I recently bought a new camera (a D850 I’ve been drooling over for a while). The nice lady at the camera store (Marlena at Allen’s Camera just outside Philadelphia in case anyone needs a real camera sales pro) wanted me to buy a memory card with a monster amount of memory. But I’ve tried to get away from having SO much memory. I prefer to have a finite number of shots because it takes me back to my film days when I had to put more thought into each image. I find that when I have SO much memory, I just sort of let the shutter rattle and clack away and the quality of my images starts to fall. However, if I know that I only have space for 600 images on my memory card I start to be more judicious.
It might sound like a lot of film, but it averages out to about 20 images per day. These days, on photography-focused trips, I typically shoot between 5 and 15 images daily, depending on the location and conditions.
During my 10-day road trip through the US Southwest, I shot around five rolls of 35mm film, along with digital backups. Unfortunately, every single film shot was ruined by small spots and stains on the emulsion—I’m still not sure whether it was the lab’s fault or an issue with the film itself. Luckily, my digital captures provided plenty of usable images.
What a nightmare. It sucks not knowing what has happened to the film. Which film was it, if I may ask? I had a batch of Fomapan I believe, which showed some spots but luckily that was only a few rather unimportant rolls.
I got lost in the first photo with the bird in the sky and that beautiful kind of obscure foreground. Incredibly nice photo. I hop I can sleep tonight!;-)
As for the longer trips I always bring the film back home, develop black and white on my own and send colour to my trusty lab.
I really love the bird shot! Really nice. For what it is worth, I typically limit myself to a roll per day. This way, I have to be in the moment and see what I really want to photograph. I never bracket, or do more than one photograph of a given scene. 36 to start, now 35, etc. It keeps me focused. Am I bringing something to this photograph? Key for me is being willing to walk away and not to do the postcards. Your bird is a great example of a shot that I would be super happy to get! I have had few issues with heat or cold. I keep the film with me in my backpack, I figure that if I am comfortable, the film will be fine. I process when I get home (but for the record, I rarely go for more than a couple, or three weeks at a time, and I tend to be in places where it is not too hot). Thank you for showing a few of your great photographs!
I tried something similar on a much smaller scale once with my Pinsta pinhole camera. At times carrying everything was a pain, but I want to try again now that I have a better idea of what I’m doing.
Wow, quite a feat, managing all these logistics, but the photos speak for themselves- beautiful. I have dropped off at local labs during trips. This inspires me to bring more rolls on future trips.
It's a very interesting puzzle, and I have been wrestling with how to handle this kind of trip. I am planning a trip that could take me away from power for extended periods, so I started to shoot film again for the first time in decades- plenty of rust on these gears. I am terrified that I'd shoot a month's worth of work and not know if I had anything. I'm impressed that you processed along the way.
Also, last year I met a traveling wet-plate/ tintype photographer who had a very cool portable darkroom rig that folded up. It even had a red window so subjects/audiences could watch him develop the plates. Joseph Wyman on insta.
Hey! This is what I’m doing right now! I’ve been traveling for the past few years, living (and working) out of AirBNBs, carrying my film around in coolers, and taking all of my chemicals from place to place in Rubbermaid totes. And you’re totally right about the water quality- it can be a big issue. Love your posts and vids!
This reminds me of a technique I still use today.
I recently bought a new camera (a D850 I’ve been drooling over for a while). The nice lady at the camera store (Marlena at Allen’s Camera just outside Philadelphia in case anyone needs a real camera sales pro) wanted me to buy a memory card with a monster amount of memory. But I’ve tried to get away from having SO much memory. I prefer to have a finite number of shots because it takes me back to my film days when I had to put more thought into each image. I find that when I have SO much memory, I just sort of let the shutter rattle and clack away and the quality of my images starts to fall. However, if I know that I only have space for 600 images on my memory card I start to be more judicious.
It might sound like a lot of film, but it averages out to about 20 images per day. These days, on photography-focused trips, I typically shoot between 5 and 15 images daily, depending on the location and conditions.
During my 10-day road trip through the US Southwest, I shot around five rolls of 35mm film, along with digital backups. Unfortunately, every single film shot was ruined by small spots and stains on the emulsion—I’m still not sure whether it was the lab’s fault or an issue with the film itself. Luckily, my digital captures provided plenty of usable images.
What a nightmare. It sucks not knowing what has happened to the film. Which film was it, if I may ask? I had a batch of Fomapan I believe, which showed some spots but luckily that was only a few rather unimportant rolls.
Kodak Portra and Ektar. Fortunately, I never had this issue with medium format film.
Awesome goals!
Nice road trip!
I don’t do long trips at my age.
Short projects and maybe 20 rolls of film. I mail those to a lab for dev and scan.
I mail about 4 rolls at a time as I use them up.
I am in the process of making a wet lab darkroom to print silver gel prints. 120 and 35.
I got lost in the first photo with the bird in the sky and that beautiful kind of obscure foreground. Incredibly nice photo. I hop I can sleep tonight!;-)
As for the longer trips I always bring the film back home, develop black and white on my own and send colour to my trusty lab.
I really love the bird shot! Really nice. For what it is worth, I typically limit myself to a roll per day. This way, I have to be in the moment and see what I really want to photograph. I never bracket, or do more than one photograph of a given scene. 36 to start, now 35, etc. It keeps me focused. Am I bringing something to this photograph? Key for me is being willing to walk away and not to do the postcards. Your bird is a great example of a shot that I would be super happy to get! I have had few issues with heat or cold. I keep the film with me in my backpack, I figure that if I am comfortable, the film will be fine. I process when I get home (but for the record, I rarely go for more than a couple, or three weeks at a time, and I tend to be in places where it is not too hot). Thank you for showing a few of your great photographs!
I tried something similar on a much smaller scale once with my Pinsta pinhole camera. At times carrying everything was a pain, but I want to try again now that I have a better idea of what I’m doing.
Wow, quite a feat, managing all these logistics, but the photos speak for themselves- beautiful. I have dropped off at local labs during trips. This inspires me to bring more rolls on future trips.
What a brave move!
Congratulations on the accomplishment, and the photos, of course!
Tx for sharing Adrian. I had a 2 month trip in the USA and used 7 color film - 200 kodak gold.
Much better experience from using a digital camera.
It's a very interesting puzzle, and I have been wrestling with how to handle this kind of trip. I am planning a trip that could take me away from power for extended periods, so I started to shoot film again for the first time in decades- plenty of rust on these gears. I am terrified that I'd shoot a month's worth of work and not know if I had anything. I'm impressed that you processed along the way.
Also, last year I met a traveling wet-plate/ tintype photographer who had a very cool portable darkroom rig that folded up. It even had a red window so subjects/audiences could watch him develop the plates. Joseph Wyman on insta.
Thanks for sharing this.
Hey! This is what I’m doing right now! I’ve been traveling for the past few years, living (and working) out of AirBNBs, carrying my film around in coolers, and taking all of my chemicals from place to place in Rubbermaid totes. And you’re totally right about the water quality- it can be a big issue. Love your posts and vids!