Development

I think social media knows what I want for my birthday better than my most of my loved ones, and I can't tell you if that's sad really, if anything at least it's convenient. Instead of scatter shot I tend to get a rather refined stream of ads interrupting my day, the lesser evil in a sense. Regardless, that's where I came across it. Lomography Metropolis 35mm, a perfect intersection of nerdy interest promising the look of the 1927 German, sci-fi film for which it was named and the inconvenient appeal of analogue photography. Less a want and more a need for your average pretentious student type, I think to myself justifying it as a course related purchase. I excuse away any thoughts to the contrary likely getting involved in a twitter debate that I had little stake in and any thoughts of reckless spending or any purchase were moved to the back of my mind alongside a distant deadline, only to be remembered when prompted externally.

A week later and a box of assuredly avant-garde film, half forgotten in the sea of caffeinated drinks and deadlines I had encountered in the week between. It couldn't have been a more well timed excuse to take a walk away from my desk. An reassuring click tells the film is secure, a second that it is in the correct position. A wonder around the area result in a lot of chat with kind strangers willing to talk, a few local sites and even the odd dog.

Before I go any further with this, a brief word about the use of film in a world of digital cameras. It seems strange, I get it. Why wait as long as 2 weeks for an image that you may be able to achieve instantly using a digital camera. Well it is the same that vinyl is so popular in a world with Spotify. Though the end product is similar, it is the grain that makes the difference. There is something almost indescribable that distinguishes it from the ease of it's competitor. That inscrutably makes the experience greater. This being said it doesn't make the process any less of a pain.

So an 8 hour break / shoot assisted by a few very kind friends, a not insignificant charge from the preferred developer and a week's wait later. An email with a few megabytes of image arrived, alongside the assurance that the physical copies were soon to arrive.

The photos were everything I wanted, crisp, sharp and most importantly stylised. Distinctly different from the norm in a novel sort of way. For a few weeks I thought little more of it, the physical copies arrived and I continued to juggle deadlines and social life. Then, in the midst of a pandemic an opportunity, well a contest really. I took a chance, I attached a few portraits imbued with intentional off colour of 20s cinema. Something in them resonated with them, I won. For the first time I won a competition in something I love. The prize was kind, but the confidence given, priceless. This motivation gave me the chance to do more. As I finish my masters degree in Photography I have a roll of film, purchased at chance to thank.

Never underestimate the power of some ill informed purchases.

Ah yes, the review aspect. Lomography Metropolis 35mm while expensive is worth very penny if not for the highly stylised products it can produce in the right hands, then for a reason to try, to get away from the work consuming your day to day, to spend 8 hours taking a few dozen photos when really you just finally managed to catch up with the mates you've been missing, and if that's not enough, for the chance to win when you really, really need it. Four and a half stars, it did lead to further expenses; masters degrees aren't cheap.