Five years ago, my husband and I made the trip to Djenné. It was only when I was cleaning up the photos I had taken using a little Sony Cybershot that I realised that I had brought along The Big Camera, too.
The Big Camera was a Pentax P30T that I had bought back in 1991. I thoroughly enjoyed it despite not really knowing how to use it. I only replaced it with a DSLR two years ago. It did, however, die long before that.
Due to moving home, lots of travel and various other changing circumstances, I had taken the film out of the camera and put it somewhere safe… I discovered this final roll of film a few weeks ago whilst unpacking furniture and stuff we had shipped over from South Africa to Scotland.
…Hmmm, I wonder what’s on here?
What you are about to see are the final frames taken using this Pentax P30T, as is. Save for cropping the edges, I have decided not to attempt to manipulate them in any way whatsoever in Photoshop.
The camera is dead. Long live the camera!
Nice Lu!
Thank you Xandi
I never realised Djenné was so yellow…
Do you know if this effect is from the camera or the ‘safe packing’ of the film?
LOL! I think it is a combination of the camera (wilting in the heat), the film having been left in the camera for a couple of years (still wilting), then eventually wound in and stored for a few more years in various combinations of hot, cold, humid and dry conditions.
I might have patented this as an “ageing effect” if slide film was still all the rage
So cool. Like traveling back in time.
In more ways than one
It made some really cool shots as its final gift…
Hi Emily – yes, it sure left me with something quite cool and quite unexpected!
P30T is a cool camera instead. They work so well and remember, film cameras are just boxes with a shutter. That strong yellow cast is more the abuse that the film had to take. Just see the camera as a holder.
By the way, if you no longer want it let me know!
Ah, I no longer have this camera in my possession – Sorry!
…please
(I forgot it, me impolite!)
no worries!!