NReluctant

This blog is a compilation of moments from my life in the form of words and film photography photos.

[nreluctant]

Memories To Remember

I have had a disposable camera sitting in my computer desk for quite some time now. I had actually forgotten where I had taken it and what photos might be on it. I sent it to my favorite photo lab, Old School Photo Lab, to get processed (developed) and scanned. I have to admit that my interest in the photos that might be on the camera was even more than it usually is because I was not sure what to expect.

It should be simple. You take photos and then you see them when they are developed. However, I find that more often than not, I forget what I took photos of until I see the scans. When I saw the scans for this particular roll of film that came from the plastic disposable FujiFilm QuickSnap, I was impressed.

The quality of the photos is not what impressed me, at least not the clarity that most would call “quality”. Rather, I was impressed by the realness of the photos. Somehow they were able to capture what it felt like to actually be at the location that the photos were taken.

Now, some of the photos did turn out blurry and unusable in any reasonable way, but that is to be expected (and honestly it is all part of the fun for me). Memories of the place where I had taken the photos came flooding back. This simple vacation with my family that took place merely months previous seemed like the adventure of a lifetime upon remembrance.

I remembered immediately upon seeing the photos where I had taken them. They were taken on a family vacation to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee when we had decided to go to Clingmans Dome and ride through Cherokee, North Carolina. I started to remember small details about the trip that I had either forgotten or not thought were too important at the time they happened. Things like how, halfway up the overlook I became overwhelmed by my fear of heights and had to turn back while everyone else went on (that’s how I was able to enjoy the view from the ground and get the photo that is pictured above while the other members of my family went ahead). Somehow in text that sounds harsh, like they “went on without me” and were careless, but that isn’t true, I just honestly wanted to enjoy things from the ground.

I have Instagram photos from this same trip, and yeah, they are crystal clear and have brilliant color (better color than what I actually remember seeing), but somehow they don’t even begin to compare with the realness of the photos that I got using a cheap plastic disposable camera. I guess that sometimes memories are worth the wait, and always worth remembering.

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Find It There

I am the person that you see taking photos of everyday and seemingly ordinary things. I am the person who stands at an awkward angle or hovers overtop of an object to get a better view. Almost everywhere I go, whoever I am with will comment that I take photos of strange things. By strange, I mean mundane.

I have discovered that if you don’t give so much attention to the main attraction then you will discover the world around it that holds things together. The metaphorical glue of the place you are at. Don’t get me wrong, I still get the “required” photos of the main attractions, but I don’t allow myself to forget that there is always more than meets the eye.

On a recent trip to Huntington, WV I had the opportunity to visit a few amazing places. There was an art museum where I took photos of brilliant light and shapes rather than the art itself. There was a park where I focused on the plants and natural structures more than the sculptures. If you take time to look at your surroundings and appreciate them, you will discover an entire new world.

Now, I am not saying that you HAVE to forget about that amazing thing that put the place you are on the map. I am suggesting that you take a moment to appreciate every little thing that surrounds you.

For me Lomography and analogue photography seemed like a natural fit for the kinds of photos that I like the capture. I have always been fascinated by everyday objects, the structure of buildings, the simple things that someone somewhere had to take time to creature.

At one point, when I first started my journey in film photography, I thought that I had to travel to exotic destinations to get amazing photos. When I made myself stop and examine the environment around me, everywhere that I went, I found that my initial ideas of the perfect photo were wrong.

Just as every person is different, everyone’s style of photography is too. There are many who would think that I am wasting film on mundane things, but I would have to respectfully disagree with them.

In my eyes, I am taking time to acknowledge the things that are so unaccustomed to receiving attention that they are considered to be part of the background or setting. Start asking yourself questions like: Who gets to decide what matters and what doesn’t? Why is this particular thing considered less important than that one? Why can’t this be regarded as beautiful?

Not every photo that I take is able to capture exactly what it is that I want to share with the world and reflect on later. More often than not, I get something completely different than I originally intended. When this happens you should also take a moment to appreciate it for what it is.

The photos in this post were taken with my Fuji Klasse W camera. Any camera could have gotten these photos, if the person behind the lens is open to looking for something out of the ordinary, that is indeed quite ordinary.

I thank you for reading this far and hopefully being able to take a few things away. Sometimes slowing down is the best option, while other times getting a quick photo that might turn out to be something special works.

You might not like all of these photos, or any of them, but to me they are something special. When I see something that I like, I take a photo of it. If someone else out there sees my photo and decides that they like it too, then that is fantastic. Either way, I suggest that you take the photos that you want to see because it is likely that no-one else will take them for you.

I would also like to give a huge shout out to the best film lab in the entire film universe, OldSchoolPhotoLab.com, for always doing a brilliant job processing photos of mine.

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Beach Vibes

Recently I went on a short vacation to the beach. Normally, I sunburn extremely bad and that did not happen this time, so I am grateful for that. I am also excited about a few of the photos that I took using my Fuji Klasse W and my Lomo LC-A+. Having two of my all time favorite cameras with me made everything ten times better!

The above photo is from my Instagram account of my Fuji Klasse W. You cannot deny that the camera and ocean are picturesque! However, I did not travel to the beach just to snap photos for my Instagram, though that was a large part of it, just kidding (or am I). A little tip for taking photos at the beach is to let your camera adjust to the humidity by placing it in a camera bag / case and sitting it outside for around ten minutes. When you turn your camera on you will be ready to take photos!

By now, you have probably noticed that I am always on the lookout for any shapes or patterns that catch my interest. I am on a perpetual search for simplistic and modern vibes everywhere that I go. It was a brilliant vacation and I am in love with the majority of photos that I took while there.

I’m going to end this blog post with some serious beach vibes. Hang ten, surfs up, and all of those other cliche phrases!

[nreluctant]

Lomo Aqua Pix

So often I found myself caught up in the notion that the bigger and better the camera, the better the photos will be. I fall into this rut with choosing film as well. Will the more expensive film be best? Will I like the results better if I use an expensive or elusive point and shoot camera versus a cheap plastic camera?

The truth is that these are questions that can only be answered by each individual person. That’s right, everyone is different and thus everyone has different taste. The type of photos that I am currently entranced by are light and mellow with pastel tones and a small bit of film grain (just enough to make it known that a film camera took the photo).

I have noticed that even my taste in what looks good as changed or developed over the past few years. At one time I though that messy, sloppy, and unplanned photos were the best thing in the whole universe. Now, I find myself drawn towards simple and clean photos that demonstrate some sort of thought behind them (not necessarily posed).

My heart will always hold a special place for Lomography cameras, film, and photos, but that is not to say that there isn’t room for more refined images. I really like a large mixture of looks and styles in photos. So instead of shelling out a bunch of cash that I don’t need to be spending on more cameras, I want to focus on one of the cheapest little cameras that I have ever owned.

In the world of film photography, it doesn’t get much cheaper in both quality and price than the Lomo Aqua Pix. This little camera is made of pure plastic, doesn’t take a battery (always a plus), and takes a surprisingly good photo. I didn’t expect much because of the price that I paid (I don’t remember paying over $10 for it). In terms of Lomography and Lomo photos, they don’t get any cooler than some of the shots that I got with the Lomo Aqua Pix.

The images aren’t super crisp, but that have a really cool otherworldly vibe to them. The inevitable light leaks due to the cheap build quality make for some truly magnificent photos.

These photos were taken with Fuji Superia 400 ISO film which is still quite common at big-box stores and drug-stores in the USA. It was the most readily available film for me at the time and doesn’t cost much.

With a camera like this it’s best to get creative and not be afraid to just take pictures of strange subjects at odd angles, you might end up with some of your favorite shots!

Oh, hello. This photo was taken at arms-length which means that even though this camera is not suited for macro and super close up shots, you can still get the selfie of your dreams.

Not all of my photos were great, but I got more photos that I liked than not. In fact I like more of the photos that I got with the Lomo Aqua Pix than I normally like with my SLR’s or point-and-shoot cameras.

So remember, cheap does not always mean less fun or worse images. It all comes down to your personal taste in photography and what you want your end result to be. If you want dream-like photos with the occasional unexpected light leak and can afford the $10 or so that these cameras cost, then I say go for it! I bought mine on eBay a long time ago, but searches for “underwater 35mm camera” “lomo aqua pix” or “plastic 35mm camera” will normally lead to some options for buying one yourself!

P.S. They normally come in a plastic underwater case. I took mine out of this protective cast and have never used the underwater housing.

[nreluctant]

Classic Christmas

Aside from the fact that there was no snow on the ground...or in the air, this past Christmas was pretty great. I decided to get a lot of black and white photos because I had some expired B&W film in my storage the I had been wanting to use. I personally like to see some snow on the ground around the holidays, but since I can’t control the weather I suppose it’s okay that there wasn’t any.

My Pentax p3n is one of my all-time favorite film photography cameras, so it was the natural choice to pair with my expired B&W film.

Yeah, it was actually warm enough to get a ton of portraits outside!

I normally keep a pretty close watch on the brand and type of 35mm film that I use, but all that I know for sure is that there were three different types of B&W film that I shot. I know, I was slacking, but it’s the holidays so give me a break.

I’m a huge fan of minimalism, so even though there were a ton of dead trees and plants due to the colder weather, I wanted to get some simple shots of them too. The lens on my Pentax p3n is sharp and gives some beautiful bokeh.

For the record, this isn’t my cat. In fact, it isn’t anyone’s cat. This little stray has more than one home because he is a nomad. Traveling form house to house and enjoying multiple meals and families, he truly knows how to live. This cat frequents my grandparent’s house, so I got some really nice photos of it. I often wonder if stray and wandering animals would prefer to have one home, a place they can rely on, or the freedom to go anywhere that they choose. I suppose that ideally they would be able to have both.

The presents truly do not matter. When I look back on holidays and think of the times that I have had with my family, it all comes down to the memories, not the gifts. I have lost my excitement for the things that are under the tree. The last Christmas where I truly expressed enjoyment for a gift was years ago when I thought that things that possessions actually matter. Things do not carry a fraction of the meaning that memories do. The next time you celebrate something, think about what makes it special, is it the food, the gifts, the decorations, or the people. For me it is the people and the memories of those people.

This last photo is of an angel statue at the memorial for my Aunt. Some things will never be the same, but the memories are everlasting.

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Konica Big Mini F

I have had my eye on the elusive Konica Big Mini F for a while now, so...I bought one. After doing some post-purchase research I found out that I overpaid by about $30 (these things happen). Am I disappointed with my purchase? What do you think. No.

One of my all time favorite things to do is to buy and test all types of film photography cameras. Since I have never tried a Konica 35mm camera before, the Big Mini F seemed like the ideal place to start. I was expecting crisp and clear images, and for the most part this is true.

Let’s pause for a moment and give some serious props to whoever designed this beauty of a camera. I mean seriously, it looks as good, if not better, than some cameras selling for twice the price. I shot a few test rolls with this camera and was pleasantly surprised with the results.

This camera is not too big, not too small and has just the right amount of bulk to keep it from feeling like a plastic piece of junk. It has a very premium feel to it and I am quite proud to own this little gem of a point-and-shoot. I was on the verge of selling it the other day and buying another Fuji Natura Classica (my heart holds a special place for all things FujiFilm), but as I write this I am discovering that I must be more fond of this camera than I though. Oh no, here I go developing attachments to inanimate objects. Before you call the show “Hoarders” and suggest me for a future episode, check out some of my favorite shots that I got with this camera.

Any camera that gives me a 90′s vibe when I get my negatives back is the camera for me!

Low light with little to no grain. Yes, please.

Just the right amount of blur in this one.

Look at that bright red shirt! This camera’s lens picks up brilliantly on colors (okay, the film may have had something to do with this turning out so great).

Okay, now I’m just getting hungry...

There is definitely a ton of stories left to be told with this camera. I feel like it is a historical beauty that doesn’t get enough attention. It’s the little details that this camera brings out that makes it one of my all-time favorites. If you are questioning getting one of these cameras, just stop...do yourself a favor and get it.

[nreluctant]

In An Instant

When I look back at all of the photos and memories that I created in 2013, it's a little overwhelming. At moments I think I could have done more, and at other times I feel like what I have done was just enough (I suppose that's something I'll always have to contend with). What I am most proud of when looking through my photos, are the memories that I have thanks to these photos.

Recently, I have gotten into Polaroid photography (It was only a matter of time). It's expensive, but there is a nostalgia that only a Polaroid photo can create, even if I wasn't born when the original Polaroids were invented, I can still appreciate what they've done for the world of photography. So here are some Polaroid photos that I took using Impossible Project film and the SX-70 and Polaroid Sun 600 LMS. I am looking forward to making more memories, and hopefully living just a little more on the adventurous side than I did in 2013.

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The Impressive Pentax p3n

I was given the Pentax p3n as a gift from a friend. I love my Minolta X700, so it was going to take a lot of convincing for me to let another SLR into my life. I decided to shoot one roll with it, just one roll to see how the photos turned out. I was blown away by the crisp clear results that this camera produces.

This camera has a few cool features. First of all you don't have to set the ISO or ASA speed, it does that for you based on your film cartridges coding. There is also a very accurate automatic setting on the lens and dial, if you decide to use it, rest assured the camera is doing most all of the work for you.

The best way to test a new camera is to just take it somewhere, anywhere, and take a lot of photos of different subjects and content so that you can get a good idea of the kinds of photos that it takes. For example, food, your setting, people, etc. I waited in anticipation to see the photos that this seemingly standard SLR camera took.

As you can see from the photos, this camera is fantastic! I was just shocked by how simple it was to use and how professional the results are. This is a cheap and affordable SLR by most standards if you can get one secondhand. I highly recommend this SLR for anyone interested in taking crisp clear photos with simplicity in using the camera itself.

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New Life To Old Moments

One of my favorite things about film photography is how it has lasted over the years. One generation can pass the tradition to another. Unfortunately, so many memories are lost when a person shoots a roll of film and never has it developed. On my film photography journey I have encountered a few opportunities to uncover some of those lost and forgotten film memories from the past.

A family member of mine recently found a few rolls of 110mm film in the attic of my Great Great Grandmother. They were in pretty rough condition and I was more than certain that dust had made its way down into the tiny compartments on the 110mm film canisters, but I decided to send them off for development anyway. After all, if any of the photos turned out at all then it would've been worth it!

Luckily, 90 photos were taken and developed! I was shocked at the quality, they still looked pretty great, especially considering their age and condition. Even though I wasn't there to experience those moments, I knew I was viewing some pretty special photos.

Even though I don't know the people in lots of those photos, it's cool to see what my relatives say so many years ago. If you ever find old rolls of exposed film, don't hesitate, have them developed! 

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I Need Contax T2

Apparently when you use an old expired roll of Kodak Gold 200 ISO film, the results are nothing short of amazing. We go through life and experience some pretty amazing things, but we are so accustom to everyday life that we don't realize just how special simple moments are. I feel like the Contax T2 does a pretty nice, even with very expired film, in capturing those seemingly average moments and making them special.

I don't think analogue photography is an option, I think it's pretty much the only true option if we want to preserve moments the way they were meant to be remembered.

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Low Light Fuji Natura Classica

Everyone is probably tired of hearing about how much I love my Fuji Natura Classica, but the proof is in the photos! This camera talks some pretty good talk about how swift it is in low light situations, but can it really live up to the hype that everyone gives it? Yes my friend, it can.

The camera not only feels good when you are holding it, but the flash pops right up with the slight press of a button. It's a camera that knows what it's doing. On a very recent trip that I took to a bed and breakfast, the Fuji Natura Classica proved very useful. As evening approached, the camera waited in silence for the perfect opportunities to snap photos.

Here's the crazy part, I wasn't really at those locations, not really. We were driving by and I was able to get shots of those things from the car (window rolled down). The cameras brilliantly made flash makes for the perfect shot almost every time! When I got back to the B&B, I wanted to get a few shots, but it was night time by then. So...I did it anyway.

I think a few of those were taken with the flash off, but the camera gives them a really nice soft look. I am pleased with the Natura Classica, very pleased! It's a camera that earns the respect that it is given.

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A Cup of Yashica T4 Zoom

For some people coffee is a horrible black liquid that they try and avoid, but for the rest of the world that actually makes sense, coffee is a brilliant part of the day. I cannot get through the day without at least one cup of coffee. My addiction started when I was pretty young, but as you can probably tell, it set down the roots for making coffee a staple in my everyday routine. Wake. Coffee. Everything else. That's sort of how I normally view my day.

So, would it not make sense for a person who has a passion for coffee to take pictures of their coffee? You're right...it doesn't really make that much sense, but somehow it works. I love seeing photos of coffee taken by friends and family, in fact one of my friends owns a website dedicated to coffee (I'm not even joking about that). For your viewing pleasure, some recent photos of coffee that I got a little creative with.

For me, it's about the simplicity of forgetting everything else and letting your cares and worries melt into a cup of coffee. Those photos were taken on a nifty little Yashica T4 Zoom camera, 35mm son! I needed to test the camera out to see what kind of photos it took, and somehow coffee shots made it onto the roll, imagine that! I don't know about you, but all of this talk about coffee has made me thirsty (I sound like an addict), so I'm going to go have a cup! Go have a cup of coffee on me!

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Temperamental Things In The Dark

As I told you in my last blog post, I took my Fuji Natura Classica 35mm film camera with me on my date at the art house and got some interesting pictures while I was there. It's not ever day that you get to see the world through an artist's perspective...well, unless you're an artist.

If you aren't into art then you may not enjoy this post, then again, you may be in the wrong place because photography is an art form. I like to imagine that the above photo is the centurion who guards the entrance to the art house. There's a neat hidden secret at the art house called the "jail cells", not everyone knows that they are there and open year round, but I had a chat with the owner a few months ago and he told me all about them. So...here's a peak at the dark mysteries hidden within the "jail cells" at the art house.

I realize that some of these things are a bit...odd and out of place any time of the year other than October, but it was July and I enjoyed it. My girlfriend found it interesting too. I know what you're thinking, "Seriously, you went here on a date?!" Umm, yeah, we did. She had been wanting to go there for a while anyway. It was actually a super cool place.

Now, it was actually very dark when we were seeing all of these cool things, but I was able to get good visible shots of it all because of the flash on the Fuji Natura Classica. I honestly didn't expect the photos to turn out so great because it was so dark. Hopefully you don't have too many nightmares after seeing and reading this.

[nreluctant]

Black & White Clarity

I am not exaggerating when I say that I love black and white photography, in fact that's probably an understatement. I don't claim to be the best photographer in the world, but pretty much anyone can take a photo in black and white and it will turn out decent looking (for the most part). Luckily, I have my Minolta X-700 most of the time to depend on and thank for beautiful B&W shots, but my girlfriend takes a pretty brilliant shot using that camera, so she tends to use it some when I have it around. I don't like to admit it, but her shots somehow always seem to turn out...how should I put this, clearer than mine. She knows how to focus the camera better, but if I have to blame something, let me blame the fact that I wear glasses that make it harder to see through the viewfinder! Anyway, here are some of the shots that we got on our last date with the trusty Minolta X-700.

I am super proud of that shot (I took it!), not only is it a good clear shot, but it really captures something about her personality, it has to be one of my favorite shots of the night!

Before you even ask, we went to an open mic night (nobody showed up, but that was cool because we got to basically take pictures of anything we wanted to), that is located at my favorite art house. It's always a good time when the art house is involved!

Don't ask me what happened on those two shots above of me and her, that's one of the cool things about film photography, you seriously never know about the film, the camera, or the developer, so the results are always exciting to see! I have a ton of other cool shots, but I took some with my Fuji Natura Classica and used color film, so I will save those for a future post. For now you will have to be satisfied with the beautiful black and white shots in this post.

[nreluctant]

Stick Around For The Unknown

TODAY is the LAST day of the summer program that I have been working with. I can't say that I have too many "brilliant" photos from this summer, but then again, that all depends on your definition of the word. I have my car loaded up and am ready to go tonight after the day's events. There are a few people that I will miss from the program and the students that I got the opportunity to work with were great. Take a look at these photos and get a sense of the mood of the program for me, it was mostly relaxing and enjoyable, save a few of the employees creating drama. Most of these were taken with my little buddy, the Olympus XA, using Lomography Color Negative 400 ISO film.

Alas, I must bid you au revoir. I am excited to be going back home to spend the last few weeks of summer at my new job as the editor of my colleges newspaper. I don't doubt that it will be lots of work, but what worth doing isn't?

Goodbye summer program, hello to the unknown.

[nreluctant]

I Dreamed I Had Become A Ghost

I have been experimenting with lots of my cameras lately and loving the results. First off, life just simply looks better through an analogue lens, proven fact. Second, it's more fun to shoot film. Third, fourth and fifth, it's awesome. I know, I sound like a bit of a fan, but that may be because I am.

There is so much that you can do with film. So many cool results to get. My favorite camera thus far, out of the 15 analogue cameras that I own is my LOMO LC-A+, but the Olympus XA is a very close runner up!

I have been trying to take my cameras everywhere I go, some people love them and others are confused at the fact that I am shooting film. Not surprisingly, some people have never even seen a film camera in action.

It's always fun to take a camera with me to go eat and get a whole new take on dinner. Nothing ever looks the same on film as it did through your eyes, not exactly anyway.

So to sum up, be cool and shoot film. Buy film, not megapixels. It's a great way to view the world that you think you already know.

Life is beautiful, capture it in a way that is the essence of living in the moment. Don't worry about editing your shots and correcting color, things like that deteriorate the original magic of a photo and capturing a moment in time, forever.

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Fuji Natura Classica First Test

This was my first time using the Fuji Natura Classica. I have heard so much about it's brilliant indoor photo qualities, but my worst shots were indoors. I used 1600 ISO Superia film. The outdoor shots were brilliant though.

I am pleased for the most part, I just wish that the indoor shots were a bit better since that was supposed to be a feature of this camera. Also I loaded some 800 ISO film into the camera today, and it did not recognize it and put it in NP mode, it's supposed to put 800 ISO film and up in NP mode automatically.