When the Albany Patroons’ last-minute shot saved their 1983-84 playoff season

Albany Patroons v. Bay State Bombardiers Brockton High School, Brockton, Mass. March 16, 1984 As the 1983-84 season came to a conclusion, the Albany Patroons finished second in the Eastern Division with a 25-19 record – and were headed for the playoffs. Their opponents in the best-of-five first round were the Bay State Bombardiers, guided…

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The “efke” Project: Photographing in Black and White

At some point, every photographer should experiment with using black and white film.ย  No, I’m not talking about photographing in digital color and then using a computer program to convert the picture into greyscale.ย  I’m talking about using actual black-and-white film, filters, exposure settings, and whatnot. And with that in mind, I began something called…

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Wonder Woman’s Hot New Look

As far as super-hero babes in costume go, Wonder Woman’s got to be among the top five, if not at least the top one.ย  Yeah, between her and maybe the Invisible Woman, Emma Frost, Jean Grey and Supergirl and maybe She-Hulk… That’s why I was surprised today upon discovering that Wonder Woman got herself a…

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Do not trust CVS to develop your film

Over the weekend, I decided to try some black-and-white 35mm film in the Nikkormat FTn camera.ย  The plan was to start shooting with some new black-and-white film, experiment with some different colored lens filters (a Bower red R2, my Tiffen 85b orange), and see what comes up. I went downtown and shot at a few…

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My new camera… God help me… is a…

I’m almost afraid to say the words in public. Remember, for years and years I’ve been (and still am)ย  a loyal Nikon man.ย  From my Coolpix 800 to my D70 to my current D700, as well as my Nikkormat FTn for my 35mm shots (my Kiev-19 is now resting comfortably on my shelf, enjoying a…

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The Comet at the Great Escape was once even scarier…

As far as I’m concerned, there are several things I must do upon visiting the Great Escape in Lake George. I must make a donation in the fountain and rub the nose of the Porcelino pig at the entrance to the fair. I must make a trip to Ghost Town and watch Wild Windy Bill…

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A Dream Comes True … in Paperback

It’s 1982.ย  I declared my major in college – creative writing – and immediately immersed myself in the works of William Faulkner and Eudora Welty and Geoffrey Chaucer and every other writer of a long-ago time. I knew what was coming up for me, though… as a creative writing major, I would be required to…

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Angelina Jolie, the Salt movie, and my Pontiac 6000

Last year, I found a Craigslist ad for a motion picture that was being filmed in Albany.ย  They needed cars and drivers for an action scene that would be filmed on the I-787 elevated bridges.ย  I took a chance, filled out an application, and next thing I know, I’m getting a call from a Columbia…

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“The Armor-Plated Heart” – a playlist of breakup ballads

My iPod has several themed playlists on it, and one of the playlists is called “The Armor-Plated Heart.” It’s a playlist full of ballads and slow songs – not the kind that are romantic and intimate, but the kind that you listen to after you’ve been dumped, or you just feel so emotionally wrecked that…

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