Wednesday, July 13, 2011

things I've learned in the past week or so: a list.


(Cat included not to show scale but because you can't take a photo in this house without a cat stepping into the shot)

While talking to my mom about my pinhole lens for my digital camera she mentioned she still had some of her old cameras. So when I was home visiting this month I had a look around the basement to see what I could find and possibly use for my own purposes.

The little Brownie Holiday at the top is the camera is the one she used when she was a kid and it appears to be still in working order as far as I can tell. The other two look like they still work too...the Pentax takes 35mm film so it will be easy to find out if it's still working but the other two take 127 film. I assumed that anything I found that took an odd film size would only be useful for looking at or doing through-the-viewfinder images but apparently you can still get film for them online and even still get it developed, although not surprisingly you have to send it out. I think I'll get some film just to see what they can do. This may be a short-lived project since I don't really miss having to deal with developing film now that I have a digital camera but the temptation to try Mom's little Brownie is too strong to ignore :)

So to sum up some things I've learned:

I want to buy film for a camera which hasn't happened in forever

You can buy some really weird film formats online

Film people (as in, people who scorn digital cameras) are kind of scary

My mom keeps a lot of random stuff in the basement

And some things I've learned recently that do not involve photography:

If you think that you can go riding even when you have a miserable cold because once you've gotten the saddle on the horse, the rest should be easy, think again! Once you're away from your handy step to get up on the horse, you have to get on from the ground! And in my case this meant that even while standing on the uphill side to get a better start I still almost didn't make it. Which would have meant walking back to the house.

Double check that your new mp3s actually are on your mp3 player before driving back to your hometown (5 hours there and 5 hours back, for me).

30% chance of rain might mean anything from "a 30% chance it will rain at all" to "it will rain 30% of the time today" to " the air is made up of 30% rain." I had one very exciting ride this week :P

10 comments:

T. Roger Thomas said...

Enjoy the film cameras!

Janelle said...

thanks Roger! I think it'll be fun if I can just get the film loaded successfully :)

freshlychopped said...

oooh! i can't wait to see what you come up with - i love the feeling that film photography gives images!

Janelle said...

I'm looking forward to it Leah...hope I can justify your confidence in me! :P

Lauren said...

I am so jealous of your cameras! I use a Yashica - a different model, but also a TLR camera. You can easily buy 120/220 film online, and some camera shops still develop film. I get my negatives developed locally and scan them at home.

Good luck with your camera adventures :)

Janelle said...

thanks Lauren! I'm always intimidated by actual photographers like you so I'm a little afraid to post whatever pictures I end up with! :)

Lauren said...

Don't be intimidated! Just keep taking pictures (and post them!) and keep experimenting. I think creative people by nature already have a pretty well developed eye since we tend to observe so much.

Janelle said...

aw, thanks Lauren! I'm just waiting for the film to get here...

belinda marshall said...

fun ~ can't wait to see what you shoot either! i'd be nervous with film {not much of a photographer!!}
:)

Janelle said...

I know, me neither...I'm slightly terrified. I hate ruining things (paper, canvases, whatever) and I hope the results won't be totally depressing when I get the film developed...