Life Amongst the Bricks

Photography captures more than just mere images; it beautifully encapsulates moments of raw emotion and profound experience, unveiling intricate stories through the magical interplay of light, shadow, and time. The very act of clicking the shutter is an affirmation of the photographer’s intent, a definitive selection of a single, fleeting frame from the boundless flow of life that surrounds us. This simple yet striking photograph of vibrant flowers bravely emerging from dull bricks is, without a doubt, my favorite capture of the year 2024.

Consider the potent significance of that solitary click—the pivotal heartbeat wherein the photographer and the captured moment converge in a silent conversation. “This one photo speaks volumes,” the artist muses; it’s an acknowledgment that the photo holds an essence that transcends the visual, striking a chord that resonates with the viewer’s innermost sentiments.

In this silent exchange between the observer and the observed, the photograph becomes a linguistic artifact. Its voice may whisper or shout, but the volume it speaks with is not one measured in decibels, but in affect..

As the image is revealed, developed, and shared, it begins a journey of interpretation and inspiration. Each viewer, drawn into the frame, becomes part of the unfolding narrative, extending the heartbeat of the captured moment to echo endlessly through the halls of human experience.

As I strolled through the quaint streets of the small town I’ve come to know as home, nestled in the Upstate of South Carolina, my gaze was drawn to a particular structure that stood as a testament to the past. It was an aging old bank that seemed to wear its history on its facade. The building was unmistakably a product of the 60’s architecture, characterized by its angular brick design. Such structures are commonplace in this part of town, each telling a story of the era they were erected in.

Despite its clear ongoing renovation, the exterior gave away the years of neglect. The reddish-brown bricks, once probably lively and inviting, were now dulled with a patina of decay—crumbling pointing between them told tales of the many years they had weathered. The signs of pollution had left their marks, etched into the surface in grime and soot. Acid rain had washed over the walls for decades, nibbling away at the solidity of the mortar, and with each passing year, the relentless tide of time had carved its impressions deeper into the once-pristine brickwork.

As I continued my walk, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia mixed with a hopeful curiosity for the building’s future. The old bank, once a bustling hub of commerce, now stood quietly amidst more modern establishments, a relic of a bygone era awaiting its rebirth. It served as a stark reminder of the impermanence of man’s creations, standing defiantly against the inescapable march of time, awaiting the day it would once again stand proud and renewed, its decayed exterior merely a chapter of its enduring story. It reminded me that in every end, there’s the whisper of a new beginning, and I was witnessing a small piece of this town’s continual evolution.

As I neared the old, weathered wall that had always been a part of my daily route, something unusual caught my eye. It was a solitary weed, displaying a resilience that was both unexpected and beautiful, blooming with a delicate flower in the midst of the unforgiving brickwork. Its struggle for life against the rigid urban canvas captivated me.

Quickly, I reached for my beloved Pentax Spotmatic F, a camera that had become an extension of my own being. Equipped with my beautiful Asahi Pentax SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4 lens – a piece of glass famous for its swirly bokeh and the soulful images it produces – I framed the shot with a mindful respect for the weed’s tenacity. The viewfinder gave me connection between subject and artist as I adjusted the focus ring, the tactile sensation reminding me why I fell in love with photography in the first place.

With a click, the shutter closed for a fraction of a second, capturing not just an image but encapsulating a story of survival and beauty in adversity. I stood there for a moment, basking in the satisfaction that comes from knowing when you’ve caught a magic moment on film. This photograph, I sensed, would be a cherished addition to my personal collection, a reminder that even in the most unexpected places, there’s always something extraordinary to be discovered. I knew in that instant that I had something that I, at the very least, would love.

Even amongst the grot and grim of this old decrepit bank, new life emerges. God is everywhere and in everything we see. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. This weed withered away, but for a short time it bloomed. Jesus’ parable about the sower and the seed is one of my favorites and I thought of it instantly, as I took this photograph. God speaks, if we listen.

 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And zwhen the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, ait withered away. 7 Other seed fell among bthorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and ca hundredfold.” 9 And he said, d“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Mark 4; 3-9

Favorite Medium Format Camera of 2024

In my previous post, I enthusiastically discussed my preferred 35mm film camera for 2024. However, I should have clarified that I was specifically referring to my favorite 35mm film camera of 2024. Today, I will shift gears and provide a detailed analysis of my favorite medium format film camera for 2024. What criteria led me to select this particular camera?

There are several important components to consider when picking out a favorite camera for an entire year of photography adventures. In my wee opinion, it absolutely has to be a camera that a person has put many rolls of film through over countless creative sessions. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, you need to truly enjoy using it. The camera must seamlessly become a part of you, almost like an extension of your own self, and you need to take the time to understand all of its wonderful quirks and genuinely appreciate them, as they often contribute to the magic of capturing unforgettable moments.

Every camera has quirks. This camera has a few, such as the slower top shutter speed, but the ease of use and versatility make up for it. I am referring to the Agfa Isolette I. This camera is an amazing medium format camera for the money. It is a standard 6x6 folding camera with an Agnar 85mm f/4.5. It modern times, that aperture seems slow and small, but it was great for its time. These can be purchased on eBay for around $20-$50 in decent condition. I’ve had three of these and never had a problem with the bellows or light leaks.

When shooting with these folders, I’m usually in bright sunlight and shooting at f/8, so the slow 1/200th of a second shutter speed isn’t that bad. It is fast enough. Below, I’ll have a few sample that I took with this camera. One thing to be careful of is double exposing (exposing the same frame of film twice). There is no safety, so you have to remember to wind to the next frame. My cheat for this is to go ahead and wind to the next frame as soon I take a shot. I still do it on occasion.

This camera purchase was pure luck, really. I decided to put in a bid of just $10, thinking it was a fun experiment, and a few days later, I was pleasantly surprised when I received the notification that I had won the auction. Not only did I win the camera, which turned out to be in fantastic condition, but I also scored a case and a little rangefinder tucked away in its own pouch! As I examined the photos of the ad, I noticed the rangefinder pouch attached to the case strap and immediately recognized exactly what it was. I took a chance and ultimately secured a wonderfully charming little camera and rangefinder duo. Together, they are an absolute joy to use, and I can’t imagine my photography adventures without them. Without a rangefinder, it would undoubtedly be a significant struggle to accurately guess the distance with my limited vision.

Keep all of this in mind when looking at these cameras. They do not have a rangefinder or a light meter built in, so you either have to have really good eyes to accurately estimate distance and a light meter or only use it at infinity. Agfa/Ansco are, for the most part, one and the same. The 50’s.and 60’s cameras were of great quality for the price. The Agfa/Ansco that survived into the 70’s was of lesser quality, in my wee opinion.

The main point of all of these posts is to encourage you, the reader, to get out there and shoot stunning photographs, whether it is with a classic 35mm camera, a versatile medium format, or a large format. Photography is an adventure waiting to be explored! If you have any questions, comments, or thoughts about any of these articles and reviews that I create, please feel free to reach out and use the contact page. I’d love to hear from you and help in any way I can!

My favorite Film Camera of 2024

In early 2024, we got the shocking news that I was going blind faster than previously expected and that I had about two years before I’d be legally blind. This, of course, was just an estimate. I was also told that I couldn’t drive any longer. I took that hard, of course. Growing up in rural America, driving was a must. As my employer was working on transferring me to a closer location to home, I had nothing but time and spent my days scrolling through eBay listings, looking for a deal. At that time, I had no money coming in, but I put in a laughable bid on a Pentax Spotmatic F of $10. A few days later, my phone dinged and alerted me that I had won the bid. I told Deana. Given the circumstances and the fact that it was so cheap at $7 plus shipping, she didn’t get mad about it.

When it finally arrived in February 2024, it was grungy, gritty, and in dire need of a whole lot of love and attention. I eagerly rolled up my sleeves and replaced the worn-out light seals, the aging mirror bumper, and took the time to thoroughly clean and lubricate the intricate gears. With my vision being what it is, that entire process proved to be a major struggle, but it was absolutely worth the investment of time and effort. To my delight, it came equipped with a stunning SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4 lens. While it isn’t the rare 8-element version, it still creates that dreamy, magical bokeh, the likes of which I had never seen before in all my photographic adventures.

I took it out for its first test roll and was shocked by its smooth advance motion and the lovely sound of the shutter. At that time, I was still between jobs and not working yet, so I took my time and made sure every frame and composition would be fantastic. I took a lot of shots wide open in order to test the lens. That first roll was Kentmere 100 and developed in 510Pyro. When I took it off the reel and hung it up, it looked great. But, the shock really didn’t set in until I scanned the photographs. The buttery smooth bokeh blew my mind.

I have been incredibly happy with this fantastic camera. Over the past few months, I have shot around twenty rolls through this trusty companion, and it has never disappointed me even once! The frame spacing is always perfect, like a well-oiled machine, and it consistently fires at the correct speed with no hiccups. This camera truly started a wonderful love affair with Takumar lenses that is still going strong today. I’m still actively searching for more of those coveted m42 lenses to add to my collection whenever they are affordable and within reach.

If I were a young person just beginning my journey in photography or embarking on an exciting educational path for this wonderful art form, I would undoubtedly choose the Spotmatic F over the classic K1000 any day of the week. This remarkable camera is not only a stunning performer that has consistently delivered outstanding results for me, but it has also always been there without fail when I needed it the most. Plus, on top of all that, they are a LOT more affordable than the infamous K1000, making them a fantastic choice for budding photographers!

What was your favorite camera of 2024?

New Year, New Hope

2024 began with a heavy sense of despair and overwhelming shock as I discovered that I am going blind far faster than I had anticipated. After the initial shock wore off, I managed to regain my footing in both work and daily life, we made the important decision to sell our beloved home while the market was still favorable. We decided to take a much-needed break in April to celebrate our anniversary, which allowed us to recharge our spirits and get back to work with renewed energy. It took a little while, but eventually, we successfully sold our home and embarked on the long, exciting journey across the country to the magnificent and sun-soaked state of Arizona.

Traveling across country in a Subaru with three dogs and a trailer was an adventure. We had a great time crossing the states, seeing parts of the US I had never seen before. We stopped in Oklahoma to spend Independence Day with family. That was an amazing week. My hope for our country and our people was renewed. We decided to set up home in Payson, Arizona, an amazing little mountain town in central Arizona. The natives here don’t usually say, Y’all or drink sweet tea like they do in my home state of South Carolina, but they are so similar. Folks here love and practice the Second Amendment. They wear cowboy hats and boots. A lot of men wear sidearms. It is a great little town, but due to being surrounded by National Forest and migration from California and rich people from the Valley, housing prices are extremely high. The housing market in Payson is higher than the majority of the state.

We were hoping the the housing prices would come down more than they have, but due to reasons already noted, prices are not going down. There is a limited supply and the wealthy retirement community do not want any more houses being built here. I have been preliminarily offered a job in Cottonwood, AZ, so we are moving there in a few months. We love Payson, but Cottonwood is an amazing town as well. The people and culture are very similar to Payson, and it is closer to the breathtakingly beautiful areas of Sedona and Prescott. The fantastic benefit is that housing is cheaper in Cottonwood and Camp Verde. Also, fires will not be an ever-present threat. Even though we are in the throws of winter in Payson, we still have a major fire nearby. There are possibilities of fires to the west in Camp Verde and Cottonwood, but the likelihood is rare.

The incredible amount of great people we have encountered in our journey moving to this beautiful place is truly uncountable. We have forged some amazing friendships here through our church and work, and each connection adds a vibrant thread to the fabric of our lives. The greatest resource in America is not just its land, oil, or coal, but rather its people, who are full of warmth and character. The vast majority of Americans are deeply patriotic and possess a profound love for our country. Spending cherished time with my family in Oklahoma taught me so much about our nation and the enduring love and respect that we should all strive to have for it.

Whether you agree or not, the surprising election victory of Donald Trump revealed to me that the people still have a powerful voice, and we indeed possess the ability to effect meaningful change in our society. It also filled me with a renewed sense of hope that the old adage, “If you work hard, you can have anything,” continues to hold true for the most part. There truly is hope. There is always hope, even in the most unexpected places. I never imagined that I would ever find someone who would love me, much less marry me; yet here I am, happily sitting at my desk across from my beautiful wife, Deana, who is currently engrossed in her scrapbooking project. You can read more about her scrapbooking, bible journaling, and life on her blog linked here.

It is with great excitement that I approach this new year. 2025 will be a great year, one for the books. We will be moving, starting life anew, and making even more friends. We the people will have a new president as of January 20th. The housing market is projected to transition to a buyers market this year. Companies will invest more with the hope of lower taxes. That, along with less regulation, will help us all and improve the economy.

This new year also provides a great opportunity to photograph more than I did this year. There were several months in 2024 that I didn’t get to photograph due to packing up, moving, and then unpacking, so I am exciting about starting new projects and restarting the zine once we get settled. What are you excited about in 2025?

Voigtlander Vito IIa

As I have written in the past, I truly love my Vito’s. I adore their remarkable engineering, stunning beauty, and the delightfully straightforward simplicity that comes with using a 35mm folder. Among them, the Vito IIa truly stands out as being impressively ahead of its time. While most folders, whether in 35mm or medium format, typically employ a winding knob to advance to the next shot and another winding knob to rewind, the Voigtlander Vito IIa distinguishes itself with an ingenious SLR-type advance lever. It ingeniously combines so much functionality into such a compact package, making it an absolute joy to use. This remarkable camera fits effortlessly in my pocket, allowing me to embark on a photowalk around town without the hassle of dragging along a bulky camera bag and heavy gear.

The only catch to having an advance lever is making absolutely certain you advance it all the way for optimal results. Otherwise, your photographs may overlap, or at the very least, end up touching each other, which can cause quite the headache when you're trying to print in the darkroom. This particular IIa comes equipped with a Prontor-SVS shutter that can go up to a speedy 1/300th of a second. On the other hand, the Compur-Rapid shutter goes even faster, allowing for exposures up to 1/500th of a second; however, the Color Skopar lens remains the same on both models, providing consistency in quality.

This little camera comes equipped with a brilliantly designed 50mm f/3.5 lens that provides just the right amount of contrast and is impressively tack sharp. It's sharp enough to capture stunning details and wide enough for most photographic occasions you may encounter. While you may not get those dreamy bokeh balls that some photographers adore with this lens and camera combination, you will still achieve a beautifully smooth out-of-focus area when shooting a portrait at f/3.5. For those who desire a larger lens, the Vito III offers a faster f/2 option along with a convenient built-in rangefinder, but keep in mind that it is a significantly bigger and heavier camera to carry around.

This camera may not boast all the bells and whistles typically found in a fancy SLR, yet it still offers an astonishing amount of capability in such a compact package. I often carry it to work right in my pocket, and surprisingly, no one seems to notice it at all throughout the entire day. As my vision continues to dim, I realize it will become increasingly challenging and eventually impossible to use this beloved camera, but I am determined to make the most of it until I can no longer do so. As my beautiful wife, Deana, thoughtfully noted in a previous post, my peripheral vision is indeed closing in. The Vitos, which have a small viewfinder, are actually my preferred choice for this very reason. I don’t have to look around, trying to catch sight of the entire scene. With such a compact viewfinder, I can clearly see the entire composition, and appreciation for that clarity brings me so much joy!

These little beauties, each with their unique charm, can be picked up for a price range of as little as $50 or, if you’re feeling a bit more extravagant, as much as $250, depending on the particular seller and the overall condition of the item. If you happen to come across one, do make sure to pick up a model featuring the Compur-Rapid shutter. The extra shutter speed it provides can certainly add an extra dash of flair to your photography, though it’s not strictly necessary for capturing breathtaking images.

Living as the Wife of a Blind Photographer

It was April 22, 2023 when I married my best friend and the love of my life. The man who was blind in his left eye told me that one day he would be completely blind, but I did not mind, for I knew he loved me for me and would do anything to care for me and keep me safe. I even knew that he was losing the hearing in his right ear, and that would progress as well due to the illness called septo-optic dysplasia. I knew that my future as a wife would be different than the future of most wives, even with my own diagnosis of dry macular degeneration. But I didn’t fully understand how soon everything would start to change. After all, who can truly understand their future until they’re living in it?

We immensely enjoyed our honeymoon, taking photographs of beautiful Ireland with b&w film cameras and iPhones. I may have stolen his Pentax K1000 while we were in the Emerald Isle, but I also loved using my Olympus Trip 35 and Canon AE1 Program to photograph the awesomeness that is the home of some of our ancestors. I often photographed my new husband taking photographs because he is in a different world when he is behind a camera. He sees beauty where others do not, and captures it in a way that only the resultant photographs can explain. One of my favorite photographs is of him, stepping away from having just captured Belfast’s city hall building, with a smile only seen when he is in his element. I worry not because he has a smile reserved for me, one that lights up my days and warms my nights. But the smile he reserves for when he feels he got the best possible shot is completely different; unaltered joy with a hint of mischief. It’s like he knows a secret that only he will ever know.

January 23rd of 2024 rolls around and we visit a local eye doctor, one to whom a good friend had referred me. It was probably the most important eye exam of our lives, as it changed so much. I learned more about the macular degeneration from which I suffer and my husband, well, his world changed upside down. His eyesight was worse than I thought — he had been hiding how bad it was getting, but I think he was hiding it from himself as well. He was told to stop driving due to his very limited peripheral vision. And I also don’t think he knows how badly he missed so many of the letters he read on his eye exam. The E’s and N’s and P’s and O’s were so different than how he had perceived them. So we left the exams with prescriptions for new eyeglasses and a hurt in our hearts for my husband’s need to give up driving and what that meant for his career. I was strong that day, only to cry in secret knowing that one day my husband’s use of the camera would be over; he would no longer see the beauty in the world that people often overlook. And I, well, I would need to continue with biannual eye exams to track the progress of my vision. I couldn’t even think of that, however, as I knew I one day would be married to a blind photographer.

Prior to our eye exams, my husband had been talking about pinhole photography and mentioned to me how he would love to use a pinhole camera. He even showed me one he would like, not knowing that I would purchase it for him as an early Valentine’s Day gift. I wanted to ensure he had access to such a camera while he could use it — the purchase was important, yet tearful. Needless to say, he loved the gift and proceeded to use the new capturer of beauty immediately. But the truth remained that his eyesight would continue to fail, and it has.

Due to my increasing struggle with allergies and disdain for humidity, he suggested leaving South Carolina and moving back to my home state of Arizona — to Northern Arizona in particular. Neither of us wanted to endure the summers in Phoenix metro, after all. So we made the trek across the US, several days stuck in a little, red Subaru with three dogs in the back seat. It was like traveling with three toddlers that were only welcome at specific Airbnb’s — if you know, you know. But we had a blast because we were able to take some time and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing these places I knew so well through his lone-functioning eye. The photographs we took are memories I will cherish always. He got to meet some of my cousins in Oklahoma, while we stayed a few extra days there for the fourth of July. It gave me a wonderful break from the drive, as there is only ever one driver in our family now. Then we ventured onward with him visualizing the southwest for the first time, shocked by its awesomeness. His excitement was heartwarming. I got to share some of my favorite places with my love.

Today we are living in Payson, Arizona and we get out to see something new in the state every chance we get. I need to share so many places with him before he can no longer see them. It hurts my heart beyond belief that one day he will not be able to see the majesty of this world. However, his positive attitude and desire to live everyday to its fullest, taking photographs wherever he goes, is inspiring. I cannot imagine living with his diagnosis, but, then again, I am in denial of the suffering that may lay in the future in regards to my eyes. Macular degeneration is no joke. But today I see more clearly than ever, knowing that time on this earth is limited; we never know when we will not be able to see the wonder of God’s creation any longer. He and I will make the best of this situation, taking photographs as much as possible, until we are completely unable to engage in his favorite activity. I will do my best to be the supportive wife while he purchases cameras, fixed them, uses them, and sells some of them only to start the process again. And, hopefully, he will inspire others to see through the lens of a film camera, while I hope to inspire people to take those memories, print them and put them into scrapbooks to be enjoyed later.

by Deana Davis, wife of the blind photographer.

Affordable Film Cameras

In my venture to find the ultimate deal on a film camera, I have come across numerous offers, some may have seemed too good to be true.

That’s like that old saying goes, if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. I am more than half a century old and have had to learn this the hard way, as my journey through photography has been filled with lessons learned from both successes and mistakes.

The Minolta srT line of cameras can be had with a lens for $30 plus shipping, making them an incredibly accessible option for beginners and enthusiasts alike. Different models offer various features, but they are all great cameras that have stood the test of time. The lenses that come with these cameras are known for their accuracy and sharpness, capturing images that are true to life, as they say. That being said, if you are looking for that ethereal feel in your photographs, you’ve got to try a Pentax as well, as they offer a unique quality that can elevate your work significantly.

The Pentax ME Super can be purchased on eBay for between $30-$50 with a lens, which is another steal in the world of film photography. They are equipped with full auto exposure control, yet also offer manual control with two convenient buttons on the top plate, allowing for flexibility in shooting conditions. The K1000 stands out, of course, because of its reputation and usability, but they are selling for upwards of $200 at present in December 2024—showing how highly regarded they are among film photographers. However, the ME Super presents a nice compromise and serves as a great camera for the price, combining quality and affordability seamlessly.

An older, but superior in my opinion, Spotmatic, can sometimes be acquired within the same price range and usually comes bundled with one of the amazing Takumar lenses. While these cameras may often show signs of age and require some TLC, they are well worth the time and effort you invest in them.

Another hidden gem from behind the iron curtain are the Praktica cameras. The MTL line of SLRs was amazing in its own right, blending functionality with reliability. We all take a chance when purchasing one of these cameras, but when they work, they perform exceptionally well; the lenses are absolutely stunning and sharp, producing images of remarkable quality. The Zenit cameras were good as well, though their lenses were generally regarded as superior to the camera bodies, which often seemed to present a problem.

Regardless of what you end up with, the essential point is to get out there and shoot some film. My entire goal is to inspire you, the reader, to rise up from your seat and start your photography journey. Whether you’re using a $5 point-and-shoot from a charity shop or a vintage SLR, the important thing is that you’re actively capturing moments; at least you’re doing more than the guy that talks about it all the time without ever picking up a camera. Get out there, embrace the adventure, and shoot!