Amman // Lomo Lady Grey 400 // Pentax K1000

The first and only roll I shot on my Pentax K1000 while I was abroad in Jordan for six months because the battery died. I didn't mind very much at the time because the point-and-shoot cameras I used for the remainder of my trip suited me more for the fast-paced street style photography I was interested in shooting in the city, anyways. I forgot how CRISP the photos are from this lens! I'm really looking forward to shooting more black and white film with this camera in the future.

(Photo of me by Mohammad Haddad)

Pentax K1000
Lomography Lady Grey 400
developed by Darkroom Amman

Jordan // Lomo Lady Grey 400 // La Sardina

I love the atmosphere that this camera, combined with black and white film, creates. It's a hazy and somewhat dreamlike quality that I really appreciate.

Lomography Lady Grey 400

Lomography La Sardina

developed by Darkroom Amman

City Center market

Four officers argue, from above at The Duke's Diwan.

A small corner bazaar in the city center.

Pointed arches - a characteristic of Islamic architecture - in the city center.

A small museum in Madaba.

Musicians taking a break from performing in the Roman-style theater in Jerash.

Jerash

Fog over olive trees.

A tea merchant near Ajloun Castle.

As-Salt, Jordan // November 2018

A rainy day in As-Salt, Jordan, in mid-November. 

This was my first try at really just pointing my camera somewhere and attempting to capture a partial story. It's harder for me with digital than it is with film, because when I shoot digital, I have this (wrong) sense that every photo I shoot and share has to be perfect. I've grown more as a photographer, and I realize now that my style is not always "perfect" as some people may define it. I'm more concerned with capturing a moment and with telling a story than about making sure my shots are always sharp, impeccably composed, or beautiful. I want to shoot photos that put me back in a specific place, photos that make me *feel,* and photos that capture my interest over and over again. I can tell you right now my photos are not for everyone, and that's ok. First and foremost they're for me, and I'm over the moon if other people out in the world see my photos and are interested, touched, or inspired. It's satisfying to create photos this way, and it makes me want to shoot more. (Note to self: actually get out and shoot more.)

Canon 70D, 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6

Egypt // Ektar 100 // Lomography La Sardina

I'm so glad to have some film shots from this visit, though, I'm not as thrilled with the results as I was for my last roll of Ektar, which I shot in Jordan. Perhaps the differences in studios (one in Amman, one in Istanbul) is what amounts for the differences in color, however, I'm not really sure. Even though I was slightly underwhelmed, these photos are special (I mean, hello, the PYRAMIDS!), and it was fun to capture them on this medium.

All photos shot on Kodak Ektar 100 with my Lomography La Sardina camera, and developed by Kristal Color Studio in Istanbul. No edits were made to these photos.

I really loved this color scheme I stumbled upon in downtown Cairo.

So many colorful boats in Alexandria!

I think this light leak might have happened when I accidentally opened the back of the camera before I was done rewinding the film, oops!

Double exposure from the harbor. The first image is out over the water, and the second is a close up on a brightly colored boat on the beach. I like how it turned out, and I wish I'd done more double exposures!

Istanbul // T-Max 400 // Lomography La Sardina

These are my favorite shots from my first roll of black and white film, Kodak T-Max 400 shot on my La Sardina camera in rainy Turkey. This film was developed by Kristal Color Studio in Istanbul, which offers INCREDIBLE prices and turnaround times on film development (10 Turkish Lira (at the time $2) for color, available in one hour, and 20 Turkish Lira (at the time $4) for black and white, available after 6pm the same day).

I am truly impressed with how these turned out. The rainy weather really made these images, in my opinion, and though I was a little bummed getting soaked and chilled to the bone every day I went exploring, it was definitely worth it for these images I love. If the weather hadn't been so wet, I probably wouldn't have shot so much film, I would have carried my DSLR, so I'm glad the weather helped push me somewhat outside of my comfort zone.

For being a plastic toy camera, the La Sardina is really blowing my mind. The wide-angle lens was especially fun to use in the city. There were a handful of shots that didn't turn out, but I credit those to my inexperience with this film, and film in general, not to the camera itself.

Sight from the ferry.

Turkish Delights grace a window near the Grand Bazaar.

I attempted to take a photo of some pigeons chillin' on the street when my companion walked too close and startled them right as I clicked the shutter. I still like how the photo turned out, even though it wasn't what I was hoping for originally.

The trolley in Taksim.

I wasn't so much drawn to the street performer as I was to the empty sidewalk around him - a strange sight on this busy, touristy street.

Friendly bbs on Buyukada.

Maybe this photo isn't the best, but I love it because of the cat on the scooter (the main reason I took the photo in the first place).

I have another photo almost exactly the same that I shot because I knew this one would contain a possible "fist of the roll" flaw, but I actually prefer this one because of the flaw.

My favorite shot of the roll.