Images and words by Jonas Rask
In exploring what define me I cannot escape the obvious. I am a complete addict of photography. Not just digital photography, but to an even bigger extent; analog photography.
If some of you out there know me, or have been following my various online outings over the past 8 years, you will surely know that I live and breathe photography.
It has become an integral part of me, and I am so fortunate as to not be financially dependant on doing photography. I’m known in the photography circles as a hobbyist. An amateur.
The fact that I’m an amateur has a huge effect on the way I see and practice my photography. I take pictures for me. For fun. For relaxation. For commitment. For learning. For exploring. For documentation. For the stories.
I started out shooting digital, but after 6 years, my curiosity made me look at the old analog process. As a natural part of my evolution as a photographer it was a step forward while looking backwards. It was something new to learn, and to explore.
A new fix if you will.
It’s no secret that I own many cameras. I think the total has surpassed 40 or 50 by now. And oddly enough, the majority are analogue cameras. They’re pieces that I’ve collected slowly but surely. Rolleiflex 2.8E, Leica M6, Pentax 67, Bronica RF645, Contax G1&G2, Hasselblad 500C, Fujifilm TX1… the list goes on. They’re precious items. They’re the cream of the crop. I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s part of the analog fix for me. And part of my love for aesthetics.
But don’t be fooled. They’re not just for show and shelf life, because of the rule.
One rule that ensures constant usage of my cameras no matter the season. The rule states that if a camera doesn’t see usage within a 6 month period it needs to go on to a shooter that will appreciate it more than me. My house is not a camera museum, nor will it ever be.
All these old tools work in different ways, and they all challenge my creativity in an equally differentiated manner.
So will I show you my camera collection now? No. I’d much rather give an example of the essence of photography for me at this point in my life. An expression of the rush that my addiction and continuous photography-fixes give me.
The pictures in this story are all shot on a Saturday morning in late June 2020. As usual I had an idea, and I asked my sweet daughter Nanna if she wanted to spend some time shooting. This has become out thing. We have an amazing time while doing these pictures, and we always have tons of laughs.
I had an old AGFAPAN APX25 B&W film in the fridge. I had found it in a box many years ago. I had no clue how It’d been stored, nor how old it was. I looked up the film stock and saw that it was in production from late 1980’s until 2000-something.
The rule is to overexpose these old films by 1 extra stop per decade expired. I figured I’d play it semi-safe and gave it 3 extra stops. That means shooting it at ISO3. Yes, ISO THREE.
I measured the light needed, put an old National flash on my Hasselblad 500C with the 80mm f/2.8 and used that to trigger my modern Good AD200. Shot as a single light.
After the shoot Nanna actually developed the film herself in Rodinal chemistry.
The result is full of flaws, old disintegrated film traits as well as permanent letter markings from the film paper.
But I absolutely love them! Because of the process of getting there. Because of the technical learning involved. Because of the risk-taking. Because of the fun we had while doing them. But most importantly for the precious moment captured in such a unique manner. I will probably never forget this Saturday in June where we shot this roll.
That is the reason for my addiction.
