I used Kodak Tri-X film with a Canon F1-N on a boat ride through the New Orleans Swamp in October 2023. The lush plants and vibe of the swamp made a great setting for the classic look of Tri-X film. The Canon F1-N was tough and dependable in the tough and humid conditions, capturing the detailed textures and gloomy feeling of the surroundings. This famous black and white film and the timeless quality of the F1-N made some cool images that bring you into the heart of the swamp's mysterious allure.
Grainy Day on Saint Simons Island, East Beach. | Kodak Ektar H35 | Ilford HP5 400
It was chilly and overcast in January on Saint Simons Island in Georgia, but that didn’t stop us from taking a walk on the beach. The world was basically black and white. Sand, sea, and sky didn’t differentiate. I didn’t need the small negative of a half frame camera to get grain, but it was the camera in my pocket.
I had recently picked up the Kodak Ektar H35 Half Frame Camera. It is light plastic point and shoot camera with a fixed shutter speed (1/100s) and fixed aperture (f9.5) aimed at Gen Z photographers. New to film, a lot of people experiment first with disposable cameras, which don’t give the best images, but are very light and easy to use. The H35 is trying to plug that hole in a very inexpensive way.
It is also a half-frame camera. Each image takes half the space that a 35mm image takes, resulting in more grain and twice as many images per roll. I got 72 or more shots on each roll of 35mm film: Ilford HP5 400.
Despite the lens being acrylic, it produced quite high quality images.
Smokers and Lovers: Analog Street Photography in Porto, Portugal. 2023
I had an opportunity to explore Porto, Portugal for the first time in November 2023. Much of the trip was taken up by the Wine Future Conference 2023 and the production of video for my online video show Understanding Wine with Austin Beeman.
This Port Vineyard SURVIVED PHYLLOXERA! Visiting QUINTA DO NOVAL NACIONAL.
What Makes VINTAGE PORT so special? 6TH GENERATION WINEMAKER | Fonseca | David Guimaraens
ANCIENT WINE CELLAR Tour | Boutique FAMILY PORT HOUSE | Martha's Wines & Spirits
I had a bit of time to explore the city of Porto under overcast skies. I took the Canon F1-N and a Canon fd 28mm f2.8 lens with Ilford HP5 and Kodak Gold 400 film.
This is a selection of the images from that trip. Enjoy.
The St Louis Gateway Arch in Abstract. Olympus Trip35 + FUJIFILM Neopan 100 Acros II
In the Autumn of 2022, I had the opportunity to take a roadtrip to visit an old friend in St Louis, Missouri. As I’d never had the opportunity to visit in the city in any detail, we decided to play tourist and visit the St Louis Arch. Official named “The Gateway Arch.”
I took my trusty Olympus Trip 35 with a roll of FujiFilm Neopan 100 Across II. Although the day was bright and sunny, the stark interplay of the Arch, the clouds, and the sky made for the best pictures.
They look better when you click on the picture to activate Lightbox Mode. Enjoy
The Funny Faces of Ameeka Moore. Fuji GF670 + Ilford XP2 Super 400
In a world where there is no difference in lab development cost between C41 color film and classic black and white, it seems foolish to shoot C41 ‘fake’ black and white film. Perhaps that is why I never shot with Ilford XP2 Super 400 before. To the film-experimenting photographer that I’ve become, that is a strong reason to shoot it.
I grabbed the exceptional Fuji GF670 medium format camera, a simple ring light, and the talented Ameeka Moore. We shot a few portraits and I have to say I’m quite happy with the results.
The Sun-Drenched Croatian Coast. Olympus Trip 35 + Kodak Ektachrome E100
At the height of summer, I had to opportunity to visit Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast for the first time. It was part of a wine trip hosted by Vinum USA to visit their wine brands.
While the purpose of the trip wasn’t photography, I still had opportunity to take a few pictures. To portray Dalmatia as the Summer Vacation Paradise that it is, the camera and film of choice was my Olympus Trip 35 and Kodak’s New Ektachrome E100 slide film.
La Course Camarguaise. 2001.
In a 'Course de Camargue' the bulls are not harmed. Young men, with small hooks in their hands, try to remove 'garter-like' ribbons from the bull's horns to win money. -- At least that is what I think from watching one without knowing the rules in advance.
Location: Arles, France.
Time: Summer 2001.
Camera: Canon Rebel 2000 with Canon 100-300mm zoom lens.
Film: Fuji Provia 400x
Kentucky Photowalk with My First Roll of Lomochrome Metropolis XR 100-400
On a beautiful day in March 2020, before COVID-19 made us all into hermits, I took part in a photowalk organized by my good friend Sam Warner of The Unrecovering Photography Addict. Part of the day was spent exploring Covington in northern Kentucky.
For this walk, I used the first roll of Lomochrome Metropolis XR 100-400. I exposed it at 200iso. Expected a little bit more muted and gray/blue colors
Camera: Canon EOS 1N + Canon 85mm f1.8
Film: Lomochrome Metropolis XR 100-400
Lab: www.thedarkroom.com
Video: Kodak NEW Ektachrome E100 and the Olympus Trip 35. First Look, Review, & Walkaround Photography
My first roll of Kodak NEW Ektachrome E100. Austiin Beeman shoots Kodak Ektachrome E100 in the Olympus Trip 35 during a film photography street photography photowalk in Cincinnati, Ohio.
First impressions of the Kodak New Ektachrome E100 E6 slide film and few of Cincinnati, Ohio. The Banks. The Cincinnati Reds stadium and more.
These aren't affliate links. I just want to you to know.
I buy my Olympus Trip 35s from Trip Man in the UK. The best prices and they are all in superb working condition.
I buy my Kodak Film from the Film Photography Project Store.
Video: Walking Tokyo's Tsukiji Outer Market with an Olympus Trip 35
Join Austin Beeman and his Olympus Trip 35 on a walking tour of the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, Japan. This is the Tsukiji Outer Market with a wonderful selection of sushi and other Japanese fish market delicacies.
In this video, I wander the streets of Tokyo Japan’s Tsukiji Outer Market. With a roll of Kodak Portra 400 film in the Olympus Trip 35 and a Sony FDR X3000 perched on top, I have made a cool little movie showing off both the Camera and the market. I hope you enjoy it.
These aren't affliate links. I just want to you to know.
I buy my Olympus Trip 35s from Trip Man in the UK. The best prices and they are all in superb working condition.
I buy my Kodak Film from the Film Photography Project Store.
Three Moments in Arlington National Cemetery. 2017
Arlington National Cemetary is a 'holy site' of American cultural life. It is visually iconic and - if you let it - profoundly moving. A representation of the human cost of statehood and identity.
Here are three images taken during my visit in summer of 2017.
All images taken in 2017 on 35mm photographic film.
Camera: Canon F1-N
Lens: Canon FD 50mm f1.4
Film: Kodak Portra 400
Lab: www.thedarkroom.com
Five Reasons I Like to Photograph French Doors on Film
There are unconscious patterns that emerge when one looks at their own photographs. It appears that while traveling in France, I like to photograph doors on film. Here are five images that illustrate why.
#1 - Because they stand still and make it easy for beginners.
Location: Saint-Emilion, France
Time: July 2001
Camera: Canon Rebel 2000
Film: Kodachrome 64
#2 - Because textures look amazing on black and white film.
Location: Saint-Sulpice des Pommiers, France.
Time: October 2014
Camera: Fuji GF670
Film: Kodak Tri-X
#3 - And because the shadows really stand out.
Location: Pau, France.
Time: October 2014
Camera: Fuji GF670
Film: Kodak Tri-X
#4 - Because the color contrast can be striking.
Location: Madiran, France.
Time: October 2014
Camera: Fuji GF670
Film: Kodak Portra 400
#5 - Because the old buildings have great character.
Location: Saint-Emilion, France.
Time: October 2014
Camera: Fuji GF670
Film: Kodak Portra 400
Video: Walking Panama City's Casco Viejo with an Olympus Trip 35.
It has "Trip" right in the name, so you know that the Olympus Trip 35 was made for travel photography. This is a 35mm film camera, beautifully metal to hold, and requiring no batteries. The selenium sensor around the edges of the lens chooses the shutter speed and aperture. You select the zone focus. The film and the very sharp lens does the rest.
In this video, I wander the streets of Casco Viejo, the old quarter of Panama City, Panama, and see a neighborhood in the transition between decay and restoration. With a roll of Kodak Portra 400 film in the Olympus Trip 35 and a Sony FDR X3000 perched on top, I have made a cool little movie showing off both the Camera and the Neighborhood. I hope you enjoy it.
These aren't affliate links. I just want to you to know.
I buy my Olympus Trip 35s from Trip Man in the UK. The best prices and they are all in superb working condition.
I buy my Kodak Film from the Film Photography Project Store.
A Polaroid Big Shot Review: featuring Willa Prescott. 2017
You feel like you know these images ... and you are probably right. The Polaroid Big Shot was a favorite of Andy Warhol and many of his most famous work began with this camera.
This Polaroid camera is almost entirely forgotten. A head-and-shoulders-only, weird-looking portrait machine, the Big Shot was made between 1971 and 1973. It is entirely plastic and has a fixed-focus, requiring the photographer to do the "Big Shot Shuffle" to get focused images. Both the flashes (Magicubes) and the film (Fuji FP-100c) are discontinued, with prices on both rising by the day. The future of the Polaroid Big Shot is as a curio on collectors' shelves.
But the Big Shot isn't dead yet. When I discovered that I would have opportunity to photograph the lovely Willa Prescott, I knew that she would be the perfect subject for one of this camera's last adventures.
Model: Willa Prescott
Time: Summer 2017
Camera: Polaroid Big Shot
Film: Fuji FP-100C
I purchased my Polaroid Big Shot from the Film Photography Project.
The Traveling Yashica T5, LomoChrome Purple, and Findlay Armed Services Day
This isn't the treads of an alien army invasion. This isn't an image done in Photoshop. This is LomoChrome Purple, a crazy new 35mm film, shot in the cult classic film camera - the Yashica t5d. The images were taken at Findlay's Armed Services day.
I recently took part in a traveling film camera project called The Traveling Yashica hosted by Hamish Gill on his cool film camera blog 35MMC. My guest blog post can be found by clicking here. Enjoy.
Jidai Matsuri 2013 - Portraits in Kyoto, Japan
On October 22, 2013, I found myself in Kyoto during one of Japan's most important festivals - the Jidai Matsuri. This is a celebration of the approximately 1100 years that Kyoto was the capital of Japan, before the capital was moved to Toyko.
Over 2000 people dressed in authentic period costumes parade from the Imperial Palace to the Heian Shrine.
It is a photographers dream, but rather than photograph during the parade, I chose to mingle with the costumed masses and capture some personal portraits.
I shot Kodak Tri-X, a 35mm black and white film known as the "photojournalist's friend" in my old Canon t70.
These photographs are also featured on The 52 Rolls Project blog.