LARPing GoT

Happy Canada Day! WOOOO!!! Oh what, that was yesterday? Yeah, you can thank Shaw for the belated greeting. Last night, we came home to a house lacking the internet, so I wasn't able to upload this until now. NOT ONLY THAT - when I discovered the internet was MIA, I decided to entertain myself by watching reruns of Game of Thrones. OH WAIT, I couldn't do that either because the cable was also dead. No problem, we'll just make a quick call to Shaw using our … FAACCK, Shaw home phone wasn't working either!!! #unimpressed

What the frick, Shaw?! I felt like we had re-entered the dark ages. Only, the dark ages would have been more entertaining, because while you couldn't watch Game of Thrones, you were pretty much live action role playing it. (LARPing GoT?) Shaw employees, be glad this isn't the dark ages, or your heads would be on pikes at King's Landing. #HeadsOnPikes

On to the photos. We spent the day out in Banff, taking in afternoon tea at the Banff Springs Hotel, eating dainties and drinking tea with our pinkies extended. #HoightyToighty

1998 Was Only A Few Years Ago

We were out at hipster douche central last night (aka Urban Outfitters - don't give me that condescending look, I picked up a sweet hardcover book on The Polaroid Years on clearance for ten bucks). Anyways, I was browsing the overpriced film toy camera selection, when two dudes (maybe 18 or 19 year olds) walk by and one picks up a refurbished Polaroid camera. His friend looks at the box and goes 'What is it?' Not in an 'oh I just didn't recognize that iconic instant camera because of the refurbished packaging' type of way. He literally had NO IDEA what a Polaroid camera was. The day where future generations would grow up not knowing the magic of seeing photographs develop in front of your eyes was obviously inevitable, but somewhere in my mind, I thought this would be a decade away. Mostly because my mind still thinks that 1998 was only a few years ago.

Anyways, I've been super into instant photography lately - I've scored another Polaroid SX-70, and also a Fuji Instax Mini 90. Woo!


Anita and I went to Embarcadero for Big Taste YYC.




Embarcadero's Big Taste menu was decent, but not mind blowing. However, the oyster selection was awesome!






Occasionally, some SX-70 shots don't turn out, so you must use your imagination.


Said sweet 'The Polaroid Years' hardcover I bought for $10.

Tutorial: How to Shoot Instax Mini film through a Rolleiflex

This is a quick tutorial on how to shoot Fuji Instax Mini film through a Rolleiflex TLR (no hack required). Non photogeeks can skip the text here and just look at the pictures.

First: Why bother?! Yes, you can just buy a Fuji Instax Mini camera and fire away. But those don't give you manual controls, you work with slower lenses, and you have no control over the onboard flash. Using a Rolleiflex means full manual control, Zeiss glass, and access to any lighting setup you want via flash sync (if you want).

Things you will need:

-A pack of Instax Mini Film
-A Rolleiflex or other TLR.
-A dark place, or light tight film changing bag
-A set of rollers to run your print through

Steps to shooting instant awesomeness through your Rollei:

1) Place Rolleiflex and Pack of Instax film inside a film changing bag
2) Manually eject the dark slide from the Instax pack (use your fingers and gently guide it out the side)
3) Manually eject one exposure in the same way.
4) Open up the back of the Rollei, and place the instax exposure in the back, where film would normally sit to be exposed, then close up the back. Note - orientation is important. What you think of as the 'back' of an instax photo is the light sensitive part. So the 'back' of the print needs to face forward when inside the camera.
5) Take Rollei out of film changing bag, and expose as normal. Box speed of Instax Mini film is ISO 800.
6) Return Rollei to film changing bag, open back and remove Instax exposure.
7) Run the Instax exposure through rollers to squeeze chemicals out to start developing. This is a clumsy process, so I cheat - I reinsert the exposure into a pack of Instax film, and then eject the exposure through a Diana Instax Back (it pushes the exposure out through a set of rollers triggering the development of the print evenly). You can get away without this, but it will be harder.
8) Watch in awe as image magically appears before you eyes.

Repeat.

*In case it wasn't clear, all handling of the Instax film (loading, unloading, etc) MUST be done in the dark (film changing bag or a completely darkened room). This is a pain, and is not convenient. But INSTANT PHOTOS! FROM A ROLLEIFLEX TLR!


Above: Cactus Trigger, and Nikon SB800 (hidden behind me) bounced off the ceiling.

Below: No speed light. Bathroom incandescent lights were the sole light source.


If you still have questions, drop me a line in the comments.

Update: I googled and found everyone links to a page that shows a 'hack' for a Rolleiflex TLR with a tintype back. Note, there really is no need to hack your Rollei - you get the same result this way by simply placing the film inside the regular back of the camera. The only difference is that the tintype back will ensure your Instax frame will be consistently straight and upright (no tilt). You can get similar results simply by using some gaffers tape along the inside edges of your rollei to create a sort of guide rail that you would just butt your Instax frame's edge against before closing the back up.

Five for Five...? Scrambles - Mt. St. Piran

Is the question of whether I kept the streak alive (five mountains, five weeks) burning in your mind like a fiery habanero making its way through your colon? No? I didn't think so. But for the two faithful readers of mine unworthy blog that actually care, YES, I did maintain the streak. Anita sat this one out, and I ended up summiting Mt. St. Piran in the Lake Louise area with Gregg instead. St. Piran has a total 900m elevation gain, but is mostly a straight forward hike with very few difficulties up a steepish trail all the way to the summit. Enjoy!




"How much further??!!"




That's Chateau Lake Louise way off in the distance by the Lake.



















Last three photos taken on Fuji Instax mini film, using a Diana F+ with Instax back.

Hump Day News Flash

This just in: Exercise does NOTHING to ease Hot Flashes. I know people think I make up a lot of stuff, but this is for real. CBC says so here. If you're wondering why this is relevant or why I'm writing about it, that makes two of us. Sorry, I actually have very little to say today, and have resorted to doling out health headlines - you know, being an expert on women's gyno health and all...

So anyways, I developed a roll of film from this weekend, shot on a Diana F+ (HBC edition) toy cam. If you're interested in picking up a cheap medium format toy cam, these were on clearance a couple weeks ago at the Bay (regular $140, on sale for $40). The first photo was taken with the Diana Instax back attached (sold separately). The remainder were taken on Fuji Neopan 400, developed in Ilfosol 3, 1+9 at 68 deg. F, for 6:30.

Lilac Fest 2013

It was a weekend of food (what else is new) and festivities as we spent Saturday celebrating my cousin's wedding, and then soaked in the sights, smells, and sounds of Lilac Fest on Sunday. Photos from the wedding to come. For us, the highlight of Lilac Fest was seeing Chris Schaften, a contestant on this latest season of Top Chef Canada, grilling up sausages outside Blonde's Diner (see below). All photos taken on Fuji Instax or Instax 210 film. I love Instant Photography. The only thing more amazing and magical than watching an instant photo slowly develop before your eyes is seeing He-man team up with She-ra to give Hordak a severe ass kicking... yes, my niece was in town and we may have watched Teletoon Retro for hours on end. What of it?











  

  

_a land where EVERYBODY's good at math_

Sunday afternoon fun, thanks to a Chinook bringing us back to warm-ish temperatures. The snow was that perfect consistency for snowballs, and I showed Anita how to make a snowman. I may have looked at her like she was an alien when she announced she'd never made a snowman before. Sometimes I forget that she's from a land where EVERYBODY's good at math ... and it never snows (Macau, in case you were wondering).





Photos taken with a Diana F+ and Instax Back, on Fuji Instax Mini instant film.

A Summit To Die For

My three favourite things in life are cameras, mountains, and beer. So the below photo of a tall boy atop the summit of Heart Mountain after an early season tune-up scramble, taken on Fuji Instax Wide film, is the penultimate expression of happiness and joy for me.



But it makes me sad knowing that while I was scrambling this rather puny mountain (elevation gain of ~900m, summit ~ 2135m above sea level) with Anita, Amy, and Mike this past Saturday, folks were dropping dead left, right, and centre at or near the summit of Everest in Nepal. In case you've been living under a rock this past week, check this article out for more info. And while I have no delusions of ever ascending Everest, I've taken risks during scrambles that in retrospect were stupid, just for the sake of bagging one more summit. So I can see the allure that captivates the thousands that have tried to summit this unrelenting monster, and even more so, the reasons why one would take such risks in the face of imminent death above 8000m. Some may criticize you for being stupid to risk life and limb over a mountain top, but the pursuit of a dream is a pretty noble ideal to die for. Just, it's better if you don't die. Just saying.