Looking to Spring
Originally Posted on March 5th, 2023
As winter slowly passes by, I thought it be worth posting an update not just to the photobook but to the state and direction of everything else film related that I’m working on. I remember telling myself at the beginning of the year how much I needed to get outside and photograph the frozen landscape, as I really haven’t spent sufficient time documenting this time of the year. Since then, I have probably now shot over four-hundred photos of this snowy icy terrain across a variety of film stock. Perhaps most interesting fact I learned during this time is the effects winter has on exposure. Generally, the rule from what I understand is to always expose +1 to +2 stops over your meter reading. In some cases, this is a true statement, but I have found personally that your over exposure can vary by quite a bit depending on your situation. Snow and ice reflect a tone of light, so I’ve found there is a real fine line at times between your landscape coming out like grey sand and blowing out the few pieces of color in your composition that your intent was to pop. Some images I have exposed +3 or even +4 stops over measurement and the photograph come out perfect. As a rule, I would say I now shoot +3 in most wintery situations and have been getting good results.
In respect to the photobook, I have a few more rolls of film in need of developing so I may or may not be adding to what I currently have in Snowscape. For the last few days now, I have been trying to put as much time as I can into just writing the dialog for the section. So far, I have gotten the introduction to the section complete and will be moving onto the various parts within the section in the coming days. The time I have spent writing dialog for the section has done well I believe in terms just really thinking about your images and further developing what it is your attempting to capture. You find yourself having to answer interesting questions like, what is winter aside from just cold, snow and ice? And after pondering that question for quite a while, as well as, analyzing my work regarding what shots were on point and where I thought could have done better; I concluded that the answer to the question is an alluding pursuit of warmth. Which brings to light the fact that as I work through these sections the workflow will not be a purely linear process. For each section may be revisited as I come in further tune with the reality of what I’m seeking to capture. I have included a photograph from the section that I think well demonstrates these thoughts.
Looking forward to Spring I have a good starting point for what I’m looking to do. Winterscape was mostly shot with Cinestill 400D and expired Kodak Gold stock in my attempt to compliment the cold with the warm tones and shifts of that chosen stock. Going into Spring I feel like slide film especially in landscapes is a good choice for its contrast and its capacity for pastel color, that I believe I can get out of certain stock. Spring will also give me the opportunity to start shooting portraits, which is an area I haven’t had much experience. For portrait I will be using the Yachicaflex-C but haven’t decided on a particular film stock yet. I know most folks would say to look in the Kodak Portra family of films for that answer but I’m not sure yet if that fine grain structure is where I want to go or not. Portra 160 has always been a favorite of mine so maybe that could be a contender.
From an equipment standpoint there are a few things I am excited about going into the warmer months. First on the list would be taking my first shot of large format 5x7. Before winter I picked up a Korona Home Portrait camera from an antique dealer in South Dakota. This could also be an option for the portrait section as well assuming I can find appropriate film for it. Turns out 5x7 is quite expensive compared to 4x5 and even 8x10. I’m also looking forward to shooting more point and shoot in the coming months. Recently I have been taking my Konica Big Mini around just about everywhere with me and it has given me great results. It’s a different style of shooting to be sure but like anything if used correctly, I believe has a place in everyone’s workflow.
Perhaps the biggest development, and what I’m most looking forward to this coming spring is the arrival of my first interchangeable lens rangefinder, the Canon P. I have been looking for one of these cameras for quite a while and finally found one from a guy that sells expired film out of Portugal. When buying older cameras, I always look for someone who really knows what their selling as opposed to a seller that has no prior experience or “hands on” time with the camera being sold. I was fortunate in this instant that the shop owner was selling one of his personal cameras and had great photo examples on his Instagram.
I consider the addition of the Canon P as an instrumental step forward in my photographic work. Throughout my development as a photographer the Rangefinder has become an essential tool for my creative development both in an inspirational sense, and as a matter of composition. Having similar versatility to what you would find in an SLR system now in my preferred format feels like having a fresh road ahead. I hope to post a video in the next month or so sharing more about the Canon P, my experiences with it, and what the Rangefinder Camera in general means in a personal sense as a photographer.
Until next time, be kind to each other.