Expired Polaroid ID Ultraviolet Film - Simple Fashion & Emily Wallace

This past Friday, going into the long holiday weekend, we were lucky enough to get out of work a little early, which, allowed for me to plan a quick afternoon/evening shoot. This particular shoot was with a wonderful model named Emily that I've not had the chance to work with before. Originally, we planned to shoot a couple of looks outdoors, but, Cleveland weather being Cleveland weather forced us to start in the studio where we took these images. Later in the day we did end up shooting some very quick sets outside (including a roll of Ektar 100) which you'll be able to see in the future over on the Coalesce52 blog. Until then though, I hope you enjoy these studio shots taken with a Polaroid 250 and some expired Polaroid ID UV film (perhaps some of the best images I've gotten from this film to date).

Expired Polaroid ID Ultraviolet Film - Photo Walk Portraits

Monday evening after work I joined some folks over in Tremont to do a quick instant photo walk put together by Aperture Photography & Variety. The walk was a put together a little last minute, but, we were lucky enough to be joined by Washington Post and freelance wonder writer Melanie D.G. Kaplan. Melanie was in town working on a story about Ohio's one and only National Park and decided to also do a little story about our area's growth in what she referred to as "the slow photo movement" - a phrase I may just have to steal for my own future use. 

Aside from all that jazz, the walk was fun if not a little less than ideal in terms of weather (I'm now suffering the effects of a wicked cold that can only be the fault of this little walk). As for my photos, I decided to switch it up a little bit after having taken so many photos in the Tremont area over the years and instead focused on shooting some portraits with some of the other members of the photo walk. 

Each of these were taken with a Polaroid Land 250 using some of my expired Polaroid ID Ultraviolet film. As you can see, four straight shots out of this pack of film gave me pretty close to four different results. I imagine the changing temperatures, the different lighting situations and the fact that I never time my developments of this film all contributed to that though. There is one more photo from this set of portraits (a shot I took of Melanie) but in a rare and uncharacteristic move I let her keep the photo before I had a chance to bring it in and scan it. If I'm lucky though... maybe I'll get to see that photo along side her article.

Fuji FP-3000B45 - Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5 - Tiffany

This past weekend was filled with photography and film. Saturday I shot with a new model in the studio and wrapped up my roll of film for Week 6 of the Coalesce 52 project. Then, Sunday afternoon, I shot two rolls of film with artist/illustrator Branden Vondrak in his home studio (which just so happened to wrap up my Week 7 for the Roll-A-Week project). And finally, in between those shoots, I took these photos with my lovely girlfriend at home. I'll be sharing all kind of images from those other shoots as well, but, seeing as how this is the first times Tiffany has ever let me sit her down and take a formal photo of her I thought I'd post these first.

Both of these images are from one of my final four remaining packs of the large format instant film Fuji produced - Fuji FP3000B45 - and both were taken with my Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5 press camera. I recently decided that instead of clutching on to this film and holding on to it forever that I should get it out of the fridge and put it to good use while it's still in it's prime. When I end up with photo's like this it makes me think that I made a pretty good decision. 

Enjoy.

Rollei Retro 100 - Mamiya 645 - Hillary

I'm aware that I haven't been posting much recently. With the weather changing and the number of project's I've been pulled into at work my time for shooting has become a little more limited. I did, however, want to jump on here quickly to post a few photos in a small attempt to keep up with this little photo blog. Hopefully as winter continues I'll be booking a few more studio shoots (similar to what you will see here today) and that will afford me not only a chance to shoot some more film, but, also some new images to post here on a more regular basis. 

Today's images were shot with a camera that I love to work with but have actually used very rarely since I've gotten it - the Mamiya 645 fitted with a Sekor 80mm f/2.8 lens. The camera (also fitted with an auto winder) is a real beast to lug around but has a really great feel in your hands. The film for this shoot was a roll of one of favorite medium format films, Rollei Retro 100, which I had developed over at Aperture here in Cleveland. And then of course the model (who may look familiar from a few earlier posts using different instant film types) is Hillary from Taxi Mgmt. Both images were shot using available window light and a single reflector.

More images coming soon. Enjoy.

Impossible Project PZ680 - Spectra Fashion

With everything that has been going on in the past couple weeks I have rarely found time to get out and take any photos. Of course, that also means that I've had even less time to try and set up and coordinate a shoot with someone else. Luckily though, now that the gallery show is coming to a close, the art sale is over and I've had a weekend in town... I've managed to once again have a little photo shoot. 

With all of the great work that I've been stumbling upon lately, and the fact that Tiffany got me the Helmut Newton Polaroid book, this shoot has been a long time coming. Ashley is a model that I have worked with a number of times before, so it was easy to knock out three looks this past saturday morning. Of course, I shot a majority of this work digitally, but what I'm displaying here right now is some of the instant photos from the day.

These were all taken with my newly acquired Polaroid Spectra using the Impossible Project's PZ 680 color shade. This was only the second time shooting with this camera, and the first time with this film. I am definitely a fan of both and love the wide cinematic format the Spectra is known for. Impossible's PZ 680 is pretty much in line with what I've come to expect, and love, with all of the Impossible films. Great color, contrast and quality that is constantly improving.


Stay tuned the next couple days and I will probably post a few of the digital images from the weekend as well.

Photograph Info:

Location: Cleveland Ohio

Camera: Polaroid Spectra QPS

Film: Impossible Project PZ 680

Impossible Project PX600 BlackFrame PP - Rick Ross and Taking Back Sunday

Sometimes my job takes me to interesting places, and other times it lets me meet interesting people. For quite some time now the studio I work for, Uppercut Motion + Sound, has been doing a series of videos with Microsoft Zune and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. As different musical artists are passing through town on their tours they stop by the Rock Hall and do a quick interview and walk through which we film and edit.


Just recently I started shooting a quick polaroid of the artist/s right before the interview begins, and then right before we wrap I have them quickly sign it. This past week I snapped two such photos, above of Rick Ross and below of Taking Back Sunday. They definitely aren't the best photos I've ever taken, but I think the memorabilia factor still makes them interesting.

I don't think I'll be taking these photos with everyone that rolls through from now on, but, I do hope to get a couple more before it's all said and done.

Photograph Info:

Location: Cleveland Ohio - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Camera: Polaroid SX70 Sonar

Film: Impossible Project PX600 SS Black Frame PoorPod

Polaroid 100 Chocolate - Andrea - #RoidWeek

Today marks the official start of Polaroid Week 2011 - the tenth year for Polaroid week.


To start things off, I am posting two images shot on expired Polaroid Chocolate with a Polaroid Land 250. These images are of Andrea, from our shoot a few weeks ago, and were taken down in the Flats of Cleveland, Ohio.

To see more great Polaroids all week long be sure to check out the official Polaroid Week Flickr group, the official Facebook page, or just follow the hashtag #roidweek on Twitter.


And of course, keep checking back to my page throughout the week as I continue to update with instant photos all week long... including some new, yet-to-be-taken photos from this weeks Polaroid Walk hosted by Aperture!

Impossible Project PX600 BlackFrame PP - AndreaMJM

I got the chance to work with Andrea this past weekend. She's a traveling model, from San Francisco, and since she was in town for a couple days on work we were able to get together for a few hours and shoot. I didn't take very many instant photos, just these and a few on chocolate I'll post later, but there are definitely some good shots coming when I develop my next rolls of medium format and 35mm.


The two images here, of course,  are Impossible's PX600 Black Frame from the Poor Pod pack shot through an SX70 with ND pack filter. These turned out all kinds of funky from direct sunlight exposure and some nice 80-85 degree temps... But still, I like them.

Photograph Info:

Location: Cleveland Ohio

Camera: Polaroid SX70 Sonar

Film: Impossible Project PX600 SS Black Frame PoorPod

Water Portrait

As usual, I'll start this post with the phrase, "I haven't updated this in a really long time..."

It's true, I just noticed that it was December the last time I posted a photo, which is probably the longest I've gone without posting anything new since starting this blog. Everything has been so busy this winter. I have shot a number of times with different models, but just haven't seemed to have time to put up the photos. Since then, I've also had my work put up for the first time in a small coffee and music shop here in Tremont called Loop. It's nothing much, but it's a start to getting work displayed, and it's actually already brought in some attention and requests from the people who have picked up my business cards.

For this post, I've chose a photo that I just did about two weeks ago. Sarah was scheduled to shoot with a photographer from LA who as in town, but like it often goes with photographers/models/stylists etc, the plans didn't shake out. Being that we had nothing else planned for the day I decided to do a little impromptu shoot here in my apartment with her. I've wanted to do something with water and the old claw foot tub that I have, so that's what we did. There is a nice mixture of natural light and a large soft box from above, and then it's cross processed to subdue the colors a little bit to fit the style. I'm pretty happy with it considering there was almost no planning behind it and the fact that I've never really shot anything quite like it. I think she likes it too... and two weeks later, I think almost all of the water is out of her ears now as well.

Photograph Info:
Location: Apartment
Camera: Canon 5DMII
Lens: 24-70 mm
PostProcess: Portrait Retouch

Artichoke Diptych

Well, I've had this idea for quite some time... I even scheduled a shoot for it, but because of a cancellation by the make up artist at the time it's just never happened. Since Sarah and I haven't shot together in a while, we decided to shoot something this past weekend, so I figured I'd give this a shot after all.

Sarah did the make up without knowing what my concept was...I just said, I want green and yellow, I'll be back shortly. I went and got equipment and the artichokes as well as some jewelry wire in order to make this neck piece. Between her and I it only took about half an hour to forty five minutes to make. It's basically single leaves wired together and then tiered on a ribbon to tie around the neck.

This really isn't my usual style, but I wanted to give this whole concept a shot. I've considered doing more, with different food types, to make an entire series. I'm just not sure yet, there is quite a bit of work behind this shot and the amount of retouching that goes into it. I've spent about two nights retouching skin and removing imperfections to single leaves of the artichoke...

Thoughts?

Photograph Info:
Location: Cleveland Ohio
Camera: Canon 5DMII
Lens: 24-70 mm
PostProcess: Tons.