Tag Archives: WPPD

WPPD 2016

World Pinhole Photography Day (WPPD) was held on April 25, 2016, more information here (http://pinholeday.org/).

Pinhole day used to be the only day that I shoot with these cameras, but this year, I actually prepared for it.  When I was in Shanghai earlier this year, with the help of Kirk Lau, I 3D printed a 6×18 (actually I find it more 6×19) camera called terraPin Kaiju.  I had a ton of issues with that camera and I will discuss this in a later blog.  After sorting all the issues out, it’s actually a really fun camera to use.

I started WPPD this year with a few plates of 8×10.  I used my Kodak 2D 8×10 camera with 0.5mm hole size and arranged it for 150mm and f/300.

Kodak 2D 8x10, 150mm f300

Kodak 2D 8×10, 150mm f/300

I shot the following with Kodak Ektascan B/RA x-ray film.  Here are a couple of developed plates, the details are just amazing and the exposure is also dead on.

Kodak 2D 8x10, 150mm, f300 with Kodak Ektascan B/RA film
Kodak 2D 8×10, 150mm, f300 with Kodak Ektascan B/RA film
Kodak 2D 8x10, 150mm, f300 with Kodak Ektascan B/RA film
Kodak 2D 8×10, 150mm, f300 with Kodak Ektascan B/RA film

To walk around town, I took the 6×18 panoramic pinhole, equipped with a 0.4mm pinhole, 86mm, f/215 with a view angle of roughly 116.5 deg.  The film that I used was my favorite, Fuji Acros.

terraPin Kaiju 6x19 camera
terraPin Kaiju 6×18 camera

First I hit South Beach Harbor and it was a beautiful day.

terraPin Kaiju 6x19 camera in South Beach Harbor
terraPin Kaiju 6×18 camera in South Beach Harbor

The shots from that roll had a light leak when I was changing film.  This is to remind myself to use the film clip and also change the film in darker places!

terraPin Kaiju 6x19 camera, 86mm, f/215 with Fuji Acros
South Bay Beach and terraPin Kaiju 6×18 camera, 86mm, f/215 with Fuji Acros

As I walked towards AT&T Park, the Giants were playing.

AT&T Park with the terraPin Kaiju 6x19 camera, 86mm
AT&T Park with the terraPin Kaiju 6×18 camera, 86mm

I was trying to get a silhouette photo which came out like this.  I would like it to be sharper but it was crazy windy that day.  It was tough to have the whole thing stable, even for a few seconds.

terraPin Kaiju 6x19 camera, 86mm, f/215 with Fuji Acros
AT&T Park and terraPin Kaiju 6×18 camera, 86mm, f/215 with Fuji Acros

Next are a couple of shots of the Bay Bridge from both portrait and landscape orientation.

Bay Bridge and terraPin Kaiju 6x19 camera, 86mm, f/215 with Fuji Acros
Bay Bridge and terraPin Kaiju 6×18 camera, 86mm, f/215 with Fuji Acros
Bay Bridge and terraPin Kaiju 6x19 camera, 86mm, f/215 with Fuji Acros
Bay Bridge and terraPin Kaiju 6×18 camera, 86mm, f/215 with Fuji Acros

Behind the Ferry Building is the Golden Gate Ferry Terminal and a statue of Gandhi.  In the high resolution copy, you can actually faintly read off Gandhi’s name under the statue.  This is amazing detail, consider the lens is just air!  No fancy optics at play here.

San Francisco Ferry Terminal and terraPin Kaiju 6x19 camera, 86mm, f/215 with Fuji Acros
San Francisco Ferry Terminal and terraPin Kaiju 6×19 camera, 86mm, f/215 with Fuji Acros

Next is Pier 7 and it was quite empty for a Sunday afternoon.

Pier 7 and terraPin Kaiju 6x19 camera, 86mm, f/215 with Fuji Acros
Pier 7 and terraPin Kaiju 6×19 camera, 86mm, f/215 with Fuji Acros

The San Francisco Belle was docked and check out the sharpness!

San Francisco Belle and terraPin Kaiju 6x19 camera, 86mm, f/215 with Fuji Acros
San Francisco Belle and terraPin Kaiju 6×19 camera, 86mm, f/215 with Fuji Acros

While walking on Broadway, there is an alley with a great view of the The Transamerica Pyramid.  I always love the vertical panoramic but it is often quite hard to frame.

The Transamerica Pyramid and terraPin Kaiju 6x19 camera, 86mm, f/215 with Fuji Acros
The Transamerica Pyramid and terraPin Kaiju 6×19 camera, 86mm, f/215 with Fuji Acros

I have to say it was a lot of fun this year on WPPD.   This is the most I have shot compared to previous years.   The final stop was at Liquid Gold with four limited edition Ballast Point beers on tap!

Liquid Gold SF with four limited edition Ballast Point beers on tap!
Liquid Gold SF with four limited edition Ballast Point beers on tap!

 

WPPD 2015

From the busy schedule of moving, I managed to get in the spirit of World Pinhole Photography Day (WPPD http://pinholeday.org/) and went up to the roof of my building and snapped a few photos.

My equipment.  Did all the calculations and most importantly, my ruler!
My equipment. Did all the calculations and most importantly, my ruler!

Because of the move, all my chemicals are packed.  I just went with the good old Fuji FP-3000b.

Graflex Speed Graphic with homemade pinhole board.
Graflex Speed Graphic with homemade pinhole board.
Closeup.
Closeup.
Just setup quickly on the roof of my condo.
Just setup quickly on the roof of my condo.
Resulting photo.  Happy WPPD 2015!
Resulting photo. Happy WPPD 2015!

WPPD 2014

I haven’t done pinhole in the longest time and WPPD was a great excuse for me to start again.  I was in Shanghai and faced with less than ideal weather conditions, drizzling on and off all day, windy and cold.  Nevertheless, I managed to get a few shots in.  It was quite a challenge to do long exposure in Shanghai because everyone is wondering what you are doing and in times stood right in front of my camera, ruined many shots.

I tried to do this as scientifically as possible.  I will measure my film to hole distance and divide by 0.6 to get my f ratio (I usually stuck with f128) then I will use that in my meter.  I didn’t want to use my expensive Acros for the job and used my el cheapo Shanghai film instead.  The reciprocity is super crappy with that film.  A shot that is meter to be one minute will take eight minutes to complete!  The lighting was also bad as it was dark and gloomy most of the day and most conditions were metered to be 1 to even 30 minutes!  I ended up taking a lot more Polaroids as it was rated at 3000 iso.  The reciprocity is also quite bad with these Polaroids and a 30 second exposure will span into a 2.5 minutes shot.

With all the rain and chaos, I ended up at home and made a few shots of the beautiful tiger lillies in a more controlled environment.  The following is a photographic diary of today’s shoot.

Test shots at home before going out
Test shots at home before heading out
It was raining and found a covered spot for long exposure
It was raining and found a covered spot for long exposure
Resulting Polaroid.
Resulting Polaroid.
Waiting and raining
Waiting and raining
My ghetto pinhole setup
My ghetto pinhole setup
Busy road shooting
Busy road shooting
People stopping in front of the camera
People stopping in front of the camera
Nice door but unfortunately people are always going in and out!
Nice door but unfortunately people are always going in and out!
Home sweet home.
Home sweet home.