Charlotte Makes Photos

It may be the rapidly-shortening days, it might be the return to work after three months in recovery from surgery, or it might just be a sign that I could use a break from making photos, but my gosh, have I ever been uninspired and lethargic lately.

When I’ve felt this way in the past, it has often been enough to expose a few uninspired rolls, just go through the motions of using a camera and developing and scanning a roll, sharing the wheatiest-looking chaff, and moving on.

This roll of Shanghai GP3 is one of them.

I only loaded the camera while packing up after work and didn’t even take it out until I saw that the grocery store (which I visit on the way home) had its pumpkins out. Since I find pumpkins just so darn charming and wholesome, I make photos of their outdoor display pretty regularly through the Fall.

Between the grocery store and home, however, there was very little I found all that compelling or interesting, but wanting to finish the roll, I fell back on familiar scenes and the cats. On office days, I’m the first home (my office is closer, my working hours earlier), so the minute Charles hears my footsteps, he’s at the door to let me know that I’ve missed his appointed mealtime and he’s rather cross.

Somewhere between the considerable level of attention I was giving to the camera’s settings and how excited I was to be developing the roll a few days later, I definitely (somewhat) over-exposed a number of frames and (somewhat) overdeveloped the roll itself. A risk when you’re treating your hobby as a chore, when you’re using an unfamiliar film you’re not keen on and a developer that you find just a little too active at the best of times.

It’s likely that I have another uninspired midweek roll coming up and I will be making photos today during our Saturday adventure, so we’ll see if I can break out of it or take it as a sign to take a little break. Admittedly, it was quite nice not to be making photos at Vegans Who Snack last night.

We’re still a few weeks out from peak Fall colour and, if nothing else, that will be my cue to mix up some E6 chemistry and make sure that the electric reds, oranges, and yellows are rendered in beautiful colour on Provia and Ektachrome.