Canon AE-1 During A Model Shoot

You may or may not know I'm an editorial fashion and beauty photographer for 90% of my photography.  However, whenever I'm not in studio I do street photography mainly with various film cameras.   Guess what, this past weekend during a shoot I actually used this cool Canon AE-1 with a Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens during a model shoot.  After each clothing change I took 2-3 photos with film.

Can't wait to get the film back and see if any came out.  The camera is easily older than any of the models I was working with.  Got to have film fun...right?  

BTW, this is the first AE-1 I've ever used.  Not sure if this is normal but the shutter release action sounds JUST like a Star Wars light saber being swung.  Its a cool sound.

Kodak Pony IV Rangefinder

I'm currently shooting with a Kodak Pony IV camera.  I picked it up a few weeks ago at a local antique mall.  It has a cool look and feel.  Very hipsterish.  It even has a little red dot with Kodak in the middle...hmm, maybe trying to copy Leica?  

It shoots 35mm film and is 90% manual which is perfect.  I had to go online and check the manual to figure out how to use it. What's interesting is you meter the camera by looking at the lighting pictures on the back which translate to numbers (like Bright Sun = 13).  You then move the aperture & shutter speed dials on the lens so the total of the 2 moveable numbers equals the lighting number.  Very interesting.   The bottom of the lens barrel actually shows what those numbers mean ("lens opening" number 6 equals f/8, and so on).  Same thing for shutter speed. You'll have to see it for yourself, but it makes sense when you work it a few times.   Focus is manual but there are distance marks on the focus ring.

There is no film advance armature.  You simply turn the film advance knob until it clicks stop between each shot.  Also, advancing the film doesn't cock the shutter, you have to cock the shutter with the small lever on the side of the lens.  I have almost finished my first roll of film through it and almost every time I forgot to cock the shutter.  

This is a super fun camera and I hope the photos come out.

Inspiration Everywhere

Sometimes photographers get into a rut.  Admit it, we all do.  But Steve, what can I do to get out of my photography rut?  Well I'm glad you asked.  I do it in a bunch of ways, but primarily by shooting film.  As you might know I'm primarily a studio based digital editorial & beauty photographer for most of my photography.  That's my "professional" photography gig.

But to answer the question, to keep fresh I take my photography in other areas, genre's, themes, etc. to stay out of the rut.  That's really the easiest thing to do.  You can shoot a personal project, you can stick to a consistent theme for a shoot, shoot with a single lens, stick to 36 shots, shoot only the color blue for a project, copy a magazine editorial, shoot the same image every day for a month, etc. etc.  You get the idea.

Well, like I mentioned, to keep fresh when I'm not in studio I shoot street photography and I shoot with film cameras.  Except for a few film cameras that I like to shoot regularly, my "stay out of a rut" gig is to shoot a different film camera every time I go out.  

But wait Steve, isn't that expensive?  Not really.  There are literally thousands of film cameras out there no one is using.  You can ask a friend to donate their unused cameras, you can buy them online for little $$$.  Of course most quality film cameras hold their value and can be pricy.  I'm not talking about those.  I'm talking about stopping off at Goodwill and picking up 3 cameras for $10 type of bargain.

As an example, here's my current inventory of film cameras.  I have 35mm, 110mm, 120mm, & Polaroid film cameras.  Most of these cameras (almost all of the point & shoots) were picked up at Goodwill.  The rest were given to me, purchased online, or purchased at flea-markets.  Bottom-line, if you are a smart buyer you can get good value.

So that's my "get my hiney out of a photography rut" solution, I shoot film and different cameras.  

So what have you got???

OK, some of these are pricey, but not overpriced

All of these cameras were given to me, purchased at Goodwill or at flea markets

My Polaroids were all purchased at Goodwill, except for 2 SX-70's on the top row & 1 Spectra

A bin of cameras ready to be used!

2 more bins of cameras that would loved to be used

I totally dig Polaroids

More cameras!!