Today's photo is about a photo that I wasn't very proud of when I first took it. The story starts with me purchasing a new film camera, testing it out, and ultimately loving and hating it at the same time.
A couple years ago I got really into film photography and bought 2 film cameras. The first was so good and so unbelievable I went out and found another one on a local postings website. The first thing I saw was a Contax camera. I couldn’t believe it, a Contax camera for $60? I didn’t even know they made 35mm cameras. And there was a reason, While this camera was newer than my existing film camera it was not nicer, however it did come with some lenses, what a steal.
After meeting with the seller, whose nervous energy made me feel like I was buying drugs rather than a camera. He was maybe 5’6”. Wore distressed clothing, had fidgety movements, and spoke with an expeditious cadence. I did my research, I knew the lenses weren’t Contax, they were Yashica, and the camera itself wasn’t worth much more than what I was paying for it, but I had to have it. So I gave the strange man his money and was on my way.
The first thing I did was start testing the camera. I was over the moon, the only thing that could bring me down was my clumsy hands dropping my new camera somewhere along this first roll of film’s life. I continued to use the camera. As far as I knew it still worked. And given I never used it before I couldn’t tell you I broke it or if it was always as unique as it is today.
But in this first roll, I did discover there is a weird bowing that happens in the film. It does not sit flat over the exposure area, so when the light is let in the photos get a weird crease of light in them. You can see it in today's photo, but even more so in this photo.
At first I hated this crease, and ended up giving away this camera to a friend; with a full disclosure of the drop and the bowing film. They got a free camera so who really won. But now looking at this photo in particular I can see something stylistic and interesting about it, the color that came through is also very interesting. But beyond that this photo and many others I have taken with this camera have a weirder story than the image suggests.
I took this photo on a hike while shooting my first roll. I could make something up about “how the crease looks like a sunrise.” And “that symbolizes the journey of this camera; its flaws are its strengths.” But that would be theatrical. I am just here to say that sometimes what you don’t like about one photo is what you love about another.
Thank you for reading!