Analog Therapy/Human Error: Lomography Lady Grey 400 + Pentax 645N + FA 75mm f/2.8.

I had plans. It was going to be a Fomapan day.

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I really like Fomapan B&W film.

But very quickly things did not go to plan. There was a roll of film already loaded in this camera. How did I find this out?

If you guessed by pulling out the back, being horrified by the sight of film already in the camera, and then quickly putting it back knowing full well that part of the roll is toast you were 100% right.

My fault. I assumed there was no film without looking. In my defense, I rarely load film without using it fairly quickly. I decided to press on and shoot whatever film is left. I am too cheap… frugal… practical to throw away a roll of film, even if I have lost some exposures. I develop and scan my own film so there is no money lost on the back end. Since I did not know what film was in the camera, I chose to take very low consequence images. Leaves.

So what film was it? I did not know until I finished the film.

In retrospect, Lady Grey was the better choice for the day.

It was in the 50s and overcast with drizzle. It was literally a grey day.

Fomapan is a dynamic, sharp, contrasty film while I find Lady Grey to be a bit muted/grainy and better suited for the day in my opinion. Plus… <Please look away Lomography Lady Grey adherents.> Lady Grey is not a favorite film of mine. Not a bad film. Just not my cup of tea. <I so wanted to insert a Lomography Earl Grey pun in there but… wait… oops.> I like contrast. A lot. As a result I had been sitting on this roll for a very long time.

Then I remembered. That is why I loaded the film and never used it. Was going to force my way through the roll but lacking inspiration I evidently chose to forget about it instead. Also… Lomography Lady Grey is not listed in the Cinestill df96 approved films. But I am stubborn. Add to that no desire to spend $10 to have a film I am not thrilled about developed and here we are. Anyhoo.

The result?

Nine exposures left after my blunder.

Developed at home with Cinestll df96. For a camera to run it through we have the nearly bulletproof Pentax 645N and 75mm f/2.8.

Here are the surviving images.

So. What have I learned?

• Always look at the film counter before trying to load film no matter how sure you may be that the camera has no film in it.
• Lomography Lady Grey is a fine film that is not my cup of tea.
• While Lomography Lady Grey film is a touch grainy for my liking when developed by my local camera shop I likely did it no favors by going rogue and developing it with Cinestill df96.

But, I have no complaints. Though not what I originally planned it was still a good bit of analog therapy.

Happy capturing.

-ELW