Bill Smith's Photography

I'm a sucker for Minolta SRT models. Recently I was gifted an SRT 101 by my friend Alex Montagano of Restore Montreal  , it was an early 1970s version  with the chrome shutter speed dial. I put it aside for a while because I couldn't get the battery cover off. With some improvisation I managed to get the cover off and thankfully no corrosion. I popped a battery with an MR-9 adapter the meter fired up, a little jumpy on occasion but she's reasonbly accurate for black and white or colour negative film. College St. in Little Italy was the backdrop for this test run. My new to me Minolta SRT 101 works pretty good. I was smart to pack a handeld light meter just in case, and I shot Rollei RPX 400 near box speed at 320 for shadow detail. I had no light leaks which is great and the shutter speeds seam accurate. Camera: Minolta SRT 101, MC Rokkor lenses. Film: Rollei RPX 400, HC110 B.

I haven't really hiked Forks of the Credit Provincial Park for a couple of years now due to increasing popularity but we were lucky it was pretty quite for a nice Sunday morning. Now rolling into Belfountain for lunch, that tiny hamlet becomes tourist town on the weekends. I could not believe how busy it now gets, mostly people visiting Belfountain Conservation Area (thank you Blog TO). Afterward we stopped by GoodLot Farmstead Brewing and relaxed in the beer garden. I have reviewed a few of their beers for the Craft Beer Diaries , I can't recommend them enough as not only is it a brewery, they also grow their own hops. It's worth the drive up. Camera: Mamiya C220F, Sekor 80 f2.8 lens. Film: Bergger Pancro 400, HC110 B.

I made it back up to Forks of the Credit a few weeks back with my friend and fellow photographer  Dana Kayes, it was her first hike inside the park and we made our way through the entrance through Brimstone. The camera of choice was my trusty Mamiya C220F TLR I wanted big negs with this trip and wound up shooting a couple of rolls of Bergger Pancro 400 which is fast become my favourite 400 ISO black and white film. I think though over time I should have rolled with one of my Rolleiflexes. Hindsight they say is 20/20. I'm waiting to see Dana's photos from this hike, you can find her portfolio here , she's only been shooting just under a year on her late mom's Nikon F. Dana shoots similar subject matter I do but I love how she approaches the subject  composing the photograph.  I look forward to further photo outings with her, I enjoy Dana's company. Camera: Mamiya C220F, Sekor 80 F2.8 lens, Sekor 55 F4.5 lens. Film: Bergger Pancro 400, HC110 B. ...

Spring is taking its time this year, and with all that snow from this past winter and the rain in April and May, there is the return of "Once a Century"flooding now every two years. What makes for great photography raises questions on should we dropping a ton of money to repair shoreline parks when we should be maybe re-landscape to take into account higher spring water levels are here to stay in the Great Lakes region and along the St. Lawerence River. I also gave my minolta lens kit a workout using eveything from tele photo zooms to 28mm wide angles to a 50mm Macro lens. I also want to keep the Minolta MC/MD lens mount system below the radar just a little bit longer, there are a few more peices I want before prices can go into the stratosphere like everything else. This is the second roll of film I've shot through with the SRT 200, part of me wants to trade the camera in for a SRT 202 I know that's out there. I'm on the fence. If the 202 is still where it i...

Queen St. West, a street both timeless, yet evolved beyond all recognition at the same time.... Camera: Leica M4-2, Canon 50 f1.8 LTM lens. Film: Rollei RPX 400, HC110 B.