No photos, no fun

I hesitated a lot before writing again in this blog. During the past few weeks I've been looking for a way to ad photos to it - an aspect that, I think, would very much improve its power of expression.

I tried hello from picassa (that seems to be the recommended way to go here) and I failed miserably. I don't know what goes wrong. The photos I'm trying to submit might be too big or I just don't know how to use the application.

However, back to the first black and white series. I'm the one to admit that I have a lot to learn about photography. I've also got a long way to go before taming this old camera of mine - I can't say I know 10% of its potential yet. But overall I am pleased, because at least one picture came out interesting.

I want to say more about this one. I decided to call it Gulliver, because it frames Nicole's profile looking down on her Kinder surprise toys collection. By the way, I showed the whole series to brother (If I never mentioned before, his name is George) - and he considered Gulliver the best.

And just because I had some spare time, I took it to chat a bit with George, now it seems he wants a blog ;)

I explained to him how to use Blogger; like it was hard to explain... He got stucked at Step number 2 - Name your blog. I suggested "Teaching Photography to my Stupid Sister", but he decided to go for the romanian version.

Deadly Leap to BW

Today I have to pick-up my first black and white series. On Friday, I managed to take a peep at the developed material - and I can't wait to see what came out.

The film I used was an Agfa BW, of 100 ISO (sensitivity). I should also try higher ISO, at least 200 - in order to get that commercial grainy look. Most of the shots were taken in-house, so I'm a bit nervous about the lighthing. Should I mention that I constantly forget to scribble my diaphragm values and exposure times when I take pictures? I think the reason for this is I get too emotional when on the verge of shooting a new photo and end-up losing my pen, notebook or even my head.

I need to share a few photos that I couldn't manage to take yet:

• Nicole dancing on a sparkling wooden floor. Skewed light falling from narrow windows. Perhaps we should have her friend, Andrei, join her; let them do a tango; didn’t find the floor yet.

• Nicole on the banister of the staircase in a medieval castle. I spotted the location. I know what she would wear: low-cut, long dress made of red wool. Didn't find the time; and the dress ;).

• Nicole's legs, down from the knees, barefooted. Perhaps the photo will preserve the margins of her silky dress wrapping her knees. Up to this moment it has been too cold to put this in practice. Winter in Romania seems to last longer every year.

Hope to get back tomorrow, with the BW eye witnesses of my thin photo skills.

Back on Track

Not that I took so many photos in the meantime, that I didn't have any time left for posting new threads. I took a few though. Not that they were so good that you can really call them "photos". You can call them sub-photos.

My first reel of film I dedicated to my best friend, Nicole. On the seccond one I only took one shot of her - walking. She really is beautifull in front of my camera. I wish you could see her, but as much as I look around me, i can't see a scanner.

Because the word came out, my eyes have grown weeker. I'll have to change glasses. And eventualy wear them?...

But here's the good news: my brother made good progress with his photography. He's allready had an exhibition at school. Told ya he's got talent.

I'll come back soon. There's a lot more I want to say. I wish days were longer;)

Took me a while to take the first photo

The process I went through since I got the hands on my camera and the moment I was (emotionally) able to take the first photo, was anything but peacefull.

It took me about two weeks to choose a film, and about two more weeks to decide to place it into the box. Then, with my loaded camera, I started to wonder arround my house, trying to focus various objects, set exposure times or diaphragm values, but had no ideea of what I was doing.

One day, my brother came to visit and asked if I got the chance to take some photos yet. As you probably have guessed, I couldn't lie ...

He gave me then the first lesson of photography. I noted down everything he said, and I still keep that piece of paper at home, just in case I might need again the best short course of photography I ever "attended".

Brother also gave me a pocket book (size of an identity card) about photography, which I failed to read up to this day.

But the next weekend I was visiting the local botanical garden and guess what: had my photo-camera hidden in my bag (there was a poster that threatened "200.000 ROL photography tax").

All Of The Sudden...

...I thought it would be cool if I'd learn to make photos. Well, to be true, the story goes a little beyond that.

My brother is 16. I am 25. In spite of the fact that I'm much older, as I'm going to prove further, brother is much more talented. He is passionate with astronomy, photography and astronomic photography. You may think that he likes physics and maths, but no, I think he likes stars more likely in that poetical manner, as he's always been a man (aaa... boy...) of letters.

So, I've seen some photos that he made and started buzzing that I wanted too, to learn photography...

Brother suggested that I needed a camera. He went further by advicing me to let him handle the things, his own way. Also cautioned me that it might take some time.

So I equiped myself with lots of patience and weeks passed ... But one day, he came up with a SH (seccond hand) Zenith camera, slightly different from his. (He knows people in the business ;-)

It was basicaly ok, and costed only 700.000 ROL (which is approx. $20). But I had one big problem with it's light meter, that was placed inside the camera. I looked through the lens, I just couldn't see it (I suffer from a slight short-sightedness).

We decided to switch cameras; he gave me his, and he got stucked with mine. I liked this one better because the light meter, allthough still incorporated, was placed on the outer-side.

To be continued...