Every year, during the summer, every inch of beach or rock by the sea is used. The population, here in the south of France, triples during the two months of summer. People gather to enjoy the sea under the warm sun. It is crowded. People wear flip flops and a towel, some go swimming, others read a book.
I decided to capture the summer vibe with my new acquisition, the Minolta SRT 303B with a 50mm f/2.
This camera is my ticket in the world of analog photography and I love it. Looking through the glass is something I didn’t know I missed using my electronic viewfinder. Getting the photos back from the lab, watching them, and then remembering the moments they were taken. Finding the pictures which failed (a lot) and those I am happy with. And finally, the look. Nothing has to be sharp, it’s out of focus and filled with grain. And yet, they have the look, they look good. I really enjoyed going through the first rolls of expired low-priced color film.
I found the film in my parents’ closet, waiting to be used. I didn’t know anything about analog photography. I didn’t know that expired film would be less sensitive. II didn’t know if the meter would work. If there’s still a lot to improve, I am happy with my first results and glad to share them with you right now.
I have lived in La Ciotat for the last year, and had already experimented one summer there (above). During these 2 months, it is packed and it becomes another city, filled with tourists. They stay one week, spend seven days at the beach and seven nights on the docks at the restaurants. And then they go back while the locals know the places where they can still find some quietness, mostly the less accessible rocks. In Marseille, all the corniche is full of people sunbathing (below, left). And, should I even mention, they are always under the protection of la Bonne Mère (below, right), never too far.
Now life has come back to normal, and seeing the empty beaches makes it strange to think that only one month ago (at the time of writing), the scenery was completely different. But I know for sure that next year, it will all come back exactly the same. Kids will go jumping from the cliffs, family will bring the children to the beaches, and locals will hide on their rocks. And maybe I’ll be there, photographing what’s going on. Again.
~ Yves
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2 responses to “5 Frames… Expired cheap ISO 400 color film (Minolta SRT 303B + Minolta MD Rokkor 50mm f/2) – by Yves Ponçon”
Overall, I think your photos are pretty good. I like the slices of life that they capture. Most of them even look pretty well exposed, given the expired film. Keep up the good work!
Quel film as-tu utilisé ?