Lobotomy Lab: 10
Lobotomy Lab: Offering piercing insights into photography
A few years back, during the early days of the pandemic to be more specific, I bought a Mamiya 7. While this was one of he only dream cameras I had ever had, getting one still felt like a huge accomplishment. It was in fact my only luxury purchase during that affair as I was working through most of it. For those not familiar with the camera it is a medium format film camera that shoots 6x7 frames, squeezing only 10 shots on a single roll of film. To many this may sound limited, frightfully so, I think it is a sweet spot. You find 10 offers some wiggle room with out enough room to start second guessing yourself. I did feel the need to use caution early on but I think it frustrated me and drove me back to more traditional cameras I had more experience with, but after using the camera a few times taking a break and returning later, I begin to appreciate the camera. Perhaps I even evolved in some aesthetic manner, especially after seeing the results brought forth by this limit. I started to see the 10 shots as a challenge. A challenge that demanded a more devcering eye on my part, and for accepting this challenge I was rewarded with a smaller but more precise… no… intentional set of photos.
On most modern digital cameras 10 shots a second is the standard, so 10 in total may seem like a joke to some. The limit of 10 shots per roll makes me look and think before I shoot. It is much like an old west gun fight, you don't have many bullets at the ready so every shot needs to make contact. When looking for the right scene or staging a portrait 10 shots seems to be enough. You can spare a 2nd frame for safety or coverage, but you are sure as hell not snapping 10 shots off in seconds praying someones eyes are open.
Any who have skimmed this blog/website for more than a few moments have probably seen a series of posts each containing several images shot over a single summer. All were taken with the same set up: Mamiya 7, 65mm f4 lens and Kodak Gold 200. At the point of writing this article the 65mm lens is the only lens I have for the camera. Another self imposed limit I have found improves efficiency. To some this may sound like a pitiful attempt at photography but I have found that limiting my self to one lens makes the kit faster and easier to use, no tumbling through a large bag, no pondering which lens is right for the situation, just going for it. Same with the Kodak Gold. Many ignorant amateurs or hyper opinionated Instagrammers may say this is the ”poor man color film” but I think it is the perfect film for shooting most subjects under sunlight and using the same film gives the images a comforting consistency lacking from most modern Instagram feeds tagged portfolio.
Another thing the limit of one lens and 10 shots per roll provides me in a more abstract manner is a sense of confidence in my work and process. This may be lost on many, even most, but I do feel a sense of accomplishment in shooting through a whole box of 5 rolls. 50 shots and while some will be losers I find my hit rate is very high. This confidence in what I am doing once again seems to evade many modern photographers or becomes lost over time. What I do keep is generally very good and seems to stand out head-and-shoulders above the thousands of digital shots I have from the last few months.
One lens and 10 shots can be enough if you have faith in your abilities and some skill to back it up with. even if you don't run out and buy a film camera with irregular high usage rates, I would suggest everyone try narrowing you camera kit to one lens and one or two accrues. Even if just for a while just to see how liberating it can feel. But for me 10 is a sweet spot, and when 10 is not enough, a couple of extra rolls can easily fit in my pocket. Still not a lot but enough for a weekend road trip.