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Author Archives: jakemessenger
Lyon
We went to Lyon for my father’s 75th birthday, and–like father, like son–we wandered around taking photos. Here are some taken with the Fuji X100, the B&W images processed in MacPhun’s Tonality app which is rather good.
(Annoyingly, I put that together in ViewBook, and WordPress doesn’t support iFrames… Siiiiiigh)
Colour in Roussillon
Gallery
This gallery contains 8 photos.
Feels like I’ve not shot anything new with my Polaroid cameras for a while (I’m often out and about with my Fuji X100, but don’t seem to be posting that – perhaps that’ll change). However, I went to France in … Continue reading
Instant Lab – What’s In The Box?
Most if not all of the original Kickstarter supporters should have received their Instant Labs by now, so it’s now our job to convince everybody else in the world to buy one. So to that end, here is some unboxing…
It’s a lovely box, with a slip cover. But what is inside?
Oh my! A classy spot-varnished logo. Let’s lift the lid…
Hello!
So what’s under the Lab?
Fancy charger to the left, and a welcoming pack of leaflets to the right…
It’s mutual!
That’s my photo!!!!!
Also in the box is a pouch for carrying it in, manual, a postcard frame, and a stand card.
The Impossible Project understands, like Apple, that opening the box is an important part of the experience, an event in itself. It’s not just some shrink-wrapped plastic for you to cut your hands on; it’s a journey into the ownership of the product, a building of anticipation. Fun!
But does it work?
Seems to work just fine…
Instant Lab – Do Not Adjust Your Set
Hey, here’s a heads up for all you Instant Lab fans: make sure the tower is raised all the way, so you can count five segments…
Poseidon without my glasses on
My test unit had a slightly sticky final segment, so I thought it was telescoped all the way. I was about to contact the Impossible Project and tell them they’d sent me a lemon, but I decided to sleep on it. A bit more force on it the next day, and out popped the final segment. Glad I kept it to myself – wouldn’t like anyone finding out my user error! (You won’t tell anyone, right?)
Five Segments!
To be fair, this sort of thing is exactly what the test process is for – the guys who make them know that there’s meant to be five segments showing, and now the instructions make it clear. Also, my production unit which arrived last week, is silky smooth in its action.
The Impossible Instant Lab Beta Test
In April, I was asked if I would like to beta test one of the new Instant Labs, play with it and discover wrinkles before mass-production and release. Sounded like a good idea, and in early May, I took receipt of one, unit number I106
First impressions: it is a thing of beauty. It feels good and solid, and I love the application of the branding. Particularly cool is the embossed removable top, to keep dust off the lens. And the logo on the USB cable. Mmmmm… Detail….
Using it is very straightforward, as long as you follow the instructions. Over the days of use, the app kept being updated, and the released version is very clear – it even includes a video of what to do.
So here are some results and some thoughts…
One of the first things that got me on board with the Kickstarter funding was realising “it doesn’t just have to be iPhone photos – the iPhone is the medium for getting the image onto the film”. This got me excited as I had been dithering about it, worrying that while the iPhone camera is great, I don’t always take my best images with it. Not feeling restricted to the iPhone’s camera opened it up for me, and in to my library I went. These examples originated on iPhone, Fuji X100, Rolleiflex, and Polaroid cameras…
Poseidon
Original taken with a Fuji X100, and processed through Silver Efex. Printed on PX600 film.
Albert Memorial
Straight from an iPhone pic. Gives a good idea of how PX600 responds to the colour.
In Flight
PX680.
Senate House
Originally taken with my 1948 Rolleiflex on Fuji film. Starting image doesn’t need to be digital…
Sumo
Original taken with a Nikon D90 and 50mm lens.
Lille
Wellington Arch
Fuji X100
London Eye
Original taken with Hipstamatic (can’t remember the filter)
Canary Wharf
This one is being used in the leaflet included with the Instant Lab!
Finally, and why not, here is the first image I took with my first pack of the first Impossible Project film, scanned, sent to iPhone and projected through the lens of the first Impossible Project imaging device. Circularity.
Daffodils
Some conclusions…
Fun! It’s very straightforward to use, and you get into the rhythm of it quickly: set the picture, place the iPhone on the tower, pull out the slide when the light comes on, close it after the click, press the button. The frog tongue keeps the image protected, and you can leave it in place for a while to help the image develop.
Using the Lab is a new experience. It’s not like taking a picture with a camera: you’re not using it to frame and make choices, because you’ve already done that. But it’s not like just printing something with your computer, because it’s much more physical than that. It has more similarities for me to when I studied photography in the 90’s at the London College of Printing, and we had automated developing systems where you put the exposed paper in a slot in a darkroom, and after a couple of minutes the dry print would emerge out the other end.
And as with any new way of making images, you start to think of how to use the device to its strengths. Don’t expect a straight, Polaroid-framed duplicate of what’s on your iPhone screen – that’s what your regular printer is for. This is a way to explore the individuality of the Impossible films, how it works with colour, light and contrast. And then start selecting images and shooting images for the Lab, think of it as an extension of your photographic process. It will be fascinating to see how people explore the possibilities this new printing process throws up.
To follow: when testing goes wrong, and unboxing the shipping product (it’s beautifully packaged…)
‘Roid Week 2013
Another ‘Roid Week has come and gone. It was a hot one, in fact too hot for this Englishman’s sensibilities, so I didn’t wander in my lunch breaks after getting a bit pink and shiny on Tuesday. My brain felt a bit sautéed all week, not sure I played my A game (or similar sporting analogy I don’t fully understand).
Anyway, here they are:
Monday
Wellington arch is on my way to and from work. The Black frame was beautifully shielded with a darkslide, which fell out as I pressed the shutter. Result: horses rising from the mists. The Spectra shot of the corner shows what temperatures in the high 20’s (mid 80’s fahrenheit) do with Impossible colour film: they scare away the blues!
Tuesday
These two shots were taken on Monday, using my untrusty Automatic 250. It’s had problems firing blank shots, the shutter not going off properly, so I recently replaced the battery holder with one which takes 3 AAAs, and re-soldered various bits. Doesn’t seem to have helped – of the five shots I took, only these two appeared, the others being almost nothing except a dark ghost of the subject. Grrr.
Incidentally, these are two different packs of Chocolate film – the building has grey backing and curls in around the image, the wildebeest has white backing, and curls away from the image. The first one has much better contrast. Interesting…
Wednesday
St-Mary-le-Strand church, in the middle of The Strand, near the river. This was the boiling hot Tuesday, and when I got back to work, it was like someone emptied a bottle of warm salty water on my head. Very attractive.
I’d not been to this church before, and it’s very near where I’ve been working for nearly three years. Must explore more on my lunch hours.
Thursday
Keeping with images taken the day before posting, these two of Green Park were on my ride to work at 7.30 in the morning. The film and I are more appreciative of the cooler temperatures. Cycling through the dappled light of the plane trees, looking through the haze of the park is a pleasure.
Also, I appear to have deliberately allowed a person into one of my images. Must be the heat.
Friday
Columns. The Royal Society’s building is very smart, and the golden morning light is lovely.
And I thought I’d better get the Holgaroid out. St-Martins-in-the-Fields looks like it could have been taken any time since the dawn of photography (except that until about 30-40 years ago, it would have been thick with the black soot that covered all the old buildings).
So there it is. Do visit the ‘Roid Week pool of over 3000 images, and thanks again to the amazing * cate * and gardengal for organising it.
