Slowing Down

   Last Summer I wanted to try something a little different so I acquired a Yashica Mat124 medium format film camera. With my thoughts on the current state of street photography (see prior posts) I wanted a way to slow down and see differently, and while I was brought up on film photography this was the first time I've used a TLR camera. The results were fantastic for both the film and my attitude. Sometimes heading out with only 5 or 6 exposures left on a roll made me hunt more than usual and interact with the subject. I thoroughly enjoyed this process of taking days to finish one 12 exposure roll, waiting a few more for the lab to develop and scan it for me( lab has just closed ), and finally two days of editing. In this digital, connected, and immediate point in time this was a form of meditation. Sadly it didn't last for more than a few months because of camera problems. Keeping the Yashica working properly seemed impossible. I sent it out twice to be CLA'd (clean, lubricated, adjusted) but the problems quickly came back so I bought a second camera that developed the same problems that only got worse after someone hit the camera. I sold the two cameras and bought a third one that worked perfectly for two weeks when the same problems reared its head. At this point my enjoyment of this type of photography was squashed by the frustration of faulty cameras. I was heartbroken, I was enjoying street photography again and for the first time in 15 years I was seeing different. I can see myself continuing this portfolio of work if I could ever afford a working Rolleiflex but I don't see that happening in the near future. Photos from this portfolio can be seen on my website under "6X6".