I joined a group of talented photographers for a film photography challenge to shoot 24 frames of film in May. It's lots of fun to see what I can do when there are challenges. I shot with a Hasselblad 500 cm and an 80mm lens which is like a normal 50mm lens with a DSLR. I'm getting ready to sell it so I thought I would take it on a goodbye tour as I travelled to Providence Rhode Island, Boston and the Palm Springs Photography Festival. 24 frames on a Hassey means shooting 2 and a half rolls of film. I chose to use Kodak Portra 400.
These are all the shots from my 24 frames. We visited an amazing old library in Providence. It was a dream location for a quiet moment to contemplate and imagine all the people through the time the library has been open. Old wood card catalogs, nooks and crannies to read in, antique chairs and small desks. It was a lovely town and I look forward to going back. There are a couple shots from Newport Rhode Island. The statue and arbor. I wish they let you take pictures inside the beautiful old mansions! We did a very quick tour of Boston and cocktails across the bay with a view of the city was a nice end of our day. We walked around Harvard University and listened to their marching band play. In Palm Springs I tried to photograph as many people as I could. I will miss my Hasselblad because it always attracts attention, lets me photograph the most reticent of subjects and allows me access because it commands respect. Funny because nowadays you can have one for a song but they have a long history of being an expensive professional photographers tool.
All in all a good month and lots of fun! I wish my eyesight was better. I really don't want to get rid of this beautiful camera. I'll be shooting lots more film in the coming month. I love not editing! I love thinking carefully about what I shoot and learning how to use it well. I love showing people the backwards view in the viewfinder and talking shop with fellow photographers who admire it. Maybe I'll try a viewfinder with a diopter and keep it after all.
