Analog Monthly: April 2017
When I sit down to write my review each month, it always strikes me just how quickly the weeks pass by. It's the ritual of revisiting the images in one sitting that shows me everything that's slipped my mind. I tend not to spend a lot of time on my images once they're shot, processed, and scanned so when I sit down at the end (or sometimes the beginning) of the month, it's something I really look forward to.
This past month has been fantastic; the weather has finally decided to stick with spring (for the most part) and after being cooped-up all winter, any chance to be outside is pure joy. The transition to spring in Saskatchewan is usually a colourful one and April 2017 was no exception and provided a steady steam of photographic fodder in front on my lens.
With a steady stream of inspiration coming my way, it was simply a choice of what camera and film to shoot. April was actually very easy for me and making the decision of what camera to choose didn't seem to affect me much at all. This month, I was very geared towards large format and that meant making nice with the Intrepid.
It's been a bit of a time getting used to a new format. The Intrepid is great but I am starting to see what elements of its design that were compromised to accommodate other needs, namely weight and portability. Needless to say, the warm weather has had me out with the big red bellows, living the dream one 4x5" sheet at a time.
Another revelation from April's photo selection is how drawn to street photography I am now compared to the past. It started when I was killing some time on a break while working downtown but after a couple small successful outings, I've now worked downtown street photography into my daily workflow and I look forward to my 10 minute breaks down 11th Avenue.
I feel it's worth detailing my view of a successful outing, since that view has slightly obscured since my last confession.
When I set off for a short photo stroll, I'm constantly observing and evaluating the scene, trying to build the shot. I'm simultaneously walking through bystanders and carrying out my secret street photography agenda, while no one is the wiser. Well, mostly; every now and then, there is someone who is the wiser. I equate those rare witnesses to a dazed sleepwalker; Like a deer caught in headlights, it starts with ice-cold eye-contact. Then, a smirk of disbelief on their face as they try to process exactly what just happened. It's never wise to wake a sleepwalker, so with that in mind, I just keep on walking. Before long, the innocent bystander isn't even sure that anything even took place and just goes back off to sleep.
I've been intimidated by street photography and it continues to make me nervous when I don't have the courage to get that shot. My insecurity of street photography has shied me away in the past but this time around, I feel I am enjoying the process itself more, regardless of the results on the contact sheet. On that note, I've found success by purely enjoying this process regardless of the result. Sure, I'd likely be pissed if I left the lens cap on for half the roll but the point is I've connected with the fact that photography to me is more than a great image.
