Ektar 100, several trips

One of the limitations of the GW690 is that a roll of film is 8 photos. At best 8 photos. Do anything wrong and you end up with a not-photo. The famous example is a dark square because you forgot to take the lens cap off. Remember, this is a range finder, so I don't look through the lens while composing or focussing. Part of my mental checklist is to take the lens cap off. I usually leave it in the car, if I've driven to where my photo ramble will happen.

Below are the 8 photos from the most recent roll of Ektar 100. This is a film that loves colour and lots of light. Colour doesn't describe a lot of Calgary these days, unless you call white or spring mud a colour.  But part of the process of taking a really good photo is learning how, and that usually means lots of so-so photos. That's mostly what this roll is. Technically they're fine, in the sense that they're properly exposed and in focus. Both of those can be a bit of a challenge. The solution is to not be in a rush.

I'm still evolving my thoughts around why I'd shoot a scene on film rather than digitally. Part of this is learning exposure, rather than the camera telling me what the right exposure is. Part of this is trying to capture images of an idea, or something beyond a perfect technical representation of an object. 

Part of the imperfection is dust spots and hairs on the negative, or on the lens, or on the digital sensor. If you look closely at any of the images below you'll find them, and being honest, you won't have to look too hard. I've removed the ones that I think are a distraction, but that's a never ending rabbit hole. 

Part of this is to embrace the imperfection of film to capture the imperfection of the world. After all, even a technically 'perfect' image is going to be viewed through a monitor or glass that could have spots or stains on it, be badly calibrated, be in weird ambient light, through eye glasses that need to be cleaned, through an eyeball with floaties or cataracts, and interpreted by a brain that might see colour differently than the artist.

So if you've somehow come here expecting to find an image that will make your heart explode with joy, I'm sorry to disappoint you. Carry on as best you can. I'm looking to make images that will make my heart explode with joy.

1. Quirk Creek Gas Plant. You might remember I tried to shoot this earlier, and it didn't work out. What's interesting is that I  know there's more detail on the negative that in this photo of the negative, specifically in the white part of the material of the stack. Maybe I'll try to get a more detailed image of just the stack and plant by shooting the negative again, rather than just zooming into this image. (Hint, I tried that, and the white bits of the stack are overexposed in this version.)

One of my thoughts is to revisit some of the negative images, and develop further work from them that is not strictly representational.

2. Same drive. This was an exposure exercise, trying to not lose detail in the deeply shadowed part of the cabin. 

3. A different walk exploring an area I haven't been to for several years. I'll have to go back, there's several more areas to explore from here. This is one that I thought seriously about cropping in.

4. I'm not totally sure what happened here. This turned out very blue, and very hard. Trying to tweak it went bad very quickly.

5. From a downtown walk through the +15 on the way to lunch with a buddy. This is shot through a filthy glass window, but it seems to capture the colours well. This is the shot I'm most pleased with from the roll. I don't know who the mural artist is.

6. Part of the core mall. This is an example where the camera didn't pick up on what I was actually seeing. 

7. I had deliberately composed this so that there was a strong light behind the glass sculpture, hoping the colour would really come up. Instead, the rest of the room seems much brighter than I remember it being, and the colour somewhat more muted. This might be another one where I reshoot the negative, cropping in on the sculpture, maybe trying some different import options.

8. Another filthy window shot, hoping there would be a reflection layer showing up. I can sort of see it, but then I remember the original view.

What's next? I loaded some Portra 160, thinking my buddy might be up for an impromptu photo session, but no. The office called. There is another portrait session being flanged up. As always, stay tuned.