a few months ago when i was in japan, k-chan's dad came over to me and asked:
「趣味はないのか？男はなぁー、趣味がないとダメだぞ！」
for my english speakers: "so what are your hobbies? a guys gotta have a hobby!"
what the heck are my hobbies??
i enjoy catching up with friends for a drink... not really a hobby
i enjoy sitting down with a good coffee while reading a magazine... not really a hobby
i enjoy shopping... again not really a hobby
i enjoy stretching my limbs at yoga... mmm, is yoga considered a hobby?!
hang on!! you know what, i do love taking photos!!
now that can be considered a hobby. right??
so that was my answer.
「趣味はないのか？男はなぁー、趣味がないとダメだぞ！」
for my english speakers: "so what are your hobbies? a guys gotta have a hobby!"
what the heck are my hobbies??
i enjoy catching up with friends for a drink... not really a hobby
i enjoy sitting down with a good coffee while reading a magazine... not really a hobby
i enjoy shopping... again not really a hobby
i enjoy stretching my limbs at yoga... mmm, is yoga considered a hobby?!
hang on!! you know what, i do love taking photos!!
now that can be considered a hobby. right??
so that was my answer.
「写真を撮るのが好きかなぁ」
"i guess i like taking photos"
a few hours later he came back over to me holding an old leather case.
he put it into my hands and in typical japanese style he said:
「これ大した物じゃないけど。使えなかったら捨てていいからな」
"it's not much and you can throw it away if it doesn't work"
trying not to look too much like a kid opening a present at christmas, i slowly undid the clasp on the worn-out case.
inside was this; a 1953 ricohflex VI twin lens camera.
wow, now i was grinning like a little kid at christmas!!
i'd always wanted an antique camera but didn't really know where to start. now i finally have my hands on my very first antique camera!
looks like i have an expensive hobby on my hands too...
returning to hong kong i found a shop which stocks 120 film (this baby only takes 12 photos per film) so i have been busy snapping some shots over the past few weeks.
the lens is not in the best condition so i was finding it a bit difficult to work out if i was focusing correctly or even if i was pointing the lens in the right direction!
but hey, all this fluffing about may add "character" to my photos.
skip forward a few weeks.
with a finished "test" film in hand i took it in to get developed.
after a few days of worrying that my film would come back blank i was surprised to see that i actually managed to capture something using this new toy of mine.
i doubt these photos will get any oohs or aahs from critics out there, but i'm over the moon just to know that this baby works.
view from my room
taken in my garden which i share with 16,218 other people
a random street in wan chai
"i guess i like taking photos"
a few hours later he came back over to me holding an old leather case.
he put it into my hands and in typical japanese style he said:
「これ大した物じゃないけど。使えなかったら捨てていいからな」
"it's not much and you can throw it away if it doesn't work"
trying not to look too much like a kid opening a present at christmas, i slowly undid the clasp on the worn-out case.
inside was this; a 1953 ricohflex VI twin lens camera.
wow, now i was grinning like a little kid at christmas!!
i'd always wanted an antique camera but didn't really know where to start. now i finally have my hands on my very first antique camera!
looks like i have an expensive hobby on my hands too...
returning to hong kong i found a shop which stocks 120 film (this baby only takes 12 photos per film) so i have been busy snapping some shots over the past few weeks.
the lens is not in the best condition so i was finding it a bit difficult to work out if i was focusing correctly or even if i was pointing the lens in the right direction!
but hey, all this fluffing about may add "character" to my photos.
skip forward a few weeks.
with a finished "test" film in hand i took it in to get developed.
after a few days of worrying that my film would come back blank i was surprised to see that i actually managed to capture something using this new toy of mine.
i doubt these photos will get any oohs or aahs from critics out there, but i'm over the moon just to know that this baby works.
view from my room
taken in my garden which i share with 16,218 other people
a random street in wan chai
12 comments:
congratulations on your new toy! what a nice man your father in law is. a couple of years ago i actually used 120mm film quite a alot. i kind of miss it, but it's gotten so expensive now, i'd rather just do snapshots with my small digital camera.
the ricohflex you got is gorgeous. if you get bored with it, then it will look great on your bookshelf! btw, it's a shame meeting friends for drinks can't really be defined as a hobby, cause i like doing that a lot too.
i like your pictures! i think the fact that they are a bit out of focus is nice. brings a nice softness to them. :-D
* Luuworld
he's a great man, and i'm super glad we both get on so well!
so you used 120 film before too. the effect 120 film gives does make it pretty special, but yes, you have to weigh-up the overall costs as well.
but now that i know this camera actually works i'm gonna shoot off a few more rolls of film.
Holy shit that's a kickass camera!!
Very nice pictures btw. I like how the age kind of sneaks around in the photo. A strange nostalgic thingy.
* GL
they look even better when not scanned.
yeah, there is a nice ages look going on in the corners.
it shoots well outdoors so i'm gonna have to get my hands on some more film and have another play.
oh, what a nice camera! hope to see some photographs too.
wow, congratulations on your new antique camera! how exiting! it takes great pictures i think, with a lot of character. hehe i liked your comment about your garden that you share with 16.218 other people : ) i look forward to see more photos from this ricohflex camera. have fun shooting : )
what an amazing gift!
you've gotten three terrific results so far.
the middle photo is beautiful and the caption made me laugh and laugh!
16,218 ...now that's a lot of neighbors.
* michaela
thank you! yes, i will have another play around with my new toy and put some more photos up here in the next few months.
* lea
yes, i was very happy to get this awesome camera, especially now that my canonet has decided to die!! (the film is not winding on...)
i need to learn how to use this camera more, so you won't be hearing about the end of this yet!
* asphaltandair
thanks for your comment!
yes, a very special gift indeed and an even better surprise to find out that it was in working order!
hahahaha, i really do have too many neighbors... but it's something you can't escape when living in hong kong.
AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!!! im saying it in capital letters coz its really awesomely great!!!! i really like the pic that u took in wan chai... have the feeling of previous wong kar wai film's in it... snap more snap more!! :D
* Ethan C
thanks!
maybe i should take some sexy shoots with this camera like in wong kar wai's films!
mmm, something to consider!
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