Another

Just in case you were thirstin' for more. Here is another shot from Junior year that is one of my faves. This photo was taken with a Mamiya the size of a child sitting on a tripod. I used 100 ISO 120 film. The theme of the project was obviously religion. The cross my friend is holding actually came from my Grandfather's coffin when he passed a way. This photograph has the strongest meaning behind compared to many of my, not really mindless, but not so meaningful, photographs. The project was successful. I guess when something means that much to you its hard to get it wrong.
I am a very religious person, but not of the crazy sort. I am spiritual beyond all things and very natural as well. I won't go deeply into my beliefs because if I have a group of readers reading my blog now, I am sure I won't after religious talk. So I will spare you.
I'd rather explain the Mamiya to you...
So.
For anyone who has never worked with a mamiya they are pretty cool old school cameras. They are film(gasp!) and you do have to look down through a big view finder in order to focus. It is not as easy as digital. If you are very fond of digital I don't suggest giving it a try unless your interest is truly sparked. The mamiya unlike the Hasselblad produces a long rectangular image. The Hasse, photographs a square. That square pisses me off. So I have chosen the Mamiya route. You have to meter your images with a handheld lightmeter(woohoo!) I am sure you are jumping for joy at that idea. Holding a lightmeter? Wuh? It can be sort of complicated especially when we dive into the Ansel Adams theory of getting perfect shadows and highlights, but even I refuse to think about that. Mamiyas should be loved and cherished. They are lovely cameras. I took a series of photos and because I used the mamiya I could make the image 16 x 20. That's pretty big. Some people are cool enough to reach the 4 ft x 4ft range, but I am only 5 feet tall, I get the disadvantage.
I enjoyed working with the mamiya. I feel that students should learn on that first because its 3 times the size of a 35 MM therefore everything is a bigger visual and forces you, really forces you, to stop and think about what you are doing. 35 mm have automatic everything....you can't learn properly on automatic. You need to be able to work through the process of setting up a photograph and figuring out the proper metering step by step.
Trust me there have been plenty of times that I have rushed through my mamiya and totally messed up. Speed is not how you win the photographic race.
But, I hope you leave me blog today a lil' interested in the mamiya.