Ilford HP5 Plus 400

 Lancaster PA


It's been two weeks since I shot and developed this roll of Ilford HP5 Plus 400 that this blog is about. Thank goodness for the notes taken during its develop. This was the photo walk where it drizzled the majority of the time and I explored areas I had never seen before in Lancaster city. A few Little Free Libraries were visited and zines were given and exchanged. 

That Saturday walk started with me loading up a backpack with some children's books and copies of my latest zine to disperse in Little Free Libraries. Rain was in the forecast so decided to use the smaller Nikon FG-20 instead of the Minolta XG 7. I am able to fit the former in my jacket pocket and would have kept the latter around my neck. 

I would have to be extra mindful of my settings with this choice. A malfunction during advancing film causes the shutter speed to also change. During my Utah national park trip, the Nikon's first trial, I discovered the issue after wondering why I would get a longer exposure time after already setting it for a fast capture. The first shot would fire as expected, then the subsequent after the film advance would be slower. Winding the camera at waist level, I visually saw the malfunction. A bummer but now adds an extra layer of being conscious of my settings. 

With camera in pocket and backpack on back, I set out in the drizzle, not sure exactly where I was headed. The Lancaster Zine Fest was being held downtown but my first steps led me in the opposite direction. I followed the steps, not sure where they would but open to its destination. A food truck, pay phone and mural were some early highlights that garnered captures. Squatted to get a waist level shot of a crosswalk and corner grocery store. 

Though my course direction had no real plan, there was a goal for the roll of the film. My favorite selections would be added to my Lancaster postcard series. I had an order to complete for a local store, my first, and I wanted to add some new images. But more on my postcards and local store opportunity some other time.

After some time, I realized I didn't know where I was. This was exciting. Generally, my walks have been in familiar territory, finding the new in the old. This was now completely new. I continued on until a scoreboard gave me some orientation. The local technical school had a sports team. That was news to me. Took a few frames of the scoreboard and now, knowing my approximate location, made my back towards familiarity. An old, converted movie theatre, storefronts, and a water tower was exposed to the Ilford roll.

Now in downtown Lancaster, I realized I wasn't too far from the zine fest. Funny. I chuckled to myself, amused at life and its little moments and made my way to explore the event for the very first time.

















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