tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306627712024-03-07T15:48:44.614-08:00mattscamerasthe official blog of Matt Denton PhotographyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-76683906919962996612016-08-14T15:30:00.003-07:002016-08-14T16:42:50.379-07:00Back at itI keep looking for missing things, and finding things I didn't know I had... lenses, cameras, accessories... I think there was a period where people just started sending me things and I didn't have a chance to use or catalog it all before I stopped actively collecting. There was also that period where I didn't want to make any new pages because I thought I was on the verge of upgrading my hand-coded html site to WordPress. I think that was around 2006. Pretty much the same time I got into songwriting and <a href="https://soundcloud.com/raggedbirdsmusic" target="_blank">music production</a>.<br />
<br />
So as you know I've finally converted my entire site to WordPress and have suddenly found myself shooting and developing film again, and today I found a camera I didn't know I didn't make a page for... and took it apart and cleaned and repaired it. Was just like riding a bicycle. Or fixing a bicycle.<br />
<br />
New page for the Canadian-made <a href="http://mattsclassiccameras.com/tlr-box/kodak-brownie-target-six-20/" target="_blank">Kodak Brownie Target Six-20</a> at <a href="http://mattsclassiccameras.com/">mattsclassiccameras.com</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mI3zUAOaulPCPn0QfdjTCjJCaJw7NRO9d170NuDw9JN-eax4NaNGknrC-832YPSUS3iieFhfWnl53wz9GMkZpUZDif-wBDCJoe5jT-_fVTKeoGczFjMsSLlkjywLBmmdGEl7jQ/s1600/0814161441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mI3zUAOaulPCPn0QfdjTCjJCaJw7NRO9d170NuDw9JN-eax4NaNGknrC-832YPSUS3iieFhfWnl53wz9GMkZpUZDif-wBDCJoe5jT-_fVTKeoGczFjMsSLlkjywLBmmdGEl7jQ/s320/0814161441.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-10597857516500852272016-07-18T13:41:00.000-07:002016-07-18T13:41:05.562-07:00New site is online!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg99NvQpnpd3m8mvjwb2WZ7mMF_1ygKlokkl76u6huDExsr3Hn4hEFAuNzohDWo9QB4DFVFKt7xqLEGj0-_gvTboXshnHwG5JClUBu8TRpXPAb54KIwVf8uK3W7Hea2EvbdgQY_nA/s320/newsite.png" width="320" /></div>
<br />
It's online! <a href="http://mattsclassiccameras.com/" target="_blank">Matt's Classic Cameras</a> site has been rebuilt and is better than ever!<br />
<br />
What's not done yet: sample image galleries are coming soon - I'm splitting this into one gallery per camera section instead of having them all on one big page. I'm also still fixing dead links, as many of the sites I used to refer to have sadly fallen off the web entirely. However, there are new ones to take many of their places, I just have to gather them and update pages.<br />
<br />
Once this is done, I will be adding in the pages that never quite got finished, including:<br />
<br />
Elikon 35CM<br />
Nikon EM<br />
Nikon FM2<br />
Perfex 55<br />
<br />
If you find anything really broken or weird <a href="mailto:matt.m.denton@gmail.com" target="_blank">let me know</a>. Also, let me know if you miss having the list of thumbnails and descriptions on the camera pages themselves, I'm on the fence about that.<br />
<br />
Cheers & happy shooting!<br />
<br />
MattAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-4837254712358369092016-07-12T07:13:00.000-07:002016-07-12T07:13:05.966-07:00New site coming soon!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRo22om0Jc08R9eAaSR-KbXuwtQhYnNUmyi6MB_ebEI47YVomgnLO0SDWOJ3JYtCjdB0IyyGMCjwosrsG2dIGQQvu7lq6yI3zsw3RPMGO0rdTnQcs1Eva0cYNioc_Hs70tvyxZw/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-07-12+at+7.10.34+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRo22om0Jc08R9eAaSR-KbXuwtQhYnNUmyi6MB_ebEI47YVomgnLO0SDWOJ3JYtCjdB0IyyGMCjwosrsG2dIGQQvu7lq6yI3zsw3RPMGO0rdTnQcs1Eva0cYNioc_Hs70tvyxZw/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-07-12+at+7.10.34+AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
It's officially in progress, and I mean actually really and truly in progress, the updated Matt's Classic Cameras site that I've been kicking around for years!<br />
<br />
It's about half migrated now, after only a few days of work, and after several years of false starts and dead ends, trying to develop a custom theme for
Wordpress, then learning Drupal theming and administration, and in the
end, when I was ready for it and it for me, finding a Wordpress theme
that was just right at the time I needed it most and just diving in with both feet.<br />
<br />
Slick, clean, modern, and responsive, basically everything I've wanted in the site since I started looking for a solution. Once it's all ported over from my current static html site, I'll go back through and update broken & missing links and make sure everything works, but won't be changing the site content people have come to know and love. I want this version live as soon as possible.<br />
<br />
Bonus - I've found pictures of cameras I forgot I had that I'll be adding to the site, so there will actually be some fresh content for the first time in years. I'm so glad that there has been a resurgence in film camera use and to see that the love for film continues. I hope that I've been a contributing factor in my own little way, that was my intent for this site from the very beginning!<br />
<br />
Check my <a href="https://twitter.com/mattdentonphoto" target="_blank">Twitter</a> for more timely updates!<br />
<br />
MattAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-71447835884237922432016-05-13T08:57:00.001-07:002016-08-14T15:31:26.882-07:00Weston Exhibit at Scott Nichols<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwbipJD4hUDYmagFHEHyKUG7IRcK_Rt8CHuSHWQV19AslQL3r4CDHrc_NtwnHFUdSvqr47TkP4nCN3IGqm1pb-8TwQhxV2FyZecjfZfz6P-OotBKeLfkzkEfZVAvAKDK23os0Dw/s1600/weston-pepper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwbipJD4hUDYmagFHEHyKUG7IRcK_Rt8CHuSHWQV19AslQL3r4CDHrc_NtwnHFUdSvqr47TkP4nCN3IGqm1pb-8TwQhxV2FyZecjfZfz6P-OotBKeLfkzkEfZVAvAKDK23os0Dw/s320/weston-pepper.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edward Weston, Pepper No. 30</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hey everyone - I'm getting back into film photography and home developing after a long break. One of the things I wanted to make sure I add back into my regular rotation is <b>gallery visits</b>. And this was one I couldn't pass up. Last week I went downtown to see an exhibit of original Weston prints at my favorite gallery in San Francisco - <a href="http://www.scottnicholsgallery.com/" target="_blank">Scott Nichols Gallery</a> at 49 Geary.<br />
<br />
Scott put together a <a href="http://www.scottnicholsgallery.com/the-westons/" target="_blank">unique exhibit</a> of multi-generational Weston talent - Edward and Brett of course, but also amazingly talented Cole, Kay, Cara, Kim, and Zach. It was extremely inspiring. The cherry on top of the exhibit was seeing not only original prints of Pepper No 30 and Nude (Charis) Santa Monica, but side by side prints by Edward and Brett of the same negatives such as Floating Nude, 1939. The old, yellowed, faded original and the 1970s era black and white print by Brett, crisp and clear as if it were taken yesterday. Just fascinating.<br />
<br />
Also as I tend to do, I start at the 5th floor and work my way down, taking in Robert Koch, Fraenkel, and other galleries. Always a treat. Koch, another one of my favorite photography galleries, had an exhibit of talented and whimsical <a href="http://kochgallery.com/artists/contemporary/Josephson/index.html" target="_blank">Kenneth Josephson</a> prints, also inspiring. Sad to say that much of that building has become dot coms and booksellers instead of galleries. Honestly, I don't have anything against antiquarian books, but my gallery adventures are much shorter now than they used to be.<br />
<br />
At any rate, check them out if you are in the area. Happy shooting!<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-71205257530635956862012-04-19T08:53:00.000-07:002012-04-19T08:53:42.802-07:00Google Drama and Site ChangeWell the unexpected drama appears to be over for now. When Google unexpectedly stopped serving ads to my <a href="http://mattdentonphoto.com/">photo site</a> a couple of weeks ago, claiming that <a href="http://mattdentonphoto.com/nudes/">this page</a> is pornographic, I panicked. Within 24 hours I removed all AdSense add from pages with nudity on them, as requested, but was denied appeal to get the ads reinstated.<br />
<br />
So what I did instead was to split my <a href="http://mattsclassiccameras.com/">camera subsite</a> out into its own full website, and crosslinked it with the photo page. It would have gone smoother except that a BBEdit global search and replace went badly and required me to hand-update about 300 pages with new footers. Doh! The next step, of course, is to convert the entire site to Wordpress, as soon as I can either figure out how to get domain masking activated with Bravenet or (ugh) change hosting.<br />
<br />
If you, dear reader, could do me a favor and go click around <a href="http://mattsclassiccameras.com/">mattsclassiccameras.com</a> to help get those pages back into Google's search index it would be greatly appreciated! Also - any static links you have to the old pages will need to be updated. Thanks for all your support!<br />
<br />
MattAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-23855575256604549862012-03-02T19:46:00.000-08:002012-03-02T19:46:15.966-08:00RestoredMy faith in the youth of America has been restored, even while Kodak slips into obscurity. Today near Kezar Stadium, instead of the usual skate rat & digital movie cam crew was a 20something man setting up his Hasselblad to take shots of skaters on the entryway steps. The Hassy had a Planar and a Polaroid back for test shots before shooting on slide film. He had three remote-trigger strobes, one of which was the legendary Vivitar 285. Sigh. Play on.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-32578788254763180522011-05-24T09:42:00.000-07:002011-05-24T09:42:05.013-07:00DevelopmentsJust developed my first roll of b/w film in... years?! Yes, the bug has bitten me again. So I took stock of my chemicals the other day and found that most were dated 2008, and one was dated 2004. Not good! (As a rule, I put masking tape on my bottles with the month and year of mixing it, or write it on the label if it's pre-mixed. It doesn't last forever, especially the developer. Fixer lasts a little longer.)<br />
<br />
Luckily I did have one packet each left of Kodak fixer, developer and hypo clear in the drawer, and made all new batches after cleaning out the bottles. Then I developed the roll of film I had from my Konica T-3 that I finished shooting last fall -- I had found it with film in it from I'm not sure when! All shot with my very cool Konica mount Sigma 35mm lens. We'll see how it turns out when I scan the negs.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jxx5AU0AKEgbXLv5CF1pN8XK2BD0ncLDoU6jvbqDKUQinwLs75T-q2leVi2EDoPNmShivZu94OeGAZSTWPdpmjljJU2ADxw1cEDRkkSBvtyGsAYDZXZUqSiODl4pT6eJAqgSGg/s1600/develop-notes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jxx5AU0AKEgbXLv5CF1pN8XK2BD0ncLDoU6jvbqDKUQinwLs75T-q2leVi2EDoPNmShivZu94OeGAZSTWPdpmjljJU2ADxw1cEDRkkSBvtyGsAYDZXZUqSiODl4pT6eJAqgSGg/s200/develop-notes.jpg" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my notes - yikes!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>While refreshing my chemicals and prepping the darkroom I found my well-used development notes, the ones I pieced together from various sources and modified through trial and error like any good recipe. Decided I'd type them up and print them so I can actually read them this time around!<br />
<br />
Was surprised that I remembered how to load the developing tank reel in the dark -- guess I've had more practice at that than I thought. Again, the important thing is knowing where everything is (bottle opener, scissors, tank) so you're not fumbling in the dark. It wasn't all quite like riding a bicycle, but it came back pretty quickly, especially the smell of the chemicals. You develop a fondness for them, somehow. So to speak.<br />
<br />
This time around I'll be scanning the negs instead of printing them, and uploading them to <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattdenton/">flickr</a> after flipping them in Photoshop. Coming soon!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-68423986134191681322011-05-22T08:05:00.000-07:002011-05-22T08:05:08.659-07:00Twittering!Yes, late to the party as usual. Don't know how many photographers or potential followers are on Twitter, but I think the microblogging format will help keep me in the game:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/mattdentonphoto">http://www.twitter.com/mattdentonphoto</a><br />
<br />
When I eventually convert the site to Wordpress it'll just be there, all widgetized. Awright.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-1052383958042788432011-05-01T19:42:00.000-07:002011-05-01T19:42:38.300-07:00The Best Photographer You've Never Heard ofVivian Maier's work was discovered at auction in Chicago after her death in 2009. She was a nanny who was also a prolific street photographer, and as you'll see, was a talent on par with Weegee, Weston, and Imogen Cunningham. <b>Amazing</b> photos. Two links to her work:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cracktwo.com/2011/04/amazing-mystery-photographer-comes-to_28.html">http://www.cracktwo.com/2011/04/amazing-mystery-photographer-comes-to_28.html</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.vivianmaier.blogspot.com/">http://www.vivianmaier.blogspot.com/</a><br />
<br />
I hope there's a traveling exhibit someday. Wonder how many others there were out there?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-66835402068266996702011-04-25T10:18:00.000-07:002011-04-25T10:18:06.034-07:00Email Update and Update UpdateTurns out that catching up on a year and a half's worth of email (!!) hasn't taken as long as I thought, it just took some sitting down and powering through. Went from 350 emails in my inbox down to 50!<br />
<br />
Sadly I've missed some opportunities and probably some connections but at least from now on keeping current will be much easier. Funny - in researching some of the answers I've found that I can't lay hands on a few of my cameras, but I ran across some I didn't even know I had! Guess I've got some more pages to put up...<br />
<br />
On that note, I'm seriously considering moving my site from static html pages to a <b>Wordpress</b>-based site now that I'm familiar with WP, but not sure how to get from point <b>a</b> to point <b>b</b> without losing the clean design of my site. <i>Does anyone have a Wordpress theme recommendation for me?</i><br />
<br />
And for those of you wondering how did I get so far behind in the first place? What the heck have I been so busy doing for the last few years you ask?<br />
<br />
I've been busy doing this: <a href="http://www.mojosarmy.com/">http://www.mojosarmy.com</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mojosarmy.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5MQLz1meht6796vG_jMah4nhxChr4P9Hu-CelGnz2ktDNv7X7FLZZlX3zWbsM0V9Mtfve__NfGqWei5utfB2wlk8AcZ0g1uxORsWeV0GbG4RXQYeIJ3-Red8y5F4O-IAZxgbFg/s200/fb-avi-new.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-17151173543486111622011-04-24T10:58:00.000-07:002011-04-24T10:58:32.576-07:00Email Catchup (Ketchup?)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbWiMbt-_yu2NCVt_6TKvdsEfPhAyHcOQTbS0zfjJNkvzXISq4tFgVtg9DoSN4Mx4kE8tEDA-mvMc9vlZvupjbYZ8dWc_2qPhHhj_ZBTJKybMt-aBjloEGqDbW1Jnn8NPh3UDlg/s1600/email.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbWiMbt-_yu2NCVt_6TKvdsEfPhAyHcOQTbS0zfjJNkvzXISq4tFgVtg9DoSN4Mx4kE8tEDA-mvMc9vlZvupjbYZ8dWc_2qPhHhj_ZBTJKybMt-aBjloEGqDbW1Jnn8NPh3UDlg/s200/email.png" width="200" /></a>Spending some time this quiet Easter Sunday catching up on some long overdue email from, well, you all!<br />
<br />
Often I'll be at work, far from my cameras, and get these great questions I can't answer off the top of my head, and then by the time I get home don't have a chance to find the camera and investigate the answer. Of course, if I do know the answer to a question I'll generally get back right away.<br />
<br />
Keep shooting and keep the questions and comments coming!<br />
<br />
MattAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-35585793680341058692010-08-28T17:00:00.000-07:002010-08-28T17:00:33.773-07:00What. Is. Up.First post since I was forced to migrate my blog! No difference to you, I think, but big difference on the back end. Anyway.<br />
<br />
Thought about starting a Twitter, since, you know, that's just easier, and shorter... but then I'd be a Twit like everyone else. (I suspect that medium is on the verge of flaming out. Could be wrong!)<br />
<br />
The reason I'm writing is that I'm feeling that tingle again. You know, the whisper in the ear, the longing... the <i>need</i> to shoot a real camera again. Oh you know the camera phones and digital point & shoots and even DSLRs have their place but oh my god how can that cupboard of human history and engineering marvels languish for so long? I NEED. To shoot. Film.<br />
<br />
Following a few black and white Tumblr streams, some even not actual porn, and have some cool and talented Facebook friends and Flickr contacts whose photos I both admire and envy. That definitely got me going.<br />
<br />
Worst of all, I went to check on my old friends and found not one, but two so far that actually have unfinished rolls of film in them! I used to be able to look through our family photo albums, and while admiring the subject, simultaneously think 'ah yes, this was when I got my first Praktica and this was with the Yashica GSN, and this one...' and now I don't even know what I was shooting with these random rolls. I guess I'll find out! At any rate I thought you should know, as I will be updating the site, posting new picks on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattdenton/">Flickr</a> that <i>weren't</i> taken with a random digital camera, and even - gasp - adding a camera or two to the page.<br />
<br />
In the meantime I want to thank you all for all your continued support even as I have pursued other endeavors over the last few years, I do love hearing from you all. Not so fond of the GSN repair questions -- which I just no longer have the chops to answer -- and the 'how much is this worth' questions -- which by and large are just laziness -- but other than that I do enjoy hearing from you.<br />
<br />
Salut<br />
MattAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-87022122390606512182010-07-05T21:42:00.000-07:002010-07-05T21:42:38.180-07:00This blog has movedThis blog is now located at http://blog.mattdentonphoto.com.<br />
You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click <a href='http://blog.mattdentonphoto.com'>here</a>.<br />
<br />
For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to<br />
http://blog.mattdentonphoto.com.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-85911105739932310812009-11-24T08:22:00.000-08:002009-11-24T08:50:51.885-08:00Avedon at MOMAI almost missed it but I managed to sneak in under the wire to the Richard Avedon exhibit at <a href="http://www.sfmoma.org">SF MOMA</a> recently, excellent show! Avedon is one of my favorite portraitists, up there with Leibowitz and Demarchelier in my book. Maybe not as creative as Leibowitz but I've never seen anyone able to give such gravitas to a portrait as Avedon. And seeing his work in larger-than-life size just added to the atmosphere. Thanks Rosanne for the field trip!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://mattdentonphoto.com/uploaded_images/avedon-732662.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://mattdentonphoto.com/uploaded_images/avedon-732659.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://mattdentonphoto.com/uploaded_images/inside-avadon-768860.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://mattdentonphoto.com/uploaded_images/inside-avadon-768854.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-56534146419678746952009-10-23T10:31:00.001-07:002009-10-23T10:31:21.142-07:00Rock Photography<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattdenton/4035224521/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2701/4035224521_74e8c2d364_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattdenton/4035224521/">Fu Manchu 1</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/mattdenton/">mattsuserid</a></span></div>Sup peeps! I ebayed myself a little 7.1MP Kodak Easyshare that I can slip in my back pocket for taking pictures at the many club shows I go to and am having a blast! I started out trying to do 'straight' photos which is near impossible without a DSLR and press pass... then got in the LOMO spirit and decided to just take wild atmospheric photos that look the way the music sounds. So much better, so much more fun! One day hope to be on the other side of the camera....<br clear="all" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-32373637636576266172009-09-08T09:36:00.000-07:002009-09-08T09:39:59.986-07:00Ebay buying tips updatedFYI - I've revised the <a href="http://mattdentonphoto.com/ebaytips.html">eBay camera buying tips</a>. Most of these tips can be applied to items besides cameras, but it should be particularly helpful for anyone buying vintage cameras on eBay.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-27899214585868319142009-05-14T13:06:00.001-07:002009-05-14T13:09:02.588-07:00New photos on flickrI updated my flickr photostream with some very recent pics, which you can preview on my '<a href="http://mattdentonphoto.com/new_work/index.html">new work</a>' page, or check directly at <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattdenton/">flickr</a>.<br /><br />That rumble in the distance is the sound of worlds colliding... more to come before too long methinks...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-69454464424028346872009-04-23T11:24:00.000-07:002009-04-23T11:30:44.043-07:00Petri Book!Thanks to a friendly Swede named Björn Fredén, I am now happily in the possession of the "Collectors Guide to Kuribayashi-Petri Cameras" by John Baird! This book explains the history and impact of what later became known as the Petri Camera Company, and in the process attempts to comprehensively document the history of the Japanese camera industry. Very cool! Thanks again Björn!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-84638533158227709712009-04-02T08:57:00.000-07:002009-04-02T09:24:48.008-07:00All the Basic Photography Tips You'll Ever NeedA friend of mine recently asked me for some basic photography tips. It turned in to a mini-manifesto, and here it is:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Matt's Platform-agnostic Photography Tips.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">One.</span> <span style="font-style:italic;">Learn your camera.</span><br />It doesn't matter what type of camera you have, spend some time with it, get to know it well. Learn how long it takes to be ready to shoot once you turn it on. Learn the lag between pressing the shutter release and the actual taking of the picture. Learn the flash recycle time and the approximate battery life and how many pictures your card can hold at medium-high resolution. Read the manual and learn the advanced features like close (macro) focus, flash fill, face recognition, backlit scenes. The more you know about your camera the more quickly you'll be able to adjust to get the shot you want. And the more you practice, the less likely you'll miss that shot.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Two.</span> <span style="font-style:italic;">Think like a camera.</span><br />Cameras don't think, they just see what's in front of them and do what they're told. You have the luxury of not one but two eyes and a brain that processes information at light speed. You can take in a panoramic scene in mixed light, focus on what's imnportant and give it meaning and emotionaly and historical context all in an instant. A camera with its one eye, narrow focus and limited range of light values it can capture (EV), needs to be told to capture specifically what you want it to see.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Three.</span> <span style="font-style:italic;">See like a camera.</span><br />The camera can only capture so much. You need to be able to see what's in front of you the way a camera would capture it. Best way to begin: close one eye and make a rectangle out of your fingers to frame the scene. Is the light pefect the way it is? Turn off the flash and stand still. (I take most of my shots, even digital, without flash whenever possible). Are there shadows on the face that would be too dark? Use fill flash or move into the shade. Moving subject in a dark room? Full flash. Are the most important elements of your scene in the frame? If they're too small move in. Then move in more. Is your subject off-center (as it usually should be)? Focus on the subject and reframe while holding the shutter release halfway. Make the camera work for you. It's a tool. Become one with it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Four.</span> <span style="font-style:italic;">Study other photos.</span><br />You can't write without reading, can't play music without listening to music. Study photos and when you find ones that strike your fancy, try and figure out what it is you like about them. The tight cropping? The interplay of bold colors? The natural light? The hidden meaning in the juxtaposition of subject and background? The intersection of angles? Study your own photos as well. Which are more successful and why? Would tighter cropping help the less successful ones? Are the facial expressions true to what you remember about the scene? Think about these things when you frame your shots. The more you put these stylistic nuances into practice the more natural it becomes and the better your pictures as a result.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Five.</span> <span style="font-style:italic;">Understand the difference between types of photos.</span><br />In general there are two types of photos: ones that are merely records of a scene, and ones that aspire to something higher. The ones that you like to see and like to take are the ones that aspire to impart more meaning than just a record, they want to give a sense of time, place, and of feeling. If you simply point a camera and shoot, likely as not you'll get the first type. If you learn to frame your photos, turn off the flash, and most importantly, know when to press the shutter release, you'll nearly always get the type of photo you always wanted to take. Think. Practice.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Last.</span> <span style="font-style:italic;">Not all shots are worth taking, but sometimes any shot is better than none.</span><br />Sometimes the picture is not there in front of you, it's just in your imagination. Sometimes what you wanted to capture is gone before you can pull the camera out, or simply doesn't look like what you thought it did before you framed it or thought like a camera. It's ok not to press the shutter if the picture isn't there. Your best bet is generally to anticipate the shot that hasn't happened yet and be ready before it flits past. Know when the car is coming around the corner, know when the child is about to turn to you and smile, know when the dog is about to leap and grab the frisbee and be ready with that finger poised above the button. But sometimes a record is all you want or have time for, so go ahead. If it's not perfect you can crop it later, and there will often be other opportunities for similar photos. And sometimes you realize you'll never get a second chance to be there and a blurry hastily framed shot is all you get. And sometimes those turn out to be the most fun, original records of the scene.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">General random tips.</span><br />Always have a camera with you, even if it's just the one in your phone. <span style="font-style:italic;">Know how to use it.</span> Turn off the flash when you can. <span style="font-style:italic;">Remember - people don't always have to smile perfectly.</span> If kids are being goofy make it a record of their personalities rather than a museum piece. Shoot in the morning, in the evening, on cloudy days, indoors near windows for best natural light. <span style="font-style:italic;">Flowers and people like the same diffuse light.</span> If you're shooting a moving subject, pan the camera with the subject. <span style="font-style:italic;">Learn to stand still and pause your breath while firmly squeezing the shutter release.</span> Experiment. Learn to use Photoshop or another image editing tool to crop, adjust contrast, eliminate redeye after the fact. <span style="font-style:italic;">Sometimes black and white is better.</span> Learn what times of year have the best light in your part of the world (for me it's spring and fall). <span style="font-style:italic;">Don't be afraid to direct people, they want to look good in the picture.</span> But don't be too bossy or they won't want to pose for you again. <span style="font-style:italic;">Make them laugh for real if you want them to smile,</span> unless you want "cheese-y" smiles. Frame the photo, but watch the subjects over the camera so you can see whose eyes are closed before you press the release. Own a tripod, even a tabletop one, and use it for posed group shots, especially if you want to get in the shot during a timed release. Know the rule of thirds: compositions are most interesting if the subject is at an intersection of thirds of your frame. <span style="font-style:italic;">Don't try to capture too much, the eye wants a place to rest when looking at a photo.</span> When in doubt, get closer. <span style="font-style:italic;">Shoot often</span>. Don't be afraid to delete the bad ones, but get a second opinon on pictures of yourself before you do. Doesn't hurt to carry a pocket notebook and use it. If you're shooting towards the sun, hold a hand over the lens to keep the glare off. <span style="font-style:italic;">Sometimes vertical is better.</span> Have extra batteries and an extra memory card or film on hand whenever possible. Above all, don't forget to enjoy the moments of your life in addition to documenting them. <span style="font-style:italic;">Sometimes a memory is better than a photo op.</span><br /><br />© 2009 Matt Denton. Please include title and backlink if republishing.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-55997745849691277842008-12-20T14:32:00.000-08:002009-04-08T09:46:26.733-07:00Matt Denton is now on Facebook!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://mattdentonphoto.com/uploaded_images/fb-image-774572.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 111px; height: 111px;" src="http://mattdentonphoto.com/uploaded_images/fb-image-774508.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Yes, it's true... I finally signed up for <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=1010801478&ref=name">FB</a>.<br /><br />You know I like to be fashionably late to the party.... now, where's the beer?<br /><br />PS I should mention that if you want to friend me, please include a personal note so I know who you are and why you're making the request....Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-89691464233348913982008-11-25T09:07:00.000-08:002008-11-25T09:12:20.960-08:00And it's been awhile....(someone's going to get that, I just know it)<br /><br />Hey-ho, what's up everyone? I know I haven't blogged here in a while, clearly I haven't been shooting much, though I've been thinking about it more and more lately. I miss my little metal friends! Time just keeps getting away from me somehow....<br /><br />As a fan of the film <a href="http://www.myspace.com/ironmanmovie">Iron Man</a> and pretty much everyone in it, and a fan of the outstanding documentary photography of actor Jeff Bridges, I thought some of you would enjoy checking out this well-put-together <a href="http://www.jeffbridges.com/ironmanbook_cover.html">virtual book</a> documenting the making of Iron Man on <a href="http://www.jeffbridges.com">jeffbridges.com</a>. All black and white panoramic shots as he likes to do, with insightful handwritten notes scattered throughout. I particularly enjoyed the angsty haircut shots (how did he frame those, I wonder?) and the workshop shots. Check it out!<br /><br />Happy shooting! And happy Holidays!<br /><br />MattAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-47986914510418846362008-07-18T13:11:00.000-07:002008-07-18T13:26:57.064-07:00Back from VacationAh Vacation.... Yes we just got back from the kind of vacation you need a vacation to recover from when you get back. Good times though, and I took a lot more pictures than I planned. Big question as always before we left, what camera to take? The short list was Vivitar 35ES, Ricoh 500G, Fed 2e w/35mm, Konica TC or Minolta XD-5. But I didn't leave myself much time to decide so took what has become a common companion, the Minolta with 45mm 2.0, Sears 28mm, and a 2x extender. Great versatile kit. Got heavy after a while though, tramping around Boston with my little man-purse of camera gear, and I ended up wishing I had what I should have taken but forgot about, the Canon Sure Shot 120. Rats. Next time!<br /><br />Haven't developed the film yet but will soon. Also, loving the versatility of that little Canon Powershot A750is. Seems like everyone I know has a Powershot of some kind now! Still not the same as holding that solid SLR up to your eye and dialing in the perfect composition.<br /><br />Sidebar - has anyone come up with a name for that thing people do with digicams where they hold them out with two hands and look at the screen with big eyes? Seems like it should have a name. How about 'four finger death pinch'? Comment with your thoughts.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-80021442588970397972008-04-17T09:40:00.000-07:002008-04-17T09:45:22.779-07:00Seawood PhotoI won't say why but over the weekend I had to make an emergency paper developer run and my usual - I should say former - sources were not holding. So I took a drive to the legendary <a href="http://www.seawood.com">Seawood Photo</a> in San Anselmo, a trip I'd been putting off for years, and had a series of mostly pleasant surprises. The first surprise was that it was so close. San Anselmo had always seemed so far away in my head, and maybe this is a holdover of when we lived in the City and it would have been a good 45 min to an hour. But it's 5 minutes out of San Rafael, putting it about 15-20 minutes from my house. And anyone who lives the Bay Area knows that this is essentially the equivalent of walking across the street.<br /><br />The second surprise was the camera collection lining the shelves of the store, a treasure trove that puts mine to shame three times over. Cameras I've only read about, cameras I've seen pictures of but not seen in person, and yes several that I own and have used. I just gaped for a bit. Eventually I had to just get my developer and go before I got way sidetracked and filled up the trunk. To be sure, this place is a traditional photographer's dream, between the collection of classics and everything else under the sun, including bins of manual camera lenses, filters and miscellaneous doodads. View cameras. Film! Ha.<br /><br />Absolutely a must visit for any collector or photographer in the area. Nice folks too, and parking on the side. Watch out for dogs and bicycles once you turn off Sir Francis Drake though. San Anselmo appears to be a conclave of dogs, families and bicycles, all in the street at the same time... at least on the weekend...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-58832780366457520362008-04-04T09:15:00.000-07:002008-04-04T09:19:38.268-07:00New Pics from Sacto<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattdenton/2387886150/" title="Biff at CA Capitol by mattsuserid, on Flickr"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2138/2387886150_e62648213d_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="Biff at CA Capitol" /></a><br />Went on a field trip this week with Casey's class to Sacramento and the state Capitol, haven't been there since <i>I</i> was in fourth grade! And yes I took a (gasp) film camera with me. I almost took the Konica TC but I didn't trust myself not to have a working light meter, but didn't have the batteries for that one (see previous post). Plus I wasn't sure that 40mm would be wide enough for interiors and architecture. The Minolta XD5 with Sears 28mm worked out perfectly. I shot Assemblyman Huffman in his office, portions of the Capitol, and the <a href="http://www.californiamuseum.org/" target="_blank">California Museum</a> and a bit of Sutter's Fort, all on Kodak 400 CN so I could get it on CD at Costco. I also shot with our little Canon A570IS. See my <a href="http://www.flickr.com/mattdenton" target="_blank">flickr</a> for selected pics.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30662771.post-76284726318743186462008-03-23T20:15:00.000-07:002008-03-24T20:49:17.019-07:00Second First ImpressionsSo I had some free time this weekend and decided to use it to revisit my old friends in the closet, my <i>camera collection</i>. I went through as many as I could, removing stale batteries and exercising the lenses and shutters. In the process I discovered a few things, and was struck with what I can only call 'second first impressions' of some cameras that I haven't used for a while:<br /><br />Discovery #1 -- old hearing aid batteries (1.3v replacements) can leak and leave a crystalline residue in your battery chamber. Easily cleaned with a damp cloth but good to know.<br /><br />Discovery #2 -- it's a good idea to exercise the shutter of any old camera before loading it with film and taking it out for a spin, just to make sure it's in shape and up to speed. There were a few that were sluggish for the first few frames and got better quickly.<br /><br />Discovery #3 -- there's simply never enough space. Shocker, I know!<br /><br />Some quick standout impressions of some of my neglected friends:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Konica Autoreflex AC</span>, light and impressively compact, the compact 40mm makes this a great package.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Konica Autoreflex T3</span>, a solid picture taking machine.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">GAF Memo</span>, super-compact dark horse of a shooter.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Kiev 4</span>, just f'n cool, so silent and smooth and stylish.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">FED 2e</span> quirky and cool, heavy.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Minolta SRT101</span>, maybe the smoothest shutter release of the mechanical cameras.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Vivitar 400/SL</span> ah what memories we made together. Nice solid workhorse.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sears/Ricoh TLS</span>, slightly primitive classic classic. Heavy!<br />Prakticas, KA-CHUNK.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Olympus Trip 35</span>, so cute, understated easy shooter.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ricoh 500G, Vivitar 35ES, Canonet GIII, Olympus 35RC</span> (forgot I had that one!) what can I say, all great tight little packages, all good shooters.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Konica Auto S2</span>, the Cadillac of rangefinders, almost too nice to use. Big.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Yashica Electro 35</span>, which I have too many of, you wouldn't know to look at it that it could take the pictures it does.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Agfa Isolette, Franka Solida, Moskva-5</span>, solid shutters (especially the M-5) and classy well engineered packages.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Kodak Retina 1a</span>, a thing of beauty and a true marvel of engineering. Jaw dropping precision action.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Walz Walzflex</span>, very nice action for a relative unknown.<br />and <span style="font-weight:bold;">Argus A</span>, who couldn't like that little art deco classic.<br /><br />That's the off-the-top-of the head standout list, I have other ones around that I didn't touch but I was so impressed at some of these I just had to give them a little shout out.<br /><br />I did take an Electro 35 out for a spin down to Ghirardelli Square, we'll see how those pics come out. You know, 'cause I'm rusty and all.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794667044245172333noreply@blogger.com0