Piazza del Popolo through a Plastic Lens

This photo makes me so happy that I'm giving it its own blog post. Taken with a plastic Holga camera loaded with 35mm film and developed in caffenol-c, it shows Piazza del Popolo's quasi-twin churches. I couldn't get enough of this square... there will be more photos of it to come! And if it wasn't before, the Holga is definitely a favorite now.

Rome, Instantly

Fun with Impossible Project's black frame film:
Piazza del Popolo and the view at the top and bottom of the Spanish Steps, respectively.

I love Polaroid cameras.

But I have to admit that they're not always practical, since they're neither slim nor lightweight. But when paired with the Impossible Project's silver shade instant film, they can produce unique and fantastically imperfect travel memories... so I decided that carrying one with me would be worth it. I packed a camera and two packs of film, which I burned through in the first few days of our trip.

One of my first Roman Polaroids: Trajan's Forum, with Trajan's Column and the Church of the Santissimo Nome di Maria in the background.

A must-see (and must-photograph): the Colosseum

And, barely visible, but it's there: the Pantheon

Our visit to Rome wouldn't have been complete without a stroll through Piazza Navona, admiring the Baroque fountains and the original watercolor art for sale.

The Piazza del Popolo has become one of my favorite spots to photograph in Rome. With its spacious size, odd shape, central obelisk, and peripheral statues and churches, there is no shortage of sights (and people) to see. Here, the near-twin churches of Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto mark the end of Via del Corso and the beginning of the piazza. There is something timeless and iconic about them that I just love.

Another area we enjoy exploring is the neighborhood around the Spanish Steps. Most of the area is a pedestrian zone, making it the perfect place to window shop, stop for coffee, observe local produce markets, and just enjoy walking around.
This photo was taken from the top of the steps, looking out over the city.

California Coast

Crystal Cove, CA, taken with my Diana+.

Instant Triptych

I was photographing white blossoms against a gray sky.
But the photos turned out blue.
I love them just like this.

More caffenol!

This time, using color film!

Panorama Vomerese

My first ever nontraditional film experiment!

-click- to enlarge

I don't even remember the name of the camera, but it was a vintage camera (1930's or 1940's) that I had bought for next to nothing at an antiques market and later gave away. I didn't think the film had turned out (the camera wasn't designed for 35mm film) and put it in the back of a drawer, but I found it again today. Now that I have a negative scanner, I can see exactly what's on it. I found a single series of overlapping photos, all taken in Vomero, our neighborhood in Naples. I'm glad I kept the film!

More coffee!

I was so happy with the first roll of film developed in caffenol that I simply couldn't wait to try it again. I was curious to see whether it would work with black and white C-41 film as well. So... what better way to find out than simply giving it a try?

So I broke out the Olympus again, this time loading it with C-41 black and white film from the local pharmacy. With all the beautiful trees around here, it didn't take me long to finish the roll. And voila, the coffee and vitamin c home brew did the trick!

The images are a bit more grainy, and they turned out a different shade of color than the first batch. But I like it.

My favorite tree. Caffeinated.

I think I've found a whole new way to be hooked on coffee.