Nimble Film Photography

My first time around with film, I didn't realize that I was a nimble photographer. I mean, we didn't think as much about stuff then. We just did it. 

I naturally liked lighter-weight SLRs such as the Contax 139Q, Yashica FX-3 2000 Super, Olympus OM-10, and the Canon AE-1. My stock lenses were the 35mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.7, and 85mm f/2.8. I worked for a newspaper and shot Tri-X.

My shoulder bag wasn't very big. I never considered a backpack. In the front pocket there were  yellow and red filters, and if I were shooting color, a polarizer. Usually, I had an extra roll of film or two. That was it. I don't think I even packed an extra battery.

Later, things seemed to get a lot heavier with professional zoom lenses. I couldn't afford them in the earlier days, so it wasn't an issue. My heaviest camera bag days were with Canon DSLRs and those weighty zooms. Great pictures, yes, but oh my what a workout.

This all came to mind as I was looking at my film kit yesterday. One body, two primes, and my iPhone. I was out walking in the rain, stopping occasionally to take a picture. Wasn't even thinking about the weight of my gear in my shoulder bag.

It's an odd feeling when you finally realize who you are. Most of the time, you just are. Then one day you pick up something from you past, hold in your hands, and think...

My God, I've always been this way.

-Derrick

What Are You Looking At?

My iPad mini is one of my favorite devices for browsing the web. It's not a laptop, so I don't feel like I'm doing work. But the screen is larger and more comfortable to read than my phone.

When I feel like goofing off, I stretch out on the couch, turn on the iPad, and follow some of my favorite sites. Of course there's sports. Being the NBA fan that I am, I have to see who's said what over the last few days. And watch a few clips of Steph's latest half court threes.

But when it's time to get down to business, it's camera gear. The Etsy and eBay apps are my favorite. I become immersed in used camera bodies, lenses, accessories, and stuff that I didn't even know existed. I'm like a cat watching birds through a window.

"What are your looking at?"

The question that knocks me out of my trance.

"Pictures."

"What kind of pictures?"

"Pretty ones."

"What?"

Yes, eBay photography is a thing of beauty. Sellers have become adept at showing off their wares, tempting me to tap the "Buy" button. I can pinch-zoom to examine the smallest detail. 

"Is that a green label Contax G1," I would wonder as I swiped through the images. "Wow, it is!" when landing on the shot with the film door open.

After a while my eyes get a little heavy, and it's time for a nap.

It's interesting to me how much things have changed, and yet they haven't. Instead of a photography magazine on a Sunday afternoon, it's my iPad. But the results are the same.

An hour of wishful window shopping and a nice nap.

-Derrick

In the Back of an Acura

So how do you know when you're on a tight deadline? Here's one clue.

I was folded into the back of an Acura RD X on the way to Southern California to see family. As we worked our way down Highway 101, I was writing a section about sharpening. 

Actually, I wrote about lighting, color, definition, black-and-white, sharpening, vignetting, and white balance. That's when you know that you're on a tight deadline. 

The book that I'm working on is a photographer's guide to Photos for OS X. It's not just about the tools. There's plenty of commentary too. That's what makes it fun, right? 

My approach might be different than other writers. No, I'm not talking about typing on a laptop in the back of a moving car. Everyone does that, don't they? I'm referring to the method where I start in the middle of the book, write to the end, then go back and compose the beginning chapters.  

(I like this approach for lynda titles too. ) 

Each chapter is composed in 3 layers. The first, often in some weird spot that has cupholders, is just the facts. I construct the skeleton. Then I add texture on the second pass. This is where the color emerges. And the third pass is what I call the sanity read. At this point I'm just smoothing out language and looking for typos.  

I'm telling you about this because I've been a bit more quiet than normal on the journal. Not because I want to. It's these damned deadlines. They force a man to extremes.

Like writing this post on my iPhone while waiting in the dentist's office for my appointment. Well, at least it's not in the back of an Acura.

I save that for the serious stuff.

-Derrick

Oh Those Embarrassing Moments

It was bad enough that I was the only guy with a film camera in Austin.

Here we were, a group of professional photojournalists testing a state-of-the-art digital device, with me discretely pulling out a Contax G1 every now and then.

"No wonder he's an independent," someone must have thought.

Yet I persisted, although as quietly as possible.

One moment that I couldn't resist, however, was at the Mean-Eyed Cat Bar. We had been there for a bit taking a break, and I parted from the group to explore with the G1. I loved the interior of this place.

When no one was looking, I pulled the camera from my bag, propped it up on a table, turned on the self-timer, and pressed the shutter button. There was no actual need to work that quickly. I was just nervous about making a scene.

 The exposure, however, seemed to be taking painfully long.

About 10 seconds in to it, Steve Huff walked by. He's a nice guy, but we hadn't really interacted much on this trip.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I thought I'd capture of few frames of this great interior," I replied.

"Oh, really" he asked. "With the lens cap on?"

The front of the camera had been hidden from my view. But sure enough, as I looked over it to inspect the glass, the lens cap was securely in place.

"I guess that would explain the very long exposure, wouldn't it?"

"I'm sure it would, " he said, then continued on his way.

I most likely would be getting any freelance offers from Steve Huff Photo. Too bad. It looks like a terrific web site.

But after I removed the lens cap, I did get a beautiful shot.

-Derrick

What is the Fascination with Retro?

When Scott brought over his vintage Rolleiflex, I could tell how much he truly liked that camera. He's a very modern guy in many ways, except when it comes to his photography.

"I had a Nikon D80, and it was fine," he said. "But I really got tired of trying to figure out all of the complicated menus." This is from a man who has a degree in chemistry and runs a medical lab. "So I gave the Nikon to my daughter and have been shooting Tri-X in the Rollei ever since. I'm much happier now."

How could that be? Film cameras, record players, old cars... they're all a pain in the ass, aren't they?

Apparently not for everyone.

If you hang out on Etsy or any number of similar sites, you'll see that there are many who don't want their free-time activities to be too electronic. There's something about gears and belts that are more comforting than silicon chips.

"If you open up this camera," Scott said pointing to the Rolleiflex sitting on the table at my studio, "you'd see a mechanism that's like the inside of a watch. It's amazing at how these were crafted."

Yes indeed. Yet, I couldn't fix a broken Rollei any better than a malfunctioning iPhone. But I would at least recognize the components. "Maybe it's that gear there," I would say cautiously as I pointed to it. 

When I was browsing Etsy last night, I looked at the original PEN-Fs. These half-frame beauties are what Olympus drew inspiration from for their latest release. Both versions are handsome. And in some ways, the newer model is even more so. It's a refined work that honors its lineage. 

(My great uncle gave me my first serious camera. I'll always remember him for that.)

For me, the retro aesthetic is the best of both worlds. It's an homage to the ingenuity and craftsmanship of decades past, combined with the agility of modern technology.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not ready to go back to shooting all film. But I do like to partake every now and then. I want to remember my roots.

My career was nurtured by the talents of many before me. And I want my work to build upon that great tradition. Retro is part of that.

-Derrick