I’ve learned that if you get to fairs early in the morning, you can achieve some semi-unobstructed views of rides and attractions – which work well if you wantto photograph them. Such was the case at the Big E last month. By arriving early enough to snag good parking, I also benefited in photographing some…
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The New York State Fair Film Shots, 2025 Edition
I have several traditions when visiting the New York State Fair. These are important traditions. They must be upheld when possible. Oh, and one very important goal. I must take fair photos with one of my traveling film cameras, which will allow me to re-experience the Fair weeks afterward when the film negatives arrive. This…
Read MoreThe Zodiak lens – it’s Б, not B
I guess this Pentacon Six TL camera is now an official part of my arsenal, in that I’ve just acquired my FOURTH distinct attachable lens for this bad boy. In addition to my Carl Zeiss Jena Biometar 80mm f/2.8 lens, my Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 65mm f/2.8 ultrawide lens, and my Meyer Optik Görlitz 500mm…
Read MoreI just heard from the Big E, 2025 edition
This yar, the Eastern States Exposition’s photography competition set up a new format for entries. Instead of submitting two entries in September and hoping they would get accepted, I could send multiple entries in July – and then hear from the judges in August if any (or all) (or none) were accepted for show. It…
Read More“Tell the race track Johnny Wadd is here.”
Let me explain that blog post headline. My recent acquisition of a Meyer Optik Görlitz Orestegor 500mm f/5.6 telephoto lens has proven successful when paired with my Pentacon Six TL camera. And thanks to my girlfriend (the best girlfriend in the whole wide world), I now have an adapter that will make that Meyer Optik…
Read MoreYeah, I can fix a camera lens. (Rolling up sleeve) (Saying a prayer)
I purchased this old Nikon 80-200 f/2.8 lens nearly 20 years ago. It was the first external camera lens I’ve ever purchased that wasn’t primarily a kit lens, and I purchased it so that I could capture fast indoor action shots, so long as I had the lens open wide (at f/2.8 aperture) and cranked…
Read MoreComparing a Biometar to a Flektogon to an Orestegor
Unlike my Nikon camera bodies, where I can transfer lenses from one chassis to another without any problems, my Pentacon Six uses proprietary lenses. Now if I want to put a Pentacon lens on a Nikon camera, there’s an adapter for such a connection. But I can’t put Nikon gear on a Pentacon camera –…
Read MoreThe impulse purchase
Let’s see. I’ve got less than a week before my 40th college reunion. And I still want to get some great photos – both at the reunion and afterwards. So I took my Nikon F2S camera (“Nikon Athena”) and attached my newly-acquired Helios 44-2 Russian lens with the Petzval modification to it. In goes a…
Read MoreSometimes it takes a rainy day just to let you know everything’s going to be all right. -Cris Williamson
Today’s headline is the first lyric of singer-songwriter Cris Williamson’s song Waterfall, from her legendary album The Changer and the Changed. Fifty years later, it still holds up today. And it’s kind of an inspiration for today’s blog, as I get back into making my cameras work for me. I need to make sure all…
Read MoreA photo contest where I send in a blind roll of film – should I enter it?
This looks interesting, and I’m sharing it in case anybody wants to enter this unique competition. Pro Camera Film Lab, a film processing service in Virginia, is offering a unique contest this year – a competition where the winning entries are sent in from your undeveloped film roll. You shoot a roll of film, and…
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Chuck The Writer 
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