drayton hall

From Wikipedia:

Drayton Hall is an 18th-century plantation located on the Ashley River about 15 miles northwest of Charleston, South Carolina, and directly across the Ashley River from North Charleston, west of the Ashley in the Lowcountry. An outstanding example of Palladian architecture in North America and the only plantation house on the Ashley River to survive intact through both the Revolutionary and Civil wars, it is a National Historic Landmark.

And here’s a little more from the Drayton Hall foundation website:

For more than 250 years, Drayton Hall has stood witness to the American South. Among the best and most complete examples of Southern colonial life open to the public today, the property holds a vital educational responsibility. It is also an active archaeological site with an extensive museum collection of rare 18th- and 19th-century objects and artifacts.

As far as South Carolina plantation tours go, this one is pretty decent.

macro

I recently put a macro set together using some older equipment — a Pentax K-01 from 2012 and a manual focus macro lens from the 1970s. The sensor is a bit small and the lens is obviously quite old, but the combo produces some amazingly sharp images. I didn’t do much to these photos in Lightroom — just some basic tweaking — and I think they came out with a lot of punch.

For Sale

Update: The Leica and Canon have been sold, but the lens is still available.

Between my digital Leica and my medium format camera, I realized I don’t shoot much 35mm film anymore. So in the interest of only owning cameras I use, I’ve decided to sell my two 35mm cameras. The first is a Leica M5 that I purchased several years ago. It was completely overhauled before I got it and shoots perfectly, with a working shutter at all speeds.

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During my time with the camera, it sustained mostly cosmetic injuries. Small pieces of vulcanite casing have come off, which I have filled in with liquid electrical tape. And a combination of a high, hot sun and a fully open lens led to a small hole in the shutter curtain, which I also repaired with liquid electrical tape. You can get a close look at all of this work in the photos.

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All of this was three years ago, and I haven’t had any problems since. I understand that cosmetics are important, however, so I’ve adjusted the price of the camera to account for those blemishes. Also, the camera has been modified to take alkaline batteries, so you’ll have a fully-functioning spot meter, which is something of a rarity with this model.

The camera also comes with a lens. It’s the Zeiss C Biogon 35mm f/2.8. It’s a medium-speed, general purpose lens. It’s sharp, contrasty and has served me incredibly well.

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The lens is in perfect working condition, with no dust or fungus or haze, and smooth aperture blades. It also comes with the official Zeiss lens hood as well as official Zeiss front and back caps. I’m selling the camera and lens as a package.

I also have another, cheaper camera to sell. It’s a Canon AE-1 Program. It also received an overhaul and is in absolutely perfect working condition. It comes with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. I haven’t used this nearly as much as I’ve used my Leica, but it’s a good, solid machine. Comes with a fresh battery. Also sold as a package.

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If you are interested in either of these cameras, shoot me an email here. I’ll let you know pricing and you’ll let me know if you want to buy. From there, we’ll figure out payment and shipping.

Fair warning: the Leica and lens are going to be expensive; the Canon considerably less so.

I’ve had a lot of fun with both of these cameras and have made great images with both of them. Trust me when I say you won’t regret the purchase.

president's head park

The remnants of a presidents-themed park outside of Williamsburg, Virginia. A very strange place that’s worth a visit if you get the opportunity.

late night at the rotunda

I was wide awake one night and very bored, so I went down to the university and did a little large format photography. I took a few photos, but these are the ones I kept. I especially like the figures in front of the Rotunda, who had stopped to admire the building just long enough to be captured in the exposure. The second photo is of “The Corner,” the a block of businesses and restaurants that cater to students. I used a 125mm Fuji lens and Kodak T-MAX 100 film. I’m still not entirely sure whether I like the way black and white looks in these conditions, but this is pretty much the only time I have to shoot 4x5 these days, so I’ll have to live with it, I guess.