A roll a day

Jeffrey A. Steinberg · Jan 11, 2008

My cousin, a professional photographer, gave me this advice a few years ago and I didn't take his advice until now.

He said "take a roll of film a day." I thought he was crazy.

Well, i just got finished developing 50 rolls from 50 days and I have to tell you the more I shoot, the better I get, and I guess that was what he intended.

I seem to recall a news article in the New York Times about a 90+ year old photographer who did that and took some of the same streets over the years to show their changes. I think he had Tens, if not Hundreds of thousands of negatives.

If anyone has a link to that information, I would love to read it again.

copake_ham · Jan 11, 2008

Jeffrey A. Steinberg said:
My cousin, a professional photographer, gave me this advice a few years ago and I didn't take his advice until now.

He said "take a roll of film a day." I thought he was crazy.

Well, i just got finished developing 50 rolls from 50 days and I have to tell you the more I shoot, the better I get, and I guess that was what he intended.

I seem to recall a news article in the New York Times about a 90+ year old photographer who did that and took some of the same streets over the years to show their changes. I think he had Tens, if not Hundreds of thousands of negatives.

If anyone has a link to that information, I would love to read it again.

Jeffrey,

What's you secret? By that I mean, where do you find the time to do a roll a day?

It's an interest concept but I just don't have that kind of time.

david b · Jan 11, 2008

I did that for two weeks as it was an assignment while in school.

It was really hard. But I too think it helped.

removed account4 · Jan 11, 2008

even if it is not a whole roll,
shooting every day
helps a whole lot.

Jeremy · Jan 11, 2008

copake_ham said:
What's you secret? By that I mean, where do you find the time to do a roll a day?

It's an interest concept but I just don't have that kind of time.

I have been doing this not by setting aside time during my day to photograph, but by always having my camera with me and photographing as the day progresses. I must admit it is much easer with a TLR on 120 than with 35mm (12 shots vs. 36!).

Paul Howell · Jan 11, 2008

The other option is shoot just frame a day. National Geo did a spread on a well know photog (just recall his name at the moment) who shot just 1 roll of Ektrachrome at one frame a day near his house in the northern woods. I think the one frame a day really teachs how to see. I have intending to attempt to shoot a frame a day but just have the time.

Lee Shively · Jan 11, 2008

That was Jim Brandenburg. He released a book of the photos and they were poetic.

While the concept of shooting a lot improves your abilities as a photographer, there have also been numerous photographers who only shot pictures when they had a specific project going. I swing both ways. I go for months sometimes without making a picture and then shoot a lot for several months.

Akki14 · Jan 11, 2008

The more important thing is... How many were keepers? I guess if you do learn from each roll, it's worth it in the beginning but it's not something I'd do regularly. Heck I'll put my neck out and say it's like the d-crowd...

Andy K · Jan 11, 2008

I'm struggling to shoot a frame a day at the moment.

Black Dog · Jan 11, 2008

I've done it in the past and it has been helpful-sort of like artists carrying a sketchbook for quickie stuff/jotting down ideas etc. Some of this stuff ends up inspiring the more 'serious' work, or might surface in the postcard exchange.

Jeffrey A. Steinberg · Jan 11, 2008

My secret is I carry around a small rangefinder--a Leica M7. I have a 28mm lens and set it to hyperfocal and shoot from my waist when people are not looking.

I just carry my camera everywhere. I stopped some garbage men the other day and got them riding off, holding onto the back. It was a fun shot.

I am lucky if I get 1 or 2 good shots out of 36.

Toffle · Jan 11, 2008

Paul Howell said:
The other option is shoot just frame a day. National Geo did a spread on a well know photog (just recall his name at the moment) who shot just 1 roll of Ektrachrome at one frame a day near his house in the northern woods. I think the one frame a day really teachs how to see. I have intending to attempt to shoot a frame a day but just have the time.

I remember this feature very well. At first I thought it was something of a gimmick, but I found that there were many lessons to be learned through the exercise. There is much to be said for the discipline of selecting, composing and exposing a single scene every day. I imagine it must be a daunting task to ensure that each frame meets the standards you set yourself as a photographer. No mulligans, no back up rolls... ouch!

Further on the "Roll a day" theme. I work mainly in B&W, which I process myself, but I also have a sizeable store of AGFA Optima for special occasions. Medium format colour processing is not cheap around here. (I'm actually shocked at how expensive it is for processing, plus 5" by 5" prints and a scanned cd.) If I shot a roll a day, I'm afraid I would have to sell my cameras before the month was out.

Cheers,

Lee Shively · Jan 11, 2008

I had to get home to double-check on this. The Photographer Paul mentioned was Jim Brandenburg, as I said. The book that ensued was Chased By Light. A few years after the initial book was published there was a second edition published that included follow up photographs of the area pictured following a storm that devastated much of the surroundings. I have both books--they are a couple of my favorites. I didn't pull them down to check but I believe Brandenburg used Fuji negative film on this project. Probably as a hedge against missing the exposure since the project was liimited to one frame of 35mm film a day. He was a brave man to take on this project.

I've also read an interview with William Eggleston in which he was asked how much he shoots to get his photos. He said he takes one frame only of each subject. If he misses it, he doesn't worry about it. He said there's always another picture to be shot.

Hovig · Jan 11, 2008

Thanks for the idea, I liked it. ONE frame a day! My Olympus OM-1n is not much bigger then the M7.

A roll a day

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