Pinhole I: Impressionism, England

January 23, 2019 by Colin Kubarych

Hello, 2019.

I spent the last bits of 2018 under a mountain of film negatives scanning them into digital format. Turns out a project like this isn’t something that lasts for hours or even days. Weeks and months is more like it. I nearly stopped all other creative projects and pursuits to finish this task and after over 1000 scans, I have made it to the summit, sort of.

The time away from the lens allowed me to reflect on my year, relive wonderful fleeting moments and dream up what’s next.

2019 is the year of film for me. The digital cameras will remain on the shelf, hopefully gathering a thick layer of dust, while I explore deeper into the world of analog photography…

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In November, I found myself back in merry ol’ England for work and I brought along a new toy, a Holga 135 Pinhole Camera. Over a couple of brisk autumn days, I wandered around Alton and documented my impressions of the English countryside…

Camera: Holga 135 PC

Lens: Pinhole, f/175

Film: Portra 800, pushed to 3200

A Summer's Eve

October 09, 2018 by Colin Kubarych

Once upon a Summer’s Eve I dusted off an Olympus 35 RC.

Her stature small, tiny and compact The perfect size to not distract.

Candid moments, I chased. Around town, we raced.

From over here to over there, We went everywhere, we went nowhere.

I caught some shots and missed a few But all in all a sweet rendezvous.

For hanging out and connecting with friends Is all that matters in the end.

So today I sit in reverie Fondly remembering that Summer’s Eve.

Camera: Olympus 35 RC

Lens: E. Zuiko 42mm f/2.8

Film: Tri-X 400, pushed to 800

Note: The film advance on this camera is a little sticky, so it makes for some super cool double and triple exposures.

And to Think, It Was All Just a Dream

September 07, 2018 by Colin Kubarych

A few months back, I found my dad's old Minolta SRT 101 sitting comfortably, but sadly, unused on his closet shelf. 'A new old toy,' I thought as snatched it up from its quiet resting place, nearly dropping it as I was reminded of its heft. I held it in my hands, rotating for inspection.

Lens looks good. Light meter dead. Focus ring still works. Film, ISO 3200, 5 exposures taken.

Whoa, cool. 31 exposures left, let's see what happens.

The resulting gallery is exactly what I mean when I say 'The Romance of Film'. The negatives developed in a weirdly dark manner but with some Lightroom magic I was able to find some light within.

The camera captures the moment and film interprets it. This gallery has a dreamy quality that reminds me of the nature of memory- pliable, flexible, mutable. The moment I saw through the lens- vibrant, sunlit and full of color- interpreted through this film as grainy, dark and faded. Romance, indeed.

And to think, it was all just a dream... One fantastic hallucination.

Camera: Minolta SRT 101

Lens: Minolta Rokkor-X 50mm f/1.7

Film: Ilford Delta 3200, expired

With The Wild Ones

August 30, 2018 by Colin Kubarych

Ah, birthdays- another cycle around the sun. A simultaneous beginning and end. A day to reflect, scheme, dream and celebrate.

Ol' Boots turned 31 this year and at his request, we gathered in the enchanted canyon of West Clear Creek. There were no birthday challenges this year, no striving to keep age at bay, no desire to prove that the old boy's still got it. Instead, we laughed. We played. We photographed. We celebrated- not just the birth of one, but the gathering of many in a sacred place.

The best gift you can give to others, to yourself, is space to just Be...

And it's not a post about Boots without some wisdom from the Tao:

"Those who understand others are clever, those who understand themselves are wise."