Tag Archives: Sputnik

Great Mosque of Sousse, Tunisia 2023

by Brent Osborne

The Great Mosque of Sousse is a great place to check out in Tunisia. Located near the Medina of Sousse, it was built in 851, and is now the oldest mosque in the city as well as the oldest prayer hall in North Africa. I wanted to get some night shots while in Tunisia, and chose the mosque as a great backdrop along with the moon. Not far from the main part of the old section of Sousse, it was only steps away from our hotel and a really fun place to smoke at a hookah lounge. Sousse is on the coast of Tunisia, and unfortunately is known as the place that had terrorist attacks in 2015 that damaged the tourism in Tunisia. Although still trying to recover from those days, Sousse is a good place to visit and Tunisia as a whole. The city is rich with history and was definitely noticeable all around you at every turn. This was shot with my Sputnik, on Provia 100f.

Duomo di Orvieto, Orvieto, Italy 2022

by Brent Osborne

Duomo di Orvieto, is a gorgeous church in the heart of Orvieto, located in the Umbria region of Italy. My wife and I explored Umbria and Tuscany in 2022 by car, and in doing so, got to visit many different little towns off the beaten path. Built between 1290 and 1591, it is an amazing place to visit. Similar to the church in Milan with it’s black and white stonework throughout, it is a sight to see. Personally, I recognize myself as agnostic, but I am still always fascinated by religious structures throughout the world. This one was no exception. As to getting the shot, I managed to have a tiny tabletop tripod that is maybe 3 inches long, and has a quick release system. I slap that on my Sputnik and then find some railing that I can ‘pinch’ it on as I take the shot. I tried the string to foot method in the past, with little success. So, by not being able to use a proper tripod in churches, this is the best I could come up with. Shot on Provia 100f.

Khoa San Road, Bangkok, Thailand 2024

by Brent Osborne

Khoa San Road is a very popular area of Bangkok. Those who have visited may have stayed near there, or are at least ‘in the know’ as to it’s existence. It was once, and still is, a backpacker’s hub (since the 1970’s) with tons of little shops, eateries, street food, and chaos. We happened to stay in this area of Bangkok for the first time, because it is known to be loud, crowded, etc. However, we managed to find a great hotel nearby that was on a much more quiet backstreet and was steps away from everything. Great experience! We happened to be there during Halloween last year and I wanted to get some night shots. As you can see in the photo, there are red streaks of light about head height in the image. Those are lit up red devil horns that people were wearing all night. Glad I captured at least part of that. This exposure I believe was about 20 seconds long. Shot at f16. Shot on (the now hard to get) Provia 100f with a Sputnik.

Ian’s D26 Submission

by Ian Andvaag

Owen’s Beach, Rushton Point, Tacoma, WA

I was struck by the lush green mossy branches and the cooler green ferns. It took me many attemps to parse a composition out of the complexity, and I’m not sure I really succeeded, but I think it gives the impression I was after.

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA

I went on a business trip to San Francisco last year, and took a personal day to go walk around with a Sputnik. I haven’t developed the images from Chinatown yet, so I’m eager to see how those turned out.

Mount Rainier Pool, WA

This was taken during the excursion to Mt. Rainier during the 2022 3D Con in Tacoma. It was inspiring to be able to shoot in the same place where I’ve seen so many wonderful folio submissions, in particular Don’s. It was also a delight to be able to visit and photograph alongside Bob. Not to mention the many outstanding slides Bob brought to share on the bus ride. What a great day!

Douglas Park Lily, SK

I was hiking back to my car after a day of photographing the sand dunes at Douglas Park. The sun had nearly set and the light was fading, when I came across a handful of Western Red Lilies, which is Saskatchewan’s provincial flower in the undergrowth. The fiery colour was striking against the undergrowth. It was one of the rare times in Saskatchewan when there was hardly a breath of wind. I think this was a 10 second exposure. Evidently, there was a breath of wind, as observed in the white flowers, but I think it still came out OK, and I’m glad I had a roll of Velvia to capture the vibrant colours.

“PHOTO WALKS” – Steven Lederman’s d25 Submission

by Steven Lederman

I belong to a number of Photo Walk groups here in Toronto. Participating in a Photo Walk is a great way to get one’s steps in, socialize with like-minded folk, and maybe use a camera that hasn’t been taken out in a while. If one is not driving, one can join one’s aforementioned like-minded friends in quaffing great flagons of beer after the walk, get sotted and beligerent, tip over tavern tables in anger, and tell everyone in the room what one REALLY thinks of them and their pretentious little point ‘n’ shoots.

“BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD…….ROCK”.
Captured during an excursion with the (Toronto) ANALOG FRIENDS photo walk group. TL-120-1, Kodak E100SW

“A STREETCAR NAMED RETIRED”.
Made on a solo photography jaunt. Sometimes you don’t want to be with others and their YouTube Influencer cameras. TL-120-1, Kodak Lumiere LPP

“CURB APPEAL”.
Snapped during a pleasant meandering with the TORONTO FILM SHOOTERS photo walk group. Sputnik, very expired and damaged AGFA APX 100 (Foma-R reversal kit)

“DOWN BY THE BAY”.
Photographed during a chilly Fall cattle drive with the TORONTO PHOTO WALKS (TOPW) photo walk group. There was an actual theme set for this photo walk, which was “Towers and Reflections”. Stereo Samulette, Kodak E100S

Biertan Fortified Church

by Brian Reynolds

Last year Liz and I decided to take part in Chris Marquardt’s Eastern Europe Electric Photo Road Trip. This was a combined guided tour, and photo workshop. We went from Transylvania, to Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Dresden and ended up in Berlin.

This is a view from outside the defensive walls of the Biertan Fortified church in Transylvania, Romania. These churches were fortified in response to the Ottoman army in the area at the time.

This was taken with a handheld (string monopod) Sputnik on Kodak E-100.

Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

by Brian Reynolds

After the photo trip was done Liz and I stayed on in Berlin so we could visit where her mother grew up.

This is Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. The building in the cneter was built by Kaiser Wilhelm II in the late 19th century, and named in honor of his grandfather Kaiser Wilhelm I. This church was heavily damaged during an Allied bombing raid in WWII. Today it is a memorial hall, and contains a Cross of Nails made from the roof timber nails of Conventry Cathedral in the UK . The building on the left is the new church built after the war.

This was taken with a handheld (string monopod) Sputnik on Kodak E-100.

COVID ROAD TRIP #2

by Steven Lederman

Covid Road Trip #1 was submitted to loop d24 of the Dragon Folio.

As soon as the borders to the US opened, I booked tickets for “The Presidents’ Heads”. My visit there took place in November of 2021. I met a lot of nice photographers at the Heads. A pair of them told me about this site that would eventually become COVID Road Trip #2 in April of 2022; “Old Car City” in White, Georgia. 4700 vehicles from 1918 to 1972 slowly being reclaimed by nature. It’s well-documented on YouTube.
“Twitter Barn” – Ever wonder where Elon Mollusk got the inspiration for his inventive re-naming of the Twitter platform? It was from this very barn, somewhere near the border of two States, on the way down to Georgia. TL-120-55, and some expired colour film. Could have been Provia 100F.
“Old Car City – Ford Detail” – I think this is an emblematic example of my work. Sputnik, Superpan 200.
“’50 Buick OCC” – I love the 1950 Buick. GM only made that grill style for one year. Sputnik, Superpan 200.
“’50 Buick Old Car City, GA” – A different 1950 Buick. Shallow depth of field, scratch on the film. Sputnik, Superpan 200.

Barber Shop – Syracuse, Sicily 2022

by Brent Osborne

As we walked through the main palazzo in Syracuse, I noticed a barber shop and knew that I had to take a 3D shot of it. The barber was in the middle of shaving someone, so the composition with the mirrors and lighting was amazing. We were headed to another location and I took note of the shop as we passed by to come back to it later. Upon my return, it was of course closed, the barber was gone, and the lights were shut off. Regardless, I put my Sputnik up to the window and as you can see me in the shot, I took the photo. Still a fun shot to take but having the barber there working would have been much better. Shot with my Sputnik on Fuji Provia 100f.

Roman Amphitheater – Syracuse, Sicily 2022

by Brent Osborne

Just outside of Syracuse is a collection of Roman ruins within the Neapolis Archeological Park. Within the park there are many sites to check out, including this Amphitheater built around 212 BC. It is the 3rd largest Amphitheater in Italy. It was in much disrepair and had been used as a quarry at some point by the Spaniards. It was just a shell of what it used to be. I tried to get the best viewpoint to show it’s size from the upper level. Having shot it in 3D, this does give it some of that ‘depth’ that it requires to show it’s true size. Shot with my Sputnik on Fuji Provia 100f.

Hanging Medallions – Pompeii, Italy 2022

by Brent Osborne

Pompeii is an incredible place to visit. Not only do you feel like you have stepped back in time when you are there, but you are also essentially walking through a gravesite. It’s eeriness combined with the story of that fateful day in 79 AD, makes it all the more profound. One could spend hours walking it’s long narrow streets, peering into the empty shells of homes, and imagining the horror that would have flowed through the town that day. It really sends chills down your spine. This shot was one of my favorites that I took on this trip, however the only personal ‘beef’ that I have with this shot is that it’s a little underexposed. The medallions, I’m sure are ‘new’ and were placed there not long ago. However, I don’t know for sure, since there were no markers to say otherwise. There are many hidden gems in Pompeii, from tiny scribbles on the walls by children, hidden brothels, and splendid mosaics in hallways or doorways. Worth a visit if you are ever in the neighborhood. Shot with my Sputnik, on you guessed it, Fuji Provia 100f.

The Tourists – Palatine Hill, Rome, Italy 2022

by Brent Osborne

Just outside of the main Roman Forum and Colosseum is Palatine Hill. This is where alot of the senators and statesman lived, amongst some of the most prestigious and wealthy Roman citizens. The views of the surrounding area, and it’s natural beauty made it an ideal spot for such folks. Walking around it’s remnants of the past, I noticed a couple sitting not far from us, trying to shield themselves from the afternoon sun. I knelt down and captured their ‘break’ from the heat. Shot with my Sputnik spy camera, on (the now coveted) Fuji Provia 100f.