Category / Abstract

Back in the days before digital cameras, traveling with film added an extra dimension to the hassle of photography. Getting items hand inspected. Cramming as many canisters of film into carryons as possible. Or not, and taking a chance that the “Xray machine does not damage film below 800 ISO” sign was accurate. The weight of all those canisters. I miss the feel of film and printing with it in the darkroom, but am happy to have evolved to a photographic existence of bits and bytes. On my 2003 trip to New Zealand, I forgot a roll of film in my checked luggage. It was ISO 400 color print film — one of the 40 or so rolls of various types that I took with me. When I landed in Los Angeles, and had to recheck my bags, I realized my mistake. The sign was wrong. This is one full frame of the negatives from that roll. I like the pattern. The repetition. The subtle variation. But mostly, I like that I don’t ever have to deal with this again.