Shooting on Film Is without doubt one of the Most Frustrating Experiences, Yet I Won’t Stop [Rants]

:::lc0::: :::le0::: I got three rolls of film processed today, and were sobbing ever since. Why? Because only 17% of the shots came out. You could say it’s my own fault for using film in a digital world, but you’re wrong.

I guess that’s my fault, though. While I’ve been using Lomography’s :::lc1::: toy cameras :::le1::: for a couple of years, I latterly sprung for an :::lc2::: LC-A+ camera :::le2::: , that is pretty steep at $250 for something that takes deliberately saturated/wonky/messed-up photos. Getting the odd roll of under/overexposed film back is a component and parcel of shooting non-digitally, and albeit adds to the rollercoaster of emotions Lomographers face with their dinky little cameras. But almost three rolls of film, blank? THREE ROLLS OF PHOTOS FROM THE CHRISTMAS PERIOD, GONE?!

You can see why I’ve been blubbing away as if I just discovered there won’t be a tomorrow.

The LC-A cameras take either LR44/SR44 or A76 batteries. Supposedly the former are good for around nine rolls of film, but the latter (as I’ve just learnt) are :::lc3::: notorious :::le3::: for not holding their charge. I’d shot only one and a half rolls of film using the GPA76 batteries that my LC-A+ had come bundled with, before they died and rendered my camera useless.

I guess I just forgot that there’s a good way to tell when the batteries need changing. It’s a new camera, and I just didn’t think the batteries would run out so quickly, so ignored the undeniable fact that the tiny red light on the left-side of the viewfinder had disappeared. I merrily went about my way, shooting on some lovely (and costly) X-PRO Chrome film over the Christmas period…only to receive 19 shots back today. Most of them with their color and lighting way-off, as the batteries had already started their decline. In point of fact, the sole shot I semi-like inside the collection is the single below, of some man I encountered in a bit of seaside village, holding a pet rabbit. I ponder if he’s related :::lc4::: to our Jason Chen :::le4::: ?

:::lc5::: :::le5:::

Sure, I’m peeved in regards to the money (the three rolls of film cost me £18/$28, plus processing was £27/$42), but it surely’s the lost memories which have upset me most. I’m lucky my husband was shooting on our Canon DSLR over Christmas, but anyone who shoots film will comprehend it’s just not a similar.

And so, I finish my regret-tinged little rant with a word of warning for brand spanking new LC-A+ owners: don’t use the GPA76 batteries the camera comes bundled with, and buy yourself some SR44 batteries instead. While my story is unhappy, I’m sure there are a number of worse stories available from photographers who forgot to modify their batteries on their wedding day, or :::lc6::: like this Flickr user :::le6::: , didn’t realise his camera was broken before shooting off five rolls of unreplaceable photos.

In fact, all photographers going out tonight to celebrate the dawn of another new year should heed my advice: don’t forgot to review your cameras. Whether that’s by charging up your cellphone; checking your camera has enough memory left, or checking there’s film for your rusty old clicker, don’t start the most recent year with regret over a foolish mistake.

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This post is tagged: a76 batteries, christmas period, chrome film, seaside village, toy cameras, undeniable fact