Downtown Film

Chicago, IL

I had not shot BW film for awhile, nor the Minolta X-700.  Figured a trip to the Leica store would be a good opportunity to do so.  This is a small collection of photos from the day.

Minolta X-700 | 28mm | Ilford HP5+ | ISO 400

MD Minolta Celtic 28mm  F2.8

All Photographed 8/15/26

Downtown Film

Kenn Cook Jr.

Painted Camera

Top Of The Tower

Where Are All The People?

Façades

Porto, Portugal

A small sampling of facades from around the city.

Leica M EV1 @ F8 | 28mm | SS varies | ISO 64

Voigtlander VM 28mm F2 Ultron


All photographed 5/11-14/26

Literal Interpretation

52Frames - Week 23 - Triangular Composition

My intent this week (after finally reading the whole prompt) was to seek out a triangular composition that also included triangles.  Not having much success with the first part yet seeing lots of the second part, I happened to walk by a restaurant with light-colored umbrellas shading the outside tables.  The contrast of the struts formed the composition and depending on PoV, there were plenty of triangles.

Leica M EV1 @ F8 | 40mm | 1/160 sec | ISO 200

Voigtlander VM 40mm F1.4 Nokton Classic

The second photo is just triangles without the triangular composition component.

All photographed 6/3/26

F**k War...

52 Frames - Week 13 - High Key

...8 stories up.  As seen from the Chicago, IL No Kings Rally & March.

Sony A7Cii @ f5.6 | 1/1000 | 40mm | ISO 100

Voigtlander 40mm F1.4 Nokton Classic (adapted)

Photographed 3/28/26

Rhythm Of The Light

52 Frames - Week 9 - Window Light

Last week I wrote about going to a local coffee shop to comment on photos.  Another favorite location is our local library. The window light there is gorgeous...and I always bring a camera.

Sony A7Cii @ f? | 1/125 | 50mm | ISO 400

Leitz Wetzlar 50mm F2 Summicron (adapted)

Photographed 2/23/26

Closed For The Season - Part 2

The Waukegan, IL Harbor & Marina may be closed for the season, but the photo opportunities in and around the area are not.

Sony A7Cii @ f2 & f8 | 50mm

Leitz Wetzlar 50mm F2 Summicron

All Photographed 1/7/26

Closed For The Season-Part 2

Dockside Ice Cream

Live Bait & Tackle

Behind The Chainlink

Rail King

Architect(ure)

SOOS Architects

Lincolnshire, IL

An interesting building occupied (and presumably designed) by a local architectural firm.

Also an alternate for this week's 52Frames challenge, Architecture.

Sony A7IV @ f16 | 1/125 | 14mm | ISO 250

Rokinon 14mm F2.8 Series II

Photographed 11/29/25 (during a snowstorm)

AnyTown, USA

52Frames - Week 48 - Architecture

EC: 16mm or wider

This photo is a good example of some really bad architecture (IMHO) that is popping up all over the place.  These apartment blocks are reproducing like rabbits and very few have good aesthetic quality.  This one replaced an even worse strip shopping center...so I guess that's progress.

Sony A7IV @ f11 | 1/125 | 14mm | ISO 160

Rokinon 14mm F2.8 Series II

Photographed 11/29/25 (during a snowstorm)

Expired Film Test

On 10/25/25, I took a drive up to Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, IL in order to shoot some landscape photos using a fairly new to me Leica CL film camera and Leica 50mm F2 Summicron lens.  I was fairly confident using these two pieces of gear.  What I was not confident about was how the 25-30 year old expired color film would perform.  I did convert some to black & white as it was more conducive to the subject matter.

In the end, I was reasonably pleased; but you be the judge.

 

Bronzeville

On 9/27/25, Beers & Cameras_Chicago and local photographer Malik Zambezi (@malikshotyou) organized a fabulous photowalk through the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago.  It was well attended by both B&C_Chi members and local community photographers, models and content creators.

The photograph of the model, Zy, below is my favorite of the day.  Taking a poll of my viewers - color or B/W?  Please let me know your preference.

 

The Walk

Message Of The Day

Golden

Zy

Zy

Holocaust Tower

52 Frames - Week 38 - One Light Source

Jewish Museum Berlin

Berlin, Germany

A room within the JMB, devoid of any artificial lighting or ventilation, only lit by a small window at the top, it felt as a stark reminder of discomfort & hopelessness.  Brilliantly executed by architect, Daniel Libeskind (https://www.jmberlin.de/en/libeskind-building).

Apple iPhone 15 Pro @ f2.2 | 1/8 | 2.2mm (14mm equiv) | ISO 1250

Photographed 9/15/25

Random Photos From Toronto

The first 4 photos were taken July 9 & 10, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, CA with a Sony A7Cii and Samyang AF 35mm F1.8 lens.  The last photo was taken July 10, 2025 with a Ricoh GR IIIx.

I Wonder...

Jenga

Standing Guard

Observe The Observer

Downtown Camera

Scenes From the Public Market

These photos were taken July 28, 2025 at the Public Market in Milwaukee, WI and represent experimentation with camera/lens combinations not previously used. The first two shots are digital with a Sony camera and Leica 50mm lens. The next two shots are on film with a Voigtlander Bessa camera and 50mm Leica lens. The last two shots are also on film with the same camera and a Voigtlander 21mm lens.

Say Cheese

Three Twenty

Me Want Cookies

Mirror Mirror On The Wall

Hangin' Out

Above The Market

Bridges, Trains & Towers

These photos were taken July 10, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, CA with my Voigtlander Bessa R4M on Cinestill 400D 35mm film. While most of my photography remains digital, I am very much enjoying a reintroduction to film photography.

Bridges, Trains & Towers 1

Voigtlander Bessa R4M | 28mm | Cinestill 400D

Voigtlander VM 28mm F2 Ultron

Bridges, Trains & Towers 2

Voigtlander Bessa R4M | 28mm | Cinestill 400D

Voigtlander VM 28mm F2 Ultron

Bridges, Trains & Towers 3

Voigtlander Bessa R4M | 28mm | Cinestill 400D

Voigtlander VM 28mm F2 Ultron

Urban Nights

These photos were taken June 19, 2025 on a photowalk in downtown Chicago with some photography friends visiting from out of town and coincide with the 52 Assignments-Exposure project #26-Urban Nights.

Before or After The Vows?

The guy's shirt makes this a very puzzling scene.  What's the story?



Sony A7IV @ f4 | 1/640 | 20mm | ISO 6400

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G


Beacon

Chicago, IL

Chicago River, Riverwalk & Bridges

Sony A7IV @ f4 | 1/320 | 105mm (equiv) | ISO 6400


Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G