I been burning through so much film lately that I didnt realize I almost running out. All I have left is shitty ultra expired stuff. Probably the biggest batch of film I ever bought. Gives me another excuse to go out there and shoot. 

From left to right: 10 rolls of Fuji Superia 400, 2 pro packs of Portra 400 (10 rolls total), 5 rolls of Ilford Delta 400, and 12 packs of Ilford HP5+ 400 speed film (36 rolls). The HP5 is replacing Tri X as my do everything film. HP5 doesn’t curl which makes for easier scanning. 

After getting over the initial fear and logistics, I started souping my own color film. I was pleasantly surprised how easy  and consistent the results are. You can use the same time and chemistry for all C-41 film so that means less dicking around with different developer/times/technique.

The only catch is that the temperature has to be spot on and the smell of blix takes some getting used to (make sure you are well vented). The alternative was 2.19 per 35mm roll at my CVS done by some poor underpaid sod and 8(!!) per 120 roll at pro lab in Manhattan. A liter C-41 kit is like 35 dollars and you can develop lots more film than the kit lets on. 

This is what 60 rolls of Kodak 800 looks like. Paying for this much film to be developed would really hurt my wallet. 

I bet you suckas cant wait to see my results! 

Shot on some seriously expired Ilford HP5. Another in the series of roboposts while I am getting situated in my new town. Right now one of my new co-workers is probably telling me how they do things different from city folk.

Coney Island. LegacyPro 400/R4A/35mm Nokton classic.

How i do enjoy catching these guys off guard. You know, that guy who camps out in a public area with his big ol’ rig and some 200mm tele taking nice candid portraits of the pretty ladies.

Of course I am generalizing and I have no idea what his intent was, but he had a long lens and he was shooting at people. Meanwhile my longest lens is a 35mm and I get close and face deal with nasty looks or verbal threats. I think shooting so far off with a big lens takes you out of the situation and gives you no breathing room when it comes to framing.. but what the hell do i know. Maybe he has it right and I have it wrong, he probably gets no evil stares or hostility from that distance.

I think anyone who enjoys photography should go out there and take pictures of people. Not just because I am tired of your macro shot of some gummy bears or a that boring image detailing the trails of the whip cream in your coffee. It is gratifying to freeze a compelling moment in time. Some pointers that apply in any situation:

1. If you see your subject coming at you, frame the person and compose but do not look at him/her, make like you are shooting whatever is behind him. 90 percent of the time they wont be sure if you shot him/her or the background.

2. Be subtle but not sneaky, move gracefully and stay out of the way. Our minds are wired to pay attention to fast moving objects. 

4. No shots of peoples backs!

3. If you get caught, its not the end of the world. Smile.

In my experience 9 out 10 people will shrug and keep it moving while others will stop,engage, and ask questions about your camera - especially if you are shooting film, people are amazed by all the dials and buttons of an old timey looking Mamiya or Voigtlander. 

If you want to know more about my methods in avoiding getting punched in the head while shooting on the street or anything else - Mustache me a question here.

Some boring images i took to make sure my 645 actually works. Medium format is fun. Shot on Ektar 100.