I am a retired forester living in Custer, Wisconsin. As a forester I consulted with private landowners, taught at the University, and conducted forest research for the US Forest Service. I used primarily slide film to document my work until digital cameras became available and then I used them for my work. I continue to shoot digital, but about four years ago I returned to shooting film using my old 35mm cameras, a Nikkorex F and a Minolta X-700. A year and a half ago I purchased a Nikon F5 and then could use my collection of Nikon lenses that I purchased for my Nikon digital cameras. It was at that time that I no longer could get film processed locally, which usually cost between $2.50 and $3.00 per roll. Quite reasonable. Now film has to be sent away and costs a minimum of $17. Out of self defense I tried developing b&w film and discovered I could do that successfully and I very much enjoyed doing it. As a teenager I developed some contact prints. But that was the extent of my experience until recently. Scanning negatives into digital format worked well for me. About two months ago I bought a medium format camera, a Mamiya 645 Pro TL with an 80mm lens, and subsequently purchased a 45mm lens. I ran one roll of color film, which I sent out for processing and one roll of b&w, which I processed myself. Although I was pleased with 35mm, I marvelled at the increased image quality of medium format in comparison to both 35mm film and digital images (in my opinion). It really pushed me over the edge for film. So much so, that I decided I would try processing my own color film (c-41) so my new found addiction to film would not bankrupt me. I have all the supplies ready but need to finish shooting a color roll before I begin.
So far I have restricted my film shooting to landscapes, plants, and inanimate objects like trains, buildings, cars. I have not done any portrait (people) or street photography.
Photography is one of my hobbies. I maintain a website for a charitable organization and take pictures for news reports, church activities, and local school sports. I have been paid to do senior portraits (mainly done out-of-doors in natural settings). However this is not a business venture for me.
My film website is http://whsfilm.vrforesters.com, which I have just begun adding photographs to. My photography work goes by the name of WyndeHill Studio.
