iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The Ricoh Singlex TLS. First appeared in 1967, and it set a new standard with its Copal square vertically-traveling metal shutter. It's a well-made, robust M42 SLR. They are cheap as can be on the usual auction sites. Same shutter as a Nikkormat. #ishootfilm #m42mount #ricohsinglextls #35mm #slr

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Every other day I do a brisk 5K walk/jog at a local park. A lot of the time, I get a nice foggy morning, and sometimes, I actually have a proper camera in the car for the occasion. #fog #ishootfilm #weavervillenc #nikonf75 #kentmere200

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

A good stop for lunch in Tucumcari, NM. Pentax Spotmatic F, Kodak Ektapan400. Aug. 25, 2026. #ishootfilm #pentaxspotmaticf #kodakektapan400 #newmexico #route66 #restaurant

Del's restaurant in Tucumcari, NM. Excellent food.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Pentax Class of 1975. Pentax started out with 3 quite different K-mount SLRs when they started the K-mount lineup. Of the 3, the KM and KX are my favorites.

The first k-mount SLRs from Pentax in 1975. The KM is fully manual, much like a Spotmatic F. The K2 is Aperture Priority with the ISO setting in a ring at the base of the lens, and a copal square metal shutter. The KX has a match needle for exposure adjustment. All are quite different.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Labor Day Sale starts today, ends Sept. 9. 20% off all items in my etsy store. mfophotos.etsy.com?coupon=LABOR20

mfophotos.etsy.com

mfophotos - Etsy

Shop Mark O'Brien Photography by mfophotos located in Weaverville, North Carolina.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Dear Apple, Remember when you were supposedly the anti-establishment? While that was nearly 50 years ago, you now kowtow to a dictator. It will always be Lake Ontario. Trump has no authority over a name. Shame on you. And Google, too. #fuckapple #fucktrump #fuckgoogle

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

I hereby announce a name change for Mar-A-Lago. It shall forthwith be known as Dumbfuckistan.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

In Tucson for a few days to help my daughter move from Tucson to NC. Great to visit, but the heat was really hellish this time. Anyhow, our last evening there featured a visit to Saguaro NP East, with a nice view of storms to the west.

View of clouds and sunset from Saguaro National Park East after sunset.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Trying out a Tominon 127mm /4.7 lens on my Calumet 4x5. For less than $50. It will do 4x5 at infinity. But for these much closer Hostas in the backyard, it certainly did well. f/22 @ 1 sec. on CatLabs 80 film. I love being able to shoot 2 sheets of film and develop in a Stearman tank right away.

Hosta plants photographed in the shade in the yard with a Calumet CC401 monorail 4x5 camera. Tominon 127mm f/4.7 lens in a Copal 1 shutter. Cat Labs 80 film developed in HC-110B.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Going through my archives looking for photos, and this jumped out at me, so I had to share. Sault Ste. Marie, MI, June 2006. Nikon D70. The text is strikingly like the one on a Doors album. I think it was a bar.

striking contrasty image of a green wall with large white letters reading back door. Sault Ste. Marie, MI, June 2006. Nikon D-70.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Found this online auction of camera gear -- holy mackerel! I hope never to have this much stuff to get rid of. Anyhow, I am posting the link for those of you that need to acquire more things... ctbids.com/estate-sale/...

ctbids.com

Cameras, Radios & Electronics Online Estate Auction - Closes 8/17 and Pick Up 8/19 or 8/20/26

CTBids | Online Estate Sale Auctions

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Getting itchy feet for another road trip!

Route 66 in Clinton, OK. October 6, 2021. The Route 66 sign against a dusk sky. Yashica Electro 35CC with expired Konica SRG 160 film at ISO 80.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Going back looking for some photos from 2021 - and I love this shot of the New Mexico landscape. S of Vaughn along US-54, October 8, 2021. Horizon 202 with Kodak Pro Image 100. #newmexicco #photography #panorama #horizon202

Wind turbines and mesas in the New Mexico landscape. S of Vaughn, NM along US-54.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

I find that if I put off the editing after scanning long enough, I feel much different about the photographs, especially 10 months later. A few examples from the Chiricahuas in AZ, Vivitar V2000, Rollei Retro 400S, red filter. How about you?

Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona, Oct. 2025. Rollei Retro 400S with a red filter, Vivitar V2000. The Chiricahuas feature a diverse biome, and spectacular rock formations.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Just imagine if we has a DOJ that was not part of the Trump regime. I believe that the RICO laws would be applied to Trump and the GOP. Don the con would be in jail as well as a good number of his flunkies.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Looking for some summer reading? How about toy cameras? You can find both in The Magic and Allure of Toy Cameras at my Etsy store. [etsy.com/store/mfophotos] Now in its third printing.

cover of Monochrome Mania No. 3 - The Magic and Allure of Toy Cameras

two pages shown from the Magic and Allure of Toy cameras, featuring 620 cameras.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

In the garden near sunset. I never tire of the meadow that we planted in 2020. It's increased the amount of biodiversity in what was once just a piece of lawn. Birds, bugs, and flowers to soothe one's mind.

coneflower and bee balm, Weaverville, NC

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

I'm working on a new blog post about 1976. Found my Kodachromes from that summer, when I worked as a summer camp counselor in Maine. Scanned them in, and damn, not bad for a low-end Exa 1a camera with its crappy Domiplan lens.

A group of boys from July, 1976, Lake Damariscotta, Maine. Exa 1a, Kodachrome 64.

Summer camp morning, July, 1976, Lake Damariscotta, Maine. Exa 1a, Kodachrome 64.

Lake Damariscotta, Maine. Summer, 1976. Kodachrome 64.

Summer love, July 1976. Jefferson, Maine. Kodachrome 64, Exa 1a SLR.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Sitting on the deck this morning, saw some nice light, and took this with a Sima Soft-focus lens (remember those?) on my Nikon D80.

Flowering vine in soft-focus pictorialism style.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Finally editing the ton of photos that I took in October's trip across US-50 into Colorado. Mostly on film, of course.

Offerlee, Kansas grain elevator. US-50. Kodak Max 400, Vivitar V3800.

Abandoned barber shop, Granada, CO. US-50, Kodak Max 400, Vivitar V3800

Hasty, Co, Post Office. US-50, Kodak Max 400, Vivitar V3800

Mural, Offerlee, KS US-50. Kodak Max 400, Vivitar 3800.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Back in December 2020, I published this guide to medium-format toy cameras - now, in its third printing, it's once again available. Costs less than a medium pizza, and lasts longer. Available at my Etsy store - mfophotos The Magic and Allure of Toy Cameras - Monochrome Mania, Issue 3.

The cover of Monochrome Mania Issue 3 - The Magic and Allure of Toy Cameras. 36 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches on high quality stock, features a lot of 120/620 toy cameras and results from them, as well as tips on use. Available at etsy.com/shop/mfophotos for $12 + postage.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Just three poppies, perky pink poppies. Nikon FE, 195mm Nikkor, and Fujicolor 200. Roadside, Buncombe County, NC.

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Reposted by Mark O’Brien

Maureen Bond @maureenbond.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

It’s a great day when your postal carrier delivers not one but two new Zines! These look great! @mfofotos.bsky.social @paulasmith.co.uk #Believeinfilm #photozine #photography Thanks for the quick shipment Paula and Mark 😊

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Nothing like fog to make a scene look special.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

My latest issue of Monochrome Mania, at 72 pages + covers, is a collaboration with the talented Russ Young. "Beneath the Firmament and the Heavens - An Exploration of Floyd County, Virginia" is a feast for the eyes. It's available on my Etsy site: www.etsy.com/listing/4507...

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

Lovely poppies along the roadside, thanks to NC DOT. Flat Creek Exit, I-26.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

Argus Fine American Cameras is really one hell of a publication. At 480 pages, I think it has to be the last word regarding the Argus universe. Profusely illustrated in color, each chapter stands alone as the ultimate coalescence of knowledge on the topics. Get a copy at argusbook@argusinfo.net

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

1/2 You what made America Great? Institutions that made ground-breaking research. National parks being there for everyone. Agricultural research, competent forestry practices, regulations and monitoring to provide clean air, water, and a better environment. Social Security. Fair taxation.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

I love all the shades of green that we see in April and May. My favorite time of the year.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

A work in progress, Russ Young and I have collaborated on this beauty of a photozine of Floyd, Virginia. At 72 pages, it's going to wow some people.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

I'm enjoying the Intrepid 4x5. The ability to just do one or two shots and develop the same day, etc., is becoming a process that I find that I am enjoying. Yesterday, backyard on a rainy day. Intrepid 4x5, Rodenstock 210mm, CatLabs 80 film, #85 filter. #ishootfilm #intrepid4x5

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 05/04/2026

The new PBS series on Henry David Thoreau is something we all need. I was surprised that I had my copy of Walden that I purchased in 1976: randomphoto.blogspot.com/2026/04/henr...

randomphoto.blogspot.com

Henry David Thoreau and 50 years ago today

On PBS - watch it! A few nights ago, I watched the new short series from Ken Burns on PBS -- Henry David Thoreau. I learned a lot from th...

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 04/04/2026

A beautiful Saturday morning. I decided to get out my Nikon Df and 85mm/1.4 AFD Nikkor and do little walk-around the yard. #weavervillenc #springflowers #nikondf

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Reposted by Mark O’Brien

Bolt451. He's Our Bastard ❤️ @bolt451.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

This quote from Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell has been in my head the last few days

You develop an instant global consciousness, a people orientation, an intense dissatisfaction with the state of the world, and a compulsion to do something about it. From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a bitch

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

The War Machine - grinds them up from cradle to grave.

Found objects - an eastern European helmet, a bronzed baby shoe, and old machinery parts. Chinon CS-4, Fuji Acros 100, Helios-44M lens

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

A few frames from Marshall, NC a few weeks ago. It's still rebuilding from Helene, especially on Blanhassett Island. I've yet to photograph the main street, but a lot of places have reopened. Pentax K2, Kentmere 400.

Looking towards Main Street, Marshall, NC

All of the railroads have been repaired. Marshall, NC

The Marshall High Artist's building in the backgroud. Blanhassett Island, Marshall, NC

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

My K-mount find is a great camera. Not too shabby for $80.

Pentax K2 SLR, the first generation of K-mount cameras from 1975.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

It's the Ides of March. Surely there must be someone that wants to take care of our Caesar...

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

The Trump regime May as well stand on the steps of the Capitol and burn a copy of the Constitution in full view of the people so those who have not paid attention understand what’s going on.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Every once in a while I have to pull the Argus C-4 out and shoot a roll. This is from last couple of weeks, on Eastman 5231.

Bill, outside of Ball Photo in Asheville

Nature's resilience. Post-Helene damage, 1.5 years later.

Craig Lake Dam, destroyed by Hurricane Helene 1.5 years ago.

I-240 bridge over the French Broad River, Asheville.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

For the past few weeks, I've been scanning in my old slides -- basically from 2000 to 2008, and there are a lot of them. Finding gems that I'd long forgotten about - until I saw them. Amazing how an image brings back memories. I have a lot to go.

Giant evening primrose, 2004 Minolta X700 on Fuji Astia

Cranberries, 2002. Minolta X700 on Provia

Huron Mountains, MI, Nikkormat FT2, Provia. 2001.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

Any officer calling the war on Iran a holy war should be fragged ASAP so he can meet his end quickly. There is no room for such crap in the US Military, headed by religious nut job Hegseth.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

Monochrome Monday - From a recent roll of film.

Looking up from the Salt River Canyon, Arizona. Kentmere 400, Vivitar V2000. October 2025.

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

My latest zine is now available from my Etsy store: www.etsy.com/listing/4459...

A photozine for half-frame 35mm - and the Pentax 17 camera. 6x9 inches, 36 pages + covers, full color and b&w.

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Reposted by Mark O’Brien

Omg. WTF is Happening? @lalahaenzy.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again. #Pinks #ProudBlue

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Mark O’Brien @mfofotos.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

Fed the birds this morning, did a bit of snow shoveling and took some photos. It is 14 degrees F and we got about 6 inches of snow yesterday. The birds are happy. It’s not MI, it’s NC.

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