Yearly Archives: 2016
Zerschmetter im Frieden
While sorting through my folders, I found a picture I took last summer …
A double exposure blending a train station and one of Vienna’s flak towers. I kind of gave up on using my old Rolleicord after a few test rolls, as the camera was in desperate need of some repairs, upgrades, and general tinkering. The picture comes from my first test run after I got the camera, proving that the setup was capable of producing proper images after all.
But hacking and tinkering was still required, so I disassembled and cleaned the camera. And when all the new parts were acquired and the camera was back in one piece again, summer was gone. Freshly renovated, the camera sat on my shelf for a few months looking pretty – and waiting for better light.
Spring is in the air. There is sun. And enough light for daylight film, even in ancient cameras.
Now that my Rolleicord Art Deco even has a customized polarizer, it might be time to get it out again and start shooting.
bathing in sawdust
This week, I had to get some paperwork in order, so I travelled home. I also visited my friend Rudi and his turning lathe, and we set out to make little pedestals for some of the tiny little succulents in my collection. They do not seem to get enough light sitting in their tiny pots with all the bigger plants being in the way. So I thought maybe making a few little stands might just be the thing.
The piece of wood in the top picture is the first thing I actually turned myself without help – I even made the (square) piece of wood round all by myself. It took a few hours, but I think in the end handling the tools was starting to feel alright. I didn’t even manage to poke out one of my eyes, and I still have the same number of fingers I started with! It’s a very successfull week, this week.
Considering there was no weather today, spending the day bathing in sawdust in someone’s windowless basement was probably a good choice. And my plants now (almost) have something to sit on to get them closer to the sun. If I get around to painting the pieces and the sun decides to come out again at some point, that is.
Anyways. After I spent forever to make 3 wooden things, Rudi made one as well. Surprisingly, it did not take forever. And because one cannot possibly turn wood and take pictures at the same time, I documented how he made his piece:
I contributed by drawing the sketch and being annoying.
We also found an ugly little wood worm. Poor thing used to live in one of the logs that we were working on, so it had to go.
Graz.
So I was trying out Lomo 800 film. And I like the colours.
But wow. It is so incredibly grainy. It’s impossible to get even close to a proper black with that film. I mean I guess it could be considered “romantic” or something? But even if I did not want much in terms of saturation, I still want the colours to be slightly more even. Oh well.
I shot half of the film at “my” train station, and it kind of worked there – but I’m still a bit sad that I wasted a day with the best lightning ever on this film. Because “kind of worked” means that the saturation and colours are alright, but the graininess still sucks :P
But I do love the street lights at Jakominiplatz (above).
purple. red. hat.
I knit another hat, and it’s actually wearable!
As per the recipient’s request, it is really warm and I am quite happy to have found red yarn to perfectly match their hair.
The two-coloured brioche creates a really thick, squishy fabric and the folded up brim adds an extra layer around the ears. And while the stitches could have been a bit more even, I think it’s not too bad for my second knitting project ever.
