Tag: daily image

Daily Image: Molle II Patrol Pack 12 June 2024

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This is my Molle II Patrol Pack (MARPAT) in the wild with the Elecraft KH1 transceiver shack in a box. Shot with the Fujifilm X100V and post-processed on my iPhone 13 Pro Max with Snapseed.

I bought a milsurp Molle II Patrol Pack a couple-three months ago. It is part of my (apparently) never-ending search for the perfect pack. These are long out of service, relatively rare, and in demand. They are also nearly the perfect size for a daypack.

My seller scrounged up a stiffener and pad for my pack and I have them installed. The stiffener helps keep the shape of the bag. It works well enough, although I might have to trim it up just a bit as it seems to be about a half-inch too tall.

It is big enough to hold my necessaries for hiking with The Girl. I have enough water for us both for a morning or afternoon hike, and even room for a small radio. I have been carrying a camera and small water bottle in a small Domke bag slung cross-body and over the pack. That does not put too much pressure on my neck (a personal peeve).

I like it so far. I am still setting it up and would like to carry a water bottle on the outside, but the Maxpedition bottle bag I have does not hang well from the PALS webbing. So, I need another solution.

I paused to make this image on a small summit just off our regular path near Spooner Summit. I had paused to breathe a minute, take some water, and water The Girl. She also posed for me while we were on break.

It was a good day. I am grateful. Life is good.

Daily Image: Sierra Nevada 10 June 2024

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The view of the Sierra Nevada from El Dorado National Forest. Shot with iPhone 13 Pro Max.

I worked at Wilson Creek and South Fork Silver Creek yesterday. Of course, Sera, AKA The Girl was with me. We were walking last year’s work and noting areas that need some attention. We also walked an area slated for work this year.

The Wilson Creek meadow is lovely. There were a few mosquitoes, but not bad. The weather was also lovely. It was a good day to be outdoors.

The Girl had a blast, running all over the meadow, jumping in the water, rolling in the grass and mud, and then repeating.

It was a good day. I am grateful.

Daily Image: Turning Wrenches, 10 April 2024

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Older Son turning wrenches. Shot with Nikon F2AS and Nikkor 35mm f/2D on Ilford XP2.

A few weeks ago we had a nice day and the motivation to replace the valve cover gasket on Older Son’s vehicle. I think I wrote about all of that before.

But, I made a few images with the Nikon F2AS that came to live with me and a Nikkor 35mm f/2D lens. The camera is completely mechanical. It does have an internal meter, but a battery is not required to run the camera; only the meter.

I shot the image with the 35mm probably at f/4 or so. The film stock is Ilford XP2, which is a lovely C41 process (standard color chemistry) that renders in black and white. The scan was done by the processor and seems overly contrasty to me. I’d like to redo the scan to see if I can get more tones from the negative.

Although having film processed locally is faster and more convenient, a professional laboratory should produce better results. I am planning to send film to a couple of labs, particularly color chemistry films, to see if they produce better scans. Black and white film (traditional processing) I will likely do myself. I have a film changing tent (covers the hands) that I can use to load a tank. The processing is done in the light because the tank is light tight.

I have a film scanner but could also use a digital camera to photograph frames with a light table and macro lens.

There are more experiments to do.

The day was a good day. The valve cover no longer leaks oil.

Life is good.

Daily Image: Johnson and Roberts, 03 April 2024

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Shot with the Nikon F2AS and a Voigtlander 90mm f/2.8 lens on Ilford XP2.

This is another frame from a cemetery walk a month ago. The film sat in the camera for a while until I finished the roll. Then it sat in the camera bag for a week until I had time to get it to the processor.

It will be interesting to scan some frames for myself using either a digital camera of the film scanner I have at home.

Although it was cold, the sun was shining. The Girl wanted out to chase squirrels, but dog are expressly forbidden. That is most likely because too many people do not police up after their dogs. So, those who do pay the penalty.

Although the sun was warm, the wind had a bite to it. Older Son and I finished before too long because of the cold.

Still, it was a good day. Life is good.

Daily Image: Rocco’s Pizza 28 March 2024

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This is a favorite Italian joint here in Ozark, Missouri. Shot with Bronica S2A and the Nikkor 75mm f/2.8 at about f/8 with Kodak Gold 200 film.

I shot this image a couple of weeks ago using Kodak Gold 200 film. It is from the first roll of color film through the new-to-me Bronica S2A medium format camera. The Bronica is my first square format camera and is a beast of a brick! I think it weighs in at about four pounds with the standard Nikkor 75mm f/2.8 lens and a film back.

The firing of the shutter is a thing that has to be experienced to be appreciated! There is a lot of movement inside the camera body with the moving of the mirror and focal plane shutter. It is also loud. However, although I have read of motion blur complaints, I am not quite sure that I believe them. A tripod will be required for slow shutter speeds.

Kodak Gold 200 works well in bright sun. I like the color rendition. I think I will shoot some more of it and send it for processing at a place that can produce higher resolution scans.

Daily Image: Scramblers, 20 March 2024

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A new favorite breakfast restaurant here in Springfield, MO. Capture with Fujifilm X100V and Reggie’s Portra 400 film simulation, SOOC.

A week ago DiL took me to breakfast at the subject venue. They produce solid American Diner food and the breakfast was good. I had an appointment to drop off the 4Runner for maintenance and the shop is only a couple of miles from Scramblers. So I decided to treat myself to breakfast.

They were not busy at 0700h this morning so I was seated quickly. Coffee was at hand shortly thereafter. I made my order and working on an image to post to Vero. My food appeared before I finished my edits.

Once again, the food was good and priced reasonably. I enjoyed it, put a little bit in a napkin to pay the dog tax, and then finished my edits and posted my image to Vero while finishing my coffee.

Then it was off the Christian Brothers Auto to have the 4Runner serviced. There is a long list of scheduled maintenance to do. I was on the fence about keeping my 2013 Fifth Gen 4Runner or trading for a new one. My rig has 200,000 miles on it, but has no known mechanical issues.

I have decided to try for another 100,000 miles. So, I am going to clean up a few minor issues and keep running the mileage clock.

Daily Image: 23 January 2024 — Books

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One of the stacks at Dixon Books in Fayetteville, AR. Shot with Fujifilm X100V 23mm f/2 at f/2.8 using the Tri-X film simulation.

My kids and I took a day trip down to Rogers and Fayetteville, Arkansas on Sunday. Despite the cold, winter day (but not as cold as it has been), we had a blast. We visited a Duluth Trading Company bricks and mortar store. There I bought The Girl a jacket for our cold outings (and to keep some of the rain off). I bought myself some gloves as those I have are insufficient when it gets this cold.

We drove into Fayetteville for a Mediterranean meal and the headed downtown to Dixon Books. I love used book stores and carried a camera inside with me.

Dixon Books is one of those rabbit-warren bookstores that has lots (and lots) of bookshelves and stacks of books with small aisles to traverse the stacks. I love it.

I carried the Fujifilm X100V in my hand and made many captures surreptitiously of other wanderers of the stacks. A couple of those might be worth sharing. I also carried the Nikon F2AS, but decided that it is a bit noisy for that environment. A quiet rangefinder was just the trick. (The X100V is nearly silent.)

I did not buy any new books, not having a list with me. But, I hope there will be another (perhaps many) trips back to Fayetteville and the next visit I will have a list with me.

After the bookstore, there was coffee at Doomsday Coffee, just a couple of blocks away.

It was a good day. Life is good.

Daily Doggo: 17 January 2024

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The Girl waiting patiently for whatever it was she wanted. Shot with the Fujifilm X-T5 and the Fujinon 35m f/1.4 at about f/2.8.

The Girl posed for me yesterday morning. She wandered into my workroom and asked for some attention. Then laid down in the hall. It was too much to resist.

So, I grabbed the Fujifilm X-T5 from its bag and sat down on the floor with her. She gave me a couple of good frames before I returned to work.

She wanted to go walk. It about about 0F outside. That is just too cold for her. I do not have enough gear for her for this super cold weather. She does not have enough fur to protect her for more than a few minutes.