This roll of Gold 200, developed and scanned by Underdog Film Lab in Oakland, CA, features a day at the beach with some of my housemates and friends – several months back (I’m updating this blog with film roll dumps and a message to go with them). Also pictured are just some spontaneous moments in the following week or so. Pete (15, 16) always gives me a laugh not only just when we hang out but especially when I take pictures of him. He likes to pose or give a goofy face or do something.
Emerald took the second to last frame of me… We practiced that one on digital for a while and I set the settings for her so she would be comfortable only having to focus the lens and hit the shutter. =]
I currently own more film cameras than I do digital, and I have no problem with that. I love to have options when I shoot film. Being able to grab a specific tool from my arsenal to enjoy its particular process and outcome is something I know I can get used to. If anything, I believe I’ve reached a new peak.
I love every tool I own for their own reasons. It’s much like owning different kinds of the same size wrench, or different depths of the same size socket to access them in various scenarios. The kind of photo I envision or perhaps the film stock loaded in the camera is part of the context which helps me select my tool of choice.
I try not to draw too much attention or importance to what the tools are; their brand name, or their value. It’s worthless to me if it doesn’t inspire or aid me in making great photographs. The process and the results are of utmost importance to me…
Some of my extended family. My aunt, centered, gifted me my M6 in 2019. (Portra 160, Leica M6)
A lot of people will judge you by the equipment you have or the mediums you shoot on. People have literally stopped me and gasped at my Leica M6, or commented on the cuteness and sleekness of my Konica Big Mini. But the truth is that both of these cameras come from my bloodline. They carry such significant intrinsic value to me that I could care less if they were to be found for $20 on eBay. They carry a history, they inspire me to create, and ultimately they are my tools of creation. That kind of value carries no price tag to me.
As a matter of fact, the most recent camera I’ve begun to use was the first film camera I became familiar with – a Nikon N8008s. It literally is a $20 camera on eBay, but would be one of the last possessions I’d ever sell, same with my M6 or Big Mini. It was also passed to me from family, this one from my father. I shot and developed my first rolls of film from this camera, some of which I made enlargements from that are still framed in my room. I still have the film, contact sheets, and proofs at my parents’ home. The below photos were taken on Nikon N8008s, Kodak BW, hand developed and printed by me in my high school darkroom. Then scanned with a shitty flat-bed scanner…
Carlo (@leftf0otforward) on my right.
Most of the time, I don’t use the whole roll when I go out shooting because I tend to be very frugal with how I consume film. And because of that, I wouldn’t prefer to “waste” a shot that I know I intended for another day or another roll. (i.e. a sunset or colorful scene on monochrome film I would have preferred to have taken in color). But sometimes, you can’t help yourself and you don’t know how tight or how whack the result will be. You just have to find out. That’s all part of the fun and the challenge. See below:
I captured this while driving next to a purple-orange sunset. I knew the creek was going to be in frame, but I was more impressed with the contrast among the creek than the sky like I intended. (T-Max 400, Leica M6)I also dig this shot. Again, I wanted to capture the tones in the sky but it didn’t go my way. It’s alright though – no mistakes, just happy accidents. #bobross (T-Max 400, Leica M6)
My Nikon D800 was the fruit of my own labor. A much needed digital FX upgrade. A much needed sharpening of my edge, a big addition to my tool-bag. The reality is, however, I could sell it and get another body and feel little remorse because although I adore it as a tool, I don’t have a personal connection to it (yet) like I do the N8008s or M6. And yes, the photos will come out sharp and clean in a variety of mixed circumstances, along with creating HD video, but the art I’d create in the process of carefully and accurately burning images onto silver-halide photographic film is a process I will never be tired of and should never be left behind.
And that’s likely why I own more film cameras than I do digital, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it stayed that way.
The shots below are from my first roll ever of Ilford HP5. I really love the look it provided. It is a very contrast-heavy film. It does a really good job of bringing out details within the shadows if exposed correctly, but if there is harsh light or over-exposure, particularly outdoors, you lose some mid-range and depth. At least, that’s how I feel about it so far. When indoors and especially when shooting portraits, the grain of the film suddenly becomes more noticeable. I would say it is more on the looser end of grain than fine. It provides a classic film look, and the higher contrast helps create a cinematic, dramatic vibe. All of the images were shot with a Leica M6 35mm f/2 Summicron on Ilford HP5 400. Enjoy and view my Flickr for more.
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