film fantasia
During the pandemic years (2020-2022), when I was home with my parents and had so much time in hand, I had the urge to dabble in film photography. Very promptly, I bought a Lomo LC-A+ camera and lots of rolls off the Lomography website and tried shooting with it. And I got them processed last week. Yes, it took me about 2-3 years to get it to a film lab. And no, I don’t use the Lomo LC-A+ anymore. There were issues with the winder and I had to send it to Hong Kong for repairs and then it broke again, so I had to deem it to be permanently out of commission. However, the photos on this post are the ones that came out of the LC-A+ and I quite like them. These photos are from my daily jaunts that I took next to the Satluj river with my parents while I was with them in 2021. The film roll that I used was the Lomography colour 100 ISO. I have to say, for someone who was using a film camera that was not merely a point-and-shoot for the very first time, these photos came out extremely well.
I did end up doing my due diligence for an actual film camera. I specifically wanted a rangefinder and I have no idea why I was so hell-bent on getting one despite the overwhelming popularity of SLR cameras in film photography. I really wanted a Leica M6 but of course that would have meant giving up an arm and a leg. Other options that were attractive but hefty in terms of price were the Minolta CLE and the Konica Hexar AF. Finally, I came across the Konica Auto S3. Granted, I couldn’t get a fully mechanical rangefinder. But I did get a great lens (the Konica Auto S3’s lens has been compared to Leica’s Summicron 35 mm lens on the internet) for a relatively reasonable price.
To me, these photos are really evocative of my evenings by the river. Spring sunsets were truly glorious there and the tranquility was unparalleled. I would always carry a book with me to read but I’d never get around to reading it because I would be so taken by the operatic sunsets and my camera that reading would no longer be an option. This river bank was truly a succour for my soul during uncertain times. And for this very reason, Satluj would always have a place in my heart.
I’m still experimenting with my Konica Auto S3 which I have named Sauron. Quite literally the “Eye” that sees it all. I’ve been in the process of composing photos but there’s nothing that is worth putting here so far. In due time, as I hone my craft, more photographs will populate this space. For now, I will keep experimenting and learning.
