K. Praslowicz, Photographer » Journal

100 Prints, Vol I

K. Praslowicz — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 03:02:29 +0000

Slightly belated follow-up on the 100 prints project.

The prints have arrived, and are ready for me to put into a dedicated print box for storage. Some of the images are keepers that I never printed originally, and others are stuff I hadn't discovered until I went back for this project. Also, some are pure crap. I'm not going to lie about that.

I think the two biggest photographic ideas that set in more deeply while editing for this are as follows:

Image sharpness doesn't matter.
Image content does.

There are some images that show camera shake, or errors in focussing, but have interesting subjects. There are also some which are good and sharp without camera shake, but I'm really not sure what will be interesting in them over time.

I guess time will tell. At least doing this has gotten me into the habit or creating printable files for every image I scan. As it stands, I'm already twenty four images into the volume II of this project. For now, here is the project, in its entirety.

*If you are reading this via RSS or E-mail, you'll need to come to the actual post to see the 100 prints.

Enjoyed This Post?

If you've enjoyed this, or any other post from my website, why not help me out? The next time you shop at Amazon or B&H Photo Video, come back here and click on this link to Amazon, or this link to B&H first. You'll receive whatever fun new toy you buy for yourself, and I'll receive a fraction of the sale price to help keep this site running. We both win!

100 Prints, Vol I is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer

5 Amazing* Kodak Ektar 100 Photos From My First Roll

K. Praslowicz — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 03:54:44 +0000

Flashback to late 2008. Digital has completely obliterated 35mm sales. Kodak, Fuji, and Ilford are about to shut down their film processing lines and go under. Digital SLR owners worldwide cheer in a unified rejoice as they drink the blood from the severed heads of film photographers in the jubilee that followed once they've finally won the great film vs digital wars that were fought verbally for years on many different Internet forums.

Given some of the stuff I've read over the past eight years on various Internet forums, the previous paragraph seems to be what most of the hardcore digital using population would have expected to happened to us Luddites by now. Instead, in late 2008, Kodak Eastman comes out and releases a new line of 35mm film: Kodak Ektar 100.

I finally got around to buying some Ektar 100 recently. From I can tell by the one roll I've shot so far, it is some really nice film to use. I thought I'd just go ahead and share my five favorite photos I took with my first roll of Kodak Ektar 100. Enjoy. All images taken with a Voigtlander Ultron 28mm f2.0 strapped to a Leica M6.

*Images not guaranteed to be amazing.

One roll of Kodak Ektar 100, and already I like the results more then any other color film I've shot in 35mm.

Additional Kodak Ektar 100 buzz.

Resources

Buy Kodak Ektar 100 at B&H. 35mm, 120, 4x5 & 8x10

Enjoyed This Post?

5 Amazing* Kodak Ektar 100 Photos From My First Roll is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer

5 Fantastic* Winter Night Photos

K. Praslowicz — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 23:36:32 +0000

It is current 88°F/31°C outside. Not too bad considering it is 110°F in Phoenix Arizona right now. Most men won't ever admit to soft against anything, but when it comes an outside temperatures that just a notch above a cool breeze, I'm softer then a kitten wrapped in velvet.

Below freezing temperatures and shooting in the middle of snow storms puts me in my happy place. So to help mentally break past the layer of sweat which is adhering my jeans to my leg, I decided to edit out a few fantastic* dark winter night photos from last winter.

*Photos not guaranteed to be fantastic

1. The Cooking Pit

Christmas Eve. A winter storm with heavy winds had set in. The rest of my family left our family's annual holiday get together to go attend church. I put my parka on, grabbed my RB67 and stepped into my own snow-covered church of worship.

During the gross summer months, this place used to be a large fire pit for community cooking events. Now it has been overtaken my the snow.

2. A Truck Among Trees

3. A Truck Behind a Pole

4. Remington Oil Co.

A small town gas station. The diesel pumps almost look like two robotic E.T.'s don't they?

5. A Defeated Snow Plow

Dammit. I still am feeling the heat.

Enjoyed This Post?

5 Fantastic* Winter Night Photos is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer

Antiques Horror Show

K. Praslowicz — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:42:16 +0000

I love going to antique stores. I always go with high hopes of finding a hidden gem of a piece of hardware tucked away somewhere, but always end up just finding endless shelfs of Kodak folders and Argus C3's. I also love them since about 95% of the photos I own in my collection come from unnamed photographers whose prints have ended up at various antique stores.

Aside from hunting for weird objects to feed my photography fetish, I also have a third sick reason for frequenting these stores. That reason is to see the endless parade of creepiness that presents itself to my eyes as I look over the shelves. This post is a highlight reel from one on such parade in late 2007.

Screaming man riding a donkey

Look close at the full sized image. His mouth is bigger then it looks as he has a huge amount of teeth. He not singing, he is snarling at you.

Yes. You.

Evil the Cat

Never trust a cat with no pupils. Seriously. This kitty isn't a gentle blind old soothsayer here to tell you your fortune. This kitty is soulless and coming to kill you, and the snowman couldn't be any happier about your impending doom. And why shouldn't he? The best thing he has to wait for is summer where he will melt away.

Claw Clown

Some sort of stygian zombie clown digging its way out of the ground to come and get you. With claws like that, expect nothing less then the ferocity of a raptor as it tears through your house while it is on the hunt.

Fat Boy Bell Head

No. I won't discuss this one. It has too much happiness on its face.

Quaker Oats Death Totem

Keep buying and eating Quaker oats, and the happy bottom head will greet you with smiles and hugs.

However, if you neglect your oat eating duties, the more flagitious top head will enter your house through your dreams and corrupt everything you have ever have loved, and ever will love.

Jefferey Jones Pitcher

I'm not sure who's head is suppose to have been turned into a little pitcher here, though I really beleive it is some bad Jefferey Jones fan art.

Shakespeare's Head

Well, Shakespeare's head is what it was labeled as. Conveniently cut out and attached to a handle for your drinking pleasure. I hear cups like these are popular keepsakes among more refined and well-read zombies.

Naked baby facing a wall

This creepy little guy was behind glass in a locked case, which means that no mischievous customer turned him into his current position. Thus, it is obvious that it is alive and moved there during the night.

Enjoyed This Post?

Antiques Horror Show is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer

At least they both shoot.

K. Praslowicz — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:06:29 +0000

Strange but true. Yesterday I was walking home from work and had my M3 ready in my right hand. Someone I passed asked me if I holding a German Luger.

Lets compare the two real quick shall we?

Leica M3 with 35mm Goggled Summaron.

German Luger

Image borrowed from http://www.luger-genesis.com/ with love, and without permission.

I gave him half credit for having the German part right, then took the credit away when he tried to panhandle me.

Enjoyed This Post?

At least they both shoot. is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer

Back in action.

K. Praslowicz — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 02:24:17 +0000

This weekend I set up my darkroom in the basement of the place that I moved into in September. I spent the past few hours cranking out random 5x7 prints from my archive of 35mm shooting. Seeing these images on paper, some of which are four years old, is like cracking open a fine bottle of aged Imperial Stout (Or wine if that is your fancy). Time does wonders with photography.

I'll probably spend days just printing off random stuff from my archive. And in the end, a lot of people will have hand made Christmas presents from me.

Enjoyed This Post?

Back in action. is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer

Battle of the Century

K. Praslowicz — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 01:04:51 +0000

So I have the temporary use of a nice old Leica M3. Today I vowed that when I woke up, that I was going to go out and shoot a roll with it. I also vowed that I was going to take one of my Canonet QL17s with me and compare it shot-by-shot against the Leica's Summilux & Summaron lenses. Seems like a lopsided battle for the $40 Ql17, but it is one I must make if I ever want to commit to buying an expensive 35mm rangerfinder kit.

The film is in the devloper as I type, so expect my results in a few days when I can get around to printing some of the identical frames, and viewing them side by side. Its going to be an apocalypyic battle. (or not.)

Enjoyed This Post?

Battle of the Century is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer

Before I was a photographer, I was a zombie portraitist.

K. Praslowicz — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:26:46 +0000

Before I was a photographer I had a strange artistic hobby of drawing portraits of zombies. This was in the early 90s when I was between eleven and fourteen years od age, and was sparked after catching the Tom Savini remake of Night of the Living Dead on Cinemax late one night.

I made a bunch of these pencil and paper portraits between 1991 and 1994, but I've only been able to track down the whereabouts of one them, which I am going to share here. This particular zombie drawing of mine dates to '93 or '94.

I was sort of a weird child. I won't deny it. Although, sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had spent the past fifteen years perfecting the art of the zombie portrait, instead of switching to photography. Could I have become a master of the zombie portrait? Could I have used that body of work to ride the current wave of obsession of all things zombies to fame and fortune?

Enjoyed This Post?

Before I was a photographer, I was a zombie portraitist. is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer

Blizzard

K. Praslowicz — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:30:25 +0000

When the snow is blowing sideways, and you can't see more then half a block down the road, what do you do? Sit inside and drink some egg nog next to the fireplace? Nah, how about busting out the flash and doing a little people photography? Sounds good to me!

I didn't get much from this outing, but I learned quite a bit about shooting in such harsh conditions. Now I need to just to sit and wait for the next blizzard to hit. The first time was a blast, I hope second to be much better. I'm so taking a vacation day if the next one hits during the work week.

Enjoyed This Post?

Blizzard is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer

Bob, 1929 - 2009

K. Praslowicz — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:59:32 +0000

Bob was a guy who grew up in an orphanage and only knew a few people from his real family. Around 1995 he somehow ended up in our small town of 700 people, and my brother befriending him, and starting taking care of him. He quickly became one of the town characters and was loved by all. He was invited to all of our family events, and I believe one time wrote my mother a card saying that we were the first family he actually had. He was kind of our adopted old guy.

He smoked every day of his life since he was eleven, and never drove an automobile. He never was a rich man, but he had an amazing memory that should have been studied by scientists. He told stories about how he used to get high with the top professional bowlers of the 1970's, and he always claimed he was a lover, not a fighter.

Bob died today at the age of 80.

Over the years that I've known Bob I've taken plenty of photos of him. In his passing, I'm sharing some of the best I have available that I've taken of him over the years. This is a good chunk of why I do photography, so when things are gone, they aren't forgotten.

2001

2004

2007

Don't worry Bob. Your stories will be told for years to come.

Enjoyed This Post?

Bob, 1929 - 2009 is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer