This week I gave the digital camera a rest and was back to shooting film. I use 35mm Ilford Hp5 processed in Kodak D-76 developer diluted 1:1 with water. I’ve been using D-76 for over 30 years now and it still gives reliable results. In case you are wondering how I fit this into my schedule I carry the Leica M6 around with me from Sunday until I have two rolls exposed. Generally I have that done by Wednesday or Thursday, process the film on Thursday or Friday evening, and print sometime during the day on Saturday.

It takes more patience than time. Shooting is incidental and done while doing other things. Processing the film takes about 45 minutes. Making three prints takes another hour or so. Depending on my mood and how the week goes this can seem easy or impossible. Luckily it doesn’t matter how I feel. I just need to do it.

Still not sure where I am going with this project but I believe something good will happen. Photography remains a mystery to me a lot of the time.

So here are this week’s pictures:

Kim at Barnes and Noble.

Twisted vines in bird paradise.

Trees in the wind at local park.

This past week I have worked exclusively with the Canon G9 digital camera. I find myself exploring freely with it and pleased with the RAW files it produces. Since I am a couple days late posting these I have already run through a roll of film in the Leica and as I look at these I am aware of how different the experience is using the different cameras. I can’t judge one approach better than the other. Just different for now.

I wanted to skip the project this week. The desire to not shoot two rolls of film, mix developer, process the film, and make prints just seemed overwhelming. Even though I had the camera with me it took an act of self-will to shoot this week. Maybe it was a hectic schedule at work. Or more likely me shifting from slow to slower to stop. What ever it was I had to drag myself along.

I’ve felt the same about riding. Not just to work but riding in general. Sure, the weather isn’t all that great but it’s certainly reasonable weather. This morning I forced myself out the door on the Vespa. It was colder than I thought and I had to stop to put on a ski mask under my helmet. The temperature reading on the Vespa as the sun crept over the ridge was 21 degrees Fahrenheit.

I’m glad I forced myself out the door to ride and I’m glad I forced myself to shoot the film. I felt good once I was on the road and the same for the darkroom. My old brain is really good at convincing me I should take the easy road – in this instance drive the truck to work and skip the pictures. I can easily convince myself that the ride will be lackluster and the pictures insignificant. But you know what? None of that matters. Taking the ride, shooting the pictures, that’s what matters and that is what will feel good at the end of the day. I sure am ready for warmer weather though.

Here are the prints for this week.

Essa posing as a fine, soft snow falls

Sumac at intersection

Collection of winter debris and stuff in the deer den

This post marks a modification in the project format. Beginning last week I started shooting digital pictures and plan to alternate between digital and film. For the digital weeks I’ll shoot at least 100 digital pictures, then the next week 2 rolls of black and white film. I’ll do this for at least a year. Or so the plans go right now.

This change is the result of a gentle suggestion by a friend who believes my working in film might be limiting me. He proposed working digitally would allow me to release the tight control I exert when shooting film. A quick look at my contact sheets bears out that theory. I wasn’t sure if I should make the switch and posted the question on a forum I belong to for additional feedback and the digital/film question is as active as the motorcycle/scooter one is. If you want to have a look at that discussion check out The Empty Mind — Film vs. Digital.

At the end of the first week I’ve noticed differences. That’s strange considering how much work I do professionally with a digital camera. But for personal pursuits it’s like none of that counts. I made 242 exposures, more than triple the amount I make with film. Perhaps I am not hearing the money adding up the same way I do with film. And there is color to take into account. And I’ve noticed I shoot more verticals digitally. Not sure what that’s all about.

I’m still looking at what I’ve shot and trying to figure out what’s going on. It’s sort of an exciting puzzle for me. It was difficult to make three selections from everything I shot. That’s probably another learning opportunity. So here are the selections from the first week of digital:

15 year old Essa posing for a portrait upon returning from a morning walk

Empty parking deck after work

Tree near research greenhouse

I finished my prints this week later than normal — around 10 PM on Saturday evening. The process is more routine and predictable with only about an hour needed to produce 6 to 8 work prints.

The three I chose this week to share are different but similar. My eye seems to be drawn to the same construction over and over again.

Tree along Branch Road

My Domke bag at a coffee shop

Essa McCloud examining snow