I refuse to write about cheese.
Last year, the first day of this challenge, the theme was cheese. Straight up cheese. Not that there’s anything bad about cheese, but let’s be honest — this isn’t a cheese blog.
I like cheese, don’t get me wrong.
But there’s something, well, odd blogging about an obsession with cheese.
The soft feel and dreaminess of the Diana lens makes it a great addition to my digital setup.
I digress.
So I needed something else. And being today is Friday and I sometimes have my Foto Friday on this day, I figured I’d talk a little about photography. It stems from something I saw on Twitter the other day — somebody saying how there was no point in taking a pinhole photo with a pinhole lens on a digital camera.
I see the point. I can see where somebody might question it or think it’s a bit cheesy. I’m the opposite.
Before I go further, allow me to note that I grew up in the non-digital age. I remember using typewriters. I remember when film cameras were still the norm. And different films, at that. My first video game system was an Atari 2600. I used a typewriter. I handed in reports that were handwritten.
My first newspaper job was at a local weekly. When I first started, they had a typist whose job was to type up things people sent in that were handwritten or done on a typewriter.
Imagine that?
I remember when AOL was cool. Seriously. Dial-up was lightning fast. The sound of the modem was really sweet. Busy signals stunk!
So I’ve had a chance to watch technology grow. And during that time, I’ve embraced it. Especially digital photography. Living in a digital age, I’ve become accustomed to instant gratification with my photography. I can mess around or play with settings. I think of photos I’ve taken now and know there’s no way I’d be able to do what I do with a film camera.
The vignetting with my new Holga lens makes me think I took it with an actual Holga. Just without the developing and film costs.
That being said, I still love film. I don’t mind using my Holga. If any of you follow me on Instagram, you know I recently posted a photo of a film camera setup a friend sent me. It’s a body and many lenses. Funny enough, soon after that, my brother gave me some unused film that he and his girlfriend recently came across — two rolls of black and white and two color. So I have some film to shoot.
But here’s reality — it’s not cheap to develop film. I don’t develop my own film anymore and, in fact, I haven’t done it in probably more than 10 or more years. And honestly, I’d rather not get back into it. I have enough hobbies already and I don’t want to add film developing to it. Though, I will admit, I used to love it and I’m sure it would be fun to do it again.
Back to cheesy.
Over the past few years, I’ve purchased or received as gifts, three “lenses” for my digital camera. One is a Diana lens, one is a pinhole lens and the other, added most recently, a Holga lens.
The pinhole lens gave me the opportunity to take a shot like this, which I truly love.
And I love them all. Beyond that, I honestly don’t care if it’s cheesy.
I understand why people would question the pinhole. After all, the idea of many pinholes is the light creating the photo on the actual film. But this gives me the same result. Right away. On my screen. Awesome.
The Holga lens is freakin’ excellent.
And the Diana lens is soft and dreamy, just like it’s supposed to be.
Call it cheap. Call it cheesy. Call it non-traditional. I call it kick ass.
Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!
I cannot tell you how delighted I am to read a post that is NOT about cheese. I love photography as much as I hate cheese, and now I have lens envy..
Ziva recently posted..A Fate Worse Than Death
Oh, no need for lens envy, Ziva! I need better ones before that happens!
Hey P.J.! I’ve recently arrived at digital photography as a way of trying not to suck at it like I did in the film age. The jury is still out, and may be for some time. Now, I must go and look up all these lenses and techniques you’re talking about… Indigo =)
Indigo Roth recently posted..Another Bloody Challenge
Here’s the best about these lenses — they are amazingly affordable. And a lot of fun to mess around with. Digital is much easier to adapt, I think. You can mess up and correct within seconds!
Oh, and I really enjoyed the photos, by the way =)
Indigo Roth recently posted..Another Bloody Challenge
Thanks! I appreciate it!
I really love how you developed this story. But you were a little negative about cheese, though. (heh, heh)
nonamedufus recently posted..30DW2-2 – Day 1: Cheesy
Oh, Dufus… you and playing on words. It seems to make me shutter, but in a snap I feel like I can take your shots!
I remember all of those things too. I do have a fascination with the 35mm slides of the late 50s and early 60s – back when those images preserved so well in that format. *sighs*
Welcome to the craziness of 30DM2 ~
I love old slides. Amazingly awesome!
“But there’s something, well, odd blogging about an obsession with cheese.”
Really? What on earth is odd about blogging about an obsession with cheese? You’re just weird, P.J. 🙂
Nicky recently posted..Make It Cheesy
Oh, nothing odd at all, I guess. It’s just full of holes. 🙂
I love photography and used to have my own B&W darkroom. Can still smell the chemicals if I think about them.
laughingmom recently posted..30 Days of Writing Minus 2 – Cheesy
Oh my, those chemicals. I still think I smell them sometimes, too. For some reason, I actually used to like that smell.
Our wedding photographer insisted on using film. Said said straight up he does not use a digital camera
Shawn recently posted..Cheesy
In this day and age, there’s no possible way I’d let a photographer use film for a wedding — unless it was a second shooter and somebody was getting it with digital.
You may not have been talking about cheese, but in your photos, you hinted at cheesy delights with your cheesy yellow colors featured in each photo. Coincidence?
I wish I could honestly say I did that on purpose, but until I read your comment, I didn’t even realize it!
Nice take P.J., and your shots are inspiring me to take more photos and try some new techniques. So many options so much to learn!
You definitely should, Mike. It’s the best part about photography. Take chances and see what happens!
I detest my digital camera. Back in the day, my camera cost $35 and when I pressed the button, it took the picture. Now my camera costs $200 plus another $100 for memory cards and batteries, and when I press the button?
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Oh, there’s the flash. The end of the bride’s train, a strand of my toddler’s ponytail, part of Elvis Stojko’s skate. The bride’s smile, my toddler’s funny face, Elvis’ quadruple axel long gone.
How exactly is this progress?
Azara recently posted..More than a couch potato
You just need to learn that camera. Once you do… you’ll come around. 😉
Popular subject today. I too, grew up before the digital age. When I had my first teaching job, the district I was in was shrinking in enrollment and that entire year, they spent coordinating the efforts of combining two junior highs into one and thus shrinking from 40 teachers down to 38 teachers.
Well, one teacher was retiring and my mamma didn’t raise a dummy, so I could see the writing on the wall. I spent the better part of my spring break that year typing cover letters to every district in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Go ahead and look on a map and you’ll see they are huge and cover most of the easter part of Southern California. My point is I had to type the same letter over and over again with just the heading changed. The resumé was easy since I could get that copied, but the cover letter had to be personalized. Not because of anything that I wrote, but more than likely because I taught science at the perfect time for a science teacher, I got many job offers back then and am still at the same school 29 years later.
Things obviously have changed over the years and I think I’ll resort to a standard cliché. Kids today have it so easy, at least when it comes to technology.
Paul Myers recently posted..Flashback Friday
What was that delectable machine you teachers used to use to make copies … the one where kids could sniff it and get a buzz. Was it a mimeograph? Oh the good old days!
After reading so many posts related to cheese, it’s refreshing to come across a participant’s blog where the author decided to geek out over something entirely different.
I applaud you for cutting against the cheesy grain.
KZ recently posted..The Cough Syncope (Fainting while Coughing)
Thank you! I appreciate it.
My dream is to own a GOOD GOOD GOOD camera and buy every kind of lense there is, cheesy or not. A dream, yes… but I get so frustrated having a camera that doesn’t take what I SEE. I see color, it comes out a bit gray… Whereas I use my friend’s GOOD camera and color is color. I love me some camera cheese!
The best part is… a really solid DSLR is highly affordable now. And lenses are, too. But I know what you mean. I’d like to go higher than I have now, but it will take time. And lenses… well, I love lenses.
As for a camera that doesn’t take what you see, sometimes photoshop (or something can like it) can help with that!