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Cross Processing Myths RIP

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:33:00 +0000

The 2 myths I will be talking about is that cross processing E6 slide film in standard C41 colour negative gives unpredictable hence random results. Hence the popularity with lomography crowd. Before you stop me I know plenty of people that take wonderful dreamy shots with lomo and other toy camera but none of them rely on random luck it's skill and artistic ability. Second lesser myth is that it is better to over expose expired slide film when you cross process.

First off in a past life I have a background in imaging and high speed microscope scanners including some patents that I'm proud of but must of what I am going to be talking about is based on observation and intuition. So bear with me while I go through some technical details:

Colour Slide Versus Colour Negative film

Slide film in general has a much smaller latitude when compared to negative film this means that your exposure settings for slide film has to be more accurate then with negative film or your highlights will be blown out (sort of sound like digital doesn't it) on the other hand if you under expose the darks will be one shade of black. With todays colour film a couple of stops under or over exposure doesn't make much difference it will look pretty much the same. Film records light in a nonlinear way so instead of clipping like in digital the highlights and shadows are compressed in a natural eye response type of way.

So why use slide film because if you get it right the resulting image has a much greater dynamic range (the difference in film density between the lightest to darkest part of the image), blues go from the palest lightest shade to inky almost black blues, the same for the greens and reds. A 8x10" colour slide on a light table is a glorious thing. Maybe paradoxically it is more difficult to scan when compared to the more compressed lower contrast ratio colour negative. This is true even when E6 type slide film is processed in c41 (standard developing for colour negative films)

If you want better technical reading go

Here

Dynamic Range By Bob Atkins

and here:

Film Contrast by Perry Sprawls, Ph.D.

Film is not like fine wine it's designed to be used when it is still young. As film ages it gets bombarded with cosmic rays and maybe more important the layers oxidize and chemicals diffuse and mix with each other sort of like the ripples in hundred year old glass windows. Refrigeration or freezer will extend the life but only by so much. As the film ages the unexposed film slowly fogs meaning black is no longer black but shades of grey. The colours in the dark areas become muddy and the grains of silver become more obvious and dyes start to bleed. (This paragraph is conjecture and observation on my part.) Astronomer super charge film sensitivity to low light by annealing it with special gas mixtures).

The lower the ISO the slower the film ages (this shouldn't surprise anyone). What sort of surprised me was that expired film seemed to be fairly constant in exposure (ISO), with only the latitude and dynamic range decreased by the level of fogging.

Now what does this all mean when it comes to exposure. Conventional wisdom seems to be to over expose to compensate for the fogging. I have tried this by a half a stop for 15 year old slide film and all I did was sacrifice the highlights for a bit better shadows, I also tried over exposing by 1 stop and pulling the development by one stop, this was even worse, colour film in c41 seems to push better then it pulls. My best results is to shoot at box speed and meter the exposure for the subject of importance. It also saves me the time money at the lab as most lab charge extra for pushing, pulling and cross processing if they can even really do the pulling correctly.

So shoot at box speed and meter for the subject, it's old film what do you expect new film? I'm only talking about colour slide film it's different for B&W and negative film.

Lab Scanned Early Work

The big myth that cross processing gives random inconsistent results. Except for the occasional very rare damaged roll. I find the result form each type of film is repeatable and consistent.

When I first tried cross processing I didn't really know why the results appeared to be inconsistent. I believed all the myths. First I thought it was how it was developed, then how it was exposed. A couple of years ago I started to examine the colour curves. I couldn't make any sense out of them so I thought it was cross talk between the RGB channels red getting into the green channel, blue into red, ... sort of like the current lomo fad (ducks) using redshft film to shift the colours into the yellow orange red spectrum. So I tied to build a colour profile that would correct this cross talk, no such luck. it wasn't until a lab scanned the cross processed as colour positives effectively supplying me with colour negatives (excuse the brain twisting double negatives).

Examining the colour negatives curves it was plain to see that the rgb curves had a much different shape then normal and the centre of symmetry was offset and different shaped for each of the rgb channels when compared to a normal colour negative curve.

What does this mean:

That colour is dependent on and intertwined with intensity.
If you remove this dependency you get consistent slide to slide, roll to roll results.

If you let a lab scan your film you will get highly inconsistent results that depend how their automated scanner treats a cross processed image when expecting a normal colour negative..

If you want a consistent results you have to adjust every image at either at the scanning stage and/or in post. Usually it's enough to correct white balance at 1/3, 2/3 and %100 white.

The goal is not to get perfect white balance, if that was the target then why bother cross processing.

Whats with the ABCD in the above polytch using the same negative Kodak 64T expired 1997.

A is lab scan not too bad except for the blown highlights and lack of shadow detail.

B is scanning as a colour negative, good details an colours but hard to get the highlights as tungsten balance film has a tendency to have a lot of red noise in the highlights, this can be used to good effect to give a gold look.

C Scanned to give the expected digital cross processed look.

D is scanned as a colour positive and then colour reversed in post. This gives you the most control at the expense of extra time.
Note: Scans B,C and D were done on my Epson V500 scanner.

I cross process because I have cheap expired slide film and I like the surreal colour shifts even if it is at the expense of some colour bleed and lose of details. I really like Kodak tungsten balanced film be cause I can bring out golden highlights.

If you disagree with anything I have said then there is nothing to stop you from doing it your own way:)

The rest of my cross processed work on flickr

Faux Redscale

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:42:00 +0000

Redscale is done by putting the roll of colour film into the canister with topside and backside reversed. Originally a DYI project Lomo is now selling the reverse film at a premium and Rolli is now manufacturing films with the filter layers reversed also at a premium.

The gel filters are reversed ordered hence the CMY channels are mixed to an approximation

C' = C + Y
M'= M + Y
Y'= .2Y

This example was done by

1) Change RGB positive to colour negative (don't use the grey scale negative).

2) Remix the RGB channels (I don't know it might be better mixing CMY channels

R' = .2R (Y on negative, Blue on positive)
G' = (G + R)/2 (M on negative, Green on positive)
B' = (B + R)/2 (C on negative, Red on positive)

3)Reverse the colour negative back to a positive (at this step you have a chance to change the colour gamma to bring out the yellows and greens)

3)Adjust contrast and brightness curves

If you are using film you could start with a colour negative and skip step 1.

This is my first attempt at faux redscale so it needs some tuning but overall I find real redscale has a creative yawn factor of 8 out of 10 so faux isn't going to be any better. Give me IR film with the filter built in now that would be creative!

Original Photo

Black & White Development In One Shot D76

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:26:00 +0000

Mamiya C220; Film Tmax 400; shot at ISO 400; 12 minutes in the developer

I have been doing all my B&W developing with Kodak D76.

I keep my d76 in a mason jar in powder form and mix each batch fresh one shot use. Conventional wisdom is that the powder might settle into it's components but it doesn't (don't use the last table spoon). Unconventional wisdom from people that have been doing it for years. I also develop in 1:3 dilution so development time isn't so critical and I get good shadow detail without blowing highlights. Just beware of chemical dust when measuring out the powder.

First time you empty the package into the mason jar stir and shake and roll the powder in the jar then put it on the shelf, no need to shake each time you use .

Disclaimer: I am not an expert and I scan my film rather then print in the darkroom.

Recipe

See massive development table for times don't forget to adjust for temperature.

I use 1.5 level teaspoons (7.5ml) d76 fill to 420ml with water (distilled if you want to be fussy) Stir well let sit for a few minutes and stir again until all powder is completely dissolved. This makes up an 1:3 dilution stock solution. Be careful not to breath the dust from the powder. Only use it for one roll of film.

2 minute water presoak
xx minute development {shake well for the first 30 seconds (instead of shaking invert if possible) tap once on a hard surface to remove bubbles, thereafter every 3 minutes gently shake for a few seconds}
rinse with water stop 4 times
yy minute fix
rinse with water 4 times and soak in clear water for 3 minutes
dip in water a bit of rubbing alcohol and a few drops of hypo clear
hang to dry for at least 2 hours (the leader should feel dry and not tacky) I find weighting the bottom of the film keeps from coming out curled

My 2 favourite general purpose films are Kodak TMAX 100/400 and Fuji Neopan. So far this method has given consistent results with all films I have used.

Kodak TMAX needs loads of fixing time. You can drop a small piece of film that hasn't been in the developer and watch the fixer clear the film, Multiply the time to clear by 2 and that should be safe.

Mamiya C220; Film Fuji Neopan 400; shot at ISO 800; 20 minutes in the developer

Using The V500 Scanner and HDR Techniques To Get The Most Out Of The Negative

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:53:00 +0000

Example of a technique for scanning high dynamic range films. Plus a digital darkroom dodge and burn

I took this shot using my mamiya c220 with a 180mm lens. Film was TMAX 400 shot at 1/2 stop faster. As usual I screwed up the loading of the film into the developing spools so there are a few handling flaws.

- Developed for 12 minutes in 1:3 diluted D76.
- Scan 1 scanned to make sure highlight detail was retained
- Scan 2 was for shadow details both scans were 16 bit tiffs
- Used a program called enfuse and enfuse GUI to automatically blend both scans together. Enfuse by passes the HDR step going directly to the tone mapping but with more subtlety, less noise and artifacts.

It's hard to tell in small sized but the enfused image has rather harsh contrast in the area of the gravel.

Final step I blended Scan 1 and the enfused image together using a hand painted selective mask. With a bit more care I could tailor multiple selection masks to get the result exactly how I like it.

History of 158 Sterling Rd

Another Example using HDR Tools

Image on the left is 14 bit scanned with some brightness curve adjustments in Lightroom. Normally I would do some dodge and burn.

The image on the right is the same scan plus an additional 2 scans at different scanner exposure levels. The 3 scans were combined and then tone mapped using HDR (high dynamic range) software.

I used Fuji Neopan ISO 400 film if I had used ISO 100 film the dynamic range could have been increased significantly. I think this does demonstrate how much information is contained within a film negative. Scanners have both a programmable offset and gain so there is actually more information extracted from the negative when you scan 3 times rather then manipulate a single scan.

As tone mapping increases local contrast at the expense of flattening out the overall image blending together portions of both images might result in the best of both worlds and focus the composition a bit more. Actually took the HDR into Lightroom to adjust curves and the results are better then above.

There is a trick (an extra 2 steps) to do the same thing in colour without destroying the colours I'm not sure it's worth the trouble but ask me if you are interested.

Testing Epson V500 Scan of a 35mm Zeiss Contax IIIa Colour Negative

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Thu, 07 May 2009 10:58:00 +0000

Unlike my Canon 4400f the Epson V500 scanner is in focus, also the slide holder are much better and easier to use. It also works on medium format. The new scanner will allow me to do more B&W in the future. This shot is nothing special but the I choose it as it needed a lot of dodging and burning

Notice the camera information in the additional information.

Yes the v500 is excellent price performance wise. Unfortuately the scanner software does not provide exif information.

one program that make it easy to add exif is filmtagger

I did a test of my v500 on a resolution target and found the focus was good for about 800 lines per inch from 0 to .5mm plus the film thickness from the surface of the glass, going from 2400 to 4800 dpi made no real differences, kind of explains why you have to go to medium format to get a worth while size print. Also explains why a special film holder is not going to buy you much with the v500 optics and it's LED illumination.

This confirmed the results of wet scanning with the film right against the glass

My Current Work Flow

Clean everything with antistatic cloth
Set scanner to pro mode, 3600 DPI for 35mm and 2400 DPI for MF in 48 bit tiff output
Insert negatives If they are too curly use anti-glare glass instead of plastic holders.
Blow any dust off with a rocket blower (If you are rich use canned air).
Preview
Select all negatives and turn off sharpening and hit auto curve button to see what the epson software things it should look like
For each negative adjust curve so there is no clipping using the droppers to set white and black and gamma and colour balance. The epson software is so primitive here, that my main concern that there is no highlight clipping or shadow blocking. Do this for each colour as the over all may look good but one channel might not. The point here is not to get a perfect scan but to get all the information out of the negative.
Scan
Optional If you need more shadow or highlight details then do an additional scan to expand the contrast in the highlight or dark areas blend the images back together in post. I don't have to do this very often. In post I use Lightroom to correct the image and remove any dust.

Important because you have turned sharpening off you need 2 levels of sharpening one for the scan and one just before final output. Fortunately lightroom has pretty good control here. The first level of sharpening is important and should be matched to the grain size and the scanning DPI it is not there to sharpen edges.

Homemade foamcore 8x10" Large Format Pinhole Camera

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:58:00 +0000

First of 2 shots with my foam core 8x10" homemade camera. Shot with 20 year old Kodak litho ISO 8 film, 3.5 minute exposure. This was my entry into world pinhole day
www.pinholeday.org/

After some sage advice from experts on developing the litho film to get more midtone greys. I am experimenting with diluting the developer to try to get more tones out of the high contrast lithographic film. I think it is working even though this shot may not be the best example as I was shooting towards the bright part of the sky.

The tones worked out very well in this following photo.

The pinhole is approximately f310 with a 80 degree field of view making for a 2.5 to 4.5 minute daylight exposure.

The following is a longer over 10 minute exposure made late in the day under grey sky. The thing I like about a 10 minute exposure in a city is that people go about their business invisible to the eye of the camera. Except for the almost invisible people sitting still on the picnic table, middle right if you need directions. I should have pushed the development a bit longer to bring out more details in the dark areas.

The good thing about this ISO 8 litho film is that it can be developed under a safe light where you can view the film developing. Also it can be pushed or pulled many stops just by changing the developing time.

Infrared Converted Olympus C-4000 4M pixel P&S

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 12:41:00 +0000

I am fascinated with all forms of imaging so for a while an infrared conversion of a point and shoot camera has been on my to do list. Early in October I was browsing Henry's Camera Surplus Store when I noticed that they had a 3meg pixel reconditioned Olympus point and shoot (P&S) on sale for $30. So I had my project. While not quite yet as the menu was only in Japanese and I don't understand the language. So back to Henry's to up grade to a 4 Mpixel C-4000 zoom had to lay out an additional $20.

Now the conversion. I wanted a camera that was sensitive enough to be handheld so I knew I had to replace the hot mirror (the little piece of glass in front of the sensor which reflects (filters out) most of the infrared and stops it reaching the sensor.

I researched some background on the disassembling of a c2000z here and here. As each camera is slightly different I had to play it by ear in a few places but it was mostly as advertised.

My original idea was to scrape the hot mirror coating off the filter. Unfortunately I used a abrasive that was too hard and I scratched the glass surface. I think next time it will work if I use still wool (should be slightly softer then glass). So I had to order a custom cut watch crystal from a local watch repair place. Because the index of refraction of the mineral glass is higher then that of the original cover the thickness ordered was 2.5mm instead of the original 2.8mm.

In the mean while realizing the camera would be very myopic and could not focus to any where near infinity I put the camera back together without the glass sensor cover. What I did not realize was that how good the camera would be as a super macro camera. I am thinking of buying another one to use just in this mode.
Infrared Super Macro Myopic (no sensor cover glass)

I adapted my deep red infrared filter by lining the ring with foam weather stripping. I purchased the filter for a few dollars at the local camera show. I brought it to use on my 1953 Zeiss Contax IIIa.

Film Infrared

Finally one week later $25 poorer the watch crystal came in. Much easier taking the camera apart the second time. Now it has no trouble focusing and still works in macro mode. Total cost for the project including the filter was less then $90.
Infrared Photograph of a Photographer Taking a Photograph of The Grand Bend Sunset

All the above shot were hand held without using the flash. The camera for maximum image quality is usually set at ISO 100. For best results it is best to do an in camera custom white balance using a white sheet of paper. This might not be necessary for all filter types. My filter still lets in a good deal of dark red so the true infrared is in the blue and green channels, a custom white balance is necessary to remove the dominant sensitivity to visible light in the red channel.

You can go here to see a Flickr slide show of my infrared work.

Toronto Zombie Walk 2007 or Zombies Around the World United

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:48:00 +0000

Zombies in Infrared

Some more in this 7MB PDF slide show.

Brash American 1956 Argus C44 versus Precise German 1952 Zeiss Ikon Contax IIIa

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 14:34:00 +0000

My second vintage camera in as many months. This is a dangerous trend!

Brash American 1956 Argus C44 versus Precise German 1952 Zeiss Ikon Contax IIIa

Lens German f2.8 versus German Zeiss f1.5
flash x-sync versus strange cable
Maximum shutter speed 1/300 versus 1/1250 of a second
Minimum shutter speed 1/10 versus 1/1
Meter No versus Yes
Self timer No versus Yes
Rangefinder slight edge to the Zeiss
Smoothness of focus, film advance and speed clunky versus as smooth as silk
Distance scale for hyper focal length easy to read by looking down at camera versus badly placed hard to read scale.
Setting f stops easy because end of lens does not rotate versus difficult because end of lens with f stop rotates making the controls rotate around the camera also because of the smoothness of the focus unless you lock the focus (easy to do) changing f stop could affect focus position.
Sound of shutter starter pistol versus silencer
Ease of changing lens very difficult versus less difficult
Ease of loading film better design and built in takeup reel versus removable take up reel and clumsy loading partially outside the camera
Cost $55 versus $280
Fun factor TBD
Image Quality TBD but I suspect the legendary Zeiss f1.5 will win out

New Years Resolution

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 15:03:00 +0000

Last year's new year's resolution for photography was that "I would take a much larger number of photographs of people in all types of settings". I thing I have been very successful.

This year I gave my self possibly a harder to keep resolution. My resolution for 2007 is: "put more mood into my photographs."

First step in my half baked plan is to figure out what mood really is I don't mean the text book definition provided by our learned experts.

Foolish me my first thoughts are maybe the media makes a difference so when someone offered me a canon film body compatible with my lens for next to nothing I jumped at the chance. Back in the old days I shot holiday and travel photos without any skill or desire so I do know a bit about shooting film but not much.

Anyway I digress more about modern film cameras in a later blog.

My next thoughts was that maybe a vintage camera will give a vintage feel and mood to my shots. So I purchased this 1956 made in the USA Argus C44 range finder camera. The C3 the forefather of the C44 named the brick (shown in the Harry Potter Movies) sold 3 million copiess and established 35mm as the major film format, but the c3 has a cheap lens system and is quirky.

Besides the fact that people don't believe its 50 years old the 50mm f2.8 lens is not bad and the pictures it takes do seem to have a vintage feel maybe because of the lack of ease of use, you can be the judge. You can even with great difficulty swap lens in the field.

Three rolls later and its up for sale as I brought a new /old vintage camera a German Zeiss rangefinder this time and I am thinking two vintage cameras makes me a collector. But I am having second thoughts its too shinny maybe I will keep it.

So, so far I feel a vintage camera does alter the mood of the photographs. Only slightly because of the camera but more so because I am associating the experience using the old camera with the vintage periods of the 40s and 50s.

Spam Doubles, Finding New Ways to Deliver Itself - New York Times

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 14:44:00 +0000

All we need is a standardized email authentication method. Right now the big commercial players (Yahoo MSN ...) don't want to work together to solve the problem they instead have developed incompatible solutions that are difficult to implement hence ineffective.

Harvest Time in Niagara Wine Country

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 13:47:00 +0000

More Photos

This Photo Won Red at BLOGTO

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 21:58:00 +0000

BlogTO

New Look

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 18:47:00 +0000

The new look of my photographic "business" card.

St. Paul's Basilica Through the Organist's Rear View Mirror

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 19:40:00 +0000

The skies were pure and the fields were green
And the sun was brighter than it's ever been
When I grew up with my best friend Kenny
We were close as any brothers than you ever knew
It was always summer and the future called
We were ready for adventures and we wanted them all
And there was so much left to dream
And so much time to make it real
But I can still recall the sting of all
The tears when he was gone
They said he crashed and burned
I know I'll never learn
Why any boy should die so young
We were racing, we were soldiers of fortune
We got in trouble but we sure got around
There are times I think I see him peeling out of the dark
I think he's right behind me now and he's gaining ground
But it was long ago and it was far away,
Oh God it seems so very far
And if life is just a highway,
Then the soul is just a car
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are ...

And when the sun descended and the night arose
I heard my father cursing everyone he knows
He was dangerous and drunk and defeated
And corroded by failure and envy and hate
There were endless winters and the dreams would freeze
Nowhere to hide and no leaves on the trees
And my father's eyes were blank
As he hit me again and again and again
I know I still believe he'd never let me leave,
I had to run away alone
So many threats and fears, so many wasted years
Before my life became my own
And though the nightmares should be over
Some of the terrors are still intact
I'll hear that ugly coarse and violent voice
And then he grabs me from behind
And then he pulls me back
But it was long ago and it was far away,
Oh God it seems so very far
And if life is just a highway,
Then the soul is just a car
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are ...

There was a beauty living on the edge of town
And she always put the top up and the hammer down
And she taught me everything I'll ever know
About the mystery and the muscle of love
The stars would glimmer and the moon would glow
I'm in the back seat with my Julie like a Romeo
And the signs along the highway all said,
Caution! Kids At Play!
Those were the rights of spring and we did everything
There was salvation every night
We got our dreams reborn and our upholstery torn
But everything we tried was right
She used her body just like a bandage,
She used my body just like a wound
I'll probably never know where she disappeared
But I can see her rising up out of the back seat now
Just like an angel rising up from a tomb
But it was long ago and it was far away,
Oh God it seems so very far
And if life is just a highway,
Then the soul is just a car
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are ...
... And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are
She used her body just like a bandage,
She used my body just like a wound
I'll probably never know where she disappeared
But I can see her rising up out of the back seat now

Meat Loaf

Picture the Cure Auction in Aid of Cancer Research

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 21:17:00 +0000

The second annual "Picture the Cure", a visual arts fundraiser to benefit the Canadian Cancer Society, will be held at the landmark Gladstone Hotel in Toronto on August 21.

The goal for this year is to raise at least $5,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. Proceeds will go towards:

funding research on all types of cancer
offering comprehensive and credible information on cancer, risk reduction and treatment
providing support for people living with cancer, family members and friends

Join us for this one-evening event showcasing visual art by local and international artists, featuring:

silent auction with more than 100 matted and framed prints
live entertainment
door prizes/raffles
light fare

Get your tickets today!

Picture the Cure 2006
August 21 (Monday)
6pm-midnight
The Gladstone Hotel
1214 Queen Street West
Toronto

Advance tickets: $10
At the door: $15

For more information, email: info [at] picturethecure.ca

My artist profile and submissions can be seen here

TPMG Photography Club: Gallery Exhibit

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Thu, 24 Nov 2005 15:04:00 +0000

"Photography / Community / Spirit"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 24, 2005

Canada's largest camera club, the TPMG Photography Club, is pleased to announce its first gallery exhibit - a diverse selection of more than 50 images from its members, covering a vast area of subjects and styles. (For a selection of images, see www.tpmg.ca)

"Photography / Community / Spirit" will run from December 20, 2005 to January 22, 2006, at the Art Square Gallery, 334 Dundas St. West, Toronto. An opening reception will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 20, from 6 - 9 p.m. The public and the media are welcome to attend.

The TPMG Photography Club is just over a year old - but it has grown remarkably over that time. With more than 650 members, it is now the largest photography club in the nation, and may well be one of the largest in the world.

The club's members come from a wide range of backgrounds, and represent a myriad of different approaches to the art of capturing images. Some are professional photographers, armed with the latest digital SLR cameras. The majority are keen amateurs, pursuing photography out of the sheer love of the hobby. One thing they have in common is a desire to share their enthusiasm with other like-minded camera buffs - something the TPMG allows them to do on a regular basis.

The TPMG Photography Club began life in the fall of 2004, with less than a dozen members. Since then, it has blossomed. It now holds weekly shooting events, monthly workshops and print swaps, and has done several out-of-town trips. Just in the last few months, the club has traveled as far afield as Algonquin Provincial Park and New York City, and many places in between.

Some two dozen photographers are contributing to "Photography / Community / Spirit" - for some of them, this will be their first chance to show their work to the larger photographic community, in a gallery setting.

The acronym TPMG reflects the group's origins as the Toronto Photography Meetup Group, part of the popular meetup.com website, where club members continue to exchange information and post announcements.

Multiple exposure of some of the work

Collage of 36 out of 58 entries

As initiator and one of the organizer doing my first and the club's first gallery exhibition has been less fun then I had hoped. But I know the end result will be worth the effort, the exhibition is going to be great.

The Beethoven Frieze play The Boat

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Sat, 12 Nov 2005 04:01:00 +0000

Friday night was my first attempt to shoot a band playing in Toronto at this old fish house converted to a nightclub. With very little stage lighting I switched between ISO 400 with flash and ISO 1600 (no flash) with 50mm f1.8 and 100mm f2.0 lens. I was fasinated by the lighting from the disco ball. The two shots below were done with a flash and a long exposure where after the flash fired I moved the camera in the direction of the disco ball. Of course the floating disco ball on the right was put in later.
More of my first attempt

More about the band The Beethoven Frieze

Smile

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 22:42:00 +0000

I don't know why but viewing this slideshow makes me smile.

Sorry this slideshow uses javascript and is designed for screens 1024 or wider with a high bandwidth connection

Bath Tub Studio

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Wed, 26 Oct 2005 20:44:00 +0000

No money for fancy studio space, no money for gel filters or proper mood lighting? Do you have a bathtub but only use it as a shower? Then I have a deal for you just take one bathtub, some food coloring, a cheap Canadian Tire flood light and a waterproof bag for your camera and you t0 can produce a wonderful array of unique shots!

Disclaimer: Not responsible for leaky waterproof bags and the use of lighting that runs off 110/220 ac or explodes on contact with water!

Elora Ontario

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 03:56:00 +0000

Mount Pleasant Cemetery

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Sat, 15 Oct 2005 15:20:00 +0000

The sign says it all, Canada's most famous cemetery.

My first fungas shoot using Canon 100 mm f2.0 prime and a 500D close up lens.

The rest of the pictures are here.

Toronto Zoo and Negative space challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Sun, 09 Oct 2005 19:50:00 +0000

I am ashamed to say I haven't been to Toronto's zoo for many a year. It really is a fantastic zoo you can easily spend the whole day and not see everything, you can almost wear out a pair of shoes it covers so many acres. Its located 30 minutes by freeway from Younge and Bloor. I guess it needed to locate so far from downtown Toronto to be able to afford the land.

Anyway I jumped at a chance to join the TPMG photographic club on a Toronto Zoo photography event.

The challenge this week:

We were all taught to 'fill the frame' when it came to composition, how about we break that rule in a creative manner in this week's challenge entitled 'The Negative Space Challenge'.

Your mission this weekend is to use negative space within your composition to give emphasis on your chosen subject. Using the rule of thirds and having a keen eye to spot such images will be the real challenge as we’ll be operating opposite of how our mind works. ... A photoblog site that was recently pointed out to me that uses much of this technique is called "Round Here". It's a great collection of images and I'm sure that looking through the archives will spur your creativity and hopefully will inspire you to go out and try this challenge.

Ryan Tacay

My response:

Besides the bright colors I was trying to capture the precision which each snake wraps itself around the branch, a loop of its body centered as to make a cushioned headrest. The negative space surrounding the snake helps to define the precision of this shape.

The rest of the shots are here:

Not quite the zoo but at the after event dinner I had a chance to try out an idea I have had for sometime now. This shot was captured by having Adam (TPMG organizer) stand close to the screen of a projection TV.

Reflections of Toronto

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 14:08:00 +0000

I am stll looking for that perfect mirror of the Toronto skyline.

That same day I road upfront in the subway train, shooting photos with my 100mm f2 lens at ISO 1600 through muddy glass!

Some more reflections of the Toronto skyline and Toronto underbelly