stories from the sea

but now we float take life as it comes [lomo aqua pix underwater camera | rollei retro 400s | june 2014 | santa anna]  

into the surging deep

[...] αὐτὴ δ᾿ ἂψ ἐς πόντον ἐδύσετο κυμαίνοντααἰθυίῃ ἐικυῖα: μέλαν δέ ἑ κῦμα κάλυψεν.
[...] στην κυματούσα μέσα θάλασσα βουτάει ξανά, παρόμοια νεροχελίδονο, και χώθηκε στο μαύρο κύμα μέσα.
[...] and [she] herself plunged again into the surging deep, like a sea-mew; and the dark wave hid her.   ...the camera was leaking water from the first moment it went into the sea. after frame 24, the take-up spool jammed. it wouldn't go to the next frame, nor it would rewind. I had to unload the film in the darkroom. a little bit of saltwater never hurt anybody.
[lomo aqua pix underwater camera | kodak tri-x 400 | diafine | august 2013 | tinos & kefalonia | text by homer's odyssey]  

villa aqua

‘how long were you under the sea?’‘it was almost nine thousand years.’ ‘you mean . . . you just sat there?’ ‘I was not instructed to do otherwise. I heard the song of the whales above me. it was dark. then there was a net, and rising, and light. these things happen.'   [lomo aqua pix underwater camera | rollei retro 400s | diafine | june 2013 | villa averoff]  

aqua pix on land

more shots with the lomo aqua pix, all taken on land. this camera is designed for underwater use and its focus point is set at 1m or something, therefore focused photos are practically out of the question. even when underwater, it is nearly impossible to get a properly focused photo, as I observed in my first outing with the camera. it's no nikonos, but it is a fun camera to use, and dirt cheap (5$ off ebay). the film/developer combination contributes to the grittiness of the resulting images. after four different rolls, I have to say that rollei retro 400s (supposedly the same formula as the old agfa apx 400) does not like my favourite developer, diafine. I thought diafine was the ultimate solution, but I've been getting really foggy results with some films, namely the rollei retro 400s, the fuji neopan 100ss and also the fuji neopan 400. I'm not 100% sure of this, but I know I'll keep diafine away from these films.

[lomo aqua pix underwater camera | rollei retro 400s | october 2012]

under the sea

"I'd like to be under the sea, in an octopus' garden in the shade.we would be warm below the storm, in our little hideaway beneath the waves."   bought a lomo waterproof / underwater camera for a handful of dollars. it was neither waterproof, nor lightproof. the film survived, albeit with lots of fog and salt. interesting results when used above water - the saltwater might have influenced things a bit.   [lomo aqua pix underwater camera | rollei retro 400s | september 2012]