Revisiting my old favorites with the Speed Graphic 4x5 camera.  This negative was cluttered with dust -- I must have done a particularly lousy job of loading the film sheet into the film back (but hey, you trying doing it in total darkness).  Still, I can't complain about the marvelous Optar 135mm f/4.7 lens, or the fact that the shutter speeds are spot-on 66 years after the camera was built.  And mind you, it's a completely manual shutter.  And let's take a moment to once again sing the praises of Kodak Ektar film.

Trying out my newest acquisition, a Pacemaker Speed Graphic (the same camera Joe Rosenthal used for his famous photo, Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima).  Mine was built in 1948.  Large format 4x5 sheet film.  Nicely beat up.  Everything works perfectly.  And boy howdy, that lens is a honey.

As you might imagine, I got a little wet right after I took this shot.

Shot with slow film (ASA 50) which seems to provide a slightly ethereal quality.

The sun was almost down, so I had to work fast -- no easy trick with an old 6x9 camera with no light meter.

I've spent far too much time inspecting tree trunks after a day of rain.

Suddenly, I was trapped in a Bergman film.