Remember the Kid Who Ran Away from Home?

I'm pretty sure it's a rite of passage: a disgruntled youth gathering up his most precious belongings and venturing out into the world.

When you revisit that image in your mind, what is it that you remember? The denim jeans and soiled T-shirt? The type of sneakers? The baseball cap? Nope. None of those things. The picture that we hold dear is the container that we depend on to protect those precious belongings.

Whether it's the Norman Rockwell tied-up bandana hanging from the end of a stick, or a beat up JanSport backpack, we always remember the bag.

The mechanism by which we transport our belongings is as important as the belongings themselves. It could be a new SUV, designer clutch, or yes, a camera bag. The love affair for these companions has been building since our youth.

I mention this because it's been nearly two months since I wrote about a camera bag, and it's killing me. I currently have a crush on the Tenba Cooper Slim, and I want to tell the whole world about it. I feel better already.

Beyond that, I'm fascinated by our affection for these carryalls. I think it's a sense-of-freedom-thing. When we have our worldly goods with us, we can go anywhere, do anything.

It's like that kid who thinks he's running away from home. All he wants to do is be himself - no nagging parents or disappointed teachers to torment him. 

You see, it's our nature to want freedom. And it's our bags that accompany us on that great adventure.

-Derrick

Gingerly Through the Holidays

We have enough on our minds right now.

There are more things to do than hours to accommodate them. You think you're hanging tough. Then you wake up one morning, and it's the last week of December.

It's easy to be light in July. I don't even wear shoes most of the time. But winter, now that's a different matter. It takes time to waterproof, scrape the windshields, and let the car warm up. Things break, like the household furnace. 

Simplifying your life in general, and your gear specifically, can mean the difference between controlled chaos and stark raving mad.

I work in a lot of different locations. But I carry one bag that comfortably hangs from my shoulder and contains the tools of my trade. It's like raising children: give them what they need, but not everything they want.

I've said before that traveling light increases one's creativity. Not being tired encourages one to explore further. This time of year, I take that notion one step further.

Being nimble allows you to stride gingerly through the holidays. Don't carry too much on your back, whether it's your equipment or the weight of the world. 

Because nothing is more important than having the energy to hug those you love.

Happy Holidays,

-Derrick

The First Roll Back

It's been over a week since I dropped off the first roll of film at Jeremiah's Photo Corner. It was ready for pickup Thursday afternoon. I finally had some time today to go get it.

There were two items inside the plastic bag that was handed to me. The first was what looked like a small takeout box from a Chinese restaurant. It would hold a couple of leftover pot stickers at most. Inside the opened flaps were the processed negatives, glassine-wrapped and uncut.

The second item was an unmarked, white CD accompanied by a mini contact sheet. These were the scans from the film. I had requested large Tiffs without color adjustments. The files measured 3088 x 2048 pixels.

Once I got back to the studio, I had to dig up an external optical drive so I could access the scans. The images looked better than I had hoped. They displayed the film quality that I was counting on, but were fairly accurate in their color rendering. Not bad for 35mm spools that had expired in 2007.

I liked the indoor existing light shots better than the stuff I had captured outside. This is the direction I'm going to pursue. The shot of Dibs keeping me company at the computer is a great example. The mixed lighting is rendered naturally, the contrasts are very film like, and the subtle gain is wonderful.

The Contax T2 has a maximum aperture of f/2.8. I have a feeling that I'm going to be spending a lot of time right there.

-Derrick

PS: If you don't know about The Film Project, here's how it all got started.

Not Sure Why I'm Doing This

What is it about film?

For those of us who have been shooting for a while, is analog photography some sort of nostalgic thing? If we open up a 35mm canister and breath in that unique blend of gelatin and silver, will we will somehow regain our youth?

And for those just starting out: film can be seen as a revolt against the current trend of mass production technology and cookie-cutter art. Lugging around a dented Pentax K1000 in a soiled JanSport backpack signals one's disdain for the imaging establishment.

Oh, I don't know. It's probably none of those things. Yet the allure of film still calls to me.

I've been shooting with a 35mm Contax T2 all week as part of The Film Project. And I've noticed a couple things. First, batteries aren't really an issue, are they? There's a Lithium cell inside the T2 that will probably last well into 2016. No rechargers required.

Also, there really isn't much to think about. I spend some time framing the shot, take a stab at the correct exposure, then press the shutter. I can't change the ISO or adjust the white balance. And there's no obsessing over the image on the LCD. I find myself wondering what to do next. So I take another picture.

This morning I set the camera on the table, stared at it for a moment, then asked, "Why am I doing this?"

I came up with a few reasons. First, I really like the Contax T2, and I feel it's too early for it to be put to pasture. This was my first nimble camera. Also, I've been storing a box of Fujicolor Pro 400H in the fridge since 2007. I think its aged enough to produce something interesting. And 16 rolls is plenty for a project.

And I guess there's a part of me that doesn't want film to die. Not that I'm going to perish with it, or anything. But certainly neither of us is ready for the retirement home.

So we're going to do something together. Me and my 16 rolls of Fujicolor Pro 400H.

So, what do you think of that, Father Time?

-Derrick

The Latest May Not Be the Greatest (Value)

No doubt about it: there are some great deals for photographers this time of year.

Long before black Friday and cyber Monday, I typically made an equipment purchase in November or December. Prices came down as retailers try to thin out inventory anticipating new models on the horizon. I could take advantage of substantial savings and improve my toolset at the same time.

I still have this practice, but with a lot more fanfare. And quite honestly, a lot more help too. Online browsing is efficient, plus there are a plethora of blogs pointing out their favorite deals. And since I don't mind purchasing a model that will be discontinued, I can take full advantage of this consumer friendly time of year.

Which leads me to my real point. How new does your gear need to be? In other words, is state of the art always the best way to go?

In the early stages of the innovation, I would say yes. Take mirrorless cameras for example. When they first burst on to the scene, improvements came fast. We saw better low light performance, faster autofocusing, better resolution, and added features from one month to the next. Having the latest model was important.

Now that mirrorless cameras are settling in, their refinements are more subtle. The litmus test I currently use is: if it has built-in WiFi, it's probably new enough for me. The great deals on the first generation OM-D E-M10 are a perfect example of a high value device at a low price. The Panasonic GM5 is another.

In some ways, cameras are like new cars. You pay a premium for the latest model. But to be honest, the better value is often with a 2013 or 2014 version.

You've probably been waiting for me to bash the commercialism surrounding the Thanksgiving holidays. I'm not going to. My advice: Just don't get sucked in to the hype. The end of the year has always been a great time to invest in new gear...

Especially if it's last year's model.

-Derrick