Landscape and plant

Here's another example of a reflected landscape. I rotated the original photo, transfered it to black & white / sepia and added some old paper effect. The result is sinister, but I like it.

I had seen some dried out plants when I took the landscapes and I also photographed them, but I wasn't satisfied with the results. I went back yesterday when there was more sun and tried again. This time I am more pleased with the result. No tricks or funny stuff, just plain and pure photography.

Landscapes

Once in a while a take my working camera (Sony Alpha 700) and go out to try my luck. This weekend I felt the urge to do so. Here are two results. One is a more classic landscape, but it has the elements of what I like to do: searching for hidden landscapes, for a mysterious world that is there and at the same time is not there. This are the reflections in water, ice, glass. The second photo is an example of a reflexion in partially frozen water. I also applied some effects so that it is hardly recognizable as a photo.

Naked Kodaks, continued

There's a couple of naked Kodaks again on eBay. This time a No. 2 Bulls-eye and a No. 3 Bulls-eye.
 

Both are sold by the same seller, who, as I happen to know, has had naked Kodaks in the past. He's honest and tells that the leather was stripped off. Well, the result is pretty. Rather dull camera's are made into nice objects for the mantelpiece, with warm colored wood and shiny brass. OK, if that's what you want. Collectors of Kodaks or other old cameras don't buy things like this, I think. Or do they?

Not stripped of its coat is the No. 1 Panoram with leather case. A nice set, with one bid at the moment, at $ 0.99. Case is worn, but could be fixed with some TLC. Also interesting is a C Daylight Kodak that needs a large amount of TLC. Leather is missing on parts and the door of the film back and the pull string & knob are also missing. Starts at $ 9.99 (has reserve). Seller ships to the USA only. Bad luck for the large collecting community in the rest of the world (yes, there is a world outside of the USA!), but if you are interested you always can ask. It's a nice job for a restorer. I hope it doesn't end naked....
 

What's going on

 

My No. 4 Folding Kodet Junior is going to make a big trip (16.453 km) to the other side of the world (photo below) for a beauty treatment. As you can see in the photo at the left it needs a large amount of TLC.

I also mailed my newest article about the Eastman Interchangeable View camera (1886 - 1890) to the editor of Photohistorisch Tijdschrift. I hope it will be published this spring or summer. The article will contain detailed information on production data and numbers made. Here's a Wordle that I made from the text, to give you an impression ;)

Restoration

Yesterday I got a mail with two pictures: one of a No. 4 Folding Kodet Special camera as it was bought and one of the same camera after restoration. I had mentioned the camera in my blog of November 2nd 2010, when it was for sale on eBay and the new owner thought I would like to see it now. Indeed I enjoyed seeing the photos. I share them with you here. Photos were made by the new owner and restorer, Harry Wilson from Australia.

I really admire the wonderful job that was done and I'm glad this rare camera is restored in such a fine way.

Here's another example, also done by Harry Wilson.

 

eBay watch - Boston Bulls eye camera

Again there is an interesting historical camera for sale at eBay. This time it's a Boston Bull's-eye box camera from 1892 - 1895. In the race during the 1890s to win the favor of the snapshooting photographer many manufacturers tried to design cameras that were more compact and more easy to use. The Bulls-eye camera from the Boston Camera Mfg Co was a milestone. It incorporated 3 innovative features that eventualy were used in all the simple boxes up to the 1960s. These are:

1. daylight loading roll film with paper backing
2. front roll design: spools placed in front of the plane of focus
3. red window to read the numbers of the exposures on the backing paper

These 3 together made a very compact, easy to use en cheaper camera. It should have been a succes, but is wasn't until George Eastman bought the whole Boston Camera Mfg Co on August 23, 1895. The Boston Bulls-eye became the Eastman No. 2 Bulls-eye, a very succesful camera that was sold until 1913.
I have written an extensive article about the camera (in Dutch) which you can find here. Even if you can't read it, it is worthwhile looking at the illustrations.

The camera that is for sale is a wooden version. Buy it now price is US$ 400. I think this is too much, considering the condition it is in. The key is missing. A piece of wood is missing along the top front and the lacquer is very worn. But bidding starts at $ 10, so you can take a chance. It is a rare camera!
See my ebonite specimen here.