52 of 52

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Alex

As the title suggests, here’s a compilation of the two images from the entire project:52. Think of this as a teaser…for the book, which if all goes according to plans should be out by mid to late spring.

01: Squeal Like a Wage Slave

02: Toronto’s Castle

03: Of Winter Drives and Small Towns

04: Feelin’ Blue

05: We’ll Cross that Bridge…

06: Smile! You’re on Camera

07: Sudden Inspiration

08: This Hobby Keeps Landing me behind Bars

09: Upon this Rock

10: Rain, Rain on my Face

11: All Shiny and New

12: Rise of the Lizard Woman

13: Ghost Towns and Brickworks

14: Rust and Mud

15: Join the Army they said

16: Queen and Rain

17: London Calling

18: Film Wasters

19: A Country Wedding

20: Dead Industry

21: Laying Siege

22: The Last Destroyer

23: ROADTRIP!

24: And now for something completely different

25: Impossible!

26: Ding! Ding!

27: The Parkway

28: Dark Chocolate

29: The North

30: A Ferry

31: Straight from the Hip

32: Battlefield of Blood

33: The West

34: Hitting the Streets

35: Trying Something New

36: The Fort

37: Demolition Man

38: Going W.I.D.E.

39: Chrome

40: A Momentous Day

41: How Emily Got her Groove On

42: The Big Apple – Pt. 1

43: The Big Apple – Pt. 2

44: Red Scare

45: You can call me BOB

46: Steel Town Blues

47: Taking the Scenic Route

48: Grab Yer Sandals we’re going Walkin’

49: Back to Trafalgar

50: Back to…Ohio?

51: Barber, By Night

52: Christmas…Is Coming

2012 – What’s Up and Coming for Alex Luyckx | Photography

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Alex

Well we’re coming up to the end of 2011, and what a year it has been, with the Project:52 winding down, the the last rolls sitting here on my desk waiting to be taken into the lab on Monday.

2012, big things for this year including 2 special projects. Sorry no Project:52 for 2012 (it may return for 2013), but 2012, big year indeed. The first project is about the War of 1812, 200 years ago between the United States of America and the British Empire. Titled “Everything Changes,” it will cover as much about the war of 1812 as I can possible get for you, my faithful readers. The project will be covered like many of my projects entirely on film, again using multiple cameras and film stocks. I’ll go and visit the various forts around Ontario and up-state New York and even Ohio (if I can). With my involvement with the 60th Royal American Regiment of Foot, I’ll have a front line seat (often fighting) in the reenactment battles such as the Seige of Fort Erie and new for 2012, the Battle of Queenston Heights…even a visit to Washington DC in in the plans for the project.

The Second Project for 2012 is about Doors Open events through Ontario, where I’ll take you on a tour of locations that often are closed to the public, again working with film, mostly medium format to give you a fresh look on places you may have never had a chance to see before!

Onwards we go!

Project:52 – Week 51

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Alex

I just had to bring it back before the end, something abandoned. In this case I am dragging you to one of my personal favourite locations, the Barber Mill in Georgetown Ontario, but unlike many of my trips, I took a chance and went at night. The Mill was built in 1823 but abandoned for several decades now. The ruins are beautiful at any time of day and in any weather. Dangerous…yes, but worth the risk.

Pentax 645 – SMC Pentax A 645 35mm 1:3.5 – Kodak Tri-X Pan (TXP, ISO-320)

How to Record a Podcast and Enjoy Doing So!

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Alex

Last month while I was on my usual fall vacation at the end of October I once again found myself in New Jersey. I have always been an avid fan of the Film Photography Podcast and have been listening to it since it’s third episode, and have been no stranger to the flickr group, organized a Toronto FPP meetup…the list continues.

So before I left I was sure to email Michael Rasso, the founder of the podcast/project to see about meeting up. The email I got in reply surprised me. I was offered to help guest host the podcast. Nervous could not even begin to describe how I felt, but I accepted the offer anyways.

Marthon session was right, 9am to about 5pm we recorded, I took a break for one of the episodes but still managed to get in at least three maybe four. The first was released yesterday (Nov 15th) with the rest being released over the next couple months. It was a riot, litterally just five guys sitting around a table shooting the breeze about film, cameras, techniques, and other such topics, all while surrounded by a great number of cameras (I personally had my Rolleiflex, Leica, Horizon, and Polaroid 600 CloseUp). And in typical form, at the end of hte day we all went to Mac’s Diner for a great dinner! A very full day, and of course special thanks to Michael Raso, Mat, Dan, and Hunter!

Project:52 – Week 44

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Alex

I’m not often one who will get a new camera and throw it into a project that has been going very well, and hoping that I’ll get something decent. I usually test out the cameras first. But when I was given a Lomo Smena 8m from Michael Raso of The Film Photography Project it must be a good camera. And well the manual was all in Russian so I just launched right into using it. The results were…interesting. I carried it with me over the course of Sunday errands so there’s really no rhyme or reason to the images, they’re shot straight from the hip with little or no looking at focus or settings.

The Smena is as basic as basic can be, it’s plastic (although sporting a glass lens), there’s no focus aid, you just sort of guess, shutter speeds are indicated by pictograms (the actually numerical speeds are listed on the side of the lens barrel), and the aperture settings are on the front of the lens and you seem to pick them by the film speed you have loaded although the scale is none that I had ever seen before. Oh and there’s no light meter or automatic settings.

You shoot from the hip, and pray it turns out.

ЛОМО ϹМЕНА 8M – T-43 4/40 ЛОМО – Kentmere 100

Project:52 – Week 37

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Alex

Demolition Man…

I have to keep reminding myself that I don’t actually own any of the buildings that I explore, but sometimes I can’t help but become attached to them, even shit holes like the former Park Plaza Hotel in Oakville. It sort of became my own personal abandonment since I work right across the road from it. I first checked it out late one night coming back from a church event, and then a second time with friends Wu and Boffo on a cold and snowy evening. The place was gutted and ripped apart inside, trashed by local kids and teens or druggies. But it became the spot for me to flee from the work of the day on my lunches, I’d find a spot in one of the rooms, overlooking the overgrown section in the centre of the building where the pool was, and enjoy the quiet.

Not so much anymore.

They’ve been finally starting the demolition on my hotel, replacing it with a big commercial building. So much for that idea.

Nikon FM2 – Nikon Series E 50mm 1:1.8 – Fuji Neopan Arcos 100

Project:52 – Week 22

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Alex

Back to the Siege for Week 22. It’s always fun carrying around classic or strange cameras it always makes for an interesting conversation piece especially when I’m out and around using it. These shots are mostly from around the fort and camps not of actual battles since a TLR takes a bit of effort to use and battles happen fairly fast, event during a war of 1812 reenactment. But despite the rain and mud I still brought it along and ran some HP5 through it to give that nice classic look.

The Saturday Morning Parade

Breakfast! Yes, some people even shy off modern conveniences and cook their food over an open fire.

One of the seven blockhouses along the Fort Meigs Wall.

Ewan enjoys a morning Pipe before the skirmish. This actually is my personal favourite shot from the TLR shots.

Another blockhouse. This one serving as the billet for the 41st Regiment of Foot. During the war the blockhouses were never used to house troops, they all slept in tents, while the blockhouses were dedicated solely to the defense of the fort.

A British Canon, one of two used for the weekend. This was a 9 pound field gun, but during the actual siege the British used massive 24 pound siege guns they captured at Detroit.

A friendly chess game.

Rolleiflex 2.8F – Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 – Ilford HP5+

The Last Roll (Of Kodachrome)

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Alex

There are probably a lot of people on here who have much longer and fonder memories of this magically slide film called Kodachrome. Kodak canceled the long running film in 2009 along with all support and additional products needed to run the K-14 process. Introduced in 1935 Kodachrome became the first commercially available colour films. It featured bright colours, and long lasting stability. The reason for this was at its very core Kodachrome was a black and white film, with each emulsion layer sensitive to a different colour. Then during the process the dyes were introduced and stuck to the layers to bring out the colours.

I came into Kodachrome far too late.

At the beginning of 2010 Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, KS announced they would be continuing to process Kodachrome but only will accept orders for processing until December 31st, 2010. The Race was on. Having shot three rolls to this point, those three being major disappointments (poor storage), I went hunting on both Ebay and within the local photographer population and managed to secure myself six more rolls. Living in Canada meant that I had at least a month turn around for my photos.

These photos are from that last roll that I shot on December 18th, 2010. I went along King Street for the most part in Toronto, a street I hadn’t really explored that much with the camera. After I finished the roll, I mailed it off that same day.

This was the very last frame I shot, the building is the City of Toronto’s First Post Office (4th Post office for the City of York) it was shut down after the Rebellions in1837 when the postmaster was framed for aiding the anti-government rebels. It was restored and reopened in 1983 and serves both as a full service Post Office (I mailed the roll off that day from the post office to Dwayne’s) and a museum.

Contax G2 – Carl Zeiss Biogon 2,8/28 T* – Kodachrome 64 (KR)

For all my Kodachrome shots (Including the first failed rolls) you can visit my Last Days of Kodachrome set on Flickr

But fear not! As I mentioned previously, Kodachrome is at it’s core a black and white film, so several people have been experimenting with processing the film in normal b/w chemicals! The results, spectacular! So don’t ditch those spare rolls (if you have any) laying around! Sharp Photo does a good job as does Blue Moon Camera. (If you don’t want/need them, you can always send them to me…)

Undiscovered

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Alex

Recently on the FPP Flickr group someone posted up a link to a obscure Chicago Street Photographer named Vivian Maier. Vivian came to the US from France, learned English by going to the theater she wore a men’s jacket, men’s shoes and a large hat most of the time. She was constantly taking pictures, which she didn’t show anyone.

However one person has dicovered her works and is slowly posting much of it online you can view it here: vivianmaier.blogspot.com/.

I’ve only gotten to page two myself but I’m finding it a fantastic resource for revitalizing my work in the 6×6 format (and she shot on a Rolleiflex!).

The Fifty-Two Roll Project

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Alex

Many people do a project 365 (where they post at least one photo per day for the entire year). I did actually consider doing this for 2011, but decided why not take my passion for shooting film and doing a roll (or pack) per week of film. Pick a camera, a lens, and a film shoot it in a week, take it in for processing, then post the best seven shots. Starting Jan 1st, 2011.

Here are my guidelines
1) Some weeks may have themes attached to them, the subject shot or equipment used must meet this theme.
2) It must be an analog photography format. (35mm, Medium Format (6×9, 6×6, 6×4.5), or Instant (Type 100 or Integral).
3) I must post at least 7 shots for the week, I may post more if I so desire.
4) A week starts on Saturday, Ends on Friday. Film from the week prior is brought in for processing on the Monday, Must be scanned, processed, and posted before the next film drop off (if possible).

If you have a suggestion for a theme (or constraint) please feel free to post in the comments.

alex luyckx | blog

Explorer, Photographer, Wanderer

Tag Archives: film