Last month when I visited the Purbeck Car Rally, I decided I’d take my little used Nikon FM2n for a day out. I took the 50mm f1.4 but mostly used the f2 35mm. Sometimes it’s good to just chill and forget about developers, filters and all that stuff, and just throw in a roll of good old Kodak Gold 200, and snap away. Let the lab take the strain, and enjoy the day.
While doing just that, it struck me that I was actually doing something that I could have done 40 years ago – not that I could afford an FM2n in those days – but you get the idea. Certainly I could have and indeed did, shoot Gold 200. Despite all the doom, gloom, covid, price increases and the world in general these days, it’s quite amazing that Kodak still make, and therefore I can still use, a roll of Gold. As long as they continue to make it – I’ll continue to use a roll here and there. This roll came from a triple pack – something else I remember well from the 80’s, although these day’s they seem to have forgotten to attach the 3 for the price of 2 sticker I remember too!!
I wonder if colour film photography or indeed film photography in general, will ever be priced to the point where it becomes considered a hobby for the well off? I hope not, I feel it’s a joy when I see younger people using an old film camera, usually with some level of excitement. I watch the odd, well produced, video on you tube. I often think to myself – slow down, talk less, don’t gabble, stay on topic, then I smile at myself, for thinking just like the “old farts” I thought people my age now, were then! I think that’s called getting older! What I do like is the enthusiasm. No matter that many of us knew how to load and shoot film back in the 80’s, they are discovering that now, sometimes making the same mistakes, and finding the same answers – that’s great. Mistakes are always the best teachers, and I certainly learn something better by just doing it, rather than trying to read a dry text on the subject. Having said that, in case I should sound like some old master, I’ve learned loads by watching some of those you tube video’s – it’s surprising how much there is to not know!
As far as the rally was concerned I had a great day out snapping away. Every time I have such a day, I say to myself I must do it more often – but somehow I never do. But next year….
S.H.O.U.T. 