David James and son Seven, atop the Los Feliz Club Apartments with Vermont Ave in the background. The Onyx Cafe was located on the spot (bright-strobe) in the photo behind them. This 'spot' now is occupied by Figaro Cafe.
hey zachster this one is for you! first of all, i very much swear by this china-made functional toy that i'm tempted to get another one for color film. the modifications that i've made was cakewalk, i didn't have any problems dismantling the puppy. i don't have any step by step(s), i just want to point out that, 400 rated film is your choice of film to start out with, because of it's wide exposure latitude. 120 film is a dime a dozen out there, i prefer ilford xp2 400 because it requires a quick chromogenic c-41 process, just like color film. the lab up the street from me - "the darkroom" would only have me wait "half an hour". actually it's their "half an hour" wait of me not bending their ears off. it's all good. btw, the going rate on 120 film is avg. $2.25 and for processing "develop only" without a proofsheet is avg. $3.25. next, is to tape the edges of the camera back so you won't get any light leaks. black electrical tape, the kind that won't gunk-out is preferred. you'll also need some precision philips screwdrivers #0 and #1 to remove the tiny screws, 2 which holds the lens housing to the camera back and another 2 that holds down the shutter assembly to the back of the lens housing. there is one and only one screw that would release the lens. the lens is on grooves just like the way a cover to an "old" aluminum 35 mm film cannister is twisted to open. ( i've just remembered..you probably weren't born when they were introduced). anyway, once you've got the lens out, you'll notice the aperture (hole). using a caliper measure the diameter and using a circular file (rat's tail) if you don't have access to a precision drill press. widen up the hole "by 0.40 mm". if you don't have a caliper. widen up the hole till the tip of the rat's tail touches the lens but not to the point of marring the len's surface. cool you are done. what this modification does is allowing a full stop and maybe a stop and a half more in exposure. remember this is a toy so there is really no true f/stop ratios. say, this is primarily important for now on the holga. i recommend the "holga cfn 120". btw, based on someone's site on shortening the 3ft . focusing distance to 2ft. i've done my mod, but i still have the film in the camera, so i don't have any results back. the two photos ABOVE were shot after my modification on the aperture. the shot of the mercedes BELOW was done prior. either ways, you're going to get some great results.
by the way, the shot of the "stout" on the bar counter is making me thirsty. i don't know if you remember "Gorky's Cafe". they use to serve their stuff in the same styled beer glass. check this gal's holga site. i dig her holga material. man, where was i when all this "holga phenomenon" started?
I purchased my first "holga camera" at freestyle photo supplies for $34.99, last saturday. It's got a built-in flash with revolving color filters -- yellow, blue, red and white. It has a bulb switch for long exposures and you can either shoot in square 6 X 6cm or 6 X 4.5cm format. Though there is no thru the lens focusing, you simply align the "4" marked icons representing distance on the focusing ring with the center of the camera. Example, an icon of a single person is equivalent to 3 ft. distance. mountains would be from 30 ft. to infinity. You only have a choice of 2 f/stops --8 and 11 respectively and only one shutter speed in normal mode --1/100th. It is a totally plastic toy camera that works wonders! check out the other HOLGA sites.
"I don't care about making photography an art," said Mr. Steichen. "I want to make good photographs. I'd like to know who first got it in his head that dreaminess and mist is art.
Take things as they are; take good photographs and the ART WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF."
the PHOTO GALLERY containing photographs taken at the Onyx Café is work in progress, most of these scanned negatives were recently unearthed. since i've benefitted a great deal from the onyx cafe(free coffee, etc.), it's now payback time to mr. john leech and to every soul i hung out with, with my photographs. enjoy!!!
the Onyx Café was more than just an institutional cafe to most of the regulars and myself. it was a "state of mind" without the aid of any mind altering pill. it was a place where you can actually feel how "timeless" the place was. it was a conglomerated convergence of people from all walks of life. from hollywood celebs to suitcase-geared travelling bohemians introducing themselves, and being welcomed (and not interrupting any intellectual arguments). it was the crossroads to every major city on this planet. it was happening! day and night, into day again. amidst the aroma of the coffee lingering in the air, there was also, all kinds of drama. but we will not go there. you can never complain about the taste of espressos and cappuccinos served here, nor how the architectural facade of the place appeared, nor even how people looked or dressed. people come here for the same one thing that everyone else is seeking --- and it's not just the java. it is.. NIRVANA. yep. and the whole crowd was experiencing it collectively.
