Into The Woods

Sometimes here in Marion, it decides to follow with the natural trends of Spring! I've recently been working on developing my Lifestyle portfolio, and on this particular fine spring Saturday, a fantastic group of friends let me take them on a little hike. Take a look at some of our behind the scenes shots!

Well, yes I did make them set up the camp scene for me. I had this really magical picture in my head of beautiful lights strung in the trees, so these champs climbed right up for me! We then realized that they're 24x less enchanting in broad daylight.

I may or may not have bribed them with S'mores.

Downtown Shops

I had the opportunity to peek into the happenings at a perfect new shop called Grounds Coffee Bar, connected with Reclaimed furniture store!

Brent and Megan, the sweet couple that started this unique shop took some time to answer a few of my questions and let me roam the showroom and workshop upstairs. They tell me it’s always changing, which seems to fit with the life of the Downtown Crystal Lake train station just across the street. 

A fresh feel from the sleek wood and vibrant colors greet the morning Metra commuters, and locally sourced products offer them a perfect start to their day.

For downtown shoppers hoping to stay a while and sip their hot coffee, a wall of windows makes for a perfect sun-filled study spot with an intriguing invitation to explore the back room filled with treasures. 

 

A conveniently placed furniture elevator makes for easy transfer of the pieces from the upstairs workshop.

 

This particular Friday morning found Brent and Doug constructing a custom made table, but work boards show all kinds of upcoming projects. Gatherings of old wood and discarded chairs certainly buzz with potential for what will eventually be displayed in the glowing room below.

 

Check this lovely location out next time you’ve got a few minutes before the next train!

 

Mystery Film

If you and I have happened to cross paths in the past 3 days, then it is likely that you have heard the latest excitement in my life. For the rest of you, I will provide the detailed story.

 

In a recent visit to the Antique Store near me, I came to acquire an old Instamatic Camera. But not just any Instamatic Camera. This Instamatic camera had a role of film in it— a role of film with six exposures already taken.

 

Who took these six pictures? WHAT were these six pictures? Where were these six pictures taken? What YEAR were these six pictures from? Just a few of the questions that had to have an answer.

 

Needless to say, my decision was quickly made that this camera, and particularly, this role of film would have to be mine.

 

And so began the process of developing this hidden mystery. The development process of this film was an arduous one to say the least. The small 110 size allowed for ABSOLUTELY ZERO available reels to fit it, and the tightly wound film was adamant in keeping it’s spring-like curl, leaving me only one option.

 

TRAY DEVELOPING.

 

I would like to take this moment to mention that this Gold 200 Film required a C41 color process. Which basically means that the consistent 95°F chemical temperature throughout the entire process was vital. For those familiar with film development, you also know that the film must be in COMPLETE DARKNESS until after the final wash.

 

You can imagine my agility and grace in the measurement of chemicals, washing of the film, and general movement about the pitch-black room for the following 45 minutes.

 

Nevertheless, with the help of a small red tray, film holders (better known as my fingers) an obnoxiously loud timer, and the wonderful heat-retaining water tank called a JOBO, I emerged from the blackness with high hopes.

 

The initial analysis of this precious film provided nothing but dense, detail-less black. Which was mildly devastating, yet understandable considering the film’s potential age. In frustration, I allowed it to wash a bit more and then left it to dry while I put my time towards less fruitless tasks (like taking a final exam).

 

When I returned, I hesitantly decided to give it a second look with the hopes of finding any slightest bit of detail. To any nearby observer, my reaction at this moment would be described as no less than pure elation as what looked to me like two people were just barely visible in the murky blackish-green strip.

 

 I quickly found myself at a scanner, seeing for my very eyes the thrilling results on my computer screen. What you see before you are the black and white converted scans from this epic film! Only four of these exposures came out. I have absolutely no idea who these people are or when these photos were taken, but one of these days if I finish with finals, papers, projects, and job searching, I hope to pursue this story a bit further!


If you read this elaborate story all the way through, congratulations and thank you.

Just Baking

9 AM the other morning seemed like a very excellent time to bake a cake, and so I did. This particular recipe comes from a new favorite site of mine,

 http://www.vegetarianventures.com

I definitely will be making this Toasted Coconut Olive Oil Cake again!

Contemporary Photography

This last week concluded my class on the contemporary methods of photography. We worked in several different processes including Cyanotype, Van Dyke Brown, Lith Print, Transfers, Polaroids, Palladium Platinum, and Pinhole Cameras. These are just a few of the many images I ended with.

Palladium Platinum

Palladium Platinum

Image Taken with 4x5 BW film in my Pinhole Camera

Image Taken with 4x5 BW film in my Pinhole Camera

Lith Print

Lith Print

Cyanotype

Cyanotype

In Honor of Exploration

Despite trying to forget about the long winter we are emerging from here in Illinois, I decided to post some of the pictures from a little exploration back in March.

I happened across this fantastically abandoned location while wandering through some of the backroads. The rows and rows of glass bottle puzzled me, sitting untouched for who knows how long until little bit of research informed me of the incredible …

I happened across this fantastically abandoned location while wandering through some of the backroads. The rows and rows of glass bottle puzzled me, sitting untouched for who knows how long until little bit of research informed me of the incredible glass factory that once stood before a fire some years back. 

Someone had graciously left a ladder in order for me to hoist myself up to the second floor. 

Someone had graciously left a ladder in order for me to hoist myself up to the second floor. 

Part of the warehouse was still standing, though in a less than perfect state. The partially demolished building, though, let in just enough snow and light to get this shot.

Part of the warehouse was still standing, though in a less than perfect state. The partially demolished building, though, let in just enough snow and light to get this shot.