Camera Talk

It has past more than a month since I took these photos and I had no clear idea what I wanted to write here about this run, all days thinking how to start the thread, here it's.

- I will present the photos now, I will come back with some conclusion either in this thread or the one from Scott about 'How do YOU see' because it closely related -

- Lately I have been disappointed with the colour film I have shot - Kodak Ektar 100 - it didn't give me what I wanted (now I'm discovering the scan by the lab was not what I wanted) so looking for the different selection in Moscow I watched several images of Aerocolor film that I liked the colours and I took a roll for doing some photos of the soviet things around, looking for not bright colours, a bit shifted and old style would fit the style -

October was a month to remember due what happened, family lost, second covid and all the stress caused by both so I ended up in the autumn break not in very good shape.
One morning, first week of November we woke up with a very dense mist? fog? that we couldn't see more than 50 meters away, quite rare for Moscow, it was about 7:30am and light started to show up, it was clear no clouds in the sky so the event would finish as soon the sun would heat the air. I asked permission to go to the park (we are two in parental duties) and she said yes.

I had one colour film in the Rolleiflex Old Standard - Aerocolor 125 with 6 frames left and I loaded Acros II in the new Ikoflex Ia I just received, I loaded both in to the backpack plus the tripod and the cable release and a warm coat on me.

Here both cameras.







As soon as I arrived the sun started to appear just between the ground and the mist in the distance, that view was really something worthy but it lasted less than a minute to start setting up the gear and take a photo so I just kept walking and I enjoyed the walk until I got in the ponds park, I watched around and I saw the colour film chosen was right for the scene, unreal colours and landscapes done by the mist, something out of extraordinary.

The first frame I saw was this tree, it is simply a small tree in the middle of the dog walkers path, nothing special and I walked next to it many times and it never got my attention until today. What it was attractive this time was how it was coming from the ground to nowhere crossing the horizon line, the frozen grass and the path going ahead. I put the tripod with the camera and I started to look for the frame, beyond the mist normally you can see ugly buildings that spoil the photo, this time they were not.




Then I went the to the big pond and I did this snap shot with the phone (now I wish I had loaded the Medalist II).



I liked the middle 'tongue' floating between the water and the mist, again no background of line of big pines.



I didn't want to wait till the person went away from the frame and it seems it was a good call as I was told.

With Ikoflex Ia I took same shot but closer and I had one unexpected guest... a duck landing.



This last shot was handheld.

There is a wooden pasarela going along the pond where the reeds grow, the level of the water was low so I could walk among them to take this other photo.




And the last frame I didn't know why (at that moment) but I gave it a try, the light coming through the tress, it took me a while to frame and still I think I needed a wider lens would have been better but all I had was two 75mm lenses



Now that Aerocolor was over I mounted Ikoflex Ia in the tripod and I continued the usual walk surrounding the ponds, I reached the most cold pond (out of three) and I saw the piers were completely covered by frozen dew.

Again one snap shot and the photo after.






And I got till the part that surface was already frozen and I thought it was worthy a last photo of the excursion.






After this photo the sun was already hitting the park and the mist was not as thick as before so I decided to call it and return home, later I shot some family photos and I tested the self timer, it worked just fine.



Obviously you can guess who is from Siberia and who is not

So... this is the run I had that morning and as soon as I developed Acros II I was nicely surprised by the quality given by the Ikoflex Ia but what I got from the Old Standard was beyond any expectation, such nice definition, colour, you name it, all was there as it was in my mind. I'm very grateful for having these cameras, the chance of going to take the photos on that morning and most important a family and friends supporting me.

Thank you all, for your support, if I got here is thanks to you and your warm welcoming to this forum 4 years ago.

Alex

Alex, that is a very nice series, especially No6, Aerocolour of the trees. Thank you for sharing these. It has been a privilege to witness your progress on your photographic path. Bravo, and stay safe.

These are lovely, Alex, thank you for sharing them with us. Captures some kind of mood, perhaps elegiac. Seems very appropriate for the times.

Robert

The more I look at these, Alex, the more I like them. I love that tree shot. And, the very subtle colors in some are special. The person and his reflection adds to that photo. Yes, a perfect run!

A beautiful series! What an excellent winter light. Your courage for going out into the cold weather was well rewarded.

Both TLRs are very capable in your hands. Hard to choose a picture in the series.

The subtle colors came out wonderfully, good that you found an appropriate color film.

These are outstanding, Alex, and the narrative is wonderful. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and process. Truly fantastic.

Thank you, all, for your compliments.

Robert, I had to look in the dictionary the meaning of elegiac, I knew it exists but forgot the meaning, probably you are right with the mood of the series.

Sorry to hear about your loss, Alex. It's great though that you have your photography to help mend your soul, and we here have been privileged to have you as a member because you bring so much to this place.

PF