Catch my dreams

I've been so excited about the cool little Soviet camera I got, that I forgot I have a few new pictures to show

you guys. I know I haven't posted any photos in a while. I took these pictures about maybe a week ago, and I

just developed the prints in my <del>garage</del> darkroom a few nights ago. <p>

 

I caught this dreamy photo with my Minolta SRT-101 camera, and Arista Premium 100 film...<p>

 

<img src="http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f86/gatewaycityca/dreamcatchermarch2011small.jpg"><p>

 

This next photo is of a "capacitor tester," which is a device that is used to check capacitors for charge

leakage, bad insulation, etc. (By the way, the test range can be set up to over 300 volts AC! So you wouldn't

want to touch the wrong parts!) I've always had a fascination with antique electrical and mechanical stuff. The

glowing light at the top is actually some kind of indicator that uses a vacuum tube! I took the picture with the

same camera, but with Tri-X film. The exposure was 1 second at f/8. <p>

 

<img src="http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f86/gatewaycityca/CapacitorcheckerMarch2011small.jpg"> <p>

 

And I really liked the way this came out. I developed a bunch of pictures that night (I still haven't scanned

some of the prints yet). This is one of my favorites...<p>

 

<img src="http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f86/gatewaycityca/pocketwatchmarch2011small.jpg"><p>

 

I love how metallic subjects look in a real B&W darkroom print. There is just something about how black and

white film captures silver colored subjects. Silver captured in silver halide, you just can't beat that! <p>

 

I'll have some more pictures to post soon.

<p>The "Glowing Light" in your old Heathkit is actually called a Magic Eye tuning indicator. Very common in FM radios back then to indicate center frequency and "in tune"</p>

<p>Chris,</p>

<p>Interesting set of pictures.</p>

<p>My Great Aunt had a Zenith console radio with one of those Magic Eye tuning indicators. It was built in the 1930's. The radio had a huge dial with all the shortwave frequency bands. I can't remember if the dial showed the frequency or the wavelength. Anyway the green tuning indicator was fascinating to me as a kid and was the start of a longtime interest in radio and electronics.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Very nice, the pocket watch is a great shot!</p>

<p>~Jack</p>

 

<p>I like the pocket watch photo, too. Nice contrast and placement. I think the dream catcher could benefit from a tweak in contrast ( either print on a higher grade paper or bump up the highlights and dodge a bit in photoshop to enhance the dewdrops). What lens on the SRT?<br>

Seems everyone has a warm , fuzzy memory of "Magic Eyes". My Telefunken console hi-fi has got one, too. </p>

<p>Let's hear it for the "magic eye". I used to adapt these to receivers I bought...everybody loved them...high tech for the times.</p>

<p>My understanding is that the Minolta SRT-101 was Annie Leibovitz's first camera.</p>

<p>Anyhow, great to see these. Thanks.</p>

<p>Good ol' SRT-101; there's something quite surreal about that pocket watch image, shades of Dali, perhaps? Interesting series, <strong>Chris</strong>; somewhere I have tucked away an old Pye mantle radio, maple veneer with bakelite knobs, with the "magic eye" tuning. Who would be without it?</p>

<p>If those are scans from the print Chris, you're becoming very proficient at darkroom work! In fact I'll go out on a limb here and state that B&W negatives <em>look better printed in a darkroom</em> and then scanned from the actual print. That way the grain is reduced, and the printers intended contrast selection can be seen. I read once that Ansel Adams would shoot a copy negative from each finished print so he had a record of what contrast, dodging, burning etc. were used.<br>

I enjoyed the first shot with shallow depth of field, and the pocket watch. All of them are well done and interesting views of everyday subjects.</p>

Thanks for looking and all the great feedback!

 

I have another picture I want to show you guys, along with something new I just learned. But I'll probably post that in another topic.

<p>Always a bit late... great printing! Excellent shooting on the watch and the ?wind-chime decoration?. You mention a new soviet toy?!? Next post eh? I too played with Heathkits! And I got the over charged ignition condensor trick played on me!</p>