About

I bomb atomically, Socrates’ philosophies / and hypotheses can’t define how I be droppin’ these / mockeries, lyrically perform armed robbery.

But seriously though.

I used to shoot with Mostro, my beloved and beleagured Canon EOS Rebel XTi. He’s a doll, but has begun to be passed up in favor of Mr. Kite, my EOS 5D Mark II. I’ve got six lovely lenses:
- Canon EF-S 18-55 f/3.5-5.6
- Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
- Canon EF 35-105 f/4.5-5.6
- Lensbaby Composer
- Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 is usm
- Canon EF 100-300mm f/5.6 – not actually mine
- Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 usm

I once had a PowerShot SD300 called Baby, but it mostly sits on a shelf and looks not-so-pretty. It was the victim of an E18, but had a fabulous life up to that point. To round out the Canon collection, I have a 35mm SLR gleefully stolen from my parents. He’s a Rebel S and I sometimes call him Bubba.

Because I’m greedy, I also have a Nikon SLR – called Fugu, because he’s an F-G. To go with him are two manual lenses (which admittedly takes away some of the fun):
- Nikon Series E 50mm f/1.8
- Vivitar S1 28-105mm

Then I’ve got a whole mess of random film cameras. My main squeeze is Betty, a Holga 135BC. She’s named for Betty Draper. Her friend is Viviane, a Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim. They are both 35mm. My other 35mm camera is a Yashica Electro 35 GSN and I don’t have a silly name for it. It’s my only rangefinder and one of my few mature cameras. Then there’s Kino – he’s the weird one – a Demekin. 110 film is something else.

I also have two TLRs. I’d wanted one for a long time. Bobble is a Duaflex II and he’s for TTV action. I’m scared of converting 120 to 620. Then there’s Orlando Vittorio, Duca d’Arezzo. He is a Rolleicord Ia because I’m cheap. I’m going to give 120 a try. I really have a thing for medium format shots. My other 120 camera is not a TLR, but an Agfa Clack. I’m really looking forward to shooting with it. He’s called Zorak after the Space Ghost Coast-to-Coast Christmas special because “clack” makes me think of Zorak’s “click click click” obsession in that episode.

As for my newest obsession, it has to be the Polaroid. I’ve used my parents’ Polaroid Spectra 2 now and then for about twelve years now and – though it sometimes disappoints – I’ve grown fond of it. I also have a classic SX-70 that I’m quite afraid to use. My last working Polaroid camera is an Automatic Land 100, which has moved me into the crazy world that is pack film. Now I’ve heard people calling the iPhones the “new Polaroid,” and while I disagree I do shoot with mine. 19 fewer megapixels than I’m used to, but it’s okay. My iPhone is called Geedorah (oh yes), but he’s quickly become Fuckin’ Geed. I don’t Flickr my Geedtoggery, but I do Tumblr it.

Sure that the camera naming thing makes me sound like a crazy person and while I very much am a crazy person in very many ways, I don’t think camera naming is one of ‘em. I’m too lazy to call things by their proper names.