First Film Prints are Developed!

It's my birthday and I feel like I just received a great present. The film that I sent off to the darkroom was processed and I was able to see the results online.

Up to this point I had no idea if the camera was even functioning so I had to temper my expectations. Wow. I have to say that I was truly shocked at how beautiful the pictures came out. Sometimes I think we forget just how good 35mm film truly is.

For this first roll of film I just ran through Fujicolor 400. This is not the old Fuji film that leans cool. Unfortunately, that film stock will not ever return. The materials that were used to produce it are no longer available. This is the new Fuji film that is produced in the United States by Kodak for Fuji.

The results were striking. I will be the first to admit that the film has grain, but it looks nice. And it exhibits a very classic color palette. It is not garish and overly vivid. It is very classy.

I Will Shoot Black and White

For the most part I intend to take black and white pictures with my film cameras. And there are several reasons for this.

• Black and white lends itself better to the type of project I'm working on. It captures contrast and texture which are most important in my work.
• I can develop and scan it very inexpensively at home and have full control over the process. If I'm stand developing in high dilution Rodinal it will act as a compensating developer that quickly exhausts in highlights and continues working in the midtones. This is important because several of my cameras are toy plastic affairs that are prone to overexposure.
• The film is less expensive and easier for me to purchase in bulk

From Here

I've really started experimenting with Lomography. The idea of using cheap cameras and always having one on you that you just fire with abandon.

I have a couple of Kodak Ektar H35 cameras with different film speeds in them. There's something appealing about a very minimal camera with no sensors or advanced electronics. Something you can just tuck in your jacket or throw in the old bicycle basket and take off.

Earlier this year it was wet, cold and snowy. I grabbed my cheap plastic Ektar and headed out into the winter wonderland. I would never do that with an expensive digital camera. You are always worrying over your expensive cameras. And they definitely have their place. But think of all the times when they don't?

What if you are in an arcade with your family and there's people running everywhere. What if you just want something to tuck into the console of the car and just have to snatch things on the fly? This is where film really shines.