Monday, December 3, 2012

filmed

I've been doing quite a bit of thinking.
I know, look out! This can be verrrry dangerous.

I was sitting in the office, backing up files... and I started rifling through the boxes (literally, HUGE boxes) full of the reasons why I started using a camera.
When I was a freshman in college, Tom Galliher, someone I had never met, knew my dad and knew how much I loved photography. He was in the process of changing over to digital and had some spare equipment that he generously gifted to me.... and I fell more in love the moment I got my hands on that Mamiya 645.
Bags of undeveloped 120 film that I just never got around to developing (and some rolls remain to be shot!)
My seagull, a faithful friend with the most perfect vignetting you will ever see.
The hawkeye that I modified to take 120 film instead of extinct 220 film.
My holga, a plastic wonder where I know exactly what the light leaks will look like.
My home-made pinhole cameras. they are one of a kind and they only perform for me, because I know the exposure times like the back of my hand.
I pulled all of these (and more) out of the box and out of their cases today and, well... I just was reminded of how connected they made me feel. You really feel like you're MAKING something.

Some changes are a-comin.
I'm going to do something I've longed to do for a very long time.
I love the practicality of digital. I love it.
But sometimes, I have to go back to my roots a little bit, to keep my brain thinking (and to keep the camera from thinking for me). I've been soul searching, and I am happy to say that it's so important for me to keep this connectivity to the creative process.... I'm going to be integrating film and digital, it is going to be the most wonderful year yet.

some lovely throwbacks (the last one, complete with scanner dust, haha... oh the early years):




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