100+ Exposures from LBB to LB
A Photovoice Project
Photovoice is a powerful qualitative research method that combines photos and accompanying words. – Jean M. Breny, Southern Connecticut State University, USA and Shannon L. McMorrow, Western Michigan University, USA (Authors of Photovoice for Social Justice: Visual Representation in Action)
As my PhD journey comes to an end, I was contemplating how I can help myself navigate with the overwhelming emotions associated with the process of moving out of Lubbock (LBB) and back to Los Banos (LB).
I got myself a GoPro 12, and was even contemplating about investing on a DLSR, which I believe I will be able to put into good use once I get back to the Philippines. However, it dawned on me that I needed something special, because what I had here in LBB is also special. I met special people (who I consider another set of family, without whom I would have never survived!). It was mostly work, yes, but I had a special rollercoaster ride. I was in a special place, which for me will forever be another home (as significant as Naga, Daet, Abu Dhabi, and LB). That was when I saw this FB post about film cameras.
I am a late-80’s baby, so film photography is not something alien to me. I grew up spending birthdays, graduations, and other significant life events with a Kodak point-and-shoot camera (I don’t remember what model that was), and having our photos mounted on photo albums after 24- or 36-exposure films were developed and printed. But I never really gained interest in photography, not when I was a kid nor when I was growing up. I do not have any knowledge on film photography or related stuff.
Although I lived a quarter of my life in the 80’s and 90’s, a huge portion of my idea of a “pic” is that taken by my mobile phone. Hence, trying out film camera is sort of a reconnecting to the 90’s child in me. And it, I think, is special because it takes patience. Patience in a world of instants is special.
So, for days, I obsessed about the idea of documenting my last few weeks in the US using a film camera. After reading lots of blogposts/websites (https://www.lomography.com/cameras/ is love!) and FB threads and watching Youtube videos, I gathered my strength to get myself a Pentax Spotmatic SP from Amazon. Costed me a little more than a hundred dollars, with a 50 mm f2.8 Vivitar lens. Ebay’s would have been cheaper but since I didn’t know what to expect, I wanted to have that easy option of returning it if something goes wrong or if I realized I couldn’t actually learn how to take photos using it. Then I got myself three rolls of 36-exposure Kodak Gold 200. These, some threads say, is a starter pack!
Then, I started taking photos. Just experimenting with Sunny 16. Pentax Spotmatic also has a built-in light meter (which fortunately worked with an alternative battery) so I just trusted that the light meter would give me a good indication of whether I am having sufficient light or not. Some threads say you need to have an external light meter: it’s too much for me-I tried the mobile app but am too lazy to use it.
To keep the long story short, this page is a repository of photos developed and scanned, as I document my last few days in the US (and perhaps significant events as I go back to LB). I could have just used my iPhone to do this, but this place…this moment…these people…they deserve something extra from me!
Roll #1
My first roll of film was used using a 50 mm Vivitar f2.8 lens. I brought the roll to Armadillo Camera in Lubbock, which sent it to Picture Perfect in New Mexico which does the processing. It’s roughly 19 dollars per roll (a good price in general but price-y for me: pikit-mata, because why not?).
Out of the 36 exposures, I got 30 developed shots, six of which were exposed (I remember opening the back of the camera because I didn’t know if I was rewinding it properly!). Here are some of the decent ones (I excluded a few personal shots). Of course there’s our cat “Monty,” who saved me twice from sleep apnea. Photos of Mai, Ian, and Doc T. Heyhey and Buckbeak: Mai’s chiken-tings! A view from around the block. And shots inside Texas Tech (emphasis on Weeks Hall where my lab used to be). There’s also St Elizabeth Church’s belfry.
Roll #2
Half of the second roll of film was taken using Vivitar, and the other half using a Spiratone Plura-Coat 28mm f2.8 wide angle lens, which I got from ebay for 20 dollars. I was watching this Youtube video of a guy saying that a 28 mm is a better prime lens, so I just wanted to explore, as well. Now, out of 36 exposures, I had 35 developed shots.
There were no streaks of light because I finally realized that opening the camera when a film is inside does not end up well! I had two shaky shots and two severely underexposed shots. The shaky shots were taken inside our house, so I blew the aperture up and slowed the shutter speed down, but my hands were shaky, and the subjects were moving. The underexposed shots, on the other hand, I took inside Texas Tech’s Student Union Building (SUB). I don’t really know how to adjust the settings when there is no proper lighting.
Below are some of the shots from the second roll. I like the picture of our house’s bum (a.k.a. picture taken from the backyard). My selfie. Mai’s passport photo (lols!). The vacant lot where my first house in Lubbock used to stand. Texas Tech logo. And the shots I took after having an intentionally taken photo walk inside the campus.
If you have suggestions on how I can adjust my settings to take better pictures or if you have any thoughts or feelings to share, send me a note. All “positive” and “good vibe” messages are welcome.
Nephtaly Joel Botor 