What the heck have I been up to!!

Well so much for keeping an active blog. I haven’t really posted since December 10th but so much has happened so where do I begin. I’ve been shooting a lot, ever chance I get after I made a huge move to the island of Oahu in Hawaii! There is always so much going on here and things to see I have my camera with me 95% of the time. I’ve been shooting since December with a Canon 5Diii and it’s been a great camera. I went with that camera for the price I got it at and the reputation that it holds. I’ve just love the camera and love how rugged it is and the photos still come out sensational, however I am looking to get into more film making and shoot video and I decided to do a little upgrade. I found a great deal on a slightly used Canon 1DXii with super low shutter count and jumped on the offer.

I got a great deal on the trade on my camera and it just was all set. It’s a camera I’ve wanted since it was launched just too expensive to make the jump then. I know also, that in about 2 years for the next Olympics there will be a new one that will “hopefully” blow this one out of the water with brand new features and specs but again, it will be most likely out of my budget. I am so stoked for the camera and I really want to push my creativity to the next level and shoot small film projects for myself and clients.

I also have an epic trip to New Zealand coming up this December so I’m really anxious to put the camera to work and I’m sure I’m going to have loads of amazing photos and video from that trip. Hawaii has been an amazing experience so far and I will most certainly take advantage of my time here, although I know it will only be for a few more years, then off to a new place to explore and learn the culture. I really want to keep up to date with the blog as it’s just a way for me to look back on some fun times I’ve had, review a little gear and be a bit creative in writing. Until Next time!

Mamiya 645 Pro

This year I shifted gears after buying the Hasselblad 500CM and really focused on film. I sold my Fuji XT1 and went full analog. It was more of a personal choice rather than client driven. I love the 500CM but in all honesty I did miss shooting in other aspect ratios, and besides, who can resist buying another fun camera. I searched for a few weeks and landed on a pristine Mamiya 645 Pro from Japan. It got here and it was flawless. Popped in some batteries and film and I was off to shooting. I was initially interested in the 645 AF but for the price difference I don't mind manual focus, especially since this is mainly a stills and portrait camera. Plus I still like the challenge and connection I have with the camera when manually focusing. 

Mamiya 645 Pro with grip and wrist strap. 

The one accessory that does make this camera great and a touch modern is the auto winder. It winds the film and advances the film to the next frame after a shot. As it does add weight, it does provide a nice grip for the hand when shooting and the camera feels nice and balanced. It also allows for easier vertical shots, where as before it was a bit awkward. The second feature why I got this camera is it's auto metering viewfinder. This makes a world of difference and gives me a great balance between digital and analog. It has three metering modes and I must say they all work very well. They speed up my set up time which is a huge benefit over the Hasselblad. Saves me a lot of time especially when I'm just walking around and want a portrait of a random person or object. With the Hasselblad I need to tell them to hold on, take a meter reading then adjust camera then confirm and take the shot. So far with this auto metering I haven't yet had an under or over exposed image.  

Mamiya 645 with 80mm macro

The current lens on the camera is the 80mm F4 Macro and when I thought at first it wouldn't be ideal for most situations it was surprisingly versatile. I can get super close to subjects and it produces wonderful depth. It's razor sharp, although it does take a little getting used to with it's split screen focusing screen. However, I tend to just find a hard edge and line that up and I'm good to go. For wider subjects like street and landscape it is actually not terrible, although I will probably look for a wider lens in the future. Remember even though it's an 80mm it's almost cut into half to a 45-50mm considering the medium format film size. All in all this a great camera and can be had for a reasonable price if you hunt on Ebay. Most come from Japan and are flawless in their condition. I would definitely recommend anyone who wants a budget friendly medium format film camera to take a look at the 645 Pro.   

Here are some recent shots I've taken and developed with the camera. Enjoy! 

Analog Apex

The blend of analog photography & modern Motorsport...

I'm always up for a creative challenge, so I jumped at the opportunity to really test out the EOS 650 35mm camera during a IMSA race at Virginia International Raceway a few weeks ago with my trusty 50mm 1.8 and a rented 70-200mm. I also had my Hasselblad 500cm with me as well for some more static shots. Lets get right into it! For the Canon I was shooting Kodak T-Max 400 a Black and White favorite of mine and I'm sure many others, and I was also shooting some Fuji 400h Pro for the first time. For the Hassy I was shooting some expensive, yet sexy, and magical, Fuji Chrome Velvia 50, also for the first time. 

Rahal Letterman BMW M6 blasting down the back of the track...

As the day got underway I was pumped with how decently well the Canon auto focus held up and dealt with cars hustling around the track some places over 100 mph. It would sometimes go out of focus and not be spot on however I just made sure that I was 100% sure I nailed the shot, because well as we all know, you can't review your images! In total I had 48 shots of black and white and 72 shots of color. 120 shots is not a lot esp when you are shooting all day and want to capture all parts of an event but I made the most of it alternating between the track and the paddock. 

A gentleman's chariot, Mercedes AMG GT car getting prepped to hit the track...  

After I got the film back I was disappointed to say the least. More than half of the shots both black and white and color, however most of the color ones were completely blacked out and it was obvious there was a shutter lag issue with this camera, bummer!  However looking at the bright side and staying positive this was the first shots I've ever taken with this camera and it essentially was a trial run. If I would have shot a roll prior I would have caught it, oh well. 

Team Risi Competizione prepping the Ferrari 488 GT car for track time...

Out of the shots I got, I was pretty pleased that they were indeed in focus and offered some great images for the day. Since I did start with black and white, those turned out the most usable images. As it got hotter in the afternoon the shutter issue I feel became more apparent, hence the color not turning out so hot. 

The Ford GT speeding along full throttle...

All in a days work it was a fun time to shoot film at a fun event. I did also, get some weird looks, and struck up some good conversation with people who were shooting the latest high-end Nikon or Canon gear with 400mm glass and all sorts of gizmos. They were actually intrigued for the most part, and well when I pulled out the Hasselblad, some even turned away from looking at R8's or Porsches. 

Since then I have fixed the shutter issue for now, "crossing fingers" and still plan to use the camera for several upcoming events and travel, just need to maintain the shutter after each roll to ensure the sticking issue has ended. As a 25$ camera body investment for the Canon, I'm not too worried about it. If it breaks, I'll probably just buy another one. 

As far as the Hasselblad goes and that Velvia 50 Fuji film. Oh boy of course it is probably one of my favorite films I've shot on this camera. It sure is pricey though! At about 12$ a roll $55 for a five  pack it is not cheap, nor is it cheap to have developed, yet I want to buy a five pack and keep on hand for some awesome moments when I can put it to use. Forget really using this film in terrible light, however the dynamic range on it is fantastic, the grain is non existent and the colors are nothing short of Fuji fantastic. It uses an E6 processing method too, which creates a "positive" on the film once developed and in essence "slide film" The film itself once developed looks amazing holding them up to the light and once scanned looks brilliant. The images shown were not altered in Lightroom that much. I just adjusted the highlights and shadows a touch and some other minor dust removal ect.

BMW M6 of Rahal Letterman in the garage getting some tuning done before the race... 

Race Marshal looking on to the start of the race...

This film would be best in early morning shoots, and early evening and even mid day when you have great light. I would also be careful on exposure and if you can push 1/2 or a full stop in camera depending on the light and shadows or else the image could be too dark. I'm happy with my first set of images and can't wait to shoot some proper landscape with this film. 

The R8 sits in the Paddock as it gets prepped to get on the track...

A driver looking focused and ready to race...

Well that's all I have so far! Hope you made it to the end of this long post as it was sort of two or three posts in one. Get out there and keep shooting, and don't be afraid to try something new and expand on something you might not be comfortable with. 

Concours d'Elegance

Blending the history, heritage and grandeur from three of North Carolina’s proudest traditions – Motorsports, golf and military – The Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance is a unique celebration of America’s passion for the automobile and honor for the brave men and women who protect and provide the very freedom we enjoy.

Known as the birthplace of golf in the United States, Pinehurst has hosted more golf championships than any other site in America, including the 2014 U.S. Open and 2014 U.S. Women’s Open, PGA Championship, a Ryder Cup match, PGA Tour Championship and U.S. Amateurs.

Events are planned for the fifth annual Pinehurst Concours d’Elegance on Saturday, May 6, 2017, with some of the most historic and rare automobiles staged on the fairways of the iconic golf resort.

Virginia International Raceway

The smell of race fuel and sounds of engines filled the air as I got to spend the day at Virginia International Raceway for the Pirelli World Challenge. I have never been to VIR and I have to say it was a great racetrack. Nestled in the hills of Alton Virginia one wouldn't ever guess that there would be a world class racetrack hidden among the trees. As I slowly got closer to the gate you can start to hear the buzzing of the cars zipping around the track and the smell of rubber and race fuel fills my senses with excitement.  I was a kid in a candy story, although this candy is quite expensive. Here are some of my favorite shots from the weekend. Enjoy!