Time Travel

Here we go back in time again. This time to an old diner that once thrived on Route #1 in Edison, NJ back in the 50’s & 60’s. I took the original photo back in the early 70’s with a Mamiya C220 medium format twin lens reflex. You are looking at the original five inch square proof through the view finder of one of the first Mamiya RB-67 Pro-S 6×7 format SLR’s.

I am always happy when old structures are dismantled and relocated rather then demolished. There is so much in the culture of other times & places to explore even if it happens to be classic American greasy spoon diner. I do not know where this one went but I do hope it is still around all these years later.

The inspiration for the picture you see was again from Shutter Sisters and again very late with my offering here. Debbie has reminded me that the story behind the photos may also interest my readers so I will give you a brief or maybe not so brief explanation of how it was done.

I used a black cardboard backdrop to keep attention on the photo. The original picture was propped against a mineral makeup container from my makeup table. The RB-67 was placed on a tripod 4 feet from the photo. The prism finder was removed so I could shoot down into the viewfinder. A monolight with an 8 inch reflector was placed on the left of the RB-67 and pointed directly at the photo. 90 degrees to the left another monolight was pointed at the white ceiling. 45 degrees to the right a third monolight with a 42 inch white umbrella was angled directly at the photo.

Following the advise I read somewhere else I took my old digital rebel with a 50 mm lens and tried to focus on the RB-67’s viewfinder. No way too close. I took an empty saltine box with the ends cut off to use as a light shield. Then I climbed on a stool and tried again. I was able to focus but lost my balance and nearly fell into everything. Fortunately nothing was damaged including me.

I put the DSLR away and got out the C3000 point and shoot.  Set to full manual, f11, 1/100 sec., macro, internal flash off, x-sync cable connected, x-sync on, I stuck my head inside a dark knit top from the wrong side and used the body of the top for a shield to block external light as I snapped a picture of the viewfinder from about 8 inches away.

Perhaps sometime in the future when I am in control of this damn depression & anxiety I will do some step by step “how to’s” complete with photo illustrations.  For those wondering how I am doing with those problems the answer is not good. It is a day to day struggle that is killing my spirit bit by bit hour by hour with no end in sight.