Tom's Shutterbug Archive

This is an archive of Tom's articles from Shutterbug magazine from 1989 to 1995. They include the original photographs, figures, and tables.

Hint: To view the photos correctly, calibrate your video monitor by checking the gray scale below. It has 21 steps from pure black to pure white. Adjust the brightness and contrast of your monitor until you can see all 21 steps, or as many as your monitor can display.

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How to Photograph Video Screens

Minimize tube distortion and maximize sharpness when taking pictures of TV screens and video monitors. This article is less relevant to modern flat screens. (Includes four original photos; March 1989)

Special Effects From Open Flash

Create fascinating multiple exposures and other special effects by using a tripod-mounted camera, a manual flash unit, a flashlight, a locking cable release, and your camera's Bulb setting. (Includes three original photos; July 1989)

Leicas for Users

Save money when buying Leica film cameras and lenses — a practical guide for Leica users, not collectors. (Includes original photo; November 1989)

Gearing Up for Airplane Trips

Protect your film and equipment from X-ray damage, theft, and other hazards during air travel. You can also avoid hassles and delays while passing through airport security checkpoints. (February 1990)

Customized Postcards

Make your own picture postcards with 5x7-inch prints and desktop-publishing software on a personal computer. (Includes original photos and figures; August 1990)

Back to the Future

What if you found an exposed but undeveloped roll of film that had been lost for years? I carefully developed the lost film in my home darkroom — and discovered long-forgotten photographs from 1955, including a picture of my mother while she was pregnant with me! Here's how to salvage photographic treasures on expired film. (Includes four original photos; January 1991)

Leicas for Users Revisited

More money-saving hints and tips for buying user-grade Leica equipment, with advice about specific models of film cameras and lenses. (June 1991)

How to Make a Proper Proof Sheet

Many film photographers skip the important step of making proof sheets (also known as contact sheets), but they're an invaluable guide to judging the quality of your work. Here's how to make traditional-darkroom proof sheets that accurately reflect the exposure of your black-and-white negatives. (October 1991)

Which Camera is Best for You?

Choosing the right film camera for your shooting style is a crucial part of the creative process. The most common types are 35mm SLRs, but here's a guide to 35mm rangefinders, medium-format SLRs, medium-format TLRs, medium-format rangefinders, and view cameras. (Includes one original photo; June 1992)

An Amazing Leica Collection

The largest collection of Leica equipment on public display outside Germany was in a camera store in Palo Alto, California (near San Francisco). Unfortunately, the store closed in 2016. My 1992 article shows some examples of the rare cameras and lenses collected by the store's owner. (Includes 11 original photos; July 1992)

Bordering Your B&W Prints

For traditional darkroom workers: here are two techniques for making black borders on your black-and-white prints. One method is to file out the opening in your enlarger's negative carrier to make "natural" black borders. Another is to flash the borders after printing the image. (Includes seven original photos; July 1993)

Defeating Dust

What's the worst four-letter word you can utter to a darkroom worker? Try "dust." Here are some ways to minimize your dust problems. (Includes four original photos; October 1993)

Shooting With the Fed 5C

The USSR's collapse in 1991 suddenly opened Western markets to Soviet products that had never been available before — including film cameras. Here's a review of the Fed 5C, a 35mm interchangeable-lens rangefinder camera that was an interesting throwback to the 1950s. (Includes four original photos; January 1994)

Personalizing Your Film Speed, Part 1

To get optimum quality in your black-and-white prints, you must determine the actual speed of your film with your own camera equipment and darkroom procedures. This personalized speed often varies from the official "box speed." Running these exposure and development tests will help you determine that speed. (Includes original photo and table; November 1994)