My Photography Year in Review - Part One

Around this time last year I was looking at a box of old cameras that my father had purchased at an auction at least twenty years ago. One was a battered box camera that was different from the others in that it used a film that is still made.  The camera was a Kodak No.2 Kodak Rainbow Hawk-Eye Model C.

The Kodak No.2 Kodak Rainbow Hawk-Eye Model C is from the late 1920's and uses 120 film. 120 film is still easy to get.  As you may be able to see from the picture this camera was not in mint condition.  Still the inside was clean and the shutter sounded strong.  Because the lens is behind the shutter in this type of camera it also was in good shape.  So out of curiosity I ordered some film and the chemicals to develop it.  And on one grey Sunday I went out to try a roll of film.  The viewfinder was worthless on this camera so I just held it at waist level and pointed it toward my subject.  The cold outside motivated me to finish the eight pictures pretty quick.  Then for the first time in twenty years I developed some black & white film.  

Fujifilm Neopan 100 Acros

The image above is the scan of the first negative that I saw when I hung the roll to dry.  I actually was amazed to see any sort of image from this camera. So I was very happy to see one that was pleasing to me.

Fujifilm Neopan 100 Acros

My experience with the Rainbow Hawkeye renewed my interest in film. And that renewed interest in film is my personal biggest photographic development in 2011.  I have been using mostly digital the last several years and actually thought it likely that I would never do film again.  I had forgotten the variety and surprises that film can offer.  And while I still use digital for some things my most satisfying photography this year has been in film.  I plan to do some other posts talking about some of my experience last year in film.  I believe it will be useful to me at least to review what I learned.  So I am glad that I followed my curiosity and found out if that old box camera could still take pictures.