How to get rid of stuff and stay sane in 5 easy steps

Things. Stuff. Junk. If you like me, i.e. the one who keeps things, you know what I am talking about. I had a small house and this problem had been bugging me for quite some time, until one day I solved it. Oh yes I did! It was easy, it was simple, there were some expenses and time/work involved but I enjoyed it immensely. If you'd like to know how to clean your house from junk and free if for...well, even more stuff :D -- go on reading!

Scholarship grant available for Alex&Rebecca Webb workshop in Miami, January 2014

here: http://goo.gl/cd5uIe
I have been through the workshop like this and can recommend it to anybody who is into human-interest photography.

Photograph above: © Alex Webb

July: shine and rain, rain and shine

portion of July's work...mostly Bessa L with 25mm and red filter, some Bessa R3M with 28mm; all Tri-X at E.I.3200 in TMax.

Independence Day

Few frames from morning SoBe walk with Hector Isaac. Bessa L/25mm/Dark Red filter/Tri-X @ E.I.3200 in TMax developer.

Overtown

People Mover

Riding People Mover in Downtown Miami, taken with Olympus XA camera on Tri-X film at box speed.

Morning at Haulover Beach

Haulover is my favorite beach. In the morning it is usually deserted.

Memorial Day's Night at Ocean Drive

Leica M2, shooting TMax 3200 at E.I.12000, accompanied by Hector Issac and Wenbo Wang

South Beach in the morning

Leica M2/35mm Cosina lens/Tri-X

28:22

Yesterday I run in Downtown Miami in a company of 25000+ people. My time is 28:22, which is about the same as the last year (27:40) when the photograph was taken and at least 5 minutes better compared to 2004, first time I run the race. .

Garry Winogrand's book

While I can imagine the version of my life where I do not buy this book, the question remains: would this imaginable life be complete and sound? Would it actually worth living?

Street Photographer In His Element

I rarely shoot digital/color, but yesterday at Leica Store Miami event I tried the new Leica M-E with 28mm lens and liked it since it has the same feeling and in many ways similar to my Leica M2 circa 1962. Unfortunately, the new camera died after few clicks; I put the lens on my M2 and continued shooting B&W film. I figured Buddha does not want me to shoot either digital or color. So be it.

Leica M Photo-Walk

Leica store in Coral Gables holding an open photo-walks this week to promote their M system. The official name of the event is "Discover the Leica M-System". They have new M along with older M Mono and M9 for participants to try. The first photo-walk will be Friday 10AM-12AM and the second (the one I am going to) is Saturday 3PM-5PM. RSVP to RSVP@leicacamerausa.com and do not forget to bring your own SD card.

Allessandra Sanguinetti and Bruce Gilden in Miami next week

Two events next week at Leica in Miami worth going: http://www.facebook.com/events/447465865327800/ (Bruce Gilden) http://www.facebook.com/events/497831660252912/ (Allessandra Sanguinetti)

Hammock park

This is from RRT gathering in Matheson Hammock park on Old Cutler road. RRT AKA "Russian Round Table South Florida" is a social club I am visiting sometimes; here we were celebrating the Soviet Army day Feb the 23rd. Nice weather, beautiful SF scenery and mother's tongue all around; the further in the event, the louder it was:) For this occasion I used something appropriate: FED 2 camera with 50mm Industar lens.

Little Havana, backstage

This winter I started walking working class neighborhoods of Little Havana. I liked it better then the Calle Ocho. Yes, it is less iconic, never too crowded and there is nothing here to catch tourist's eye, but I'm not a tourist, more of a local already. Here are the few frames from the last week's wanderings:

Kill it before it lays eggs

I bought this can of Kodak 35mm cine version of Tri-X film from late 50s in a hope to find it exposed, but it turned out to be not. So I used the opportunity to check my old film development process on it. First, I put it in my FED-2 rangefinder camera and exposed at 50 E.I. (originally it was 320 ASA but 50 ASA is my best guess of what's left of it), I also bracketed with +1 and +2. Then, I used my standard process for developing fresh Tri-X (4.5 min @ 75F/24C in TMax 1:4) and it turned out to be heavily fogged, barely printable/scannable. Then I developed it in 10% HC-110 at 50F/10C for 2.5 minutes (the time had been calculated based on test). It came out ok. Here is how it looked after the development:

Lucas, I'm watching you

Again, Olympus XA/Tri-X

Walking Downtown

Olympus XA/Tri-X at box speed in TMax developer

In Wynwood