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Mamiya 7ii

Don’t look now, but 2011 is rapidly approaching… (and a giveaway lies below)

As I was putting in my own holiday print orders, I started thinking about what else I could give Arann that would be creative and inspiring.

So I decided to make a calendar, with the hopes that the best photos and memories of 2010 will inspire us to be even more creative and adventurous in 2011.

In my search for calendar making companies, I found this cool site that not only lets you make a calendar for yourself, but it also lets you share your calendar with other people too.

But because people generally like to have their calendars before the next year begins that means I need to share my creative surprise calendar for Arann now.

So my creative surprise for Arann is no longer a surprise, but at least maybe it can be a creative surprise for someone you love.

It just so happens that I ordered a couple of extras. And in the spirit of giving back, I would love to give away a calendar, as a thank you for reading my blog. I am always so completely shocked and amazed when people tell me they read my blog. And I get even more excited and inspired when people leave comments.

So if you would like your very own copy of ‘The Best of 2010 Just in Time to Inspire Us in 2011’ calendar, please leave a comment below by midnight on December 24th.

I will announce the winner on Christmas Day.

If you are not a gambling person, or you’re like me and you hate waiting, you can order your own copy right now just click here to go directly to the store.

This is film (and my summer)…

I love film and I love summer.

And I couldn’t live without either one.

Well, maybe I could.

But life would be a lot less interesting and a lot less fun.

The only problem is that they are both so very time-consuming.

This summer was so busy that it seemed not to exist at all.

But I know it did because I have the film to prove it.

Even with the endlessly long summer days,

It seemed there still was never enough time…

To stop.

Or even pause and devote the time that film selfishly demanded.

So it sat neglected.

Piling up on my desk.

Waiting in the sidelines, as digital got all the glory.

Waiting for the grand finale.

And finally, here, the first day of October, it is.

A few of the summer film highlights, all at once.

Like cliffs notes.

Or the final minutes of a firework show.

But I still have high hopes of devoting a full post to each of these amazing occasions, faces, relationships.

I have even started the spinning the narratives in my head.

But time is running out.

As it is known to do.

And so this will have to do for now.

This showcase of why I love film and why I hope you will too.

Besides the obvious yet unpredictable beauty of film,

I also love its more discreet yet unfaltering faithfulness.

I feel comforted knowing that if disaster struck, and all my hard drives suddenly crashed tomorrow,

My film would still be there, sitting in a pile on my desk.

Waiting patiently in line to be filed away.

And talking excitedly about the summer that really did exist.

Guess who got a new camera…

(This photo was taken somewhere in southern Illinois, with my Mamiya 7.)

I am happy to announce that my beloved Rollei now has a new sister. Her name is Mamiya 7. Well, she is not new. I am her third owner, according to her previous owner, who I found on craigslist, but she is new to me and I am excited. Mamiya 7 is a cute little thing that takes big beautiful 6×7 medium format (film) photos.

I am hoping to put her to use this summer on some of my upcoming projects, including the Town Hall cook book. I think the rectangular format will be better than square, so there isn’t as much senseless cropping involved. Unlike this beauty of an image which is cropped just right.

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