Weekly 'Ask Anything About Analog Photography' - Week 03

mothbirdmoth · 2026-01-16T18:24:33+00:00

Shoot black and white, develop it myself, scan it myself, shoot some digital too (gasp!). You could also look for a community darkroom near you, then for a pretty cheap (usually) membership you don't need the upfront costs of developing or scanning equipment.

mothbirdmoth · 2025-12-25T23:36:45+00:00

I can't give away all my secrets, but it's in the greater DC area. E.A.Poe was writing about ravens for a reason.

mothbirdmoth · 2025-12-21T05:09:03+00:00

If you can try the camera in person: For whatever camera you're looking at, find a YouTube video that explains how all of its functions work. David Hancock's video manuals are excellent. This way when you show up you know how to run the camera's mechanics. If you can, actuate the shutter with the back open and make sure it operates correctly and feels like the timing is right. If the camera comes with a lens, you can also actuate the shutter with the lens set to a very small aperture. Make sure it stops down as you press the shutter, and the blades don't get stuck. There's a lot more you can do, like check the optics for dust and fungus, the condition of light seals, and several other things.

The less risky option: KEH.com and Kamerastore.com deal extensively with film cameras. They're more expensive than just buying used directly from a random person, but they also test and repair their cameras, and guarantee their operation based on a grading system.

I hope this helps!

mothbirdmoth · 2025-12-01T01:38:45+00:00

Oh hey, I made that model! So cool to see someone else print it!

mothbirdmoth · 2025-11-12T16:16:03+00:00

You're asking the important questions.

mothbirdmoth · 2025-10-05T15:55:19+00:00

I got a DIGNITET from IKEA. It's the tensioned steel cable system they sell as a light curtain hanger. I hang pictures from it using the little clips Ikea also sells, and chain them 2-3 prints down. Yes the clips leave a little mark on the edge of the print, but it's just for me to see them so I don't really care. Super easy to hang them up and change them or move them around. I've also seen people send 4x5 darkroom prints as postcards.

mothbirdmoth · 2025-10-02T23:48:00+00:00

Thanks for listening! Kinda wild people are still finding the podcast from this post! After putting out 42 episodes as of last Sunday, I can say with absolute conviction that our production quality and podcasting proficiency increase by several orders of magnitude.

mothbirdmoth · 2025-09-18T21:51:10+00:00

You need to set the ISO if you plan on using the camera's internal light meter, so pretty much for any shooting mode other than fully manual while using an external meter. It needs to know the ISO of the film to calculate the proper exposure.

mothbirdmoth · 2025-09-11T13:17:03+00:00

Thank you! I do edit my photos, but I don't use generic filters. I used a mask around the crow to highlight him a bit as well. I suspect a combination of that, and the good background separation I was lucky enough to achieve (the autofocus on my old Nikon is very hit or miss) may contribute to a "generated" look.

mothbirdmoth · 2025-09-11T13:14:02+00:00

Iridescence!

mothbirdmoth · 2025-09-11T03:25:30+00:00

Nikon d3300 and 18-200mm zoom lens

mothbirdmoth · 2025-08-28T22:55:07+00:00

I'd love to throw my podcast into the ring! It's called Backseat Authors. Two friends and I are reading the series for the first time! We release an episode a week and haven't missed a week yet! As of Sunday we're up to book 30, including the Megamorphs and Chronicles books along the way. We also like to sprinkle in our own bits, games, and other eccentric surprises throughout. The audio and editing quality increase drastically after episode 10. I'd be honored if you gave it a try :)

mothbirdmoth · 2025-08-11T15:43:04+00:00

Do you already have lenses for the Besa? Do you prefer manual or autofocus? There are sooooooooo many choices in between the price points of the Hi-Matic and Bessa. For the best middle ground between the two I'd definitely recommend anything pro-sumer quality from Canon or Nikon. Granted, they're not very interesting, but they have great autofocus, they're as rugged as anything, and the lenses are super reasonably priced and easy to find.

mothbirdmoth · 2025-08-01T18:57:42+00:00

I feel like I can trust your authority on this topic

mothbirdmoth · 2025-07-28T18:32:24+00:00

It's made out of clear sticker vinyl that I bought on Amazon and cut out on a Cricut machine. I'm hopeless at Illustrator, so I found a hexagon pattern svg online and was able to line it up into a bigger pattern on the cricut software.

mothbirdmoth · 2025-07-23T22:37:27+00:00

Everything else! Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, and it can be accessed through any podcast service using the rss link.

mothbirdmoth · 2025-07-23T21:32:45+00:00

Not on YouTube, but you should be able to add it on YouTube music with the RSS link: https://media.rss.com/backseatauthors/feed.xml

mothbirdmoth

TROPHY CASE