March was MAPLE month here in New Hampshire. Sadly though, I was away for 2 weeks of it! Don’t feel too bad for me though because I went galavanting across the west coast including a visit to Polacon Bay Area. It was my first time to Seattle and Portland, and second time to San Francisco!
This month’s newsletter is a little delayed because I wasn’t going to write it at all. I’ve been working a lot more and with less days off and everything that I want to do in that time, things get squished out of the picture. Today though, I have a day off and it’s drizzly and cosy, I’ve got a candle burning, and I’m in the mood to write. I’ve set aside my routine of endless scrolling and constantly working on new YouTube videos while drinking my morning coffee because A) I need a mental break from social and digital media and B) I’ve now got videos scheduled out until the end of June!
So, let’s talk about March :) How was yours?
FILM PHOTOGRAPHY HEADLINES
I haven’t done a news video recently because I was traveling and then came back straight to being super busy with work. BUT, here is some of what happened in March that I’m aware of…let me know if you spotted any other bits of news worth reporting!
Women’s Day / Month Celebrations!
Lomography’s NEW Lomomatic 110 Camera BUT Discontinues the Diana Mini
Cinestill Released 4 x 5 Film That Promptly Sold Out
New Filmomat Smart Convert App for Negative Scans
Lomography’s New Apparat Edition for Summer/Springtime
Film Never Die’s Nana Camera Update
We See Mint’s New Rollei 35 AF Update
Ferrania P33 Hits The Shelves
Reto Releases Maple 100 Film
Fujifilm Launches Mini 99 Instant Camera
New Reflx Lab On-Camera Flash
Hanalogital Spring ‘24 Film Soup Released
Polacon NYC Dates Announced - May 17 - 19, 2024
Bellini Foto Teased A New Developing Kit
Photo Systems Takes On Kodak Color Chemistry from Sino Promise
“In 2019, we were approached by Kodak Alaris to manufacture some of their B&W KODAK chemistry. The KODAK era began. Kodak Alaris sold their license rights to Sino Promise and we continued to manufacture the entire KODAK B&W line. We took over manufacturing of the C41 products in early 2023. Unfortunately, Sino Promise decided to exit the chemistry business in April. Photo Systems engaged in license negotiation with Kodak and signed a license agreement in September, which allows the continued manufacture and worldwide distribution of KODAK Professional Chemicals.”
- Read more here.
FILM PROJECT UPDATES
Frugal Film Project 2024
I carried my Holga GCFN (the non-broken one) in my suitcase for the whole West Coast trip and never once loaded it. Total dead weight.
So, upon returning to New England, I took it back to the same spot where the white Holga GCFN broke to finish what I had started. It was a cloudy day so I got cloudy images. The multiple exposure was my favorite!
I have two versions of this photo. One long exposure with bulb mode and this quick one. The drama of the water appeals to me more though in the first image. Which one do you like more?
The Holga GCFN is such a joy to use. It’s light and carefree. It doesn’t concern itself with edge sharpness and complicated functions. Holga don’t care. And that’s the beauty of it.
I believe in camera transfer. Meaning, what camera you use can impact how you shoot. Casual, carefree cameras like the Holga, or the H35N, point & shoots, etc., usually make me feel more informal, light, spontaneous, and impulsive. Give me a Rolleiflex or a Nikon FM2 and I’m more serious…well as serious as I can be ;p
I might try harder. Yet sometimes, trying harder for me results in worse images than when I’m not trying at all, not caring at all.
Of course, I still have loads of fun with all my cameras. But there’s something my mind is trying to get at with so-called “toy-cameras”. Are the images more fun? Let me know what you think?
Polacon Bay Area 2024
Speaking of fun…here are some Polaroids from the Polacon roadtrip!!
All shot on the SX-70, but I’ll save more details on this for the video I made about it coming out end of April/early May!
I also brought my Instax SQ6 and made some of my favorite instant images ever along with some really cool new friends. (also a video coming on this lol)
Alllllllso…
New camera…who dis?
Well…I have to admit, Nikon has it. I got on that plane west in March without a 35mm camera but came home with one, a 20mm lens, a 28mm lens, and a 50mm lens.
I’m a huge fan of the 20mm! And combined with TRI-X, it’s a dream.
THE END
April is here and so is spring and I’m looking forward to the warmer weather, the blossoms coming in, and the sunlight lasting through the evening. Not the bugs though…never the bugs. Ick.
Until next time :)
-M
The FM2 is a dream ... such a great camera!
photos with a toy camera aren't more fun but the fun is when you see what you got. at the moment i'm using a PN 919 camera and i'm taking a photo/day with it. will let you know more when film is developed.