Every roll is a surprise!

Goodyear · 02-24-2006

Working through the two dozen or so rolls of film sitting around waiting to be developed. Very few of them can I remember what's on there. I'm going by where in the flat the various groups are sitting to remind me what EI I shot them at - I know most were intended to be dunked in Diafine, but not all

Tonight it's turned out to be two rolls from our last visit home to Northern Ireland, and the test roll I shot when the Elmar came back from a service.

Am I the only one who is disorganised - not just in terms of letting so many build up (shooting is way more fun than hunching over the bath with one eye on the clock), but also in terms of trusting to memory to keep me right on developing times etc six months later?!

..

By the by, it struck me today how obvious my obsession is from a walk around our flat: the bathroom is the only room that doesn't have at least one camera sitting around, and there's film tubs everywhere. I pick one up and open it, and it'll be either "Hey, another one to develop" or "Hey, I'd forgotten I'd bought some of that to try out!" Plus random Polaroid filmpacks in unexpected places...

Good job my wife is patient and loves me. But then, she's almost as bad

jcline · 03-04-2006

If it makes you feel any better, I seem to be able to get them developed but It takes forever to scan and/or print them. I'm trying to make them go away. I scanned about 6 rolls with about 5 more to go. My hall way practically has a "beeded curtain" made of 35mm these days. Been hanging up to dry forevery.

SolaresLarrave · 03-04-2006

My problem is not developing the stuff or having it done. It's filing it away!

See... I switched from C-41 to E-6 because filing my pics was incredibly easy (by comparison) with some binders, slide archival sheets and that's it. However... the 6 or 7 rolls of film I burned in Washington DC last December met with two burned in December before the trip, and some 3 or 4 done with my M3 from January to this day. All the slides are in boxes, on a shelf to my left... and have been there for what seems ages already.

So... don't feel too bad!

You ain't alone!

bmattock · 03-04-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcline

If it makes you feel any better, I seem to be able to get them developed but It takes forever to scan and/or print them. I'm trying to make them go away. I scanned about 6 rolls with about 5 more to go. My hall way practically has a "beeded curtain" made of 35mm these days. Been hanging up to dry forevery.

yah, me too. Hey, I got the worlds most understanding wife she is ok with the fac that I bot 19 bloody Braun Super Paxettes cameras, the worst camera every made. what thehel is wron gwith me?

Doug · 03-04-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmattock

Hey, I got the worlds most understanding wife she is ok with the fac that I bot 19 bloody Braun Super Paxettes cameras, the worst camera every made....

Bill that would take serious understanding from a wife!

What possessed you to get 19 of them? Ah, well, most of us are "bad" in some respect. But I've been trying really hard not to let "collecting" make any progress in my photo interest. I have a most patient and understanding wife too, but partly that's from not KNOWing all I've been getting! <G> But I do stumble at times; WHY did I recently get that Contax IIIa? Well, I'd better get some good photos out of it, otherwise it can only be seen as a dip into ~shudder~ "collecting"!

In any case, good record-keeping saves a lot of confusion down the road. I open a new database record every time I load a camera, and make notes of subject matter as the roll progresses, and then processing info etc later. I can easily search back and find what rolls were shot with what lens, or included a certain subject. I LIKE being able to find what I'm looking for later. I also have a database on equipment, with photos, serial numbers, info on the purchase, condition, history, repairs... The info is so handy and useful the small effort to maintain it is trivial.

On rolls I've shot but not yet developed, I attach a slip of paper with rubber band giving the roll's database file number and any info needed for developing. I don't shoot a lot of traditional B&W, but I believe I still have a couple rolls of 220 Tri-X waiting for the Diafine, shot in Bodie CA last Oct....