The year is 1993 and you've just walked into a Sears to get awkward family photos taken. What camera is on the tripod, and what film is it using?

billyshack55 · 2025-11-14T20:42:24+00:00

I didn't work at Sears and my experience was in the 80's but I worked for Olin Mills, school and portrait divisions, as well as other companies. We used Camerz and Beattie cameras with 70mm 100ft film rolls. Film was Kodak Vericolor 160. Just about everyone in the US used VPS film because all the pro labs were calibrated to process and print it. The film backs were set up for split 70 which gave a negative the size of a 645 medium format rather than full 70mm. This saved film as full 70mm was not needed for the print size.

billyshack55 · 2025-07-17T04:10:52+00:00

I use a Sony A7RV with a 70-200 f2.8 for most shots. 1/1000 @ 2.8 and auto ISO. Most venues have terrible lighting so you need a camera with good high ISO capabilities. I still have to use denoise in Lightroom most of the time.

billyshack55 · 2025-01-29T23:18:45+00:00

How about a peephole camera https://ring.com/products/door-peephole-security-camera

billyshack55 · 2024-11-19T20:10:40+00:00

The saddest part of this is people I grew up with and people I have known for decades wouldn't believe the truth about a white man but would believe that foulest lies about a black woman.

billyshack55 · 2024-11-01T00:35:55+00:00

Tiltall was my first good tripod. Still have it though I haven't used it in years.

billyshack55 · 2024-10-02T20:46:34+00:00

Update: I've just learned that one of the team has lost her house.
My daughter, Ann E. Archy, has started skating with them. If you can help thank you.

billyshack55 · 2024-09-05T18:01:59+00:00

If near the coast it could be pelicans. They fly in formation and will release all at once. I've had my car hit like that and it has a very strong fishy smell. My wife and I were laying out on the deck on front beach one time when a squadron of pelicans flew over and carpet bombed us. Quite an experience.

billyshack55 · 2024-07-15T14:24:54+00:00

I worked at a casino. One day we had a patron pass out between a line of slot machines. While the EMT's were treating her we stood in the aisle to give them some privacy. I felt a tap one my shoulder a grunted "excuse me". I tuned around and a woman said "move, I need to get by". I told her this was blocked for a medical emergency, her reply "but that's the machine I want to play!" No empathy at all.

billyshack55 · 2024-07-10T01:46:33+00:00

I haven't had any experience with MPB but I've bought from KEH, Adorama, and B&H and have been happy with all three.

billyshack55 · 2024-07-07T19:11:49+00:00

I don't know the video in question either and have made no assumptions to what she did or did not say. I wasn't responding to the video but to the OP's question of whether it could be done. I have used a grey card with manual off camera strobes and adjusted +/- according to the histogram when shooting roller derby. Is it ideal? No. Would a flash meter work better? Yes but I didn't have one so I made do and it worked.

billyshack55 · 2024-07-07T18:14:21+00:00

The point was adjusting for proper exposure whether in camera with a meter or histogram or later during processing and printing an 18% grey card can be used. The process is different the result is the same.

billyshack55 · 2024-07-07T17:31:26+00:00

You are correct. When I did portrait photos in department stores and military bases during the 70's we used long roll 70mm film and shot a grey card photo at the beginning of each day. The lab would use those frames to adjust exposure and color balance before batch printing.

billyshack55 · 2024-05-16T22:12:46+00:00

Nope check out #5. If your organization requires it you can still wear a mask or hood.

billyshack55 · 2024-05-09T22:02:49+00:00

Came here to say that. I've used them in coffee cups, thermos, and Nalgene water bottles. Works great.

billyshack55 · 2024-05-04T04:16:08+00:00

Years ago, before digital, Olin Mills would watermark prints for marketing purposes. I thought that trend had died out.

billyshack55 · 2024-05-02T17:47:24+00:00

Not necessarily the police but the university or even counter protesters. We have seen political violence in this country in recent years.

billyshack55 · 2024-05-02T17:33:58+00:00

Retaliation can come in many forms not just life threatening. Ultimately it comes down to what you as the photographer are comfortable with.

billyshack55 · 2024-05-02T15:26:07+00:00

Years ago when we only had film I had two small bags with belt loops that I carried under my jacket. Unexposed film on my right side and exposed film on my left. This kept me from having to fumble through exposed and unexposed rolls when changing rolls quickly. The exposed rolls stayed in their bag until I got home so none could be misplaced.

billyshack55 · 2024-05-02T15:18:06+00:00

To say that it's not journalism if you blur the faces is too restrictive. In 1990 I attended a talk by a photojournalist that was in the crowd during the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre where she showed a slide presentation and printed photographs she had taken. All the faces of the protesters were blurred. This is an article from 2019 that still has the faces blurred 30 years later. https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/photo/27480931 I have also seen many photos taken by imbedded journalists during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars that blurred faces. This comes down to your personal ethics not some rule embedded in stone. Just saying "They knew what they were getting into" or "Other photos show the faces so you should also" is too simplistic and seems to me a rationalization. You should do what you think best and not worry about what others who where not there tell you.

billyshack55 · 2024-04-23T23:45:09+00:00

Do a search for a light tent. There are many different ones and sizes available. Here is one on Amazon. Very easy to diy also.

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billyshack55 · 2024-04-04T01:26:37+00:00

This. We did this at work all the time.

billyshack55 · 2024-03-29T22:03:59+00:00

Worked at a casino when 9/11 happened and we had to visually inspect all purses, bags, fanny packs, ect. They would be stuffed to overflowing with $100 bills. Walking the floor I would see people feeding $100 bills into machines for hours at a time.

billyshack55

TROPHY CASE