In the past two months I’ve shot almost everything on film. I really have no idea why, but I find myself drawn to the medium. There’s something about the challenge that keeps me coming back; it’s so much harder to get a good shot. I use a fully manual Canon New F-1 which was originally released in 1981. I bought it used online and fell in love with it as soon as I heard that first manual shutter click. The F-1 is fully functional without a battery, though you can put one in to activate the light meter. It’s pretty badass.
So naturally when my good friend Sam asked me if I wanted to wander around the city with him and take photos, I grabbed the vintage camera instead of the 5DmkII. On that frozen day we wandered around Tribeca, and I think I took a grand total of three shots. Film forces me to be really picky, and to think rather than the “shotgun approach” that I’ve come to adopt on my DSLR.
I went in thinking that roll would last a day, but it ended up lasting three months. Out of the 36 exposures on the roll, I liked six. Gotta love film.
