When I was a kid, it was the United States Air Force Thunderbirds that captured my imagination. Guess they still do! Photographed by me at the Reno Air Races 2019.
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Grafitti At Rock-A-Hoola
Some examples of the graffiti at Rock-A-Hoola, an abandoned waterpark east of Barstow in the Mojave Desert.
From a photo excursion in June 2018. Camera was a Fujifilm X-T1 using the Velvia film simulation. Lens was the Fujifilm XF 16-55 f/2.8.
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Rock-A-Hoola
Rock-A-Hoola, an abandoned waterpark, east of Barstow in the Mojave Desert. Built as a private resort in the 1950’s, opened to the public in 1962. Renovated and re-opened in 1998. In 1999 an employee using one of the slides into a partially empty pool became a paraplegic and was awarded $4.4 million in a payout. After various owners it closed for good in 2004.
From a photo excursion in June 2018. Camera was a Fujifilm X-T1 using the Velvia film simulation. Lens was the Fujifilm XF 16-55 f/2.8.
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Andy Summers – The Police
Jeff Dunas, the founder of the Palm Springs Photo Festival, kept announcing that we would have a surprise evening presenter back in 2009. A surprise it was, Andy Summers of the Police! Not only a rock star but a very talented photographer with a great eye for the moment.
It really was a great presentation that was a highlight of the all of the Palm Springs Photo Festivals I have attended since 2005. A part of his experience was something I often experience. Andy said he always had shot film but then decided to try digital. But he found that digital kind of left him empty and his photography went into a decline. He started with film again and Leica as I recall, and went back to his creativity and enthusiasm.
I got a copy of his book afterwards at the Festival party and talked with him briefly. I had him sign it to Rosie because she would have loved to have been there.
Yiddish Theatre Tickets 1956
The National Yiddish Theatre, built for Boris Thomashefsky, opened in 1912. Yiddish Theatres along Manhattan’s Lower East Side on 2nd Avenue brought cultural heritage and entertainment to the 1.5 million Eastern-European Jewish Immigrants at the turn of the century. The legacy of the Yiddish Theatre in music, motion pictures and American life reaches through the decades, even today.
My project about the Yiddish Theatre had it’s beginnings over a year ago but did not take hold until badly timed with our pandemic. However I continue to research and just acquired these actual theatre tickets from 1956.
The Leica Film Look
Going a different direction for some of my photography. Will be shooting some film in a Leica lllf camera. This camera was manufactured in 1952 or 1953. All manual and not even a light meter. I always loved the look of film shot in Leica cameras.
Velvia
Fujifilm Velvia has been one of my favorite films. Even when I shoot my Fujifilm X-Series digital cameras, I shoot RAW and Velvia film emulation. It was because of the photographs in this book that got me into it. I like the saturated colors and high contrast. And I will be shooting the film again too.
Walter Iooss is a long time photographer for Sports Illustrated. And the man who shot the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition for years.
Film Again
I always liked shooting film. Dwayne’s was the only film lab left still processing Kodachrome. I like many photographers saved our last rolls to get into Dwayne’s to be a small part of photography history.
Now in these changing times, I am going back to shooting some film for a change of pace and for the idea of going back to the history of photography. There is no more Kodachrome or Kodachrome processing but many films are in production and have been brought back in to production.
The 4th!
4th of July! I have to try this jumping out of an airplane soon.
Lomo Need Some Film
Sometimes I forget what I have. Have to get some film, I have not one roll left!
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