Kyle Conway

The original Point Loma lighthouse was one of 6 lighthouses constructed by the US Govt. when California was admitted to the Union. Construction was completed in 1855 on, when operating, what was the highest elevation lighthouse in the United States. On foggy nights the lighthouse keeper would sometimes discharge a shotgun to warn ships away. On March 23, 1891, the flame was permanently extinguished and the light was replaced by the New Point Loma lighthouse at a lower elevation.

"Old Point Loma Lighthouse," photographed by Conway Darkroom

#photography #fotografia #PhotographersUnited #artistsofbluesky #art #supportartists

Prints: https://www.framergallery.com/s/image/214026?source=bluesky

A panoramic image of Downtown San Diego shot on black and white film. Skyscrapers and various other buildings can be seen making up the cityscape.

A panoramic image of boats docked in a marina. In the background, dozens more boats can be seen lined with fishing poles, waiting to head into the Pacific.

A black and white panoramic image of buildings in the Gaslamp District in San Diego.

A black and white panoramic image of children competing in a race. The children are blurred as they run past the camera.

A few more panoramic shots from the Fuji. These are on @ilfordphoto.com’s Delta film. Delta 100 @ 400 & 3200 @ 800.

All handheld, which you can imagine got me more than a few glances on the street lol.

#believeinfilm #ilfordphoto #fridayfavourites

A black and white photograph of the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, built in 1855. At the time, it was the highest elevation lighthouse in the United States.

A black and white photograph of a US Navy ship leaving North Island en route into the Pacific Ocean. On either side of the image, the cliffs of Point Loma are seen high above the water.

A black and white photograph of the city of San Diego, taken from Point Loma. In the photo, North Island, Coronado, and Downtown San Diego can all be seen.

A black and white photograph of the cliffs at Point Loma. The Pacific Ocean is seen stretching into the distance over the cliff’s edge.

I always like trying new films, and I was fortunate enough to snag a few rolls of some Agfa Aviphot 200 NIR film from The Celluloid Collective. Check them out for cool (often expired) films.

I really like the way these photos from Point Loma turned out. The 6x7 never disappoints.

#believeinfilm

Love this - nice use of 6x6

Those images are fantastic!

A 6x17 panorama of the Old Point Loma Lighthouse. In the image, the lighthouse and auxiliary building are seen built from a white-painted brick. An American flag flies next to the buildings.

A 6x17 panorama image of San Diego, California. North Island, home to the US Military, is prominently featured in the middle of the image. The Hotel del Coronado and Downtown San Diego can been seen in the distance.

A 6x17 panorama of a US Navy Ship leaving North Island headed into the Pacific Ocean. The ship tears through the water, framed by the tall hills of Point Loma.

I don’t know how best to share these images, so here you go.

Does the G617 eat film? Sure. Is it a beast to shoot handheld? Yeah. Is it worth it? You tell me.

📍 Point Loma, SD
📷 Fuji G617
🎞️ Kodak Portra 800

#believeinfilm #mediumformat #california

A film photo of two tall skyscrapers behind the Horton Grand Hotel in San Diego.

A film photo of the pier from below at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Diego near sunset.

A film photo of red brick buildings in San Diego.

A film photo of a street musician setting up a green drum set. The performer is wearing a bright red suit, has green hair, and joker-like clown makeup.

Exploring the streets of San Diego, CA with @kyle.conwaydarkroom.com!

📷 Nikon F100
🎞️ Kodak Gold

#believeinfilm #film #photography #35mm #sandiego #architecture #streetphotography

A photograph of the top of the rotunda of the Hotel del Coronado. Brown shingles line the structure with a bright white walkway at the top of the rotunda.

A photograph of the rotunda at the Hotel del Coronado. The distinctive brown shingles wrap around the building and provide stark contrast to the bright white siding.

A photograph of the Hotel del Coronado. Originally opened in 1888, the Hotel is one of the oldest structures in San Diego and is considered to be haunted.

A photograph of a balcony of the Hotel del Coronado. In the photograph, the bright white siding can be seen with all of its intricate detailing absent from the previous images.

We had a chance to escape the heat this weekend in San Diego for a family trip.

These are from a day at the Hotel Del Coronado - shot on @cinestillfilm.bsky.social 400D on the Pentax 6x7.

Opened in 1888, the historic hotel is one of the oldest structures in the San Diego area.

#believeinfilm

A color photograph of Ocean Beach Pier in San Diego, CA. A shadowy pier stretches into the sunset as a man and woman walk out of frame along the beach.

A color photograph of Ocean Beach in San Diego, CA. Locals and tourists alike flock to the beach to enjoy the sunset as waves crash onto the shore.

A color photograph of a Spanish-style building at the Liberty Public Market in San Diego, CA. The adobe building dominates the frame with outdoor pendant lights strung throughout the image.

A color photograph of a hibiscus flower in San Diego, CA. This flower was red and was rendered in false color (yellow) through a scanning artifact.

I want to like @harmanphoto.co.uk’s Phoenix II, but I struggled with color consistency on my first roll. Probably my scanning process.

📍 San Diego, CA
📷 Pentax 6x7
🎞️ Harman Phoenix II

#believeinfilm #mediumformat #harmanphoto #california

A roll of Aerochrome film by Kodak. Discontinued in 2009, this infrared film is known for its unique ability to render infrared light as red and visible green light as blue. This produces a distinctive, often surreal, color palette, with green vegetation appearing in shades of red and pink. It was initially developed for military use in aerial reconnaissance and camouflage detection

Beyond excited to have snagged a roll of Aerochrome from The Celluloid Collective this morning.

A rare chance to shoot a rare film. Now the hardest choice: where to shoot it?

#believeinfilm #darkroom #filmisnotdead

A black and white photograph of Lake Pleasant, taken just outside of Phoenix, AZ. In the foreground, common desert plants can be seen (like the saguaro) while the lake dominates the rest of the image. In the background, mountains are seen rising over the lake.

Lake Pleasant, despite its name, is actually a dangerous place for recreation. Each year, at least 10 people drown in the waters.

It’s very easy to overestimate your own abilities, and you should always be wearing a life vest.

📷 Speed Graphic 4x5
🎞️ Very Expired TMax 100

#believeinfilm #4x5

But look at how GOOD they look

You’ve gotta get the grip for the other side of that 6x7!

My current backpack is only just big enough for my whole plate camera (it also weighs a ton but nothing to do about that). Anyone used to hauling an 8x10 or similar field camera around have a recommendation for a better bag?

A box of bottled alcohol from Hanalei Spirits Distillery.

A white orchid with a purple center.

Barrels of aging alcohol stacked to the ceiling at Hanalei Spirits Distillery.

A vibrant orange and red hibiscus flower.

A great stop on the north shore of Kaua’i is Hanalei Spirits. Their spirits are made from all locally grown ingredients.

📷 Nikon F100
🎞️ Kodak Portra 160

#believeinfilm #film #kauai #hawaii #photography #flowers #spirits

A panoramic photo of Lake Pleasant just outside of Phoenix, AZ. In the photo, cars are seen parked on the banks of the lake as locals recreate on the shores.

A cropped photo of the previous panoramic. In this photo, the lake is seen winding through the desert landscape, with tall mountains in the background.

A cropped photo of the previous panoramic. In this photo, locals parked on the banks of the lake are seen as mountains rise in the background.

A cropped photo of the previous panoramic. In this photo, a hill full of cars is seen. Locals will park here and walk down to the lake to relax on the shore.

Spent some time out at Lake Pleasant yesterday shooting some film. Eagerly looking forward to summer ending and being able to get out and hike safely.

📷 Fuji G617
🎞️ Optik OptiColor 200

#believeinfilm #filmisnotdead #120film

Weird. If you’re not seeing an exposure difference in the physical negative, I would lean towards it being a scanner issue.

I almost never use 'thumbnail' mode when I have roll film for similar reasons, to be honest.

When you look at the negatives, do you see the same issue as you do in the Epson interface?

It hasn't happened with this film to me (yet), but I will often have issues scanning multiple 120 shots.

Also, are you in thumbnail mode? Maybe turn that off and try manually masking the images.

A panoramic image shot on medium format film. In the image, a dog can be seen laying in the grass behind a tennis ball.

Shot a 2nd test roll with the Fuji G617 we picked up recently. The first roll was blurry, and I was about to send it for service before I realized the pressure plate was set to 220.

Fun fact - it was last serviced in 1989 by Tempe Camera, who I visit weekly. Their late owner did the repair himself

A salt type print of Papago Park. Originally shot on 8x10, this print was made using the 8x10 negative & a salt-typing kit from Lost Light Art. In the print, the red rocks famous in the park are seen beyond a fishing pond lined with palm trees. In the pond, reflections of the trees & rocks are seen.

Yesterday was the hottest day of the year (so far) - reaching 118F. Since I wasn’t going outside anyway, I figured some salt typing was in order

I normally print digital negatives, but I decided to just use the 8x10 negative for this, and I think it turned out pretty well.

#believeinfilm #darkroom

A poster advertising a community photo book. The poster reads: Time & Space A Community Photography Anthology 2025 Our second community photo book will feature the work of 200 photographers capturing the here and now on film. Photobook & Gallery Exhibition 200 photographers make the cut 20 get to show their work 1 gets the cover of the book Submissions Open September Ist, 2025

Excited for this year’s book from @phxfilmrevival.com.

You do not have to be local to submit, so keep this in mind this summer.

#believeinfilm

These concrete pillars are located in a spillway near our darkroom. Flash flooding is a fact of life in the desert, and these structures are critical to slowing down flood waters that may be flowing into the dry river bed. In a flood event, the place I’m standing for this photo would be underwater in a matter of minutes.

I managed to mount the old Ektar lens to a board that fits the 8x10, so I had go test it out.

These concrete pillars are in a spillway near our darkroom. Flash flooding is a fact of life in the desert, and these help slow down water that may be flowing into the dry river bed.

#believeinfilm

A black and white photograph of palm trees.

A black and white photograph of palm trees lining a lake. The reflections can be seen in the water.

A black and white photograph of two people’s shoes poking in from the top and the bottom of the frame.

A black and white photograph of a man working to focus a large format (8 x 10) camera.

A few photos from this weekend’s development session with @kyle.conwaydarkroom.com

📷 Nikon F100
🎞️ Rollei Retro 400S
📍 Papago Park, AZ

#believeinfilm #film #photography #bw #35mm #nikon #rollei #arizona

Two large tortoises are in the foreground, with the one on the left laying in a patch of grass/feed. They are on sand/dirt and there are large rocks from their enclosure in the background. There is part of a low brown fence in the back right corner. The tortoises are mostly brown with bits of dark green/blue coloring on their shells. The tortoise on the left is eating the grass he’s laying on and the one on the right has his head up and looking to the right.

A photo of a vulture in his enclosure at the zoo. The photo angles up and captures the tree that the vulture is on, green with small but abundant leaves from the left of the photo sloping down and to the right, ending 3/4 of the way through the photo. The fencing and netting of the zoo can be seen in the background. The vultures head is red and it’s body black, with its wings partially extended into the air

Photo of a black snake being held by a zookeeper. The snake is being held by bother her arms, and she has a forearm tattoo with flowers and another tattoo peaking out of her shirt sleeve. Her shirt is red and snippets of text can be seen about “the big cats of Arizona.” The snake is laying down across her forearm and its tongue is out. It’s body is a shiny black with slight pearlescence on the underside

Photo of the petting zoo enclosure, focusing on two cows. Both are gray with horns that curl down and forward. The one in the center of the frame is laying down and staring to the left, while the one to the right of the photo is standing over the first and arching it’s neck toward them. Both face the left. The background is white fencing and a red barn wall can be seen in the back right.

Some photos from a trip to the Phoenix Zoo this spring! Thank you @kyle.conwaydarkroom.com as always for the development and scanning!

📷 Minolta X-570
🎞️ Kodak Gold 200

#film #photography #kodak #minolta #phoenixzoo #phoenix #zoo

A photograph of the Fuji G617 sitting on its original case. In the background, the Superstition Mountains can be seen towering over the desert landscape.

A photograph of the Fuji G617 on a tripod at Canyon Lake. In the background, cars are seen parked on the side of the road.

I woke up and decided that the Pentax 6x7 gets too many frames per roll of 120.

This is my solution.

#believeinfilm #filmphotography #photography #fujifilm #fuji #mediumformat #arizona

A black and white photograph taken at Papago Park in Phoenix, AZ. The red rock formations are central to the image. In the foreground, fishing pond can been seen lined with palm trees that reflect in the water.

Took the 8x10 to Papago Park today. I figured visiting the former site of a Native Reservation and PoW Camp was fitting for the 4th.

I encourage you to read more about this park for some interesting history. There’s even a pyramid-shaped tomb.

Shot on Intrepid 8x10 on CatLabs 80

#believeinfilm

A restored photograph of a cantaloupe field located in central Arizona from around 1915. In the photo, a field of cantaloupes are seen growing in the foreground. In the background, the mountaintop peaks over the clouds rolling through the valley.

An original photograph of a cantaloupe field located in central Arizona from around 1915. In the photo, a field of cantaloupes are seen growing in the foreground. In the background, the mountaintop peaks over the clouds rolling through the valley.

Another day, another darkroom task.

Today’s task was the digitization and (partial) restoration of this glass plate negative from 1915. The photo is of a cantaloupe field located in central Arizona, likely near the city of Phoenix.

#believeinfilm #darkroom #filmphotography #restoration #arizona

Hanapepe is a small town that we drove through on the way to Waimea Canyon. This is the town that Disney’s animated Lilo & Stitch is based on.

📷 Nikon F100
🎞️ CineStill 800T

#believeinfilm #kauai #hawaii #hanapepe #photography #film #analog #35mm #lilo #stitch