I like lemons. I like festivals. It seems like the perfect combination. We happened to be in Santa Barbara, California, at the time of the 30th annual Lemon Festival in Goleta, just a short drive away. It turns out a friend was one of the judges at the pie eating contest, so it made for a great day! Insider tip: The Rotary Club has amazing lemonade!
From my last post, you could see that I wasn’t thrilled with how my photos shot on Fuji Pro 400H looked. I loved that film, but now that it is discontinued, I’m using up the last bit of my stock. I am completely out of 35mm at this point, but I do have some boxes of 120. The test on those will come soon.I don’t freeze my film, but I do store it in a cool environment, so those who freeze may have better luck.
Although I wasn’t happy with the Santa Barbara shots, the true difference was seen when I was shooting the Goleta Lemon Festival in Goleta, California, the next day. Half way through the pie eating contest, I completed a roll of 400H and popped in a roll of Kodak Ektar. These images were taken within the few seconds it took for me to change film:
You can see the difference clearly. A plus is that Ektar is still in production so you can get fresh film!
More expired Fuji Pro 400H:
More Kodak Ektar 100:
You can see from my previous work with Fuji 400H, it loved the sun and had gorgeous greens and blues. I really miss that film, but it’s time to move on.
We took a trip out west in September of 2023. I had a work conference in Scottsdale, and we hadn’t been to California in a few years. My son wanted to see Universal Studios Hollywood, and we wanted to see a friend who had moved to Santa Barbara several years ago. We stayed at the Santa Barbara Inn which is right next to the beach and is highly recommended. You can take in the view of the early morning cyclists and joggers from the patio as you enjoy your breakfast. We had a lovely stay, and look forward to returning soon. These shots are the last bit of Fuji 400H which I had in 35mm. It’s clear that the film looks much better fresh, but given that Fuji discontinued the film, there is really no option for fresh film. I do have some 120 left, so I had better get to shoot that before the beauty of that film is lost. All shot on the Canon EOS 1v with either the Canon 24mm f/1.4 or the 50mm f/1.2 lens.
Work took me back to Los Angeles in the last week of June. Expecting loads of sunny skies, I packed plenty of Ektar 100, but good thing I packed some Lomography 800 and Portra 800. Los Angeles was victim to “June Gloom,” where the area is overcast for much, if not all, of the day, and temperatures are more like spring in Wisconsin than summer in California. Despite the weather, I had a good time people watching along the pier and meeting up with some film photography friends to share the experience.
The day job took me to southern California in February. On my way to my conference, I stopped at Zuma Beach, located in Malibu. Sadly, all the lifeguard shacks were on shore, so I couldn’t get the classic shot I took when I visited Santa Monica a few years back, but the beach was quite beautiful. Few people could be found, and I suspect the only people enjoying the beach that day were those of us from the colder parts north.
Our conference was adjourned from the previous November due to the fires which swept through the area. Although there was obvious damage visible when driving through the hills to the beach, it was nice to see the green returning.
Shot on Canon EOS 1v with the Canon 50mm f/1.2 on Kodak Ektachrome E100 and Kodak Portra 800, and on the Mamiya 6, Mamiya 50mm f/4, on Kodak Portra 400. All images processed and scanned by the best film lab ever, Richard Photo Lab.
We have been to California to see friends and for work, but never spent much time in Chinatown until this trip. Chinatown is a bit overwhelming as far as sights and sounds. There are hundreds of beautiful buildings and signs, with shops and restaurants at every turn. Even the alleyways are beautiful. I captured only a bit of Chinatown and still had a tough time paring down my images to these favorites!
I shot two cameras in Chinatown, the Mamiya 6 and the Canon 1v. Film stocks used include CineStill 50D, Fuji Pro 400H, Kodak Portra 800, and Kodak Ektar 100. All film processed and scanned by Richard Photo Lab.
For more from our trip to California, browse our film images from the city of San Francisco, and our stay in Tiburon!
Over Labor Day weekend, we traveled to San Francisco, California. We stayed in Tiburon, which is a great launching point to the city and to wine country to the north. When in the city, we had dim sum in Chinatown, explored the streets and alleys of Chinatown, grilled our own at a Korean BBQ, saw great works of modern art at SF MOMA, and hiked the trail at Lands End Lookout, a National Recreation Area at the western edge of the city. I shot four cameras over the 5-day trip, Mamiya 6, Mamiya 645 Pro TL, Canon 1v, and Canon AE-1 Program. Film stocks used include Kodak Portra 400 and 800, Fuji Velvia 100 RVP, and Kodak Ektar 100. All film processed and scanned by Richard Photo Lab.
Click here for images from Tiburon, California
Click here for images from Chinatown
Our trip to San Francisco began in Tiburon, where we stayed at the Waters Edge Hotel. Located right on the water, the hotel is right next door to Sam’s Anchor Cafe, a popular spot to enjoy a drink and the views of the city. I found myself up early and made my way to the hotel deck, to watch the sun rise and light up the boats at the dock. Tiburon is a great small town with the perfect location for accessing the city or heading north to wine country.
I brought four cameras on the trip and shot all of them in Tiburon: Mamiya 6, Mamiya 645 Pro TL, Canon 1v, and Canon AE-1 Program. Film stocks used include Kodak Portra 400 and 800, and Kodak Ektar 100. All film processed and scanned by Richard Photo Lab.