In modern photography, the “Petzval Mod” is a camera lens hack that will turn a dull, run-of-the-mill Soviet camera lens into a dreamy, kaleidoscopic master shooter. The modification will provide a surreal, swirly background field, or bokeh, that envelops the center subject. To put it in basic terms, you need a HELIOS 44-2 common 35mm…
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The Moon Trail Eclipse Photos
It’s the early morning hours of March 14, 2025. And if I’m going to pull this off, I must prepare like crazy. Clear, cloudless night. Or as cloudless as I can achieve. Equipment at the ready. I’ve got a pack of Kodak Tri-X 400 black and white film packed into my Pentacon Six TL camera,…
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Redscale Shooting in the Pentacon Six TL
After I had it tuned and cleaned and buffed and waxed by my camera tech Allan at CameraWorks in Waterford, my new-to-me Pentacon Six TL – which at this moment does NOT have a nickname – is ready for its first roll of post-tune-up film. And for this test run, I’ve packed a spool of…
Read MoreWait, when did I buy a Rollieflex 126 shooter??
It’s a chilly Sunday morning, and I really need to clean my living space. I’ve got boxes of old things here and there, and I really should neaten up. Projects that I started and never finished … into the trash you go. Old clothes I never wear – there’s the Goodwill bag. Old cameras I…
Read MoreRevolog Kosmos at the New York State Fair
I’ve used Revolog’s boutique textured film in the past. It’s a fun film to work with, as you can combine your photography skills with a little chance and a little luck – to get incredible images. Revolog pre-treats their film with everything from little spots to electrical fractals to textures, and those get transferred onto…
Read MoreAnother “Buena Vista Panorama” attempt in Bennington County
So how does one celebrate Juneteenth on what is arguably the hottest day of the year? Simple. I grabbed my Rolleiflex Automat MX camera, packed my camera bag with four rolls of Fuji Provia 100F, and drove to Bennington County, Vermont. I’ve blogged about this before; Vermont has more wooden covered bridges than any other…
Read MoreI asked you to check back with me on June 15, 2024 … let’s see what happened.
Last year, I installed a Solarcan pinhole camera in my girlfriend’s back yard. See? Blog post to prove it. But if you’re not feeling like reading an old blog post, I’ll give you the TL/DR. A Solarcan is a specially-prepared camera. It’s a beer can that contains a sheet of photographic paper inside. A tiny…
Read MoreCheck back with me on June 15, 2024.
I had a great time with the girlfriend over the weekend. We watched that Julia Louis-Dreyfus film You Hurt My Feelings (honestly, I think I’m becoming a big fan of A24 films), we purchased some bird feeders at the Delmar backyard bird store Wildbird Junction, and we had a very enjoyable time together. After all…
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At the intersection of George and Hudson Streets, 1909-2023
I have had a tremendous amount of fun with finding old postcards from the Town and Village of Green Island, and then trying to superimpose those old images onto the way the area looks today. Last year, my shot of the old McGowan Fire Hose building – now an apartment complex – took an Honorable…
Read MoreSo that’s a Pyramidion Kaleidosphere. Can I use it as a camera lens?
I swear … inspiration for photographic concepts comes from the weirdest of places. And in this case … it involved 2:00 a.m. insomnia scrolling on social media. It’s where I saw what appeared to be an advertisement for a very cool kaleidoscope. To be more precise … it’s a Pyramidion Kaleidosphere. This device. Gaze and…
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Chuck The Writer 
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