photography – D. Brent Miller

June 3, 2026

I have a new web site host

I have been thinking about this for some time, and the change is underway. I have moved my web site to a new hosting service, WordPress.com. If you are reading this, you are looking at it. It just seemed like the right thing to do at this time. My old hosting service seemed to want a fee for everything I needed or wanted. Here, those features are included. And, support? Don’t get me started.

Of course, moving a web site to a new host comes with some issues. I have to do some maintenance as well as cleaning up of posts and pages. There are images missing and audio files. It’s just one of those things that are required to keep something healthy. It’s like my cars and motorcycles. Regular maintenace keeps them going well tuned.

Most importantly, I am reverting to my original domain. I started a web page with my first domain in December 1997. Yes! That long ago. It was my professional writing and photography web site, DBrent.com. I have always signed my photography DBrent, and I have owned DBrent.com since 1997! The other domain is DBrentMiller.com. As the domain transfers register, DBrent.com is this primary site and soon DBrentMiller.com will also point to this site.

It’s a work in progress: moving, cleanup and maintenance.

See you on the highway.

Brent

April 4, 2026

A visit to Cadre Cycle

Paid a visit to Cadre Cycle this morning. This is the Moto Guzzi dealership where I have purchased my Guzzis. There are a lot dealerships within big fancy buildings and lots of product bling. Cadre isn’t like that. Cadre is old school and where “everybody knows your name.” It’s my second family.

Enzo’s grey V7 Milano next to my grey V7 Sport.

Enzo Miller is the owner of Cadre. He is well versed in all things Guzzi and owns a few in addition to Cadre Cycle. One of the bikes he owns is a 2019 Moto Guzzi V7iii Milano. It’s a grey bike. When my V7 Sport was on order, we wondered if it was the same color as his Milano.

Today, I rolled my Sport next to his Milano to compare greys. They are very close, but just slightly off in color. We had a good chuckle about whose grey looked better.

Afterwards, I rolled on for a ride home … the long way home. Stopped at Kroger for a few things for tonight’s planned dinner, lasagna.

See you on the highway.

Brent

March 31, 2026

Old is new again: B&W Film Photography

It seems I forgot how to operate a film camera. I don’t remember the last time I used my Canon FTb. And, operating it required moments of serious focus. Frankly, it has been sitting for a very long time. I hoped it would still work.

55-year-old Canon FTb with my favorite art film, Ilford Pan F.

I stopped using and developing my own Black & White film probably 16 or 17 years ago. Some time after that I sold all my film and digital SLR equipment, and embracing my Canon mirrorless camera, the M6 Mkii. Nifty little cameras. Full EOS operation and Canon no longer makes them. I did keep the one film camera pictured above. I bought that camera in Vietnam in 1971, just before I left for home.

Embracing the thought of returning to film photography, I bought a few rolls of film loaded the camera and commenced to trying to remember how this particular camera works! Oh, yeah. I have to focus it. I needed a new battery for the light meter, and that seems to work, but I need to remember not only how to use it, but setting the ISO, shutter and aperture in order to make a proper exposure.

Slowly, my memory returned to how to use the camera. Next was finding subjects that were worthy of this fine camera and film. Obviously, my motorcycles became subjects, and then I took a ride to find suitable locations.

I had to remember the film does not automatically advance. You have to push the film advance lever to get the film to the next frame. On just the one roll of film, I must have pressed the shutter button a dozen times to take another picture, forgetting to advance the film. I guess I have been using my auto-focus, automatic everything on the digital cameras, that I forgot how much work goes into film. But, it will be worth it.

I’ll let you know when the film gets back from the processor.

Are you shooting B&W film? Developing it yourself or sending off to a processor? Let me know in the comments.

See you on the highway.

Brent