I decided to take part for the first time in the Frugal Film Project
I heard about it on twitter, Thanks @davewhenham
I was so excited about this new project that I prepared a post about it:
"You know what? I'm joining Frugal Photo Project 😊
I've always wanted a project like this, but.. it was the wrong time or I haven't been part of a group and all alone is not so fun.
The rules are 1 year - 1 camera - 1 film . The camera should not be more expensive than $75.
I always wanted to try to be more consistent in my shooting, but instead I'm always trying new stuff. Every time I settle on a camera, which I feel is the One, it breaks on the next roll. And I 'm not superstitious, just all my cameras are old and faulty 😐🤭
These days I have a ney toy - a Soviet Zorki, however I suppress the urge to use it in the FPP, as it's not tested yet.
Therefore I decided to enter the project with one of my favorite cameras - Kodak Retinette ib. It's a favorite toy, however I don't shoot often with it. It's so smooth. I like to watch it and hold it, I like to shoot with it, I like the photos it does, I like how flawless it is. It's mystery why I don't use it more often. This project seems like the perfect way to connect more with the Retinette.
For film I decided on Kentmere 400 - very versatile and cheap enough. I just ordered 4 rolls.Yay!"
(even made a complimentary photo for this post 😄 here it is)
And then I found the wrong way that there is a film already loaded in it 🙈 - Ilford hp5+ to be exact 😄 and it was on the 6th frame. I even can't remember when I've loaded it, but maybe sometime in 2021. 2022 was some dark space for me and I almost haven't done any photography.
I just couldn't waste the roll with some meaningless shots around the house. I also realized that I don't have the time to shoot both films till the end of the month - I know myself, I am a slow shooter.
(Also, I realized such a long project will teach me a lot and I was tempted to choose a "harder" camera)
So another camera it will be. Enters Smena Symbol , cheapish Soviet toy camera, my first camera as a child. My father bring it to me (and one for my little sister) when I was a kid, after he got back from a business Trip to the Soviet Union back in the day.
At first my parents didn't allow me to use it. Then I was old enough, however it were poor times and the film was not cheap. I remember shooting with it once or twice.
Then there were digital cameras all over, and I remembered about it in 2014 when I rediscovered film again. I've run just few rolls through it. I wanted to try other cameras, bigger, fancier, the GAS level increased.
Now at first I had mixed feelings: it's definitely a challenge. I like to own it, but the shots are not brilliant. I don't like how it does color negatives. Black and white is better though. I always felt that the stops and the speeds are not enough: the biggest aperture is 4 and the fastest speed is 1/250.
I'm adding Lomo Blik accessory external rangefinder, bought some years ago for the equivalent of $7
I'm very excited. I already joined the dedicated facebook group and I'm pleasantly surprised how friendly and knowledgeable are the lovely people there.
Thank you for reading this long post to the end.
