Developed my first negs tonight from my newest Holga.

I have been dying to starting developing at home.  I bought everything I needed a few weeks ago and have been waiting to get a chance to take some ooper cool photos.  I couldn’t wait any longer so I took some snaps around the house to kill a roll.  All I can say is I Love, I LOvE, I Love film.  This is the beginning of a beautiful relationship, ha. I <3 film!!!!

All taken on a Canon AE-1
Kodak Tri-X 400
Developer D-76 1:1
10 Minutes

I just got my first roll of film back today and of course ran right to the scanner to see what came out of my Holga.  This camera is amazing and each one has it’s own fingerprint.  This first roll was a test to see how my Holga would do, so the pics themselves where quick snap shots.  But my goodness even these snap shots are so cool.  You can really see the potential of this camera and I have some ideas to really put this camera to the test.  I’m so pumped to see my next roll.

When you think of New Mexico, I’m sure your not thinking cold but it’s cold y’all.  We have had a storm past through the last few days and I don’t want to complain because it makes for such beautiful light for shooting.  Today we finally had a bit of a break from the real chilly weather.  So, I figured what better time to drag the  husband out for a nice little walk.  I’m always on the look out for new shooting locations and today I found some great spots.

Justin loves to give me lessons, this one he’s telling me about the local plant life.  Love ya, babe!

Before the new year began I decided to start working on a photo series.  I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do it on, I guess, I have been looking for inspiration to guide my way.  Well, it finally hit me.  I live in one of the most beautiful states, New Mexico, at least in my opinion.  We have some of the most beautiful sunsets and deserts.  So I have decided to do my photo series on the deserts of New Mexico.  This really came to me on our drive yesterday to Alamogordo.  Justin needed to get an email out, so we pulled over so he can quickly write it and I decide to take a few snaps while I was waiting.  When I got back home and reviewed some of the photos I had taken I was like, duh, I live in New Mexico why don’t I take pictures of New Mexico.  So my journey begins.  I hope at the end of 2010 to put together a book, I’m so excited about this.

So, I was wondering if it is even possible to come close to the look, feel and quality of collodion in photoshop.  So I gave it a shot.  I think my try wasn’t bad, somewhat in the ballpark, but it could never standup to the real thing in print.  I managed to get the 3D effect that collodion seems to have but it’s near impossible to achieve the dynamic tonal range of the real thing.  But I do have to say fake or not, the style is stunning.