Coming up to 3 years of shooting film, I am looking forward to what the new year will bring. Currently planning another trip o'seas. Back to Europe, starting in Vienna, then onto Munich, Berlin and Scandinavia. Finishing off with a small piece of Russia, Poland and back to Berlin. Final route to be finalised.
I travel for the experience, different cultures, languages, human experience, scenery, food. The rich history and architecture too. An experience collector. Armed with a bag of film and film camera or 3. In colour and black & white. Most likely heading o'seas in 2017. Between now and then, some smaller projects. Maybe some local travel. And of course some exhibitions between now and the end of next year (check out my events page here). An opportunity to meet new people, discuss, maybe even learn something. And of course drinks and laughs.
My goal in the next 5-10 years is to continue to do a lot of travel. So far 13 countries, my next trip will add another 10 or so. Covering most of Europe. After that? I am not sure yet.
I am also keen on exploring other film camera types, next up will most likely be medium format. A Hasselblad or Pentax. Opening new possibilities of creative endeavour, keeping my creative flow going. New ideas, new techniques, a slightly different point of view based on how the camera reacts to a scene / how I compose the photograph. Shooting medium reduces the amount of photographs per roll from 36/24 to 12/10 depending upon the camera chosen. Slowing me down a bit more, taking the time to consider more carefully each frame.
Then onto large format, perhaps a Speed Graphic, a 1930s press camera. With either the standard sheet film back (hard) or polaroid (easy). Again, a new approach, a new 'look', Don't even get me started on how this all compares to digital. It doesn't even come close. Film cameras date back to the 1800s. About 150 years of development. So many types, formats, lenses, film stocks. So raw, so very different to digital. Not necessarily better, but certainly very very different. And that is the main reason for choosing film.
Let the journey continue.