Photographs from… 2 years ago?!

Care for a cappuccino? Cafe Mogador

Remember those days when you had to wind that little wheel in the top corner of your nifty photo-taking box? Oh the pre-digital days. I think the excitement came from the moment you left the photolab, in a frenzy to rip apart the envelope.

These weren’t taken by just any phototaking paper box. No sir-ee. They were taken by my dad’s first camera in America, which ultimately led me to purchase a Canon EOS DSLR this past summer since he had compatible lenses. Isn’t that funny how your parents’ decision way back when can influence your own present day purchasing decisions?

Sure, I love the instant gratification of knowing how my photographs turn out- not to mention a seemingless endless space of memory. But there’s something in a developed print that a digital camera just can’t seem to capture.

Perhaps it’s that graininess that the photos all seem to have?

Or maybe, it’s how the photographs actually make you feel like they were taken in the past. Digital photography has gotten so close to perfect that sometimes, the results almost feel real. But I guess that’s what good photography should be (at least some sorts). Right?

And now for some non-food related photos. And some advice. Kind of.

Goodbye! I wish I took a picture ground up because I don’t remember what you look like pre-reconstruction!

My first roll of film sucked. I think I had two good prints. It’s a terrible crime to shoot so many, pay to have them printed, and end up with so few quality shots. My second roll was better. And the third even better. “What changed?” you ask?

No, we didn’t ask. The motorcycle lady volunteered.

My good buddy, Vince, who is heaps better at photography than me, told me that when he first started, he kept a handy little notebook. For each shot, he’d record the aperature, ISO, shutterspeed etc. Then, he’s compare his prints with the data in his notebook.

Union Square in the summer

Eventually, you see a trend in what you should do and what you shouldn’t. Like he said, it’s about experimenting and understanding that it’s okay to have a bad roll as long as you get one good shot and you know how you got it.

Filming by Grace Church of heck knows what.

So I’ve upgraded to a digital SLR. God sure knows I have a plenty long way to go in terms of learning and experimenting, but pulling out prints like this make me want to go back to the good ol’ days when I could hear the film reeling back into its case at the end of a roll.

These kids actually chased after me asking me to take their picture. I don’t think they realized that I get to keep the print…

Union Square at night near Whole Foods

Near Central Park

Sorry Sabrina, but no matter how hard I tried, it just doesn’t look like that opening scene from Gossip Girl. Fail.

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