Feeling nostalgic...

Growing up, I would sneak into my father's photo bag to play with his Canon A1 while he was at work. I am a guy, even at an early again, I love gadgets like that. But unlike other gadget, a camera has the ability to freeze moments in time to be cherish and reflected upon later. Digital camera with it's instant feedback allow more control and the satisfaction of being able to see the results right away. It's a great way to quickly learn photography.

However, I always missed the manual nature of the early film camera. It just feels nice to have all the various parts move via springs and magnets instead of electronics and motors. The sound it makes and the feel and smell of the film brings back memories.

So I found an old Canon AE-1 Program and took a few test shots to see how film compared to a digital image. Cheap Walmart film and quick Costco develop. The result was less than pleasing. And you know how hard it is to photograph kids and having to manually focus at a shallow depth of field like F/1.8? LOL

First off, a couple of comparison photos between Costco's scan and a professional lab like North County Photo Services (NCPS) in San Diego. The beauty of film is that you shoot, drop off the roll and someone else does the work in developing the film. However, that is also the bad part as they can really mess up the development of the negative and then the scan.

Costco runs the film through the machine to quicky develop the negative. Also I am not sure when the last time they clean their machine, but the film scans had lots of dust and marks on them. Plus, all the photos had a bad line/band running across them. Probably a result of a dirty scanner. I didn't see any of these lines/bands on the negative so that's not where the problem was. Additionally, there were fingerprints all over my negatives. Bad job Costco.

So I took the negatives into a professional lab and had it rescanned. The result was shocking, even on these cheap Walmart film. The color temperature is now correct and exposure came out how I shot it. All the dust marks and banding were gone. A much improve result through and through. And if I had let the pro lab develop the film initially, the result could have been even better. Because they use the traditional dip and dunk method that requires a process of 1hr 5min and then hung dry. More time consuming, but it's a better result. These images speak for themselves.

Dusk mark by the corner of the eye was clean off the negative, so the scan is better. The white balance is warm and improved. No magenta cast. Has better details in the shadow as well.

This shot was to test the blooming of film and put it in a difficult situation with flare from the sun and the subject heavily backlit. Film then to have a natural gradation to the overexpose highlight. Digital gets an ugly orange band and halo around the light source. It looks like a nuclear explosion. I adjusted my exposure to ensure Jason's face is not all black. However, Costco did a horrible job of scanning the negative. NCPS scanned it correctly as shot.

But a HUGE benefit of digital is how noise free it is. Here is a 100% crop of iso200 film. With digital, you can barely find any noise in a properly exposed image like this. However, with film, the grain is very apparent. Even in the highlights. Digital doesn't get grainly like this on modern SLR until like iso1000. Film, even at lower iso has grain. It's just the nature of it. Click on the photo to see the full, 100% crop straight from the lab scan.

Here is the resized photo. Will still make a great print regardless of the grain. In fact, some people like the organic nature of the film grain.

Jason's not happy about the feel of grass. He prefer his soft blankets like his dad.

More tough situations. Great thing about film, it comes back from the lab pretty much ready to use. Not much editing involved if at all.

Not bad for a cheapy film camera without autofocus. The camera was made back in 1982. Can't wait to put a roll of pro level film in this camera and see what I get out of that.

In between work...

The cool thing about working from home and Julie having her own business is midday breaks like this. It's nice to get up from the computer to stretch the leg literally by chasing the little one.

I always have my camera at hand so even during my breaks, my clients benefit as I keep the creative juices flowing and come back to the computer refreshed.

Hope you're having a fine Wednesday. The week is almost over.

Terrence sporting his sunglasses Julie purchased for a dollar. We are surprise he actually is wearing it instead of tossing it first chance he gets. He looks like such a nerd. Cute one though.

Flying high and squealing like a true pig.

I just love the look and action of this one. Had to shoot fast because he somehow made up a game of trying to smack my lense before I pull back. Whatever, I am too fast for you son.

Baby.J's New Hat...

Julie dropped by the mall yesterday to utilize the $10 off $10 coupon she received in the mail, as well as pick up some basics for Terrence. He grows so fast and will be outgrowing the 2T clothes he is wearing right now.

She saw this hat and couldn't resist getting it for baby Jason as the nights are getting cooler here in San Diego. She tries the hat on him this morning and I just had to take a few shots. Enjoy.

Blowing bubbles because he's done posing for me.

Trying to take the hat off.

Adorable.slobber and all.

And one in b/w

Belated Post...

Was organizing my photos and came across these images taken on my mom's birthday last month. We all celebrated with dinner at home and everyone slept over. It was fun to have everyone, including the grandkids under one roof for the first time.

Here's mom sporting the new purse.

Susan was home babysitting Terrence and Jason while they slept. That is why she's not in this photo.

It was warm so perfect for Jamba Juice.

Calvin and Walton

Isn't this a cute photo of Terrence leading Calvin?

Susan with all the nephews.

Walking to the park.

Exploring...

Growing up, one of the thing I remember most is being able to explore my surrounding and environment on my own. After all, it was a house full of girls. What is a boy to do but go off on his own and explore.

I have many memories of being in vacant fields and back alley lots figuring out things, finding out things that is interesting and excite my mind. Of course I was much older than Terrence is so I find myself some how being able to escape from the watchful eyes of my parents and aunt/uncle to wander on my own. I guess it's easy when there are seven kids living under one roof and the parents are busy working to earn a living.

I remember one time climbing a fence to the back lot of a building. The grass grew tall and uncontrolled with blades that are thicker and edges sharper than your typical variety. The point of interest that beckon me was a grove of tall bamboo, lining a fence that separated the building's property from its' neighbor.

It was an obstacle course of fallen/broken bamboos and other trash to get to the prime ones. I remember grabbing a hold of a bigger bamboo trunk to help make my way upwards to the nicer looking ones. Immediately sensing something different, I looked at the palm of my hand to find it covered in a finely black, almost velvety, layer of what I call bamboo thorns. It was hairlike but very short and existed on the lower parts of the bigger bamboos. It was a property I did not know bamboo possessed and haven't seen since. It was an 'uh Oh" moment for sure.

Luckily, I was able to brush most of it off like how one brushes sand off the hands and continued on with my exploration. You may ask, what I was doing, climbing the grove of bamboo? Well, I was looking for the thinnest, most strongest...and nimble stick as a cross section for a kite made out of newspaper.

Yeah, we were more ghetto, free and independent back then. The innocence of youth was nurtured by the discovery of new things that help the mind grow. I often wonder how my sons will get the same opportunity to allow their developing mind the freedom and opportunity that I had to grow their experiences through discovery of new things.

In the manicured neighborhood and society we live in, they get to experience many things that I couldn't have. But all very controlled in may ways. Playgrounds are built to code and for safety. I wonder if all these rubbery cushion and over protective suburban parents are somehow shielding the kids a little too much, robbing them of an aspect of their youth.

So like anything, I try to live in the moment, be mindful of the future...and try for balance. As Julie came home, I was out the door with a appropriately dressed kid and a camera with flash...chasing the setting sun. We ignore the private property sign, hopped a fence that was meant to keep us out and followed a narrow trail up the hillside and into the field of dead weeds. What can one discovery in something like this?

I don't know. But that's the fun of exploration on a young kid scale. I get balance knowing I am allowing Terrence the opportunity to get dirty and explore without the man-made safety nets as I capture all that by some technique specific exploring off my own... off camera lighting.

So what did Terrence discover? He discovered petrified coyote/dog poop. Picking it up, squinting his forehead in concentration to figure out what it may be. Why poop turns hard and white after it's been out for a long time. Yes, that may not be exactly what was going on in his mind, but it's a thought have went through mine.

Terrence discovered walking and running up the hillside with a stick on a narrow unending path with encroaching thorny weeds. He learn how much fun it is striking said stick against the dead weeds...freeing all the seeds to float elsewhere and began anew. Making a mess of things and not getting yelled at. All this, while dodging the camera of the ever watchful father.

Enjoy the focus look of discovery and the glee in these photos.

Some shots of Jason from yesterday

It's been a while since I put up some photos of Jason. It's been a busy couple of month and you can tell when I start neglecting this blog. Since the last post, Jason's first teeth have come in. His eczema is under control so he's not bundled up as much anymore.

He has super sensitive radar senses. Very good spatial awareness. He demonstrated it the first night after birth, opening an eye from his sleep to look around whenever something changes or a foreign sound is introduce into the room. No matter how slight. Makes for a light sleeper though. Nothing like Terrence who used to smile and giggle when put down for bedtime and sleep soundly through a movies with full 5.1 surround sound playing. Jason is also pretty enamored by his bigger brother. Always watching him and get so much satisfaction whenever his brother gives him some attention. It's cute to watch.

Anyways, here's some from yesterday.

ps. forgot to mention we finally shave Jason's head. That's why he's bald.

A couple in color. You can see his front teeth in this one.

Random musing...it's been a while.

Great shaded spot accompanied by the perfect cool breeze overlooks the county park my house. You can see the playgrounds of the Elementary school Terrence will go to in a few more years. It's about noon so the school kids are out running and playing. You can hear their screams and laughter echo all the way to this spot.

The 4S community has a bunch of different parks and playgrounds but this is the big one. There are four baseball diamonds, a soccer field, couple of lighted tennis courts, two full size basketball court and hockey rink. Also onsite is the Boys and Girls club so there is an activity center, a full indoor gym with hardwood floors and basketball courts, as well as a swimming pool/lap pool. There's even a water slide at the swimming pool you can pay extra to peruse. Walking trails flank the park and a little pond off in the distant end of the park.

On occasions, I would take Terrence here so he can play on the slide and swing set. I can imagine him and his cousins disappearing off to the park to play and swim in the not so distant future. Yesterday, he opened the front door and stepped out unsupervised for the first time. So it's only a matter of time. Luckily for us, he only stepped out far enough to ring the door bell. The allure of ringing the door bell is too much I suppose.