This afternoon, while casually sitting in a coffee shop in San Francisco’s Financial District scrolling through my inbox, my heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. My scans from my first roll of film were ready. I quietly (loudly) gasped, my heart was pounding so fast that I almost considered never viewing them, leaving them untouched for eternity.
Oh God, what if the whole roll was blank?
What if they are all out of focus?
What if they are completely illegible?
Welp y’all, only 1/3 of my concerns actually happened. And not too terribly, I might add. About half of the roll is grossly underexposed with bright red light leaks running through them. But you know what? I kinda like it. It’s imperfect, authentic, tangible (the negatives are on the way!), and it’s the beginning of something new. I like the fact that the roll isn’t all tailored to perfection the way I would edit my digital photos; I hope I can look back in, say, a few months and see improvements in my skill. And maybe those months will turn to years, and I’ll look back at these images, fondly. I’ve already learned so much about slowing down, realizing what moments were important enough to want to remember. So, I’ll gladly accept this roll, light leaks and all.
All of these were taken with a Canonet QL17 Giii on Kodak Portra 400 during my week in Los Angeles. Processed by The Darkroom Lab. Huge thanks to Trev and Hannah Lee (my dearest pals) who helped me dive head first into the world of film.
Also, yes, that is indeed the New Girl loft.
