thatjoshguy.com

Category: Medium Format

  • Surf City Sunrise

    Surf City Sunrise

    Clearly having not learned my lesson about lugging the C33 around when I still didn’t have a real good handle on using it, I took it with me on vacation at Surf City, NC, and once again attempted to capture a sunrise. At this point, I didn’t actually have the Bear Rocks photos back yet, so I still didn’t know what to expect.

    It’s not that these photos are bad. They’re fine. It’s that I wasted six (SIX!) rolls of 120 Portra 400 for seven mediocre images. That hurts, but it’s part of the learning process. I ran when I should have walked, and I paid for it.

    At least some of the clouds look lovely, and I do like the shot of the man with his dog.

  • First shots with the Mamiya C33

    First shots with the Mamiya C33

    I was gifted a Mamyia C33 TLR camera by my sister Audra back in 2016. It was in great shape, and I had no idea how to use it at all. It was my first exposure to medium format film and my first fully manual camera.

    Thankfully, we live in modern times, and I was able to locate a manual and a few YouTube videos online. Thanks to eBay, I was able to snag a light meter for a few bucks as well (not so easy to do these days) and ran a few rolls through it.

    I enjoy using the C33, but due to its size, weight, and being fully manual, it’s most often found on the display shelf. I do get it out every once in a while, however, and am almost always pleased with the results.

  • Sunrise at Bear Rocks

    Sunrise at Bear Rocks

    In November of 2025, I joined my wife and father-in-law on a hike in Davis, WV to see the sunrise from Bear Rock near Dolly Sods. I thought I could handle lugging the Mamiya C33 up the hill and dealing with the low light levels without a tripod. I could not. At least if I was smarter, I would have sprung for Portra 800 instead of 400, but alas – I was still learning.

    I wouldn’t actually get these photos developed until much later, but I was satisfied with a few shots. Specifically, the last two here are personal favorites from this day. They were underexposed, but I like how they look with the blacks lifted.