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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 49m

Surfside Shakes

Ice cream and shakes in Flagler Beach. Leica R4, Kodak Plus-X (expired 1994), Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

The wall of a small one story building has an elaborate mural painted on it involving raging surf and various sea creatures. The mural is interrupted by an air conditioner and a window with a sign in it saying Surfside Shakes, with a neon sign below it saying Ice Cream over a neon soft serve ice cream cone.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 3h

Cable Cars

Took the Smartflex 3445 to Seaside Heights on Monday morning. I wanted to test some lenses. Surprisingly, two of the three I brought would not focus to infinity, the Schneider-Kreuznach Symmar-S 180mm and the ancient Bausch & Lomb 7-1/2 […]

[Original post on pixelfed.thereisnocat.com]

Ski lift-style cable cars soar over dunes next to the boardwalk.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 22h

Open Studio

Catskill is an arty town. Pentaz 17, Harman Phoenix II, ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm #halfframe

A yellow three story building. The first floor has an art studio with the words “Open Studio” painted as a sign above the windows and door, with each letter hand painted in a different whimsical style. A woman in a long dress stands in front of it.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 1d

Cool Stuff

This maybe should have been taken in color. Leica R4, Kodak Plus-X (expired 1994, exposed at EI 80), Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

Two hand painted signs stand on the ground up against a tree. The left one says “Cool Stuff” and the right one says “Local Art &”.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 4d

Chocolated!

Yes! It’s chocolated! That’s exactly what I’m looking for when I can’t shit. Pentax 17, Harman Phoenix II, ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm #halfframe

An old advertisement above a window in a brick wall states "Ex-Lax The Chocolated Laxative”.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 5d

Sailbird Distillery

I don’t drink hard liquor, but I got a kick out of the signage at this place on West King in St. Augustine. Leica R4, Adox Scala 50 (developed as a negative), Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

A building has a couple of signs on it. One says “Sailbird Distilling; Cocktails, Tastings & Tours”. The other says “Distillery” with each letter in its own circle, the circles zigging and zagging back and forth down the wall.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 5d

Castillo de San Marcos

One of the many national parks/monuments semi-closed thanks to the Trump Shutdown. Leica R4, Kodak 5222 (Double-XX), Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

A sign in front of an ancient fort reads “National Park Service Department of the Interior Castillo de San Marcos National Monument”.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 5d

Three Stories

Cute little building on the main drag in Catskill. Pentax 17, Harman Phoenix II, ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm #halfframe

A three story brick building stands close to the street. The ground floor houses a store.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 6d

Good Wave

King Street on the other side of Route 1 has some interesting businesses. Leica R4, Adox Scala 50, Rodinal 1:50 (developed as a negative).

#BelieveInFilm

A stucco building with a curved roof has abstract patterns in its display window sitting on chairs and a table. A sign to the right of the door at center says “Buena Onda”.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 6d

Bad Politics

I’ve posted a shot of this place on Avenida Menendez before. Much as I love St. Augustine, I don’t think I could live in Florida. Leica R4, Kodak 5222 (Double-XX), Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

Two buildings with colonial style roofs. The one on the right has several American flags. The one on the left has one American flag and several signs promoting Donald Trump and calling the patriotism of liberal Americans into question.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 6d

Boarded Up

The place we stayed at in Catskill was probably the nicest house on the street; a lot of the other houses looked something like this. In fairness, I saw a couple of people working on this one at another point during our stay. Pentax 17 […]

[Original post on pixelfed.thereisnocat.com]

An old house built on an inclined street sits with its front door open and most of its windows boarded up.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 7d

Sailboats

Overcast morning on the Matanzas River. Leica R4, Kodak Plus-X (expired 1994, shot at EI 80), Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

Sailboats are anchored offshore in the Matanzas River. Houses are visible on the other shore. The sky is overcast and ominous.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 7d

Three Cannons

Here’s a good example of why I say the Smartnon lens that comes with the Smartflex camera is a poor choice for landscape and architecture photography. The cannon in the center are in focus. The cannons on either side of it are […]

[Original post on pixelfed.thereisnocat.com]

Three cannons peek out through the parapets.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 7d

Come & Sit With Me

A welcoming message on the front porch of our AirBnB in Catskill. Pentax 17, Harman Phoenix II, ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm #halfframe

A white rocking chair sits on a porch with a pillow on it that says “Come & Sit With Me”.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 8d

Bridge of Lions

It was a gray, overcast day in St. Augustine. Good thing I was shooting black and white. Leica R4, bulk rolled Kodak Plus-X (expired 1994, shot at EI 80), Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

A drawbridge goes over a tidal estuary under a heavily overcast sky.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 8d

Bob and Gretchen

One nice thing about the Smartflex is that it draws attention and people ask about it. I had a very nice conversation at the Castillo de San Marcos with this couple from Alabama, explaining the camera, what inspired it, what I use […]

[Original post on pixelfed.thereisnocat.com]

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 8d

Two Stories

Just a house in the neighborhood we stayed in when we were in Catskill. Pentax 17, Harman Phoenix II, ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm #halfframe

A two story clapboard house painted blue, with porches on both the first and second floors.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 9d

Full House

Looking down the length of the Roadside Diner, it was pretty full when we were there on opening weekend. Contax IIIa, Fujifilm ACROS Neopan 1600, Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

Several people sit on stools at the counter of a chrome diner. At the end, there is a door with a sign on it that says “Slide” with an arrow pointing to the right.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 9d

Barrels

One of which has a tap sticking out of it. I didn’t check to see if there was anything in it (I assume since this is a national park, probably not). Smartflex 3445, Kodak Tri-X 320 TXP, Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

Several wooden wine barrels sit on the floor of a stone fort interior.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 9d

111 Water Street

Note that the street is not, in fact, made of water. Pentax 17, Harman Phoenix II, ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm #halfframe

A man in black stands on the sidewalk in front of a tall brick building at the right of the frame. Above the door, the address is 111 Water Street. To the right of the door, the word “Office” is painted on the bricks.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 9d

Seats Empty

Same seats that were full in yesterday’s photo. Shot at the Roadside Diner in Wall, New Jersey. Contax IIIa, Fujifilm ACROS Neopan 1600, Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

Four empty stools in front of a counter at an old school diner.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 10d

Carriage

No gun on this one. I really need to fit a new lens on this camera. The Smartnon lens is not really fit for purpose for anything but portraits. Smartflex 3445, Kodak Tri-X 320, Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

A wooden cannon carrier sits inside the fort.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 10d

Bright

One side of the building is bright. The other is in shade. Pentax 17, Harman Phoenix II, ECN-2 development.

#BelieveInFilm #halfframe

An old industrial building has its side bathed in sunlight.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 11d

Seats Full

Another shot from the newly-owned Roadside Diner in Wall, New Jersey. Contax IIIa, Fujifilm ACROS Neopan 1600, Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

Four people sit at the counter of an old-school diner.

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Ralph Brandi @pixelfed.thereisnocat.com · 11d

Castillo de San Marcos

Another shot of the Castillo in St. Augustine, taken with my Smartflex 3445. Agfa Agfapan APX100, shot at EI 50, expired January 1994, Rodinal 1:50.

#BelieveInFilm

A few people wander around the courtyard of a stone fort. A few others stand on the wall. The city is visible across the water.

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