Many people choose to ring in the new year by making half-baked resolutions to work out, quit smoking, use Facebook less, or get organized. As a Professional Photographer my half-baked resolutions are perhaps a bit more esoteric - use Facebook more, return to surfing, and perhaps most importantly shoot more film!
In the spirit of that last resolution I made a pilgrimage to Freestyle Photographic Supplies in Hollywood. An hour and a couple hundred dollars later I emerged - arms full of film, chemicals, and processing tools.
A few days later and I'm back in Pacific Grove dusting off the old Toyo 4x5 view camera. It has been 10 years or so since I have really gone out and shot with this camera, but much like riding a bike it seems to all come back to me. Bellows tested, lens checked, screws tightened, film loaded! I lost my dark cloth somewhere along the way but a black jacket will do for now. I have set out to shoot 2 sheets of film today as a test, just in case I'm not remembering as much as I think I am.
Working with this camera is such a beautiful experience. If 35mm film vs. digital is apples to oranges, then this is sushi. It is so much more time consuming, but also more thought provoking and even spiritual to create images with a large format camera. Just amazing. As an Artist I really appreciate how this process forces you to think, reflect, take note of yourself and your surroundings. In an hour I created 2 negatives - 2 shots, that is all.
I can't wait to develop the negatives!
