Traditionally I have avoided the point and shoot class of camera because I wanted to be able to make my own exposure decisions. I either shoot Manual, or in Aperture Priority modes with one finger on the exposure compensation button. Most of my cameras date from the 20th century and most of those are entirely manual. In […]
Author Archives: Toby Van de Velde
After 13 years as a local news staff photographer, with a healthy little freelance business on the side, I have now launched into the world of the full-time freelancer. This blog will document the highs and lows of my photographic way of life as I talk about work, cameras, lunch, and anything else that I encounter along the way to capturing that ‘decisive moment’. Watch out for posts on my personal projects as well, with pinhole cameras, photograms, infrared photography, and the wonders of 1950’s era cameras.
Posted inGuides & How-Tos
Start at the Stop: How to respool 35mm film into 127 (and 120) backing paper
127 format film is reasonably rare these days, and fairly expensive. In this article, I outline my process (and examples) of respooling normal 35mm film onto 127 and 120 format backing paper. I am still reusing backing paper from three rolls of Efke 100 I bought back in 2008 (although I have picked up a […]
Posted in5 Frames...
5 Frames… Of acetate negative cyanotypes, with a ‘How-To’ so you can as well
I desire to shoot large format. So far, it’s a photographic journey that I’ve not managed to start, unless you count homemade Foamcore pinhole cameras. But I’m getting closer. I will be an LF photographer one day. One day soon. Maybe even a ULF shooter. But until then, I make LF negatives by printing digital files onto […]
Posted inGuides & How-Tos
The AgiPinFold Pinhole Conversion Part 3: A conclusion
I cannot believe that it was 2018 when I wrote the first two parts [1][2] of this series of articles documenting my conversion of a 1940s-era Agfa Agifold 6×6 medium format camera to shoot pinhole photography. The time has flown by. Granted, we have had a year of exceptional circumstances. A global pandemic and a […]
Posted inArticles, Featured projects, Guides & How-Tos
The AgiPinFold Pinhole Conversion Part 2: Beta testing
Back in July, I walked you through the initial build for my Agipinfold, an Agifold 6×6 camera converted to pinhole. It’s time for part two.
The pinhole is still held on with blue tack…..
Posted inFeatured projects
The AgiPinFold Pinhole Conversion Part 1: Smashing the lens
My Pinhole work has been fun of late.
Posted inArticles, Experiments, Guides & How-Tos
The Ceramic Pinhole Camera build
In the summer of 2017 I decided that I needed a new pinhole camera.
Posted in5 Frames..., Articles
5 Frames… With Expired Agfa Fibre Based Multi Contrast paper and the Ceramic Pinhole Camera
Having a Wife that is also a Ceramicist was handy the day I decided to build my own pinhole camera.
What was not so handy was having ILFORD chemicals that were two years out of date and a box of
