Babby's First Leica - A Camera Test:

"...So I have something for you."

I like it when stories start this way. I'll give you the cliff notes because many of the details aren't important. A co-worker of mine came into possession of a lot of camera equipment. I dug through it a few times to help him sort away anything that was too fungus ridden or broken. As payment, I walked away with a couple of neat lenses and that was that. Or so I thought. 

A few weeks later I went back to his house to help him with some computer problems. And he told me a few words that would make many photographers drool.

"For helping me out I'm going to give you this Leica" 

As much as I appreciated it, this isn't exactly a Leica worth bragging about. 

He followed it up by handing me a roll of film that has been expired since the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and told me to shoot it to see if it was any good. Below are those test shots. 

They aren't much to look at, mostly because I was trying to shoot through the roll as quickly as I could. But, that being said, for a cheap plastic camera, I'm pretty impressed. I had to do some smoothing out of the grain in lightroom (I'll show a raw scan below). But all in all, I'd consider the test mostly successful. 

Uncorrected: Note the more pronounced grain.

Adysen Alastor – 2016.

Adysen answered a call I put out on my Facebook page while booking for shoots. She had never been photographed professionally before but is in the process of setting up a new web-based project. 

We met up after she ended a day of work at her day job, and consequently only had about 30 minutes to shoot before we both lost light, and could possibly be arrested for trespassing in a city park. Even though we were fighting a losing battle against the sunset, I still think we were able to grab some interesting content for both of our portfolios. 

Estella – Tuxedo Mask – 2016.

Estella is another great individual I have been introduced to over the last year. Firstly while shooting makeup tests from earlier this summer, and then again during the Much Ado About Nerddom performance with Hysteria Machines a few weeks ago. 

She is an accomplished performer, cosplayer, and photographer, and I was more than stoked when she answered my call to arms looking for someone to shoot. Expect to see us working together much more in the future to document various costuming themed sessions. 

Model: Estella Zorn
Costuming: Pinky Shear
Mask: Estella Zorn

At the time of posting this entry, I also am in the process of working on some non-cosplay themed photos taken during the same session. I'll be posting those as a separate entry in the coming days. 

The Dragoncon 2016 Update! (Much Ado About Nerddom IV) – 08/31/2016.

So DragonCon may have ended yesterday (boo), and I wasn't able to make it this year (double boo), but at least I was given the chance to photograph a little something nerdy to make up for it.

(YES...Before you say anything, I'm a little late on this one. Narrowing things down took a little longer than I expected it would. Deal with it.)

Even though I received my last minute invite from Persephone of Hysteria Machines, big thanks for Dani for throwing the whole shindig and letting me hang around for a while snapping photos!

Next year, if you are planning on attending Con proper make sure you take some time out of your busy schedule to check out what Much Ado About Nerddom has to offer!

Hysteria Machines (Part 1 - Suicide Squad)

Julian Modugno (First of His Name, Queen of the Andals!)

Cosplay Contest

Hysteria Machines (Part 2 - Durmstrang)

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