geek/photographer » Photography

My Photo Zine Is Here…

Phillip Sumner — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:20:11 +0000

View of the former Texas School Book Depository in Dallas, TX. Shot with my Lomo Lubitel 166 on expired Ilford Delta 100 Pro film.

I have decided to finally compile some of my photos into a zine. These are some of the photos I have taken over the past 10 years or so. I am really happy with how they turned out. It has 22 pages of color and B&W photos. You can order one right now for the low low price of $15 plus shipping. You can even click below to purchase:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=6803400

Lamenting the (all but) Complete Death of Film

Phillip Sumner — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:53:48 +0000

I have been going through an old shoe box of family photos from the 1970’s. There are some great shots in there (and some terrible ones) and they each bring back wonderful memories. But it got me thinking about the future of “family photos” in the digital era.

I don’t know about you, but I rarely print any of my digital photos. I think a lot of people are the same way. I think this makes the traditional family photo album an endangered species. And that is really kind of sad.

Here are a few gems from my past:

My brothers Brett (left) and Gregg seem to be really "jazzed" to be holding the new baby, yours truly.

A photographer is born at age 7. I was on the 'roids. Polaroids that is.

In the pool with mom. I am the one on the left.

It would be a tragedy for these types of photos to be relegated to computer wallpapers, and archive CD-ROMs . But I am afraid that is what will happen to many family photos in the future. I guess I should start printing more pics.

Do you print many of your digital photos? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Forgotten 66

Phillip Sumner — Mon, 25 May 2009 01:14:53 +0000

A few years ago, I started a photo series called Forgotten 66. The idea was to show famous and not so famous landmarks along old US 66. I wanted to show them as they are now, which sadly is not in very good shape. There are many more places I want to visit along the Mother Road, but here are a few photographs from a couple of places in the Tulsa area.

The black and white ones are the Tee-Pee Drive In in my hometown of Sapulpa. It has really fallen on hard times. They were shot on film, with a Bronica SQb. Delta 100 Pro film, if I remember correctly.

The color shots are of the famous Blue Whale of Catoosa. It has been refurbished to look somewhat like it did in it’s heyday. There were even a few tourists visiting while I was there. These shots are from my new Nikon D90.

Pictures from my new Canon G10

Phillip Sumner — Mon, 11 May 2009 00:15:05 +0000

I got a Canon Powershot G10 a couple of weeks ago, and I am loving it! It takes great pictures. It has great manual controls for those of us who like to have total control over aperture and shutter speed. But it also produces great shots in full auto mode.

Here are some samples from the first two weeks with the camera. Some shots from our trip to Santa Monica.

Sunny Sunday in Santa Monica

Phillip Sumner — Mon, 04 May 2009 00:39:35 +0000

The lobster taquitos from Ocean Avenue Seafood in Santa Monica. Have a drink on the Georgian Hotel's veranda, and you can order them!

I am sitting on the veranda of the Georgian Hotel composing this blog on my Blackberry, with the Pacific Ocean in view. Just finished some delicious lobster tacquitos (pictured above). I saw another celebrity today. Ancient comedian Rip Taylor was at the Mel’s Diner on Sunset in Hollywood. He was looking very old but he still has the curly mustache and appeared to be wearing his signature rug under a white straw fedora. He stumbled out the door with the help of a cane, got into a silver Ford Focus, and drove off.

Amanda and I started the day meeting my old college pal Dave at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market. It was good to see Dave for the first time in damn near 17 years. He hasn’t changed a bit.

The famous LaBrea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. This place stinks. Quite literally. Smells like road construction.

Then we went to the La Brea Tar Pits. It was underwhelming. Right now, Amanda is writing post cards. Tonight we go to Dan Tana’s for dinner. Hoping to see a bigger celebrity. Like Clooney, or the guy who played Cletus on Dukes of Hazzard. Peace out.

Forget Air Bud

Phillip Sumner — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 03:27:22 +0000

It’s Air Kelso! I took this in Arkansas over the weekend with one of my film cameras. Pentax P30T on Kodak Portra 160VC. I was going for shallow depth of field to blur the trailer park in the background, but it was too bright outside to get much below f4. Unfortunately Kelso was moving so fast he is a little blurred.

It's a bird. It's a plane. It's a Chocolab?

Not the cutest picture of Kelso, but it does showcase his athleticism. At any rate, it was fun to shoot some film again. I must admit that I have been guilty of “chimping” from time to time with my digital cameras. But, just like riding a bike, I was able to fall back into the whole “I think that will be a good picture” mindset that permeated y film shooting days.

Snow dog

Phillip Sumner — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:11:45 +0000

Had a great walk today with wife and dog. Good times!

Snow pics from the backyard

Phillip Sumner — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 19:38:06 +0000

So we are about up to 7 or 8 inches here at the house at this point. We will probably end up with over a foot before it’s all over. Some closeups from my backyard.

March Snowstorm

Phillip Sumner — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:28:53 +0000

I am totally ready for this stuff to be gone! The view from my front porch this morning.

See the full gallery on posterous

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March Madness

Phillip Sumner — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 17:20:22 +0000

While Tulsa is about to get hammered with a snow storm, it is Spring in other parts of the country. And that means March Madness. I dug up this old pic from 2004. Not my best work but I really like the rusty sepia look of it. I also like that it looks like it could be in some inner city somewhere, but it’s in Darlington Park in Tulsa. Hope your team wins. Mine didn’t.