I do it just because I seem to be lousy at keeping my own promises to myself. You see I had this kind of resolution for this year, which did not work out at all. Just like 99% of all my other new years resolutions, by the way.
This one should be simple enough to keep, I thought. Simple, and hopefully it would keep me from wasting too much film. At least that was the thought and the bright idea behind it.
Only load one camera with film at a time sounds simple enough, don't you think? Well, I tell you it's not simple at all.
Couple of days ago I threw them all onto my bed and started checking, and found that film was loaded in quite a lot of them. How did that happen? I also found cameras I had forgot about, loaded with film taken maybe a couple of years ago but the spool still inside, not developed.
I also found one of the Voigtländers with the spool still sitting inside, but the film obviously snapped. I need to take that out inside the dark place, I guess. Hopefully I will be able to save it.
And I also found the old Minolta Hi-matic G in there as well. Loaded with something I hope is a 400ASA film, as that's what the ASA ring is adjusted to. One single frame was snapped on that one, by the way.
Oh yes, it's from a few months back in time, I know. Early this summer, actually, when we were doing refits on the ship close to Avaldsnes in Karmøy, Norway. The old stone church, you may remember. The one with the doomsday stone close to the wall and everything. This is probably a rangefinder snap of some kind.
So now I got a couple of bags full of 9 cameras, and I kind of feel the urge to empty the rolls inside. They will not be reloaded immediately, but my hope is to adjust the new years resolution a bit before next year starts.
What's the best thing to do, you think? The obvious answer is of course to get rid of all the cameras to limit the choice down to one or maybe two... but I'm not there at all. Just saying!
I want to keep them all, and I want to use them now and then.
Maybe a nice thing to do is to actually try use them all through next year? Like doing things a bit different to what I tried to do this year? Just load them up and really try hard to empty them all before 2017 is done and dusted? Or maybe put up some kind of schedule to make sure I have used every single one of them at some point through the year, one or maybe two at a time? There are good things and bad things about these kinds of limitations for sure, but maybe it's worth trying for a period?
From the old wool factory area close to where I live. This reminds me I was talking about hauling myself over to the place again one day to try do something more with it. Well, it has not happened yet. Luckily it seems there will be time enough in the days to come, so I might get the chance soon. I don't know what this was snapped on, but I suspect one of the rangefinders with the 21mm Elmarit, or maybe some Nikon with a 24mm attached. Looks a bit wider than that, so my bet is going to be put on the rangefinder suggestion.
Lots of questions but few answers today, I totally realize that. I really would like some ideas or thoughts around these things, so please feel free to throw them inside the comments section. That would be very much appreciated, thank you :)
I keep the cameras with film in them on a table behind my desk. There's an upper limit to the number of cameras that can comfortably fit on it, thankfully.
SvarSlettSounds like something I might could have adopted, Jim. I'm still not absolutely sure about it, though, as it would involve some self control... Maybe I could try it anyway, with a couple of adjustments.
SlettThanks for the comment and suggestion :)
Happens to me now and then. I try not to load film until I am ready to go out and shoot. That way I can decide if I want color or black and white 100, 200 or 400 speed film. It still happens occasionally and I open a camera to load film and find a partly shot film inside. Hate that! Maybe put them all in one box. As you shoot them place them in another box to make sure you shoot them all. :)
SvarSlettThank you very much for the suggestion and comment, Robert!
SlettDifferent boxes or bags for loaded and unloaded cameras is definitely a good idea, and a bit of the same as Jim suggested as well. I suppose I might go for something like this, just to make sure I'm able to keep some kind of track of what I'm doing.
I tried a system of keeping notes of what was loaded where and when, and what was snapped on it. The system was effective, but not the easiest to keep track of as soon as the notebook was elsewhere when you needed it...
I have the solution, Roy. You absolutely need to buy 3 more cameras, making 12 in total. Then my friend you can use a different one for each month of 2017. Simples!
SvarSlettI reckon you could also use a different film in each.
And of course we will look forward to reading about your exploits, whatever you decide :)
haha Michael... so you did not think I already got enough cameras to snap one each month of the year?? Well, I do... these nine cameras was just the ones I found to be already loaded with film.
SlettBut, to be honest with you I had already thought about something in the line of your suggestion for either 2017 or 18. 12 months and 12 quite different cameras. Not too sure if I would also go for 12 films, or if I might stretch that bit of it a bit when needed? 12 different types of films could make the whole thing a bit interesting, but also a total failure... depending a bit on lots of stuff.
We will see what I end up with, but something along these lines has touched my mind for some time. Maybe one should post each and every snap from all rolls if doing something like this? Lots of questions, few answers, I know.