Saturday 20 September 2014

Film

I took a film camera to Burning Man this year.  (I can't remember if I mentioned that already... in fact I'll probably tell you things about/from Burning Man more than once because I can't remember most of what I've said about it v/s... did I just say that only in my head?  Or to someone at work?  A friend?  Etc. and so on.... so sorry if I do.)

I thought a lot about it because I grew up shooting film.

I know, I know, that sounds dumb.  Unless we're twelve, we all "grew up" shooting film, but I just mean that somehow I've noticed my old film shots are different.  Especially my black and whites.

So I took a film camera and some rolls of black and white film.

I didn't take the camera I grew up on.  My Dad gave me that a few years back and wow did that ever mean a lot to me and I wasn't willing to risk losing that camera or having it injured in some way.  I talked about it a lot with Jason, not really wanting to pay for another film camera, but not wanting to take MY camera.... and then we found the same camera online for $60 and, well, it seemed like it was meant to be.

I only ended up using one roll, I think the dust really got to the poor beast and when I started to try to shoot with the second roll it was just so gritty (the mechanics) and I didn't want to make a bad thing worse so I left well enough alone.

The shots aren't back now.  Apparently black and white film has to be sent away (I'm suspecting Siberia, but perhaps that's just my impatience in our "give it to me now" world) and so I'm waiting to see the shots.

I have a couple that are fairly engrained in my head already.  As in, I remember taking them and I'm pretty sure I know how they're going to look.  But it was also a wider lens than the 50mm I'm used to and I'm curious about that.

And, of course, I'm curious to see how I did.  Did I capture "Burning Man" the way I tried to?  Will I like these shots more than the digital ones I'm nonplussed about?

Will I be disappointed? 

Will they translate to anyone else?

I don't know.  But... I'm hoping it's not too many more days until I can find out.

Because you guys?  I took a film camera to Burning Man.  And I think that's really cool.

6 comments:

Jason Langlois said...

That is so cool!

As much as I like shooting digital, there's something special about film that can't quite be replicated by the computer.

I really hope we get to see some of these shots - whether they "translate" or not, you have a pretty amazing eye for pics!

Victoria said...

Thanks Jason! I'm hoping they show up this week? And then I think I'll ask them to... digitize the ones I like (assuming they didn't do that already)

Jason Langlois said...

I hope they did. I have to admit I'm beyond stoked to see what you did.

Oh, and I work with computers and take photos. Not a counsellor in real life, just someone who tries to care and pay attention.

Victoria said...

Well, I hope your loved ones value your caring and paying attention-ness :)

RandomStranger said...

Eagerly waiting for more Burning Man stories! :)

Victoria said...

I'll write a day and then my brain will explode and then I'm like... gah... it's been a week, I should try again! :)