I’ll confess that in general, I’m a box speed guy, meaning that I customarily shoot films at the speed they’re rated at on the product packaging, whether that’s an ISO test result (where a film is expressly labeled as something like “ISO 100”), or whether it’s an EI — an exposure index — which is basically the film manufacturer’s recommended shooting speed, but which has not been subjected to the actual ISO testing procedure to establish its speed. But pushing film, which is intentionally underexposing it and then adjusting development times to compensate, is a popular thing to do. Kodak’s Vision3 motion picture films, which are an increasingly popular choice for still photography use, are rumored to handle pushing quite well, and I decided to see for myself just how well.
Continue reading…Miscellaneous
My (Renewed) Commitment to Film Photography
After months of deliberation, analysis, thinking, and planning, and despite recently purchasing a new high-end digital camera and using it extensively, I recently made a modest investment that I view as a demonstration of my commitment to film photography: I bought a 400-foot (122m) roll of 35mm Kodak Vision3 50D, or what I prefer to call by the name exposed onto the film rebate itself: Eastman 5203. The equivalent of 74 rolls of 36-exposure film, it means I’m going to have a lot of 35mm color photography ahead of me for months, certainly, but likely years to come.
Continue reading…Pandemic Distraction Project: Microcosms
Being trapped in the house during a global pandemic, what with stay-at-home orders in-effect, etc., has put a damper on my photographic endeavors. While I could certainly take a film camera along with me during walks, hikes and other permitted outdoor activities (well away from other humans), I decided this past weekend to instead load a roll of Kodak Tri-X in my Rolleiflex SL35 (my favorite 135 camera), set it to push to ISO 1600, put-on one of my heretofore unused extension tubes, and set about finding photographic subjects hidden in plain sight. Microcosms is what I’ve called the surprisingly satisfying results, and this article is the guide to the series.
Continue reading…Trip Report: New York Photo Trip and Conversation Starters
One of the things I enjoy about shooting film, especially in busy places, is that cameras like a Hasselblad or pretty much any TLR are always conversation starters — ice breakers that result in anything from strange looks to engaging chats with total strangers. They also invite a lot of smiles, pointing, fascination, questions, and comments like, “Cool camera!” And when you’re shooting film in a city like New York, all of that can be as much fun as the actual picture taking.
Continue reading…Inspiration Found: What to Shoot When You’re Out of Ideas
We all have moments when the creative well seems to run completely dry, moments when you feel like you’ve exhausted every idea you’ve ever had for picking-up a camera, and shooting something.
I have these moments — a little too frequently. I decided to start capturing every interesting idea that popped to mind, and cataloguing each one here, in hopes that it will help others too. This article will be updated over time, so feel free to bookmark it and revisit regularly for new ideas. Last update was September 12, 2021.
Continue reading…Beyond the Aperture Launched
This week, I was able to both finish something that’s a long time coming, and start a new journey — simultaneously: I launched Beyond the Aperture.
Continue reading…Recalling a Dream: Why I Like Film
I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I went to sleep last night thinking about the 120mm lens that’s coming on Monday for my Pentax 645, and apparently, my brain decided to latch onto the notion of film photography while I slumbered. I woke-up this morning in the midst of a dream where I was interviewed for a podcast about why I like film photography. Weird, I know, but it did get me thinking about the subject in a fully conscious state, and since I’d come-up with something interesting during the dream, it seemed to be something I should write down.
Continue reading…Essay: On Photography; Film, Digital, Snapshots, Art and Drivers
One thing I’ve done too much in my life is asking the simple question, “Why?” I’m trying to do a lot less of that these days, especially when I consider the ebb and flow of my multipotentialite-driven passions — some of which end-up being quite ephemeral.
But as I’ve begun to re-embrace film photography, I’ve been asking, “Why?” Not questioning the fact I’m doing it, but more to wonder why and how it appeals to me. I think I’ve unearthed some answers.
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