. If you are a photographer, they'll also give you a chance to see what you can do with your own calendar project.

Mushroom on Christmas Day

I hope everyone had a great Christmas.  On Christmas Day, 2014, I took this picture of a solitary mushroom in the woods near our apartment. 

To me it shows how well the camera on my LG Lucid cell phone can work when pictures are taken when the sun is at a nice angle.

Photography Tip: Get Closer

I came across an old book, Taking Better Pictures, by Kodak in a thrift store.  It contained tips on taking better photos.  The first tip was to get closer when taking pictures.  You want to get close enough to focus on your primary subject and screen out extraneous things that distract from your subject.

Candid Gray Squirrel Family Photographs

Our balcony looks into the treetops in the woods behind the apartment.  Every once in awhile, we get a little bit of insight into the family lives of the critters who live in the woods.

I'm not an expert on gray squirrels, but this one looks a little bit pregnant to me.

Is this Squirrel Pregnant?

Her mate has been busy gathering twigs for their nest and eating pecans.  But, he comes over to check on her.

This is not squirrel porn.  This guy just came to check on the momma.

I'm not a squirrel-ologists, but it looks like a typical day in the life of a squirrel family.  If you'd like more information on squirrels, they apparently study them over at Clemson University in nearby South Carolina.  Here's an article on gray squirrel habits in South Carolina.  Here's an article on squirrels from the Georgia DNR.

An Image of a Hawk Edited in Shotwell

I'm not a big fan of photo editing software. I like to capture the original scene that I see and leave it alone. However, every once in a while, I'll play with an image. For example, I recently spotted a Hawk in the trees behind our apartment. I was able to capture his image with my Fujifilm Finepix S4430. I figured that 28x zoom would let me get a close up. Unfortunately, the Hawk was extensively shadowed by the trees. Here is the original image:

Original Image of a Hawk taken with Fuji Finepix S4430

I went into Shotwell in Ubuntu Linux and used the "Enhance" feature and then the "Adjust" feature to lighten the shadows and lengthen the exposure time. The resulting image isn't oirginal, but at least the Hawk is visible.

Enhanced/Adjusted Image of a Hawk taken with Fuji Finepix S4430

It's just too bad that I couldn't get an angle on the Hawk to get the twigs out of the picture.

Camera Review: Canon SureShot Z135 35mm Film Camera

A State of the Art Film Camera from the Dustbin of History 

Want an excellent camera for about $20? Check your local thrift store or internet auction site for the Canon SureShot Z135 film camera.
 

Canon SureShot Z135 35mm Film Camera

If you want to take nice photographs and you're on a budget, you can still get a great camera for an extremely low price if you shoot film. Yes, film. While Kodak Kodachrome film may be retired, you can still buy and shoot lots of less renowned 35mm film and get it developed at your local drugstore. The Canon SureShot Z135 camera is a circa 1996 example of mature film technology. The Canon SureShot Z135 is a fully automatic lens-shutter 35mm viewfinder camera with a zoom. It is simply point and shoot film camera. While the Canon SureShot may be old, it's too automated and too state of the art to be called vintage.

Canon SureShot Z135 35mm Film Camera - Rear Control Panel

The Canon SureShot Z135 film camera is very simple to operate. A "Best Shot Wheel" on the back lets you select from seven settings: auto, sport, night, portrait, flowers, S-auto, and spot. Most of the time, users will simply want to select auto and let the camera do the work of selecting aperture and shutter speed. If you are trying to slow a fast moving target like an athlete, bird, or vehicle, the Canon SureShot Z135 will select appropriate settings to stop the movement with a fast shutter speed. However, if you are shooting in low light conditions, you could select the night mode and the camera will set the flash, aperture, and shutter speed to illuminate your subject while admitting enough light to capture the background. The portrait mode is great for close up portraits of human subjects and the flowers mode will let you capture great close ups of flowers, plants, and other close objects. If you are working in a quiet setting and don't want to disturb people or animals, then you can choose S-auto to reduce the noise and whirring of the camera. Finally, the spot mode meters the light appropriately for situations where the subject is brighter than the background.

Canon SureShot Z135 35mm Film Camera - Zoom Extended

If your picture needs flash, it will automatically pop up and flash when needed.
Zooming in and out is handled via a rocker on the top of the Canon Sure Shot Z135 camera right beside the shutter button. The lens zooms from 38mm to 135mm focal lengths. For comparison, my Kodak Z950 digital camera has a 10x optical zoom of 35mm to 350mm. So, in digital terms, the Canon Sure Shot Z135 has about a 3.6x zoom. To focus on a subject, you simply frame the subject in a box within the viewfinder, zoom as needed, depress the shutter button half-way, hold it while you finish composing your shot, and then fully depress the shutter button to take the picture. It's a very quick process.

While the "Best Shot Wheel" and zoom rocker are remarkably convenient, I found it a little less convenient to turn off the flash, turn on red-eye reduction, or activate the self-time. These functions are handled via small buttons hidden behind an flip-down access panel on the back of the camera. An LCD panel indicates whether the features are active or not and the number of shots remaining on the roll of film. The camera is a tad larger than most of today's digital cameras and would not fit in my Vaultz Camera Case.

I recently found my Canon Sure Shot Z135 in a thrift store for only $20. They also sell used on Amazon from $25 to $76. I can't complain about the durability of my Canon Sure Shot Z135. It must have been well-made for it to survive in a box of old cameras at a thrift store. I took my Canon Sure Shot Z135 all over Florida's Forgotten Coast while shooting my first roll of film. My Canon Sure Shot didn't have a case and I just tossed it on the floor of my car. However, the battered Z135 didn't complain and the pictures turned out well.

For a $20 investment, the Canon Sure Shot Z135 clearly outperforms inexpensive digital cameras like the Aries 3-in-1 Camera and Vivitar Mini Camera. It's also better than 35mm disposable cameras from the drugstore. The photos are approximately equivalent to those taken by my RCA Small Wonder digital camcorder. Overall, the Canon Z135 earned a place in my film camera collection and will receive a case to pamper it in semi-retirement.

A Corvette Glows During the Golden Hour Near Sunset

The golden hour near sunset always gives photography subjects a special glow.  I stopped for moment while walking our dog and snapped this quick photo of a Chevrolet Corvette.  In the early evening, you can see that it is a special car and you can feel the potential that it has for speed.

Chevrolet Corvette

A Camera in the Car is Worth a Fuzzy Bird in the Photo

When I pulled into work one morning, I saw this little fellow sitting right outside my wind shield in the parking garage.  He seemed content and I knew he would fly off as soon as I opened my door.  Fortunately, I had my Kodak Z950 with me and I was able to snap this shot from inside the car.

Fuzzy Bird in a Parking Garage

Vintage Camera Review: Kodak Retinette 1A 35mm Film Camera

Testing a German-Made 35mm Viewfinder Camera from Kodak

Long, long, ago, amateur photographers had to use judgement to pick the appropriate film, set their camera's shutter speed and aperture, and manually focus on their subject. Have you heard of rangefinder cameras? Well, the Kodak Retinette 1A is a range guesser camera. With the Kodak Retinette 1A, you focus by manually setting the range to your subject. If you can guess the range between the lens and your subject, then you are rewarded with a delightful photograph. When you guess right, this antique 35mm camera is a blast!

Kodak Retinette 1A (Typ 035)

I picked up my Kodak Retinette 1A (Typ 035) on ebay for about $4. When it arrived, I was amazed by its quality, heft, and the solid construction. I also appreciated the Kodak tradition as this vintage 35mm film camera has a Schneider-Kreuznach lens much like the one on my modern Kodak Z950 digital camera. The Retinette 1A has a high quality f:3.5/50mm Schneider-Kreuznach Reomar lens. According to camerapedia.com, the Typ 35 Kodak Retinette 1A was produced sometime between 1959 and 1961 and has a "Pronto" shutter. Over the years, other Retinette 1A cameras have been equipped with Vero, Prontor, or Kodak Angen shutters.
 

 
Part of the charm of vintage 35mm cameras is figuring out the placement of the cameras controls. On my Retinette 1A, there are several controls on the lens assembly. The focus range is set by twisting the outermost ring right on the lens. The shutter speed can be set for 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250 or B (for manual long time exposures) by aligning a red hashmark on the next ring in with the desired shutter speed. The shutter aperture can be set by pressing a button and twisting a final ring closer to the camera body to an aperture of 3.5/4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, or 22. The higher numbers correspond to a smaller shutter opening. A red lever beneath the lens assembly is a 10-second self-timer to allow the photographer to move in front of the camera and get in the shot.

On the camera body, the Kodak Retinette 1A has a cold shoe for a flash, a film counter knob (to let you know how many pictures you have left), and a film indicator knob that lets you set the camera for artificial light color, outdoor light color, or black and white photography. A small circular viewfinder window lets you see a remarkably clear square viewfinder with a hashmark on each side at the top that is to be used with your subject is very close. The film is advanced via a lever on the bottom right-hand side of the camera and the picture is taken by pressing a button on the top of the camera. A button on the bottom of the camera opens the back for loading film. On the bottom left hand side of the camera a knob screws in to secure the Kodak Retinette 1A to its leather camera case and also has standard recessed threads to accept my Targus monopod and various tripods.


In practical use, I find the controls on this antique film camera straight forward and easy to use. Obviously, a vintage film camera is a lot different from a fully automated modern film camera like my Canon SureShot Z135. As a beginning photographer, I am still feeling my way in terms of shutter speeds and aperture settings. But, I have seen many references to a "Sunny 16" rule. On bright sunny days a shutter of f/16 can be used and a shutter speed of 1/250th or 1/125th of a second seems to work well. There are a number of film exposure guides on the web that can be used to guide your decision making. In general, brighter lighting requires a smaller aperture and thus a higher aperture number. When I handhold the camera, I sometimes get blurry pictures if I use a longer exposure time of 1/60th or 1/30th of a second. The self-timer is scarily slow and is probably unreliable on a 50-year-old vintage camera. Some photographers have had the self-timer fail and require camera repairs. I would recommend not using it.

Overall, I highly recommend the Kodak Retinette 1A for anyone interested in taking pictures with an antique 35mm camera. This antique Kodak camera is capable of taking wonderful pictures. You'll get a great feeling of accomplishment when you succeed in taking great pictures with it.
Sources:

Camerapedia.com (http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Kodak_Retinette_IA)
Kodak Retinette 1A Camera Manual, Eastman Kodak Company

Camera Review: Polaroid 300 Instant Camera

 An Instant Film Camera Revives the Polaroid Picture

I recently took a Polaroid instant picture for the first time. While I've been into film photography for years, I just bought a brand new Polaroid 300 camera in 2012 for my birthday. It's an investment in the future of film and opens up a whole new world of retro photography. Plus, I won't have to worry about film laying undeveloped in a camera bag for months. While the Polaroid 300 camera is undoubtedly a re-badged Fujifilm Instax Mini 7s, it's fun to use a camera bearing the iconic Polaroid brand.

The Polaroid 300 camera is a fixed focus camera with four scene modes and an automatic flash. If you are used to tiny digital cameras, you'll find the 4 5/8-inch tall by 4 5/8-inch wide and nearly 3-inch deep camera to be huge by modern standards. But, the ergonomics of the controls work well. Controls are simple. The camera is turned on my pulling outward on the lens housing. The scene mode is selected via a rotating selector on the top of the camera. Settings are indoor/dark, cloudy/shadow, fine, and clear.



Film is loaded via a 10-shot cartridge and runs between $10 and $14 per box. At a $1 a shot, you quickly learn not to take pictures of unpredictable subjects like the family dog. You can shoot Polaroid PIF-300 film or Fujifilm Instax Mini film in a Polaroid 300. When you take a picture, the exposed film is ejected out of the top of the camera. The image starts developing within seconds and the film remains chemically active for up to 10 minutes after exposure. The photos themselves are small. They are roughly the size of a business card and measure 2 1/8-inches by 3 3/8 inches. Since they have the traditional white Polaroid border, the images themselves are slightly smaller 1 7/8 by 2 1/2 inches.

The Polaroid 300 is made for taking instant photos at parties, family gatherings, wedding receptions, and other social events. It's a fun camera for taking pictures of people at fairly close ranges. However, since our dog was uncooperative, I pressed my Polaroid into service taking pictures of landscapes and cityscapes around Atlanta. While some photos came out too light or too dark, the camera did yield some wonderful pictures. I enjoyed the challenge of working with the camera and striving for great results. In a world of super zoom digital cameras, the Polaroid forces you to walk up to a subject so that it fills a viewfinder. You also have to compensate for a slightly offset viewfinder as you compose your picture. You can rotate the camera depending on whether you want to take a shot with portrait or landscape orientation.


Out of 17 pictures, one failed to develop, 2 came out a tad dark, and 2 came out with overexposed bright objects fading into oblivion. The one shot that didn't turn out may have simply been too bright or handled too roughly by me. I took a shot of a shiny mirrored skyscraper on a bright sunny day while sitting at a stop light and then roughly through the resulting shot into a box where it landed face down on a previous photograph. Shots of human subjects or objects like a park swing turned out best. I didn't have any problem scanning images into my computer using my inexpensive Pandigital scanner. I looked at both the Polaroid 300 at Target and the Fujifilm Instax Mini 7s at Walmart before buying the Polaroid 300. Ultimately, I liked the color scheme of the Polaroid at Target better than the all white scheme of the Fuji Instax Mini 7s. An all-white camera is just a little too Andy Warhol for me. The Polaroid 300 camera retails for around $70.

The Polaroid 300 is an interesting camera. It has some obvious disadvantages: expense per shot and small picture size. However, it is also an instant conversation starter and it provides instant developed photos that you can give to people. If you identify with the ideals of the lomography movement, you'll enjoy the Polaroid 300. If you like to bring a camera to social gatherings, you'll love the Polaroid 300. I'd definitely recommend giving it a try. It's the kind of camera that could save film photography.

Sources: Polaroid 300 Camera Packaging
Amazon.com

Vintage Camera Review: Canon AF35M II SureShot Autoboy 2 35mm Film Camera

A Classic Point-and-Shoot Film Camera Has Lots of Life

Most vintage cameras are all-mechanical marvels of metal construction with lots of interesting knobs and gizmos. The Canon AF35M II SureShot Autoboy 2 is different. It's a compact plastic camera with electronics and automation. This Canon 35mm film camera is about 30% larger than my modern Kodak Z950 digital camera. But, this circa 1983 camera has spirit. When you open the lens shield, this classic camera whirs to life. The Autoboy 2 is ready to shoot when you press the shutter release button. There is no hesitation. You point, you shoot, and you usually score a pretty good photograph for your effort.

 
Perhaps this old Canon camera has the soul of a sports car? It definitely provides instant feedback when you fire off a shot. With each press of the shutter release, a bar slides across the bottom of the viewfinder, illuminates the focusing distance (portrait, group, or landscape), and slides back for the next shot. The film advances with a whirr and the camera is ready again. There is no shutter lag. Plus, all the activity makes your typical digital point and shoot seem rather pedestrian.

The Canon AF35M II SureShot Autoboy 2 has a 38mm f/2.8 lens with four elements in four groups. Any subject from three feet to infinity is fair game for this film camera. The brain in this camera automatically determines the proper aperture and shutter speed. The vintage camera can also handle film speeds of 100 to 400. The film speed is manually set by turning a ring around the camera lens. Powered by two AA batteries, this classic camera can shoot up to 50 rolls of 36-exposure film without flash or seven rolls with flash. The flash can be used by pressing a release on the back of the camera which will allow it to pop up. A self-timer lever is conveniently placed near the bottom of the lens.

As a point and shoot camera, the Canon AF35M II Sureshot Autoboy 2 has autofocus, but no zoom capability. To compose a photo with the subject somewhere other than the center of the photo, you simply aim the camera at the subject, pull down the self timer lever, push the shutter release button so the camera will remember the focusing distance, recompose the picture, and press the shutter release button again to actually take the picture.


I was very pleased by the picture taking capabilities of my Canon Autoboy 2. I took a test roll of pictures and had them put on CD by my neighborhood drugstore. When I picked them up I was excited to see that the images on my preview print looked great and my picture CD was equally rewarding when I got home. This camera is definitely a keeper. I can't wait to see how the roll of black and white film currently in the camera turns out.

Overall, I enjoyed taking pictures with this nearly thirty year old 35mm film camera. It was easy and fun to use the camera and it was an interesting challenge to compose my shots through the viewfinder. Most of all it was fun to use such a lively little camera. It was definitely worth $7 at my local thrift store.

[I originally published this article to Yahoo Voices, but I am reposting it here with the closure of the original Yahoo site.]

Sources:


"Canon AF35M II Autoboy 2 (New Sure Shot)", Canon Museum
Canon Manual "Canon AF35M II Sure Shot Autoboy 2" Canon, Inc., 1982

Silver Spotted Skipper Butterfly

Here is a picture of a butterfly that I took on a recent walk around our Atlanta, Georgia, apartment complex. I believe that this particular butterfly is a fairly common - Silver Spotted Skipper ~ Epargyreus clarus 

Butterfly in Georgia

At some point, I should break down and buy a field guide to butterflies in Georgia like this one:


This picture also highlights the photography capabilities of the cell phone.  It makes an interesting camera.  However, the proportions of the resulting electronic pictures are rather unusual.  On my camera, they run tall and thin. 

Basic Equipment Needed For 35mm Film Photography

A Film Photographer's Basic Kit

Today, many people are finding reasons to try film photography.   It doesn't take much of an investment to get started in film photography. Even some of the most advanced film cameras sell for a fraction of their original prices. Plus, it's fun to create photographs using vintage equipment. To get into film photography, there are just a few essential things to buy.

A Vintage Olympus Infinity Jr 35mm Film Camera

First, you'll need a camera. You can still buy new or new (old stock) 35mm cameras from photography stores, some Amazon sellers, and ebay. Since many people are opting to board the ever moving digital camera technology train, the market place is awash in very nice used film cameras. If you are getting into film photography and want full control over your camera, I'd recommend getting a fully manual 35mm SLR camera with a basic lens. Vintage cameras like the Minolta SRT-201 were solidly built and often have years of life left in them. Newer models like the Vivitar 3800 are also excellent cameras . A totally manual camera will help you learn about aperture, shutter speed, film speed, and focusing properly.

Second, you'll want the camera manual. It's good to have as a reference and lets you know how to operate the controls of your camera. You can often find the manuals by searching the Internet. Several websites maintain repositories of scanned in camera manuals. If that fails, look for used photography book on Amazon, used books, and thrift stores. You'll find a wealth of foundational knowledge in a basic primer on photography from the mid-1970s, like "The Book of Photography" by John Hedgecoe and Adrian Bailey. If you are still stymied by the controls on your camera, you might also ask about it on online forums.  Film photography enthusiasts are always glad to help answer your questions.

Third, you will probably need to get a camera battery. Even fully manual film cameras often have electronic light meters built into the viewfinder to assist in setting the aperture. You can still buy camera batteries at retail stores, but more obscure batteries may require a trip to a camera shop, battery specialty store, or online retailer.

At this point, you could simply add 35mm film and start shooting. However, back in the seventies, Hedgecoe and Bailey recommended a few more accessories like a tripod, a cable release, an electronic flash, an exposure meter (also called a light meter), filters and a filter case, camera cleaning equipment, lens hoods, long lens, wide angle lens, extension tubes, and a camera bag with lens cases. Fortunately some of these items may already be tucked in any camera bag that might come with your vintage camera. In addition, you can get these camera accessories as you learn about them and realize that you have a bona fide need for them.

For each of the film cameras in my personal collection, I like to make sure I have a decent camera bag. That allows me to carry extra film, filters, and other accessories. I also have cleaning supplies including a brush and air blowing bulb to get dust off of lenses. I respect my camera equipment. However, since film cameras have declined in price, I don't go overboard to protect my gear. After all, you can get a very nice 35mm SLR film camera for less than $50 used.

Sources:
John Hedgecoe, Adrian Bailey, The Book of Photography, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, New York, 1976.

Daylilies in Atlanta

These flowers added a much needed burst of color to daily outing with our dog.  According to this landscaping blog by Atlanta landscape architects, Pollack and Associates, these flowers are called daylilies and come in a wide variety of colors.  I don't know much about plants and flowers so visit their blog for more details.

Daylilies in an Atlanta Apartment Complex

This is another photo by cellphone.  I think it turned out quite nice.

Urban Pioneer Homestead in Downtown Atlanta

Some areas of downtown Atlanta continue to experience renewal and growth.  Here's a picture of an old industrial building near the Georgia Tech campus that has been repurposed for residential use.

This is another picture taken with my Smartphone.  It seems like images from my phone have a slightly wider proportion than those taken with a regular camera.

Sunflower by Smartphone

I finally broke down and got a smartphone.  It's a new LG and it has an on-board camera.  Having a very slim and always available camera on my person nearly all the time lets me take more pictures.  I took this picture of a sunflower in the garden at my apartment complex.

The Grotto at Arlington Cemetary in Sandy Spings, Georgia

My Kodak Z950 is still clinging to life.  I was able to get some nice photographs of the Grotto in Arlington Cemetery in Sandy Springs, Georgia.  It's a beautiful place to contemplate on Easter Sunday.

My New Camera - A Fujifilm FinePix S4430

I recently got a new camera.  It's a Fujifilm FinePix S4430 and it was on clearance at Walmart.  I bought it because my Kodak Z950 is starting to get just a bit temperamental.  It's literally spitting the spring-loaded memory card in my face.  It actually hit me in the nose!  The Finepix 4430 doesn't do anything like that.  It has a 28x Zoom, 14.3 Megapixels, a 3-inch LCD, and an electronic viewfinder!

So far, it takes pretty good pictures.  But, in truth, I still have everything set on auto.

So far, I like this camera and love the zoom.   If you'd like to get one, they are still available on Amazon.

Snow and Ice in Atlanta 2014

A late January 2014 snow storm paralyzed the Atlanta Metro area.  Even though there was only about 2 inches of snow, the highways were untreated and quickly turned to ice.  It made for very scary driving and gridlock.  Twenty minute commutes turned into six hour ordeals.  Many people were trapped on highways or in their cars.  Some were stuck in their cars for up to 20 hours.  It was truly horrible.
 

Ice in an Atlanta Apartment Complex

 However, there was beauty in the aftermath.  Here are a couple of pictures that I took.

Snow Covered Logs

Liberty Bell Replica in Marietta Georgia

The cityscape of your town can provide ample opportunities to compose a nice photograph.  I was able to use this replica of the Liberty Bell on Marietta Square to frame an old-style public clock and draw attention to a more modern public clock.

Liberty Bell Replica in Marietta, Georgia