The inconsistent weather has led to a bit of procrastination when it comes to my photo-taking recently. Sometimes I find a composition I like, but the lighting isn’t quite there. A reminder to myself that I’m simply shooting what was there — and that “perfection” is merely an aspiration. There’s also no harm in returning to the same spot under different conditions — so some of these may make a reappearance.

This time around, I decided to try a less popular roll of film: Harman Phoenix 200. It’s British-made and relatively new, first appearing in 2023. It’s very grainy and has a strong pull toward reds and oranges. Initially, I was disappointed with the results — but after a closer look, they’ve grown on me a little. That said, I don’t think I’ll return to Phoenix 200. It’s just too unpredictable.

A good question I was asked recently was whether I ever modify a composition — for example, by moving a gate or adjusting elements in the scene. It’s important to me that I document what was actually there. From composition to publication, the only changes I make are to crop and straighten. Nothing is staged.

In the pipeline next: Fuji 400, Kodak Gold 200, and Kodak ColorPlus 200. I’m especially excited to see how Kodak Gold performs — it comes highly recommended.

// -- TECHNICAL NOTES --
// camera: minolta x-300
// film: harman phoenix 200
// roll: 003