12 frames

I have become the default camera assessor at the local SPCA where I volunteer, so i often come home with three or four donated cameras to test out. I had three on tuesday, two of which were little digital pocket cameras that were both busted and destined for scrap. The third is a super-sexy Pentax ME with two lenses: a 50mm and a 35-100mm with macro. Normally with film cameras, I just check the lenses for obvious damage + peer into the camera to make sure it is focusing correctly etc. Then I put a price on it and take it back to be sold. But this camera is just too lovely for that, so I went and bought some new batteries for the light meter and loaded it with a 12 exposure roll of expired fuji superia 400 film (thanks Heather!).

Rather than getting all complicated and leaving the house, I decided to be inspired by arno fischer: the garden book. It’s a marvellous collection of polaroids made over 30 years by him… a visual diary of sorts from time he spent in the gardens around his farmhouse. I, of course, spent only around 30 minutes making this roll of film, but I’ve made every photograph within the bounds of our 1/4 acre section.

Aside from being viciously set upon by the local mosquito gang in the overgrown part of our property, this was a whole lot of fun. There’s something really visceral for me hearing the heavy clunk of the shutter on this camera and it feels really lovely in my hands.

A couple of the photos are underexposed and there are two that were so overexposed that my film scanner isn’t recognising them, but I’m pretty happy with the ten frames that the scanner could see. I’m not sure I want to take the camera back!