Firewallbill

@fadedphotos

So many careers: photography, tech, Navy. Back to photography and it all blends together.

204 Folgt292 Follower227 Posts

Bluesky

amateur

Ist das dein Profil?Übernimm es — dann gehört dir fadedphotos.dirty.social.Profil übernehmen

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· 16d

Wupatki National Monument, Arizona When visiting national monuments a certain mood settles in. You can feel the history. It’s more than rocks, plants, and skies. Feel the totality. People made homes here, lived, and passed on. Infrared to capture the deep mood. #wupatkinationalmonument #arizona

One of the things I like about full spectrum is the ability to capture mood as I feel it. The limits of the visible are bypassed. The ethereal becomes visible.

Pentax KF full spectrum, Pentax DA 15mm limited. ISO 1000 for 1/1000 at f10. IR 720nm filter.

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· 16d

Such a cute tummy! #tummytuesday

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· 17d

Bird of the Day framed by green. He doesn’t seem happy about it. Maybe he isn’t a fan of paparazzi? #birdoftheday #barbados #penta_us

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· 17d

What the Bee Sees Beautiful bright yellow Coreopsis - in ultraviolet - turns silky white Often UV photography produces surprising results. Here in Katy in particular the results for the same subject can vary day by day. Atmospheric challenges! #coreopsis #wildflower #ultraviolet #pentax_us #macro

Doing some research on ultraviolet (I love full spectrum photography) a suspicion was confirmed. Houston has lousy air - pollution, haze, smoke from Mexican crop burning, dust from Africa, humidity. Yuck.
This results in very unpredictable full spectrum photography, particularly UV. UV is heavily affected by atmosphere. On a transpacific cruise I found the shots from near the equator were nothing like those from Houston!
This particular one was taken with my KF full spectrum Pentax and trusty Pentax 35mm macro - the best UV and IR lens I have. It was surprisingly bright. The air must have been good that day!

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· 17d

Mushrooms on a Tree Our greenbelt here in Katy, Texas has a number of trees that are at the end of their life. Due to severe storms, ice, and drought we have had a lot of them damaged. Mushrooms are popping out here. #mushroom #tree #bark #KatyTexas #Lifecycle #Pentax_US

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· 17d

Life The full life cycle of Indian blanket in one shot! Bud just ready to bloom, full glory, older flower, and seed pod. Spring in Katy, Texas is glorious. Indian blankets, bluebonnets, coreopsis, sunflowers, crimson clover. Spectacular! #wildflowers #spring #pentax_us #KatyTexas #indianblanket

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· 22d

Tree from the beach in Aruba. The storms and wind twist and shape these trees over the years. The bark shows gnarling, and the roots are twisted every which way. Trees are tough! For fun and to capture the mood, this was shot in ultraviolet with my full-spectrum camera. #pentax_us #aruba #tree #uv

Ultraviolet shot using Pentax KF full spectrum and UV filter. Pentax 35mm macro limited. Sunny, bright, tropical day!

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· 23d

Nothing Frivolous about Fritillaries This gulf fritillary is enjoying a zinnia in Jefferson, Texas. Jefferson has a public downtown garden with wonderful flowers, spring to fall that attract all manner of bees and butterflies. #gulffritillary #butterfly #insect #pollinator #jeffersontexas #pentax_us

Shot last fall, this butterfly is one of many that were sampling the flowers in late September. Jefferson has antique stores, BBQ, and great Christmas lights. It’s a charming town.
Pentax K3 III and Pentax 100mm macro ED AW.

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· 25d

Our beautiful FSU Coed “restored” from a monochrome shot. This is a clever technique Luminar Neo has - it’s an interesting effect. Original from the 1970’s. #coed #fsu #floridastateuniversity #beautiy #girl #portrait #colorized #experimental #blonde #pentax_us #spotmaticf #tallahassee

Luminar Neo has the ability to “restored” a monochrome - either scratches / dust, color, or a combination of both. It’s an AI process, so it sort of tries to figure out what things should look like.

For badly damaged photos and negatives, it’s right about 50% of the time and sometimes just magical.

For color from monochrome, portraits seem to work in a greyscale -> sepia tone fashion. It’s an interesting effect!

This original negative was badly faded - it’s 50 years old this year. Shot on Ilford Pan F and processed in Accufine, some of the frames were in great shape, others faded. Why? I have no idea what happened frame-to-frame. Did I have fingerprints on them from way back then? I guess no one will ever know! But this came out very well in my opinion as an experiment.

This went from Luminar Neo -> Radiant -> Capture One for final touches.

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· 25d

“Did you remember the shrimp?” Mr. Gannet returning home on Cape Kidnapper’s New Zealand. Cold, windy day in March #gannet #capekidnappers #newzealand #flight #windy

Cold, windy, hazy day!
There are thousands upon thousands of these gannets on Cape Kidnappers. It’s a major nesting and breeding site.
Shooting is challenging because, like this day in March, winds can be 45+ knots with a cold wind. The birds are well adapted. They are strong fliers capable of 60 mph dives and go deep in the ocean to catch fish.
If you are in New Zealand it’s well worth a trip!
Pentax K3 III with Pentax 55-300 PLM at 108mm. ISO 800 for 1/1600 at f6.3.

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· 27d

Peanuts! The food of Kings and Presidents! This young squirrel firmly believes peanuts beat cashews, sunflower seeds, and bird seed. From our greenbelt this week. Of course, a dozen of his scurry came to assist in the feast. #easaterngraysquirrel #peanunts #squirrel #wildlife #pentax_us #katytx

The rains have moved on and the heat is here in Harris County, Texas. The best time to catch a lot of the wildlife is early morning, this was shot right at sunrise. The squirrels are all out looking for snacks. Peanuts are preferred. The Texas Roadhouse peanuts are a “crowd favorite”. Pentax K1 II and Pentax 60-250 DA*. Hot, humid, but worth it!

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· 29d

Mr. White Wing Dove is polite in his requests. As befits the Bird of Peace he bows & requests his selection politely. Naturally I'm bringing out fresh seed. It’s been weeks of heavy rain requiring extra seed. Early morning. #whitewingdove #peace #backyardgarden #pentax_us #birdofpeace #wildlife

This is pushing the K1 II to its limits. Very early misty dawn light, ISO 16000 and hazy light. However, it came out! I use the K1 II mostly for macro & landscape and the Pentax K3 III for wildlife. But I was coming back from macro shot work and just happened to have this setup. It worked! You go with what you have when wildlife are available.

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jul 13

The Eyes Some of my favorite portraits are all about the eyes. In this case, the lovely girl who modeled for me in the 70’s in Orlando had beautiful green eyes. Captivating! Orlando botanical garden. #portrait #greeneyes #orlando #mood #beauty #girl #smile #pentax_us

This is another of the amazing amateur models I worked with in the ‘70’s. This series was just for fun. She was a friend of a friend who worked at the same store. I spotted her from the captivating smile and eyes. Just a perfect girl-next-door model.
Pentax Spotmatic F, Pentax 85mm f1.8 SMC Takumar. Kodak Vericolor-S.

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jul 13

"Make Sure You Get My Good Side" The nice thing about shooting in Houston in early mornings is critters are not so shy. This checkered skipper on an Indian blanket seed bud is an example. He was quite willing to let me get in for a closeup as long as it was his good side! #pentax #butterfly #macro

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jul 9

Eyes In the early 70’s we were experimenting with subtractive lighting / dark umbrella techniques. In the forests around FSU there were some excellent locations to practice. A patient model, good lighting, and a cool November afternoon produced excellent results. #coed #portraits #fsu #pentax_us

This is another attempt at restoration of some 5 decade old film. Most of the Ilford Pan F negatives are OK, some are faded, others show mold damage. This is one of my favorite poses from that day and showcases the model’s gorgeous eyes and ability to project mood and expression. She was truly a delight to work with.
Subtractive lighting involves removing sunlight from above and posing the model in what amounts to shade. The goal is to light the face without flash or artificial light. It was a tremendous challenge, but avoided the awkwardness of using flash in the days when all you had was 1/60 sync speed to work with and no ability to see the results until you processed the film!
Pentax Spotmatic F, Pentax SMC Takumar 85mm f1.8. Ilford Pan F, Accufine developer.

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jul 8

Landing Checkered List Complete! Checkered skipper landing on a coreopsis. I was lucky, supremely lucky, to catch this butterfly just before it landed. On our greenbelt in a recent early-morning shoot. #checkeredskipper #butterfly #greenbelt #coreopsis #wildlflower #pollinator #pentax_us #katytx

How much of wildlife and nature photography is luck? A lot, I’d say! And patience. Sometimes things happen right in front of you, like this. You have to be there, ready, and just like this nature decides to give you a good one.

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jul 8

Breakfast on the Greenbelt Our friendly squirrel is enjoying some cashews, courtesy of a surplus at home. We found cashews are a fan favorite! Pentax K1 II with Pentax 60-250 and Pentax 1.4x converter for 350mm. Early morning. #pentax_us #pentax_da60250 #cashews #wildlife #katytx #nature

We had a bunch of cashews delivered in an open bag. Either shipping ripped it open, or a hungry delivery driver enjoyed some. At any rate, I wasn’t going to eat them….. but the squirrels on our greenbelt love them!

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jul 6

BFF What a wonderful place FSU was in the ‘70’s. For a starving student making it with photography, it was a warm, welcoming place with some awesome coeds willing to help out with portrait practice. These two lovely girls were roommates. #vintage #coed #fsu #tallahassee #monochrome #beauty #pentax

The foreground girl helped with several modeling sessions testing lighting for portrait work. The group I was working with did mostly event photography using a lab in Oklahoma City. We were pioneers for candid party, graduation stage, portrait, and other types of events. We developed a “subtractive lighting” system for work outdoors as controlled flash was impractical with the then technology. Models like this made it possible by allowing us to practice. Here the charming girls are hamming it up!

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jul 5

Egret sheltering in storm drain, Katy, Texas. This time of year we get frequent afternoon storms, heat indexes above 110 F, and even the waterfowl like some shade. #egret #waterfowl #shelter #storm #wildlife #pentax_us

Driving back from Katy I had my camera setup with the Pentax 60-250 DA* and Pentax 1.4x teleconverter. That combination is amazingly sharp.

I passed a storm drain between two retention ponds and this egret was just chilling. I turned around and found a place to park. I don’t normally go for silhouette but loved the natural frame.

It’s an old but true saying: you can’t take the picture if you don’t have the camera!

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jun 29

Napoleon is grumpy….. He’s upset the greenbelt squirrels got cashews the other day and he didn’t. Apparently Squirrel Internet is a thing and word gets around. I’m Sorry! #pentax_us #pentaxk3mkiii #pentax_da300 #squirrel #grumpy #jealous #angry #humor #katytx

Squirrel Internet is Fast and Scurrilous. No sooner had I shared some cashews than our backyard family (Napoleon is dad) got very upset with me. I’ll try to make amends.

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jun 28

Old Pointe Venus Lighthouse Tahiti Ultraviolet shot of this remarkable lighthouse. Lighthouses were essential to navigation for millennia. The lighthouse of Alexandria, estimated to be over 300 feet tall, was constructed in 280 BC. #pentax_us #pointevenus #Tahiti #ultraviolet #monument

Today automated buoys and lights help guide sailors. We frequently used visual ranges to ancient lights, buildings, terrain features to confirm navigation going to and from ports. In San Diego, California the Hotel Coronado had a roof point perfect for navigation!

Pentax KF full spectrum with Kolari UV filter. Pentax 35mm macro limited. ISO 2000 for 1/400 at f9.

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jun 26

Joy! This happy squirrel is glad I brought cashews to the greenbelt this morning. I was struck straight to the heart when I got home and saw his expression in detail. Our animal friends do have a range of emotions, including happiness. #squirrel #joy #cashew #happiness #katytx #pentax_us #wildlife

I’ve been feeding some of the squirrels on our greenbelt with sunflower seeds and scattering bird seed. Today I tried some cashews. This is the “brave one” who usually comes out first.
The cashews puzzled him; he circled, dithered, looked, pawed for 15 minutes as I patiently sat waiting. Finally he tried a cashew - the results speak for themselves!

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jun 24

Birds and bokeh: A beautiful gannet at the Cape Kidnappers sanctuary on New Zealand #gannet #birdsandbokeh #wildlife #waterfowl #newzealand #birds #bokeh

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jun 23

Sometimes you just have to flap your wings! #egret #greategret #waterfowl #katytx #pentax_us #bird #flight

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jun 23

This curious fly is an “incidental pollinator”. It’s not a house fly, it’s a different Genus. In cooler climates, flies are more important than butterflies and bees and more “traditional” insect pollinators. That’s not here in Houston… #fleshfly #pollinator #macro #rainlily #pentax #macro #katytx

The tiny flower is a rain lily. The fly is preparing to, well, fly.
Technically, this was a VERY challenging shot as the insects move fast, focus is tricky, the camera I was using is known as super for landscapes, flowers, etc. but very difficult for fast subjects. The macro lens is tricky to focus fast, and on top of that it’s early morning and a 1.4x telephoto multiplier on it to get subject separation on the flower from the ground about 2 inches away. But, it worked! The detail was everything I was looking for.
Cute fly.

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jun 22

No Black Eyes Our greenbelt had black-eyed Susan’s for a week or so, a hundred yard strip, and I was lucky enough to catch them in bloom in between rainstorms. Shot with Pentax K1 II and Pentax 100mm macro ED AW - with 1.4x teleconverter. #pentax_us #blackeyedsusan #wildflower #summer #flowers

I suspect some seed escaped and washed down to the greenbelt, giving us these glorious blooms!
Katy, Texas

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jun 22

Impossible to Duplicate Today The right photo is the original, shot on Kodak monochrome infrared. I tossed it over to Luminar Neo on a whim to restore. The results stunned me. The gorgeous COED was a friend. #pentax_us #infrared #coed #floridastateuniversity #luminarneo #colorized #vintage #retro

The original was shot on Kodak monochrome infrared in the ‘70’s on a Pentax Spotmatic F with Kodak 87C written filter, Pentax 85mm SMC Takumar. Laborious to load and process, much less shoot. The gelatin effect gives it a dreamy quality that Luminar carried forward when it ‘restored’ the shot! Novatron studio lights.

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jun 22

Accuracy These mourning doves in Barbados fly in and out of these sharp thorn tangles with great ease. It’s amazing to watch how they navigate the tangle. The thorns are surgically sharp. I know. #mourningdove #barbados #wildlife #bird #skill #pentax_us

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jun 21

So satisfying to make them happy. Ever since I was a child I loved feeding animals: ducks, swans, the zoo, now squirrels. This little fellow was being bullied so I put some seed on this crotch he was resting on. Such happiness! #pentax_us #easterngraysquirrel #squirrel #happiness #wildlife #katytx

On my daily walks I feed squirrels (and the occasional bird). In particular they love sunflower seeds almost as much as peanuts!
This squirrel “scurry” (a term for a group) has a bully older squirrel who chases the young away. This little one was in a tree crotch eyeball-to-eyeball with me. I put some seed on it, and the branch. He came right back and looked for all the world like his dreams came true!
Pentax K1 II with Pentax DA* 60-250.

Firewallbill@fadedphotos· Jun 21

Some red beak for the theme of the day! An Egyptian goose working its way across the river. Minheim Germany. He was in the company of some swans. #Pentax #pentax_us #egyptiangoose #waterfowl