The Underground Man

beware, pirates

This is the product from the team I joined at Microsoft a couple of months ago.

We launch today and I'm happy to say I made significant contributions to a successful launch.

I can't say he's wrong

I cannot say that Ken Livingston is wrong.

I've said the same things myself of late.

My Crown Graphic Special has arrived

It's all my uncle's fault.

He is a really good photographer and we share the enthusiasm. He helped shape my interest in photography (so much so that I ended up shooting in b&w for quite a while in my teenage years).

Well, he's done it again. I just had delivered a Crown Graphic Special large format camera. Large format cameras typically use either a 4x5 or an 8x10 negative. So 20 square inches of negative in my case, as opposed to the 1.5 square inches of a 35mm negative.

Big, big, difference. Literally. It's amazing when you think that a 16"x20" print is only a 4x enlargement. Basically, one cannot see any grain with that low a level of enlargement.

Most landscape, architectural and commercial photographers (ads) use these sort of cameras. They are not, however, restricted to the rich and famous.

Mine cost about $350 and while it is yet another product of the Mechanical Age (vintage 1959) it is in very decent shape and will take pictures largely indistinguishable from the best available today.

These cameras are very cool and allow "movements". The front and rear standards (the lens is mounted on the front standard, and the rear holds the film) are capable of moving independently. So the front standard can rise and fall and tilt fore and aft. The higher end cameras (not mine) pivot about a bottom mounted rail.

This allows one to both extend the depth of field to cover near and far objects and to correct straight lines in the photo so that buildings look better.

In any event, it's a well-thought-out design, relatively compact and fairly light (3-5lbs) for its capabilities. It's even possible to shoot it handheld, as it is capable of 1/500th speeds. Many of the press cameras of the 30-60s were Crown Graphics of one vintage or another.

Tomorrow is my first try at actually using the camera. More to come.

a thought for the day..

"Do not pursue what is illusory - property and position: all that is gained at the expense of your nerves decade after decade and can be confiscated in one fell night. Live with a steady superiority over life - don't be afraid of misfortune, and do not yearn after happiness; it is after all, all the same: the bitter doesn't last forever, and the sweet never fills the cup to overflowing."


-- Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Out with Karl Rove

I just don't believe it.

I'm watching "Meet the Press" and the chair of the Republican National Committee is dancing like he is Condee Rice. Disgusting.

Rove committed a felony by confirming the rumour that Valerie Plame was a CIA officer. As Tim Russert points out, it's a breach of Rove's oath as a National Security officer that he didn't consult before confirming.

Why is he still working in the White House?

I'm hoping the grand jury indicts him. It's about time there were some consequences for the administration (as opposed to our men and women in uniform) to their rabid dog approach to US foreign policy.

120 Challenge - July

I've just posted my entries for the July 120 Challenge on Flickr.

120 photo challenge

I'm doing a lot more photography of late and I've really changed my perspective. I've always loved landscapes but I'm now veering more into both street photography (with a borrowed Leica) and more abstract ("arty") stuff that has vivid colors (thanks to both Provia and Velvia Fuji films).

This photo is from a series of 12 I took for the "120 Challenge" group on Flickr. The basic idea is that the first Saturday of the month, one pops a single roll of 120 film in one's medium format camera and shoots it off within two hours. The entire roll is then put up on one's site and contributed to the group pool for comment, adoration, or scorn.

My roll was largely taken at an airshow but I have a couple of horse shots on the end because when I got home I still had two shots unexposed.