I Forgot How Beautiful Plus-X Is

Saturday me and my girlfriend drove over to Holland to look for something to do. Wandered into a Riley’s Camera that I stopped by about a year or so ago. I usually buy a roll or two of film if I have any extra cash with me just to support local business sorta say. Saw they still got some plus X on the shelf so I told him I’d get 2 rolls of 24exp, it was overpriced (well if you think local its not, if you compare to online it is), but you know. He looked at the box and said well, they are a little outdated so lets take 20% of it. I said, alright, are those 36exp expired too? Sure was, so i walked outta there with 2 rolls of  24exp and 2 rolls of 36exp for about 18 bucks.

Been a while since I shot any PX. And when I did i was shooting 120 which they stopped making even before the 35mm. The last roll of 120 PX I shot with my 645 was perfect. But for 35mm, I don’t expect anything spectacular.

Well I tell you what, shot 2 rolls of it through the weekend, just developed it and I came up with one conclusion. – TMX (TMAX 100) got nothing on Plus X.

Armed with a Nikon F4 with a Waist Level Finder, I loaded a roll of Plus X in and headed to the Holland Light House / State Park.

Before we look at photos, I want to talk a little about the gear. I recently acquired the WLF thinking it will help doing street photography. As i found out from the EXA (Also Equipped with WLF), people do not response to the camera as angry with a WLF as you point it to the “eye to eye” with the normal prism. So I spent quite a chunk of change to buy the WLF for the F4. Well, the problem with doing street photography around this area is: There are not that many people on the street, that means I am easily spotted out, which is not good if i want candid photos. Now, I think the F4 is a little humongous with the MB21, which, indeed I did, scare people away or give me “funny” looks after I snapped their photo, unlike the EXA. However, the glass for the F4 is much better. I guess I will have to find an MB20 to make the F4 smaller and less scary/serious.

Another observation, since there aren’t many people on the street, I figured I’ll use my 35-70 AF Nikkor (but manual focus) at 70mm so I don’t have to walk to close to the subject. Well the results are quite meh comparing to the AIS 50mm 1.4 (starts half way through this post) That means I’ll either stick with my 50mm or maybe look for a 85mm.

Alright, enough of me babbling, lets look at some photos.  Holland State Park / Light House / Plus X 125 @ 125 XTOL 1+2 Rotary / 35-70mm AF Nikkor, Nikon F4, WLF

It was rather windy and cold on Saturday.

Despite the temperature, there are actually quite a few people walking around.

And running around to keep yourself warm.

However, a few people will take this route, out to the break water light. Obviously, WE did.

It has been a weird winter in Michigan. Usually everything is frozen by the coast at this time of year. This is nothing compare to the norm.

Lets head out to the breakwater light, good thing my F4 is weather sealed, well ok my lens and my WLF aren’t, but you think I care?

This is about as far as I went, it was just a sheet of ice out there, besides I’d probably turn into icicles.

Alright, those might not be the most interesting shots. Lets move onto Grand Haven Main Pier, The Next Day. Nikon F4 / WLF / AIS 50 1.4 / Kodak Plus X @ 125 / CP
My girlfriend said a lot of those people gave me dirty look, Well I beat them hitting the shutter, so its a good thing!

It was a bit warmer that day.

I stopped and focus, and then he stopped and looked at me, I click when he started running again. Weird.

He look rather happy.

I see you.

You always see this angle, its always interesting to see what those black dots are up to.

Lots of people fishing that day.

This will go on and on and on….

Yes you can walk down there, he’s not jumping off.

Lots of dogs too.

His sister, one on the right, covered her face up when I tired to get a photo of her after this.

Someone sitting at the end of the pier.

Me trying something different, well, all been done before, just not lately.

He walked funny.

Alright I am done photographing people fishing.

A couple flagged me over to take a photo of them. I asked “with my camera or yours” Lady said “with mine, oh I didn’t’ even see you have a camera hanging around your neck” . I did took couple photos of them with their camera, we chat for a little bit, the usual, wondering what I am photographing or do I work for a magazine. If only it is that easy ya’ll know that. Anyways before we part ways I asked if I could photograph them. And there it is.

After that we moved on to The Rosy Mound. That was quite a walk.

We wasn’t expecting anybody will be there at all.

But obviously we are wrong.

They gave up running.

I thought that is quite an interesting sight. It is the lake to the left, you can tell it must be windy there that the trees grow more on one side than the other.

And then she pointed this out on the trail. Ever seen a conjoined tree?

Finally we stopped at the pizza and sub shop before we call it a day, they had good Reuben there!

The End.

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20 Feb This entry was published on February 20, 2012 at 1:26 am. It’s filed under Blog and tagged Photography, Photojournalism, Street, Travel. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.