Solargraphy Project Update

Back in December of '09, I started my first attempt at solargraphy. When it comes to a project like this, you have to be patient. No instant gratification here. I have told the story here of how I made two cameras out of coffee cans for this project. If you've missed it, here's a link to it. For three months my two cameras took a beating. A couple of big snowstorms, record rain storm, and the ever changing temperatures. Just take a look at this picture taken during one of the snowstorms.

Since I had hit the three month mark since I put up the cameras, I figured it was time to take one down. By looking at it you can tell it's been through alot.

The photopaper inside the can was still light sensitive, so I made sure the lights were low in the house and had the scanner all set up and ready to go. I peeled all the tape off, pulled the paper out and got a glimpse of my first solargraph. It was a little hard to see, very faint on the paper. But there was an image. A quick scan, a little clean up and fiddling about in the photoshop and here's the final result:

I'm really pleased with how well it came out. I'm leaving the other camera up for another three months, so that one will be a six month exposure when all is said and done. This is a fun project and I plan on making more solargraphs.

Passing Train

Passing Train.
Linden,NJ.
Summer 2009.
Robot Sampler.

Sometimes NJ Transit can be a pain in the ass. Actually, alot of the time. For instance, yesterday my wife and I spent about two hours stuck on a train that was just sitting in the middle of nowhere. Only to eventually be dumped out at a train station with no other recourse than an overpriced cab ride home. And we were lucky. I saw on the news that a train load of people were stuck for six hours. With talks of NJ Transit increasing fares and cutting services, I really look forward to paying even more for such great service. With both NYC's MTA and NJ Transit for years increasing fares and also announcing big increases in ridership, it really makes me wonder how they can still talk about increasing fares. Just what are they doing so wrong? I know states are cutting funds to mass transit in efforts to deal with their own financial problems. The politicians in these states are quick to dismiss what is commonly refereed to as the "millionaires tax" in an effort to raise state funding for fear of driving out the rich folk. But they seem perfectly fine with driving up costs of mass transit of which mainly the poor and working class depend on getting around. The American political system is definitely a pay to play system.

Pinhole Sunset

Sunset.
Linden, NJ.
Summer 2009.
Pentax Pinhole.

Here's the first image I made with the Pentax Pinhole Project that I've written about before here and here. Not too many images came out as well as I would have liked. Mostly because of the light spot in the middle of of every image. It doesn't show up too much in this image, but it's a bit more obvious in some other images on the roll. I'm not exactly sure why it showed up. I have a few ideas though, like the pinhole being too big and at a slight angle. I've since made changes and am nearing the end of the roll. So I'll find out if I've made the right changes or not in the not too distant future. Fingers crossed.