The Time Camera: Capturing Moments in Time from decades ago.

Could this be the greatest advance in imaging since color photography?

Imagine, walking up to a scene, setting your camera on a tripod, selecting the time capture feature from the feature set, and then keying in any date and time from the past 100 years, before finally taking a long (3-9 minute) time exposure that is able to capture a "light signature" that can not be detected by the human eye or most conventional optics.  When the waiting is finally over, you are greeted (hopefully) with a usable image of that exact spot on the date and time you selected.

This, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the Time Camera.

Catonsville Junction Streetcar Loop near Baltimore as seen in late 1961 through the time camera, on a five minute and 40 second exposure.

Wednesday Window to the World #15

This Week:

What: Street Scene at Night

Kodachrome Classic Monday #17

Every Monday, I'll be spotlighting a different classic Kodachrome slide that I've picked up, and trying where I can to detail the who, what, when, where, why, and how (much) of the image:

This Week:

What: Street Scene of a Shopping District.

A Camera named Billy

There is a very strong likelihood that at some point, someone took a picture of a streetcar named "Desire" with a camera named "Billy."

And while the now-discontinued New Orleans Desire streetcar line is pretty much well known as a result of the famous Tennessee Williams play, Billy has fallen into relative obscurity.

And yes, there really is a camera named Billy, and he comes in many variations.

I myself learned about Billy through some very roundabout means, starting with a Saturday afternoon browsing a store named Pink Cabbage in Ellicott City.  Here, I spotted a folding Kodak rollfilm camera in very good condition with a working shutter for the modest price of $34.  I was instantly intrigued, but upon opening it, discovered it took 616 film.  I did a few hasty Google searches to see how 120 film could be repurposed in a 616 camera, but the results seemed to be more trouble than it was worth.  

Wednesday Window to the World #14

This Week:

What: Rainbow at Sunset

Kodachrome Classic Monday #16

Every Monday, I'll be spotlighting a different classic Kodachrome slide that I've picked up, and trying where I can to detail the who, what, when, where, why, and how (much) of the image:

This Week:

What: Street scene at dusk, as viewed from elevated perspective.

Scantastic: Turning Vintage Slides into Digital Photos

At least once each week in this blog, I undertake the process of taking one or more physical objects that look like this...

and turning them into something that looks like this...

Do I simply plop these slides in the scanner, only to then drop and drag them into the pages of this blog?  If only it were just that simple.  

Wednesday Window to the World #13

This Week:

What: Belgian Block Street with Streetcar Tracks

Classic Kodachrome Monday #15

Every Monday, I'll be spotlighting a different classic Kodachrome slide that I've picked up, and trying where I can to detail the who, what, when, where, why, and how (much) of the image:

This Week:

What: Commercial District Street Scene.

Flashback: Fall in the Forties and Fifties

Ahh, we are entering one of the most photogenic times of year!  

Look at me: Master of the Obvious!  Still, as I look through a few of the small lots of old slides I have acquired, it is becoming readily apparent that our annual autumnal burst of foliage was one of the more photographed subjects in the early days of color film, and may have certainly furthered the adoption of, and even the development of consumer color films.  
While there are certainly a number of lovely black and white images of the autumn that continue to be taken to this day, they are simply unable to convey the full wonderment of all that is Autumn.  

And now as we enter the season where more people will inevitably point their photo taking devices towards the splendor that is the Fall canvas awash in shades of green, yellow, orange, red, and brown against crystalline blue skies, I thought I would share some lovely early images of the Autumn, taken in a few various regions, beginning prior to the US Entry into World War II.  In selecting images for this, I'll be trying to find as many as I can with some period elements, such as vintage autos, within them, to give a sense of the era.  I've also managed to get a general handle on location on some, so there are a few Google maps links to be found too!  

1941-1942 New England

My oldest batch of Autumnal images come from a small lot I picked up recently.  While I'd hoped for a few more urban images in the batch, these were particularly interesting due to their very early dates.  The photographer of these photos was doing something that was fanciful if not nearly impossible just 6 to 7 years prior to when than these were taken.

Unknown location, Goshen, CT - October 12, 1941

Wednesday Window to the World #12

This Week:

What: Street Scene

Classic Kodachrome Monday #14

Every Monday, I'll be spotlighting a different classic Kodachrome slide that I've picked up, and trying where I can to detail the who, what, when, where, why, and how (much) of the image:

This Week:

What: State Capitol.

Three Months of Blogging - Tying it all Together

It all started innocently enough on May 30th, with a text message from a friend chatting about my ever present interest in photography.  

"Do you have a blog yet?"

I had in fact created one just months earlier, but it was of a very narrow focus and ran the real risk of depleting the breadth of its subject matter.  Meanwhile, my photographic exploits went well beyond just that of this blog, and were beginning to broaden even further.  

"You should totally create one."

I had just been turned on to the world of mirrorless cameras months earlier, and had discovered the adaptability of vintage manual focus lenses.  I was beginning to amass a small assemblage of these lenses, learning a little more each day, and having more fun with the hobby each day.  I detailed this to my friend.

"You sound like a pro now."

My reply was that I was hardly a pro, but rather just "a quirky guy with a camera."

And it was with that response that her idea to me began to gel.  

The blogger account officially was established on June 3, 2014, but it sat idle for weeks as I tried to scrape together some ideas for a true focus and content.  I figured I'd plunk down an occasional equipment review of the digital cameras or vintage lenses, maybe comparing similar length lenses from time to time, and that would be that.

Wednesday Window to the World #11

This Week:

What: Overcast Day at the Lake