Tag Archives: Sputnik

Metal garden sculptures, and the Steam Plant

by Frank Roberto

    

I went to the old Steam Plant south of the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle.   Its no longer in operation, but you can walk around among the old machinery once a month.  Visually, its a treat.  Wonderful and almost free way to spend the morning.

This first shot here has a shallow DOF because I didn’t know we were allowed to bring tripods, which had been banned in the past.   Also, I had mistakenly brought ISO 100 film, instead of ISO400.   I ended up finding things to put the camera on and pray my hands were steady.     If not for these reasons, I would have used a smaller aperture.

The other 2 shots are from a business which sells rusty ornamental garden sculptures.  Can’t say I’d buy one, but it was a fantastic place to shoot stereo.  In many instances, the visual jumble of lines of rusty metal did a great job of demonstrating how a 2D photo made it hard to pick out the form of objects, but in stereo, you see them immediately.    That day, it was sunny enough that I didn’t need a tripod.

I shot these with a Sputnik.

 

US Botanical Garden, evening in the “Jungle”

by Boris Starosta

USBG-1302_MFT72_PV_I shot the USBG earlier this year during the day, and it is a smorgasbord of post-industrial steam-punk vs. wilderness 3d imagery.  I returned last month to try and capture the magical evening light, which makes the place look even more mysterious than it already is.  I was hampered by equipment problems (in part of my own making), and did not get very many shots.  This is one of the better ones, taken about 5 minutes after the “magic” lighting had ended.  (Equipment failure prevented pictures during the magic 15 minutes!).

Then, on the drive home (about two hours highway driving), my car broke down near Culpeper, about halfway home.  Michele and Jet had to come fetch me in the middle of the night.  The car was repaired in Culpeper over the course of three more weeks.  I only got it back just recently.  All in all, an ill-fated photo mission.

 

Sputnik, RSX 400 film, f16 probably, 30 seconds exposure.

 

 

UVA “Lawn” view towards South

by Boris Starosta

UVA-0618_MFT72_PV_Here we have the renowned UVA Lawn, centerpiece of the Academical Village designed by Thomas Jefferson for the first public University in the United States, which he founded.  The Rotunda is at one end (to the North) and this slide shows the view in the opposite direction, towards Cabell Hall.

Another pretty fall view?   You all know UVA has been in the news of late, so you also know that’s not all this view is about.

Baby Treed

by Boris Starosta

Just another dull foliage shot?

I’m including a wide angle from my twin Sigma rig, to give you a sense of scale…

What do you guys make of it?

KINGS OF FREEDOM by Kaun at UVa.

by Boris Starosta

Kings-0309_MFT72_PV_ In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall, this year we have a supposedly historic piece of Berlin wall grafitti art on our campus, on loan from the Hefner Collection.  It is Dennis Kaun’s KINGS OF FREEDOM.  I’m still researching the provenance of this artwork, because I’m a little bit suspicious of it, as it is clearly signed “copyright” 1990. Continue reading →

Mazamitla, Mexico

by dorothy mladenka

churchMazamitla is located in the south-central area of Jalisco, south of Lake Chapala.  Mazamitla is in the pine woods, more than 7000 feet up, clean air, cooler temperatures, a beautiful setting. San Cristobal Parish Church is an architectural wonder, blessed, for some reason, with an exterior that stirs thoughts of a Chinese pagoda. As usual, it appears freshly painted, white trimmed in red. There were flowers at the entrance. History says the clock in the tower has trouble keeping time. This image was taken with the spud Tech Pan film reversal process. How I miss Mexico!!!

Tajin

by dorothy mladenka

tajinLocated in the state of Veracruz, El Tajin was at its height from the early 9th to the early 13th century. It became the most important centre in north-east Mesoamerica after the fall of the Teotihuacan Empire. Its cultural influence extended all along the Gulf and penetrated into the Maya region and the high plateaux of central Mexico. Its architecture, which is unique in Mesoamerica, is characterized by elaborate carved reliefs on the columns and frieze. The ‘Pyramid of the Niches’, a masterpiece of ancient Mexican and American architecture, reveals the astronomical and symbolic significance of the buildings. El Tajin has survived as an outstanding example of the grandeur and importance of the pre-Hispanic cultures of Mexico. Taken with the spud, hand held.