Restoring a lost habit

Life with my closest friend changed about a year ago. He and I would eat lunch together nearly every day of the week. His office was close to mine, and we could easily meet at one of the local restaurants. Then the pandemic changed our plans. He started working from home along with much of the rest of the country. Since his home is about a 30-minute drive from my office, meeting for lunch was not an everyday option anymore. It is funny how some of the most stressful aspects of this past year have been the little day-to-day habits we all had to change. Recently, I decided to take a drive out to his home and pay him a visit. He loves to boast about easy country living and I felt the need for some easy living. So, I packed up my camera and made the 30-minute drive to his home.

We exchanged our typical booth at Primos restaurant for a ride in a side by side in the country. Our time with each other at lunch was never about the food anyway. We just enjoyed discussing life and solving the world’s problems. We have all the answers by the way. This week things have started a slow return to normal. He is back at his office twice a week and the texts “What’s for lunch?” have started again. I figure we should have a solution to the current world problems soon. The only one we struggle with is how to eat fried chicken and strawberry cake without gaining weight. We are working on that one. However, it does get real quiet at our table when the fried chicken arrives. Oh well, you can’t expect us to have an answer for everything.

Highway 16 and Kodak Portra Film

I recently took a drive from Canton to Carthage along Highway 16 and decided to take a few photographs along the way. I was mainly interested in capturing some of the things you typically see when traveling around Mississippi. The water tower in the photograph above is located in Canton and was the first stop I made along the road. The city of Canton offers many options for photography, especially around the historic square. But, on this day I mainly focused on images along the Highway. I carried my Contax G2 camera loaded with Kodak Portra 400 film. I have often used this film for portraits and wanted to see how it performed when photographing landscapes.

The old building above was a good test of how the film handled harsh sunlight. You can see some detail in the shadows which is an indication of a nice dynamic range to the film. One of the reasons I enjoy using film for my photography is its ability to retain detail in the shadows without blowing out the highlights. The final shot I will share was taken in the town of Carthage. This old car and the signs along the wall were a good test of how the film rendered color.

Overall, I am very pleased with Kodak Portra 400 film. It is versatile and offers nice results for both portrait and landscape photography. I will share some portraits taken with this film in a future post. That is it for this post. See you next time.

Best outfit choices for girls portraits

What type of outfits do you recommend for my senior portrait? This is a question I get asked all the time by senior girls and their mothers. Here are a few suggestions that I hope will help you decide what to wear for your senior portrait session or when being photographed at any age.

Black and white photography

I am a big fan of black and white film photography. It has a timeless look that will never go out of style. I would recommend having one outfit that is very dark or very light for your black and white photographs. In fact, as illustrated above, black dresses or white outfits with texture work exceptionally well. Any outfit that provides contrast and texture to a black and white image is a good choice.

Color photography

Pastel colors and bright colors are great choices for portraits. This is especially true for backlit images like the ones above. Many of the girls I photograph select a pastel top with white jeans as one of their outfits. Colors that highlight your personal features are also important. If your eyes are blue and wearing something blue draws attention to your eyes then by all means make that one of your options. Use a little caution when selecting a red outfit for your portrait. Sometimes red will reflect on to your skin and cause you to look a little red in your images.

Sweaters and coats

I like to encourage girls to bring a sweater or coat for some of their images. One of the most difficult things about having your picture taken is trying to decide what to do with your hands. Wearing a coat or sweater offers a a great solution to this problem. Some other options would be a scarf or necklace that you can hold onto in a relaxed manner.

Detail shots

The final piece of advice would be to consider parts of your wardrobe that would help tell your story. This would include anything that is unique to your personality and way of life. These types of images are often overlooked, but can greatly enhance a portfolio of images from your session. Most importantly, don’t stress out about having your picture taken by a photographer. Just be yourself and it will all work out fine.

Fondren and the Contax G2

I grew up and went to school in the Fondren area of Jackson, Mississippi. There are numerous landmarks in this area that are quickly recognized by anyone from northeast Jackson. The image above of Brent’s Drugs is not much different than how I remember it from my teenage years. The residential part of Fondren is full of beautiful old oak trees that shade the streets creating a perfect environment for an evening walk. Sure, Fondren has seen some changes in recent years, but it still holds on to its heritage and charm. The new restaurants and shops have not taken anything away but added to the experience of visiting this area.

These images are just a continuation of photographs taken with my Contax G2 camera and Fuji Pro 400H film. This has been my walk around camera lately and I really enjoy the images it produces. If you’re visiting Jackson in the near future, I recommend stopping by the Fondren area. There are a number of good restaurants and coffee shops you can visit. The only downside may be finding a place to park. The popularity of the area has created some parking issues at times. But, it is probably best appreciated by taking a leisurely walk around the area anyway.

I would recommend grabbing a hamburger at Brent’s Drugs or Roosters for lunch. Some afternoon coffee at Sneaky Beans, Cups or take the short trip up North State Street to Native Coffee. Then visit Walkers Drive-In for some fine dining that evening. These are just a few of the many nice places to eat and drink in the area. I hope you enjoyed this brief visit to my old stomping grounds. I plan to share more images of this area in future posts along with some additional recommendations. I hope to see you there soon.

The colors of Yazoo City

Occasionally, I enjoy taking the short trip on Highway 49 to Yazoo City, Mississippi. The downtown area of this town is interesting, to say the least. The main street provides a colorful array of buildings ideal for photography. I have also found the store owners in the downtown area to be some of the nicest people I’ve had the opportunity to meet. Everyone seems to go out of their way to make your visit enjoyable.

This trip to Yazoo City was long before the pandemic hit Mississippi and I am not certain if shops are currently open. I would however encourage you to visit the local shops whenever the opportunity presents itself. It is a town worthy of a visit at some point. These images from Yazoo City were taken with the Contax G2 camera and Fuji Pro 400H film.

Kennedy (Senior portrait)

I was excited to have the opportunity to photograph Kennedy. I have witnessed Kennedy grow up over the years and find it hard to believe that she is about to attend college. We decided to meet at their lakefront property for her photography session. They have an incredible boathouse surrounded by beautiful trees. The location was a big part of Kennedy’s life and turned out to be a great place for photography. The breeze coming off the lake also helped keep us comfortable on a fairly hot day.

I can certainly understand why this location is special to their family. In fact, it looks like another family finds it special as well. Kennedy told me later that a neighborhood duck decided the family boat was the perfect place to lay her eggs. It will be interesting to see if baby ducks will be leaving the nest at the same time as Kennedy. Spending the afternoon with this family and photographing their daughter was a real pleasure. I wish the best for Kennedy as she heads off to college. I wonder if baby ducks are allowed in the dorms. Anyway, best of luck Kennedy!

Hot Coffee and the Contax G2

I really enjoy a good cup of hot coffee, but that’s not what this story is about. I recently took a drive down to Laurel, Mississippi in search of some photographs. My plan was to take some photographs with my Contax G2 camera. This is a camera that I have owned for many years but rarely have a chance to use. The Contax G2 is a rangefinder-style film camera designed to be used with a series of Zeiss lenses. The lenses for this camera are some of the sharpest lenses that I own. The camera is compact and great for travel without sacrificing quality. On the way to Laurel, I decided to take a detour through Hot Coffee, Mississippi.

According to Wikipedia the towns name came from the story of L.J. Davis. “ L.J. Davis built a store and hung a coffee pot over his door, advertising "the best hot coffee around". His coffee was made from pure spring water and New Orleans beans, and molasses drippings for sweetener. He never served cream with his coffee, believing it ruined the taste. Local politicians would visit Davis' store and buy coffee for constituents and passing travelers. The popularity of Davis' coffee led to the name of the community.”

My choice of film for these images was Kodak Portra 400. This trip was a nice change of pace from my usual photography. I will definitely be taking a few more trips around Mississippi with the Contax G2. After a lifetime in Mississippi, I finally get to check Hot Coffee off my bucket list.

Mary Swayze (Senior Portrait)

It was so nice to be able to pick up a camera and go back to work as a photographer. After weeks of being on lockdown, outdoor photography sessions could once again take place. Mary Swayze was the first high school senior that I photographed after the stay at home orders were lifted for the state of Mississippi. While there was and still is a need for social distancing, we made a small step in the right direction. We spent the day making our way around downtown Jackson and enjoying some beautiful weather. Mary Swayze was a pleasure to work with and quite comfortable in front of the camera. I was able to focus on photography as she required little direction.

We also had the good fortune to run into one of her closest friends later that day. Her friend was having photographs taken by another photographer. It was nice to see the two of them enjoy this moment of their senior year together. Things were starting to look a little more like a normal senior year for these young girls. Their senior year has been one for the books. As for me, I am back in business and looking forward to many more days like this one.

Suffering and Sacrifice

Good Friday

It seemed appropriate that it was overcast and raining the day I captured this image. After all, it portrays Jesus being put to death on a cross. This crucifix is located in Cedar Hill cemetery in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The monument is surrounded by cross shaped tombstones where Catholic nuns from the local order Sisters of Mercy are buried. Some of these nuns cared for sick and wounded soldiers during the Civil War. However, much of the care was not for gunshot wounds or wartime injuries. Most of the deaths from that period were a result of disease. The dates on the tombstones indicate that the majority of the nuns that died during the Civil War period were only in their twenties at the time of their death. It is likely that they contracted illnesses from the soldiers in their care.

Over a million people around the world have contracted a terrible disease from the current pandemic. Many more have been asked to make sacrifices for the better good. Doctors, nurses and first responders are putting themselves at risk everyday. This may be remembered as a period of suffering and sacrifice. However, we are currently living this story and the story is not over. We are not certain what the final chapter will be.

A message of hope

Today is Good Friday. Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. A day in which Jesus suffered on the cross as a sacrifice for the sin of mankind. Christians celebrate Good Friday because they believe a message of hope arose from the suffering and sacrifice. The image of the cross above was taken in front of Christ United Methodist Church in Jackson, Mississippi. It is the belief of Christians that the story did not end with suffering and sacrifice. The story continued with a message of hope, forgiveness and love. What is the final chapter of our current story? Maybe it has already been written. Maybe, just maybe, we win in the end.

The colors of slide film

Transparency or slide film

Some of you remember the slide projectors of days past. Families would gather around the projector and watch vacation pictures projected on a screen. Countless memories were captured on Kodachrome film until it was discontinued in 2009. Many of Steve McCurry’s images from National Geographic were shot on Kodachrome. Paul Simon even wrote a song about it - “Mama, don’t take my Kodachrome away”. The lyrics went like this:

Kodachrome
You give us those nice bright colors
You give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah!
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away

A few slide films are still available today. Kodak Ektachrome, Fuji Provia and Fuji Velvia to name a few. Fuji Velvia is still a favorite with some nature photographers. I captured the image below of a stream in the Smokey Mountains on Fuji Velvia.

Fuji Velvia

Kodak recently released a new version of Ektachrome film. The image at the beginning of this post and the photograph below of the Mayflower Cafe were both captured on Kodak Ektachrome.

Kodak Ektachrome

If you own a film camera and have never used slide film consider giving it a try. I must warn you that slide film is not very forgiving when it comes to exposure. However, when exposed correctly these films can offer some beautiful results.

The look of film - Part 2

Color film photography in portraits

Backlit images - This is one of my favorite attributes of color film photography. In digital photography it is usually necessary to use strobes to expose backlit subjects properly. This is because it is very easy to blow out highlights with a digital camera. In other words, detail in the brighter areas of the image will be lost. Film however retains details in the highlights quite well.

The images above were captured on Fuji Pro 400H film. This film is considered a 400 speed film. In other words, it is rated at 400 ISO. For the images above, I intentionally overexposed the film and rated it at 200 ISO. This brings out detail in the shadows while retaining the highlights due to the films latitude.

I also like the fact that anyone having their portrait taken in this situation does not have to wait on the photographer to set up lighting. It can be a much more pleasant experience.

Skin tones - One of the most important things to get right in portrait photography is skin tones. The images above were shot on Fuji Pro 400H film rated at 200 ISO. It has been my experience that portrait images captured with this method require very little if any touching up. Skin looks beautiful straight out of the camera. What do you think? Please feel free to comment.

I want to share a couple of other things I have discovered doing portraits with a film camera. First, it helps me be more engaged with my subject. I spend more time getting to know the person I am photographing and not looking at a screen on the back of my camera. Second, it slows me down and forces me to consider each shot more carefully. I have found that this increases the number of quality images in a shoot considerably.

I hope you enjoyed this series on the look of film. While film is more expensive and often more difficult, It is the method I prefer for most of my photography.

Mayflower Cafe

The Mayflower Cafe opened its doors in 1935. It is the oldest operating restaurant in Jackson, Mississippi. Mayflower Cafe is a downtown landmark and often featured in the works of area artists. We have a print of the Mayflower created by local artist Mark Millet hanging in our home.  The restaurant was featured in the movies Ghost of Mississippi and The Help. Their salad dressing was called the nation’s number one condiment by Maxim magazine. It was also featured on Food Networks “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.”

This year Mississippi had to deal with some major flooding because of all the rain. In an attempt to turn a negative into a positive, I decided to use the rain and create an image of a Jackson landmark. Sometimes we just have to embrace whatever comes our way.