5 frames with a single film on a single camera with a single lens. It seems so obvious at first glance. Being original and offering a real photo set is already much less. I wanted to give sense and coherence to it.

But something special has happened with this Street Candy ATM 400. My Nikon FM and its steadfast 50mm f/1.4 AI lens, a recent love affair that is sure to last a while! We wanted to go out a bit on this dull Sunday afternoon in July. The rain begins to fall and the light fades. It is the very moment that wet and dry areas stand out well. Once again I am exploring my immediate surroundings, and even after several years, I still find deep inspiration.

The Aesthetics of my Daily. Just like a visceral need.

This is my main exploration ground, no need to travel hundreds of miles. Locked down ? I passed through it very well, mentally speaking. I even made it with a strong personnal photo project.

400 ISO? The speeds are low and aperture is wide. The drops of water in branches with a strong bokeh, academic exercise. Drips of rain, circles of the drops, reflections in the puddles… The details are numerous. Getting out of the mundane and showcasing is the challenge.

Measuring and reporting exposure with its 3 LEDs (+ / 0 / -) on the Nikon FM requires a choice, a bias, right from the shooting. I wanted to slightly underexpose to work on dark areas and get deep blacks tones while maintaining enough contrast. The film had to capture the details well, that’s the risk, otherwise, you get shapeless mud. A perfectly successful challenge, even beyond my expectations. I already know that under the enlarger it will be easy, and I imagine the beautiful FB prints. The contrast is there. This is one of its characteristics.

Vincent Moschetti reels this video surveillance film by hand. Strong contrast, beautiful grain, clearly perceptible. I chose to develop it in 1+1 XTol, 22°C, rather than Rodinal soup, so as not to overemphasize drastically the characteristics. Too much is sometimes the enemy of good … This film is recommended and popular for street photography, just like an alternative to the JCH Streetpan 400. The style is too overused for my taste and it is a shame to stick to this register. It excels in this contemplative photography that I practice regularly.

I was still on the first version film with its 65µm polyester layer. It takes patience and delicacy to load it in paterson reel. A film we take care of …

~ Jul

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One response to “5 Frames in the rain on Street Candy ATM 400 (35mm Format / EI 400 / Nikon FM + Nikon Nikkor f/1.4 AI)”

  1. Hi Jul, a nice project, and the pictures turned out great!

 

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