Bill Smith's Photography

Old Slides from the Archives I dug into the archives recently and re-scanned some material I shot four years ago during the Analog Photography Users Group Conference in Toronto. Over 300 hard core film photographers specializing in different subject areas descended down on Elevator Labs in Leaside for four days of seminars and workshops. I participated in the Sunrise and a day later street photography workshops, taking away a lot in terms of knowledge. I have landscape photographer Robert Teague to thank for enlightening me to the joys of Fuji Velvia 100. I shot with an Olympus OM-1 for the whole conference and the Epson V500 does wonders in scanning the slides. The rusty truck was shot at the Distillery District and the remaining photos were taken at Humber Bay Park way too early in the morning in May 2006.

I had an "aha" moment over the past few days in an urban night photography workshop I helped out with, John Callow was the facilitator and it was done through Elevator Labs. I figured out colour imaging, first box speeds on colour c-41 negative film is wildly optimistic, rate it in half, two long exposures rule at night. Well I know the second part to be true from prior night adventures. I also learned to meter properly and understand the weaknesses and strenghs of both the film and digital media. I gave my Olympus OM-1 a good workout and used Fuji Pro 160s as my film of choice. I had no idea what I was going to get and I was blown away at the results. I am still trying to wrap my brain around the 3-d feel of the one hour photo prints.