Mamiya Milk Moustache

Kaika, shot with Mamiya (Feb. 21, 2006): click for gallery

It felt good, and the results are pleasing. I dug out the Mamiya 645 camera earlier this week, half expecting to find fungus or something, not having used it in over a year. No fungus apparent, just a dead battery, which didn’t affect metering as there is none with the prism finder I have, but did necessitate being limited to a 1/60 shutter speed (with a dead battery, the shutter will only fire at 1/60). With my trusty analog Sekonic meter in hand, Kaika and I went for a walk around the neighborhood.

All of a sudden felt the tug of a big(ger) negative, and while I certainly have a much more solid 35mm camera than the Mamiya, probably due to size and the loud clang of the shutter, it somehow felt substantial, felt like an old friend (indeed, of all my current cameras, I’ve had it the longest). Getting the negs back tonight, more of the same. Tactile is a word that comes to mind.

Someone suggested family as a way to work through “photographer’s block.” Sally Mann or Friedlander I am not, but we’ll try not to get too hung up on the whys and wherefores for now. Didn’t realize until we were already outside that the wiping off of Kaika’s milk moustache from breakfast had been neglected. In lieu of a makeup artist, I left it as-is. It’s only really apparent in one photo.

Like a chicken with its head…

Yanaka, Tokyo, January 8, 2005: click for larger (78K)

Yanaka, Tokyo, January 8, 2005. Mamiya 645, Fuji NS160.

No I haven’t given up the blog, as mentioned here I’m busy with other things at the moment. I’ve never been a good multi-tasker when it comes to hobbies and interests, unfortunately. Truth is, I sort of miss the blog, definitely miss the photography, got some stuff to say and there are probably photos out there waiting to be taken, but I’m doing my darndest to stay away from them or else I’ll just return whole-hog and I’ve got to stick it out with my current project a bit more….

I apologize for the “chicken with its head cut off” conceit of the title, it sort of diminishes the photo which I’m rather fond of for some reason. At any ate, I’m pressed for time so it’ll have to do.