FOUR!
My fourth Canon, a fully functional AE-1 film SLR, arrived in the mail today. An eBay find, with a 135mm lens and strap. Also arriving was the 35-70mm zoom lens I won bidding a day later. All in all a good catch because this camera, although used, was in near mint condition and free from the ubiquitous Canon shutter squeak problem that plagues many used AE-1 units. Here it is: 
That photo was taken using my trusty 5MPx Canon PowerShot S2IS propped up on a monopod, 1/5 sec @ f2.7 macro setting with tungsten white balance. No flash. I rarely use flash.
I’ve been using Canon cameras since the early 80’s beginning with my dad’s A-1 SLR. It’s a great camera but right now my brother’s using it to take artistic shots for his portfolio and it doesn’t look like he’ll relinquish possession of it anytime soon. I already mentioned my S2IS, the workhorse of the four. And finally just for portability’s sake I have a 6MPx PowerShot SD600 Digital Elph, a damn fine point-and-shoot that I took with me to Hawai’i to take all of my vacation photos. Being very bare bones and manual, the AE-1 is perfect for self-teaching. I plan on using it to learn more about correct exposure in different lighting situations. 35mm film is cheap these days and so are the developing costs. Considering that I burn through about 175-250 shots per use on my S2IS, I’m going to have to make some “minor” adjustments!
Today was a slow day because I made it so. It was too hot to do any hardcore physical activity so I kept the mountain bike locked up in the garage and my hiking shoes in their box and instead went for a drive. Made it all the way to Walnut Creek. I haven’t been feeling very inspired the last couple days to write, rather, having indulged in a few more art supplies earlier at the Berkeley Blick I decided to give sketching another go. I drew this:
Back at home Albert’s been doing well. He likes to examine the pebbles at the bottom of the tank when he’s not swimming about the ferns. I could try to draw him sometime. He’d make a good subject in color.
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Or more specifically, Albertus, the iridescent blue Betta splendens. My new buddy. Here he is:
He’s named after German Dominican friar, philosopher, scientist/alchemist and theologian, Albertus Magnus of Cologne. Right now he’s quite actively exploring the lower levels of his new 2.5 gallon aquarium, stocked with two aquatic ferns and three 4″ bamboos. There is a food pellet stuck on a fern fron that he’s been trying to get to. That should keep him busy for a while yet.
I want a digital SLR complete with a full set of zoom lens and flash so that I can take lots of pictures of practically anything anywhere.
I want wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling bookcases installed into my bedroom.
I want to drive a Ferrari Enzo for 25 laps at the Nurburgring Nordschliefe in Germany.
I want to sing the cheesiest 70’s ballad at a karaoke bar, loudly, with voice cracking at the high notes while my friends cheer me on like I’m the next American Idol.
I want a role in the next Spider-Man movie, maybe as Peter Parker’s geek classmate who gets caught in the middle of a battle royale between Spidey and Carnage. Oh, and I want to be able to say “Look out, Spider-Man!” as an Erlenmeyer flask goes flying over my head.
I want to take my entire work desk – computer, pen cup, phone, calendar, chair and all – outdoors. Maybe park it right outside the Ferry Building so that I can enjoy the view and not have to walk too far on Tuesdays to visit Farmer’s Market.
I want to take my mom to Italy for springtime while simultaneously sending both my dad and brother off on a fully-paid deep sea fishing tour in the Bahamas (they’d kill for that, btw)
I want to take my dog inside a store or restaurant or train without having anybody chase us back out because he’s not allowed inside.
I want …
Slowly but surely grows the little web site that will house my photographic, film, and illustrative works. I chose to build it on my .Mac account, which has just enough virtual disk space for a good sized collection of images that I will rotate out about every couple months or so. Being only a casual dabbler in this art form, I don’t expect much more than the occasional, casual oohs and ahhs from most visitors. I’m still honing my skills, without formal education. Not enough time for classes these days.
My older brother is a graphic design professional who tinkers in photography like I do but has much more raw talent than me in that medium. He’s quite detail-oriented. I’ve watched him work, slowly and meticulously composing, arranging, rearranging, checking exposure, correcting light angles, tinkering with the grey card, re-checking exposure … all before finally snapping a shot. Then he does it all over again because maybe the lighting was too low or too bright, or there was dust on the subject matter. Finicky. Exacting. Inspiring final results.
Compared to him, my process is much more sporadic and instantaneous. Less planned and more opportunistic. I try to seek out moments to freeze frame, like hitting the pause button on the remote control. A different style of course, but still that love for capturing life on film carries through. I’m as much a learner in photography as most other amateurs. It’s an ongoing self-education that I want to share through my new photo/illustration web site. Just another hobby to carry me through this long summer.
