Winter Fields in the Palouse

This is another example of the fine detail and delicate tonal gradation possible with the combination of the f/6.3 Kodak Anastigmat and Ilford XP-2 film.  The Palouse is a vast rolling grassland in Southeastern Washington, formed from thousands of years’ accumulation of loess (windblown silt).  The rolling hills are now wheatfields dotted with farms and occasional herds of cattle.  The landscape has a beauty that changes with every season, from the delicate lines of winter stubble to the green of spring crops.

Autumn Leaves #1

Autumn Leaves #2

Autumn Leaves #3

Much as I love photography with vintage cameras, there is one thing that a roll film camera with a viewfinder doesn’t do very well: macrophotography, i.e., closeups.  These lovely images are, sorry to say, digital, and are here to illustrate what you can do when you can actually see the image on the film plane.  However, there are options that allow one to do excellent closeup work with vintage roll film cameras.  More of these are coming up in “Selecting a Vintage Camera” III and IV.   Keep checking in!

The Farm in the Palouse

The Palouse is a fascinating region of rolling hills of loess (windblown silt) carpeted with wheat fields and and dotted with old weathered farm buildings, located in southeastern Washington.  Carved through this undulating landscape are the canyons and gullies of the ice age deluge from Lake Missoula, culminating in the rugged moonscape around Palouse Canyon and the spectacular scenery of the Columbia Gorge.  These old buildings caught my eye as I navigated the winding highways of this region.  This was taken with my 1928 No. 1 Kodak on XP-2 at f/22.

The Pond in December

One cold December day, I found this partially frozen pond on the grounds of the Colorado Mining Museum just north of Colorado Springs.  Struck by the contrast of the dark water with the pale ice and the stark overhanging tree branches, I was able to obtain this image with my 1914 Kodak just before the light faded.  I think that it aptly conveys the mood of this bleak day.

Coming back from a photographic camping trip to the rolling wheat fields of the Palouse  region of  southeastern Washington, I found myself driving through miles of the much less lovely drylands country of the south central part of Coming back from a photographic camping trip to the rolling wheat fields of the Palouse  region of  southeastern Washington, I found myself driving through miles of the much less lovely drylands country of the south central part of the state.  After miles of bedraggled little towns and tumbleweeds, I came to the aptly-named community of Dusty, where I found this quaint store inhabiting an old Quonset hut.  I could not resist a shot with my 1928 No. 1 Kodak; this was taken at f/22 on Kodak XP-2.  Once again, the Anastigmat lens demonstrates its sharpness and ability to reproduce delicate tonal nuances.

Note:  “The Dustry Country Store” is now featured on the Palouse Scenic Byway web site; see http://www.palousescenicbyway.com/default.asp?PageID=17.