This month’s Manual is being offered to everyone (not just subscribers) and I hope lots of you read it and participate. It contains an assignment. You can get the pdf here.
When you have completed the assignment, come back here (the Manual has the link) and share your experience in the comments.
I never stopped shooting film. I paused but about three years ago I bought a Mamyia 645 1000S for pennies then I bought a Yashica D 120. I also own a Kodak Hawkeye which is a 620 camera but I can shoot 120 in it if I’m careful. Right now my Canon AE1 is loaded with a roll of 36 Fujichrome ASA50 daylight balanced film 🙂 – Yes, shooting film with 10 to 36 shots available will make you think. Even more so since you have to pay for each shot to be developed along with the cost of the film. I wrote about some of the reasons why I do this in the age of digital. One was simply resolution. I can get more out of my 120 medium format film for the 10 dollars to buy the film and 10 dollars to process it then I can ever get out of my D700 digital. The sheer size of the negative gives me that resolution. And while I can buy a digital back that is medium format, I can buy a LOT of film for the price of a digital back.
But the most important reason to me is this: film is analog and I have to create the image by actually doing something.I have to load the film and wind it into place. I have to set up the shot, I have to press a shutter and hear the “click-clunk” of a shutter, then I need to wind the film back up and/or remove it. If I’m shooting B/W, I get out my black bag and load the film on to some reels. I then develop the film and now I see if I got the image (or not). It’s the PROCESS that I enjoy. And much like the early photographers, not everybody and their brother can do it unlike digital cameras where my 5 year old can take amazing digital shots all day long by sheer luck.