Single In Single in January 2021: It's on!

Whilst it can't be applied to the current SIJ I had a cunning plan for a film contribution to this sort of challenge. Actually take an image a day on film during the preceding month and then process an image through the scanner and software every day of the challenge to be posted that day. That way the participant can take as many or as few images per day as their film supply/budget allows and "digitise" them during the challenge.

Barrie
 
Alright, I'm settled (last minute, or almost, on the 31st). I'll shoot the KP, color JPEGs, with the 35mm f2.4 "plastic fantastic" but I'll also make it interesting, thus: I'd like to shoot a film Single In challenge, but I don't have the time or dedication (or budget) to do film daily, so on the weekends, either one day or both days, I'll shoot (or finish) and develop a roll of B&W film and post, either as an addition to my regular digital photo, or a replacement for that, whichever is acceptable to the wise overseers of the project. :)
That's a great project! I have no hope to join in this time around, but that's actually something that sounds feasible, at least when choosing 120 film - we'll see if I can at least have a go at it for a week or so to check if it's an option for a future challenge! If you like, I'll provide a sidecar thread for such images ... Or feel free to do so yourself (no pressure!).

M.
 
Once again I’ve left it until very late in the day to make my decision about participating. I wasn’t going to take part for three reasons, 1. It’s in January again! 2. My health isn’t good, I need an operation, fat chance of that in the UK for some considerable time and I get about 4.5 hours sleep a night if I’m lucky and 3. Covid, I’m not happy about roaming very far for the not essential purpose of taking photographs.

Recently I’ve been posting images from my days using 35mm and 120 size film and, despite the often low image quality I’ve been happy with the results, not just because of a trip down memory lane but I can see some unexplained difference between digital and film with film somehow winning out aesthetically. At the same time I’ve been very taken with the images of photographers like Bert Hardy, Thurston Hopkins, Edith Tudor-Hart, Wolfgang Suschitzky, Bill Brandt and Kurt Hutton. Most of them were at their peak in the 1940’s and 1950’s with compelling images often centring on social issues of the day such as poverty and the disparity between rich and poor. Their images are gritty with limited image quality but huge subject appeal. (Note that I'm not comparing myself with any of those greats!)

For me my own local parish is probably photographed out so it will mean trips to either Kingsbridge or Salcombe which will at least get me out of the house. I’m hoping to show the less touristy side of those two towns and attempt something along darker and grittier lines, I might fail spectacularly.

Whilst I’d like to be using film there’s no chance of doing that so I’ll have to choose a digital camera. I’m not particularly interested in the gear if truth be told, for me it’s the image. I go along with Bert Hardy’s idea that the photographer and not the camera makes the image, after all one of his most famous images was taken with a Box Brownie and a home made improvised viewfinder, however some choice has to be made, so I’ll start off with a Leica D-Lux Typ 109, the limited zoom will give me some choice over a prime lens and for me it benefits from having an aperture ring I can control manually.

See you on the other side for a journey I might find a little rough and not finish, or change tack or gear part way through.

Barrie

PS I’m sure I’ve lost my reason after many lonely months in my isolated cottage.
Know just how you feel, Barrie. I can relate to health issues and needing/wanting to get out of the house... And now another issue... rain!
 
I'm going to give it a shot.
Was feeling quite tired - from the year 2020. Sounds so silly.

X-H1 and Viltrox 56 1.4.
This will be a great way to invigorate and to get some use from the often forgotten, underused 56.

Thanks Matt for hosting!
 
Well, as has been expected for the last few hours England has joined the rest of the (dis)United Kingdom in a lockdown which comes into effect at midnight tomorrow. The main message is to stay at home except for essential needs. That means my intended project for this SIJ which involved me wandering the streets of my nearest market town Kingsbridge to which I had to drive each day will have to be abandoned, whilst the Leica D-Lux Typ 109 can be carried around unobtrusively I wouldn't be following the spirit of the lockdown.
I don't know at the moment whether I will continue with the challenge, the opportunities for varied photographic subjects in my immediate locality are limited, I have a choice of three muddy farm tracks to walk along, no paved streets with pavements (sidewalks) around here to take ones allowable exercise on. If I do continue I might well change my equipment, however there's only so many shots of a farm lane and field gates that you can take, and there have been a large number of shots of dead leaves on this forum in recent weeks so I can't see me heading in that direction. Add to that a strong and very cold north easterly wind that's set in and looks to be with us for several days and to which my immediate area is very exposed then macro shots will be difficult to set up. I've no real interest in photographing objects around the house, shame because I was just beginning to get into a grove and feeling comfortable about what I was hoping to achieve. I guess there will be a shot tomorrow, I've already got something rather appropriate in mind although it will break my theme, after that who knows.
Having typed the above and looked it over I've had a thought. Let me think about it, a slight bending of the rules perhaps, rather more walking than I've been doing, but it might work.

Barrie
 
Oh what the heck, here's my plan :- Sigma Merrills, basically one camera with three different prime lenses and those lenses could be covered by a relatively short range zoom lens, are you with me so far? So if I continue and play my part and just walk from home I'll use one of the three Merrills on any one day, however it might be any one of the three, after all if you accept the above argument they are the equivalent of one camera with a short range zoom lens 😀😀😀😀.
Lots of landscape, maybe some macro, lots of bare trees against dull skies, probably some mud, not what I'd intended, but a way of carrying on in these trying times.

Barrie
 
Oh what the heck, here's my plan :- Sigma Merrills, basically one camera with three different prime lenses and those lenses could be covered by a relatively short range zoom lens, are you with me so far? So if I continue and play my part and just walk from home I'll use one of the three Merrills on any one day, however it might be any one of the three, after all if you accept the above argument they are the equivalent of one camera with a short range zoom lens 😀😀😀😀.
Lots of landscape, maybe some macro, lots of bare trees against dull skies, probably some mud, not what I'd intended, but a way of carrying on in these trying times.

Barrie
I'll try to distill this into a description for the leading post tomorrow ;)

M.
 
Oh that commits me to this madcap idea, good luck with your distillation process :D

Barrie
You do whatever you please, Barrie! All I can say: Local exploration with camera in hand (a special one, if possible) helps a great deal with staying afloat in this suffocatingly constricting times ... (Sorry for the pun ... but it lay there to be scooped up ...)

M.
 
Well, I've finally decided to change my gear, not because of any problem or dissatisfaction with the Leica D-Lux Typ 109 but yesterday I saw a secondhand Panasonic 12-32mm f3.5-5.6 lens on line and bought it, well £89.00 UK wasn't bad. I didn't opt for next day delivery and settled for free delivery, however it arrived this morning, so next day for no cost, I'll settle for that :D. I've only taken a shot or three at my usual test target, the farmhouse buildings I can see from my kitchen door which include an old tin sign showing the distance to our nearest two towns and also London. For what it is, a lightweight plastic lens that feels as though it would blow away in a gust of wind, it appears to be pretty sharp wide open at both ends of the zoom range. I'll be using it on my GX8 where it looks to be a perfectly balanced visual fit. So being keen to try it out in anger now's my chance, the last third of the SIJ. It will take over either tomorrow or the next day.

Barrie
 
Well, I've finally decided to change my gear, not because of any problem or dissatisfaction with the Leica D-Lux Typ 109 but yesterday I saw a secondhand Panasonic 12-32mm f3.5-5.6 lens on line and bought it, well £89.00 UK wasn't bad. I didn't opt for next day delivery and settled for free delivery, however it arrived this morning, so next day for no cost, I'll settle for that :D. I've only taken a shot or three at my usual test target, the farmhouse buildings I can see from my kitchen door which include an old tin sign showing the distance to our nearest two towns and also London. For what it is, a lightweight plastic lens that feels as though it would blow away in a gust of wind, it appears to be pretty sharp wide open at both ends of the zoom range. I'll be using it on my GX8 where it looks to be a perfectly balanced visual fit. So being keen to try it out in anger now's my chance, the last third of the SIJ. It will take over either tomorrow or the next day.

Barrie
Nice lens. Oddly fragile, but surprisingly good optically.
 
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