Far From Fresh: Expired Film Day 2017

It was Wednesday, March 15th I was set to indulge in festive Expired Film Day revelry. I assigned my lineup of cameras and arranged dated film stocks as accompaniments for what was sure to produce something unexpected. 

This was my second time participating in the annual event. It's fantastic to see the list of sponsors grow this year, not just for prizes but to show that the film community is alive and well; it's truly great having a day to celebrate old film. 

I tend to shoot a lot of expired film on a usual day, let alone the one day a year set aside to clean out your stash, so it was safe to say I was looking forward to it. I didn't enjoy the first EFD as much as I had hoped but that is mostly the lousy Saskatchewan weather to thank. This year, the forecast called for sunny skies which, for us, was extra sweet giving us a much needed reprieve from the cold grips of winter's dying days. 

Like many others revellers, I had a commitment that wasn't easily movable and unfortunately it was right in the middle of everything - my full-time job. Although it's easy enough to bring a camera along for the day, unless you can spend some quality time together, it's often an exercise in frustration. 

It was just my luck. I finished up at work and the weather continued to go my way. I decided to hit the road and finally enjoy the time set aside for getting in the zone and making some great photographs. 

I don't often go very far when I head out to take photos, usually it's somewhere within a 50km radius of Regina, the capital city of Saskatchewan. This time, I kept it simple and just headed west. When I don't know what I want to shoot, I go westward. Not only is it in close proximity to my apartment (on the southwest edge of the city) but there are many small hotspots I frequently tap for inspiration. 

Kodak Ektar 25

Expiry December 1990

Rated at EI 16

Canon Elan IIE

When I first saw Kodak Ektar 25, 125 and 1000 I had to buy it. In my limited experience, I didn't know there were any other flavors other than today's Ektar 100 and when EFD finally came around, I knew what my first pick would be. I decided that it's a negative film, I'll give it a bit extra exposure due to its age and factor in that lower ASA films generally don't lose much speed. 

Turns out, it doesn't really matter all that much. The whole mess came out a wild fuchsia affair with barely any image to speak of. Bless my poor Pakon straining itself trying not to break my heart by showing the poor results of the prized rare Ektar. My guess is poor storage conditions over the 27 years this poor roll was out of date. No bother, next up: Kodak Tech Pan. 

Kodak Technical Pan

Expiry April 1992

Rated at EI 20

Canon Elan IIE

Developed in Rollei RLC

I love Tech Pan.

 The few rolls I have I bought from a fellow film fanatic who was getting rid of some other photographic odds and ends early last summer. I didn't know much about it but I wasn't about to start turning down the prospect of discount film. My first roll I shot in the wondrous depths of the Canadian Rocky Mountains in Banff National Park, in late August. I learned using a low contrast developer to keep the contrast in check while boasting beaucoup de tones. 

Since the name of the game was expired, I was most excited for the Tech Pan and sought fine details. Fine details I found and the roll didn't last long (or disappoint).

Kodak Tmax 100

Expiry Unknown

Rated at EI 50

Pentax K1000 + 25A filter

(semi) Stand-developed in Kodak HC110 for 90 minutes

The Pentax I bought along just in case. In the last few months, Just in case ended with a few different circumstances with either dead batteries, frozen cameras, or even worse, dead cameras. Luckily, both cameras remained fully functional and allowed me to get a few different styles in one outing. 

EI 50 on the dial, red filter on the lens and an itchy shutter release finger ready to go as the sight of contrast. Credit where it's due; huge shoutout to the Saskatchewan sky for showing up in fine form.

Fujicolor Super HQ 200

Expiry unknown

Rated at EI 100

Canon Elan IIE

Previously partially exposed

I've had this roll of film kicking around for a while. Turns out, this is the last roll of film I had in the second Canon Elan II that died on me, mere months ago. I completely forgot about the images but I knew there were some on the roll, I just didn't know how many. I blasted off 5 or 6 frames with the cap on and continued on my Expired Film Day way. 

I knew this roll would be experimental, due to the previously exposed images on some frames, so I was a little loose with the shutter. I fired off a few multiple exposures which ended up exposing on top of other exposures making a big ol' mess.