Daido Moriyama: Memories of a Dog

I've watched this video many times, but it's always worth another look. Watch Daido Moriyama wander around Shinjuku, and then talk a bit about his thought process. Co-starring a Ricoh GR1v.

Adobe Lightroom On Sale

Amazon has Lightroom 3 as their Gold Box Deal of the Day today. It's on sale for $89.99 and I think that's the cheapest I've ever seen it, by about 1 penny.

Amazon Link:

Lightroon 3 Gold Box Deal

Google Reader Serendipity

004_R1174718, originally uploaded by infrar3d. Unrelated to the post other than being 4:3.

Kirk Tuck's weekly article at The Online Photographer this week was about aspect ratios, and how his preference is for the square. I think Mr. Tuck's article may have been at least partially prompted by his recent purchase of a Panasonic GH2, which has an actual multi-format sensor, although 1:1 is still a crop. I hope we see more sensors made this way.

Mike Johnston later posted a small follow-up on his preference for rectangles. In between these two articles, I also saw this post about proportions as they relate to comic book frames by Frank Santoro, via Austin Kleon. Here's a quote.

Finding the squares on a given proportion is what one's mind does instinctively.

He goes on to compare the square to whole notes in music. It's interesting when the feed reader gets lucky that way.

Me? I'm still getting used to 4:3 with my GRD2. I shot with it in 3:2 mode when I first got it, but I'm warming back up to 4:3. It's essentially the same proportion as my old peel-apart Polaroids and quarter-plate Speed Graphic.

Digital Black & White Printing Services

I've just found out today that Adoramapix stopped offering Ilford Multigrade Express RC as an option a few months ago. Guess I should print more often. I spent some time today looking around for another printer that uses this paper, so far I've come up with Mpix.com, Fromex.com, and digitalsilverimaging.com.

I ordered some prints from Mpix today, even though they only carry matte finish and I'd really prefer glossy. I talked to Mpix customer service and they just have one machine dedicated to black and white, so no prospect of getting glossy paper in the future. At least they're fast. I already got the confirmation email that my order has shipped.

I'll probably try Digital Silver Imaging next. They've got their own printing application you install, and that seems interesting.

ebay Find: Kodak 760M

There's a Kodak 760M on ebay right now. These don't show up very often, and I'm betting it's going to get pretty high. Maybe over five grand? With over nine days left to go it's already jumped up over $1000 dollars.

That seems like a lot for a six megapixel camera that what? ten years old? But, this is one of the very few true monochrome digital cameras ever made. I'd love to have one to play with, but that's just out of my league for a toy.

Beach Walk

004_R1174978, originally uploaded by infrar3d.

I took the dog for a walk yesterday, and decided to play with the GW-1 21mm lens a bit. I don't use it very often, because of the added bulk, but it's fine hanging around your neck in a half case. Nowhere near as bulky as the GT-1.

The light was really nice after the storm cleared. I had to fix a bit of distortion in this pic with Photoshop.

Amazon links:

Ricoh GW-1 21mm Wide Conversion Lens with Hood for the GR Digital & GR Digital II Cameras, Requires GH-1 Adapter for Mounting.

Ricoh GR Digital III at BBC

Take a look at this interesting photo essay by Graham Holliday about Rwandan biogas-powered prisons at the BBC, shot entirely with a Ricoh grd3. There's also an interesting discussion about the series at DPReview.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16203507

Seen at seriouscompacts.com.