12. Single Roll Walkabout

Trying to recreate the film experience—without going back to film

There seems to be a renewed interest in film and I’m happy for everyone who is discovering it, rediscovering it, or enjoying it. As for me, I have no desire to shoot film again. I love the convenience and immediate feedback I get with digital and I’m not willing to give that up.

But, as I connect with more and more film photographers, I realize there is one aspect of shooting film that I’d like to recapture.

I miss the pace and deliberateness I used to have when I shot film.

Particularly, being limited to 24 or 36 photos used to slow me down and force me to put more thought into each shot.

This morning I a) wrote up a quick substack note:

I am headed out to shoot and will try the following

1. Shoot 36 images (no more because thats what a roll held but also no less because I’d want to get it off to the lab and not have it sit in the camera until the next shoot.

2. Set the ISO before the first shot and don’t change it

3. Turn auto white balance off

4. Choose a film simulation and shoot JPEGs (I usually shoot RAW with no film simulation then edit a bit when back at computer)

5. Try to limit editing to slight cropping (as I would have when I framed the pictures)

b) Got a great comment back from

Mark McGuire

of Street Photography:

Our aim is better when we can count the arrows in our quiver.

c) Set my camera

and

d) Headed out…

The number painted on a diagonal grabbed me. The contrasting horizontals and verticals in the plant kept me

The door seemed too permanent to be temporary. When I got home I spied a pareidolia owl.

Tree stencils for

Diana Pappas

and

Tom Bland

of PappasBland.

Found these two tree stencils today

Tree stencil 2

I loved the layers in this one. I am really starting to enjoy making these layered reflection images. Two others I shot recently are in article 10: Black & White Autumn.

Loved the double reflection of the UPS driver but wish I could have made the door plane parallel with the camera… but then I would have been the focus. Its trickey staying out of some of these.

Capuchino Station, Burlingame, CA

So, how was it?

• First, it’s definitely something I am going to try a few more times (at least).
  

• I stuck to the idea of one roll. Well… I actually took a 37th picture—it had good potential. I thought this was fair because I remember squeezing one extra frame out of some rolls (you just had to remember not to cock the shutter with too much force after that shot).

• I didn’t mess with camera settings while out. As the sun came out from the clouds I was a bit worried about white balance and ISO, but in the end, all the pictures came out fine.

And on the key question:

• Yes, I thought more about each shot.

• On the other hand: I still shot pretty quickly overall. I went through all 36 frames in 29 minutes—which also cut down on my exercise time.

• I think, as I do this again, I will continue to try to slow down and may even limit myself to 24 frames. Maybe with a requirement to spend no less than an hour.

Have you tried any exercises like this? Any suggestions to add? Any experiences to share?

And, if you have thought about what to call this, please let me know: A one-roll walkabout? A film-like walk? 36 frame stroll?

Thanks for reading.

Warmly,
josh