Who Shoots Film anymore?

Who the heck shoots film anymore? I guess I do. …or at least I’m playing around with it for now. Ideally, I’ll take this to a whole new professional level. These images, however, are the scans from my first rolls. There’s nothing solidifying these images other than they’re all shot on medium format film. Although, I tried to set a somber, quiet mood in this collection.

Oh. you wanna know what am I shooting with? Well, glad you asked. Thanks to an incredible deal by the lovely and talented Michael Rubenstein, I’m now the proud owner of two Mamiya RZ67 Pro IID’s, Four lenses (50mm, 90mm, 110mm, 180mm), several film backs (including a Polaroid), a prism viewfinder, a handle, an extension tube, and he threw in a bunch of expired film and batteries because he’s a peach!

I’ve been thinking about trying out film for the last year or two. Talking with friends Benjamin Rasmussen, Rubenstein (below, with his cat), and Jared Soares, about how shooting with these beautiful, but cumbersome machines slows down the process started sounding really appealing.You see, I’m a recovering “spray-and-pray” photographer. Don’t get me wrong, my digital cameras have been on “Single shot” for at least the last three years. That was a decision I had to make when I switched to the Nikon D800. Those monster files, while gorgeous, really fill up a 32GB card fast — and an external HD even faster. Doesn’t it just suck running out of room halfway through an assignment?Now, That’s not to say I sing the conservative shooter gospel. I still believe in the merits of shooting a lot at a scene. For me, the more frames I shoot, and the more I’m exploring a scene through my viewfinder, the faster I’d get into a weird zen state. I explore scenes differently when I can rely on the versatility of fast shutter speeds and fast exposures. Sure, I throw a ton of frames away, but that luxury of card space allows me to be risky. Chimping isn’t so much quality control, it’s gives me ability to experiment and make more interesting pictures. I think it was invaluable for my growth as rookie. But operating that way has a price…I’ve always been lethargic about learning the math of photography. A few years back I was hanging out with Drew Anthony Smith in a Baltimore bar and we met this guy. He saw our cameras and asked the classic drunk guy question,” hey! …are you guys photographers?” But then he did this recoil, like he realized he just asked an equally annoying question. He scrambled to explain to us that he’s one too. Drew and I looked at each other — of course you are, bud. everyone is. Then he continued. He went to MICA and was a PDN 30! Okay. He has our attention. This guy used to walk around with a light meter in his pocket and quiz himself on exposures. He told us he could give us the exposure for this dimly lit bar. It’s a tricky place, too. Lit with rope lights, a pool table, a few dim recessed overhead lights, and neon signs. I tell you what, though, he nailed it! I can’t remember his name, and at the time he wasn’t shooting anymore, but sadly, waiting tables by the airport.Back in those days I tended to set my camera settings in extremes. In the early days I liked to shoot with my aperture wide open or closed all the way down. These days I dabble in a little f/5.6 and f/11. But MAN! Do I love a fast shutter speed, too! Freeze that action! make people look like they’re levitating! I love living at 1/8000th. …but guess what? My new Mamiyas top out at 1/400th of a second. heh.

I tell you what, there’s no running and gunning with these 5 lbs. behemoths either. Heck! I wheel them around in a rolling suitcase — which, fittingly, is way better for my back. Traveling with the Mamiyas isn’t the only cumbersome thing about them either.

Getting this stuff processed is expensive, and, of course, the only place that does this stuff in Baltimore …well, lets just say, I’m never pleased with their work. So, I’m driving to Dodge Chrome in DC. Getting my first 5 rolls (1 roll color 120, 3 rolls color 220, & 1 roll B&W 120) processed & proof-scanned onto a CD was $103.52. yeesh!

I know I know I know. A ton of work, right? So, why go through all this ridiculousness…?

I needed the magic to come back.

The Mamiya is so cool! …so tactile! …a real joy for the senses. First of all, it’s just a big ol’ hunk o’ metal! (People say it’s indestructible.) Oh! and advancing the film feels friggin macho, too! heck! I have to push a big lever forward WITH MY THUMB! It even makes a cool lever sound, too! Oh! Speaking of sound, I love the heavy, metal thwap of the shutter, too. It’s such a tuff camera! And of course, looking at the world, backwards, through ground glass is absolutely gorgeous, too. And that’s where the magic happens! Not to say, it isn’t a little confusing at times, but its just so so cool. It forces me to be more meticulous about composition. There’s no exposure meter, so I’m forced to use a light meter …err, well, I’m using the “light meter” app on my iPhone. I doubt it measures up to a real light meter, but hey! most of my film came back properly exposed AND the app gives me a geotagged reference JPEG, complete with exposure settings (that stuff comes in handy when batch captioning).

I don’t love my D800. I like it. I respect it. …but, that spark’s gone. We’re still a good team. We still do good work together and, y’know… we still have a good time. But there’s no magic anymore. Looking at the world through that weird electronic viewfinder… It feels so… meh.

You know that saying about eyes being the windows to the soul, well, right now, my soul needs a good ol’ fashioned ground glass window. My soul needs to see the world backwards.