final call

It has been roughly a year since I first thought of going all film and since the end of October 2014 I haven’t shot a serious picture with a digital camera. In fact I try to take all my pictures on film, even the ones that aren’t meant to be serious at all. It’s good practice to push the limits of what I can do with my cameras. At first I was a little scared, because I thought I might not be able to get all the pictures I’d managed to get with the help of autofocus and autoexposure. After almost a year of shooting only film I think I actually lose a lot less pictures than I did thanks to the appallingly infuriating autofocus of my digital camera. Most of the time I get the picture, unless I’m working with unpredictable changes in lighting conditions or far outside the ISO of the film I’m shooting.

On my first trip shooting only film I actually was very apprehensive though and packed a digital camera anyway. I didn’t shoot any pictures with it, but I needed it there for my peace of mind. Nowadays I know that there is no reason to worry. My digital camera actually stayed at home on the trip to Buenos Aires that still keeps me occupied with film development months later. It was a good decision and it went a long way towards feeling much more at ease with both my Leica and my Rolleicord. And unlike it would be with digital gear I won’t have to worry that I will get too used to a camera that might be obsolete as soon as I’ve mastered its handling.

All my digital cameras are pretty much obsolete by now and have seen 4, 5 or even more upgrades in the meantime. Also my digital Olympus Pen E-PL3 is hopelessly outdated and the newer models – E-PL7 by now – do a lot better in low light. And this camera I got only 3 years ago! My Rolleicord on the other hand is 60 years old and will likely keep going forever if I treat it well! Imagine working with a camera for 20-40 years instead of 2-4 years. Just imagine how much a part of you this tool will become! After roughly a year with both cameras – a bit less with the Leica, a bit more with the Rollei, I’ve barely even started with them.

All pictures taken with: Leica M6, Zeiss ZM C-Biogon 35mm f/2.8.
dm Paradies 400 developed in Fuji Hunt C41 Kit, Jobo CPE-2.

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

One final call …

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

Slightly creepy.

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

I love how this one turned out.

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

Brrrrr!

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

Cemetery cat needed to be photographed.

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

Turned out like I wanted it.

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

Classy!

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

I waited a little while for this one.

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

Obviously I don’t photograph the tourist attraction but the tourists!

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

Double ghost with camera.

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

Now those are some appropriate guardians.

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

© Lilly Schwartz 2015

Yep, this is what’s inside.

Comments

  • Harry Stevens

    Lilly it’s over a month away from Halloween plus your giving us cats now both stone and furry ones ,,,,,,…:):)

    • Hah, I’m sorry but culturally Halloween means nothing to me. Scary stuff is possible any time of the year 😉 And I think cats need to gain some equality on this blog. There are dogs in almost every single post, but cats, not so much.

  • Ute

    Irgendwie gruselig….aber hier ist es auch grade grau und regnet, vielleicht liegt es daran.

    • Schon irgendwie, dabei war’s da garnicht so gruslig. Obwohl ich mir nicht so sicher wäre, ob ich da nebenan wohnen wollen würde 😉 Hier ist’s auch regnerisch.

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