Veni, Vide, Visa

[John Kasaian]

I just got two fresh boxes of llford 5x7 film in the mail today!
I haven't bought any film in awhile because I wanted to use up some of the older stuff in the freezer, but I have a few projects better served by the 5x7 and I had already loaded what was left of my last box. I find there is something exhilarating about getting a box of film I the mail. I imagine it must be similar to a painter getting a blank canvas (or 50!) Aquinas would recognize these as having potential and reaching that end---whatever it may be---is so gosh darned exciting. I wanted to share it with you guys.
Does anyone else get this excited over a package of sheet film?

[lecarp]

Always, Its like receiving a box of magic.

[blueribbontea]

You bet, that and a deep sense of security (film security!)

[Mark Sawyer]

I get that feeling, but with me, it's lenses. Get a new-to-me old lens, and all I can see is how much potential it has.

Of course, no photographer ever lives up to the full potential of their materials or equipment. And there's something reassuring about that, always knowing so much more is there, waiting...

[jp]

Nope, new film gets bagged and goes straight into the freezer.

I am thankful to get it though.

[Jim Galli]

Yes, the potential for greatness, realized or (in my case) not is indeed a source of excitement. Probably more with Mark here. Love the lenses. Although in my case with somewhere between 100 and 200 if someone calculated the potential : realized it would be a depressing number.

Having said that though, I have enough film in the freezer to get me somewhere into the middle of the millenial reign of Christ before I run out. Maybe I'll figure it out yet ;~'))

[DrTang]

I get like that with lenses

I think: there it is...the silver bullet... the one that will change everything


and


sometimes it is

not a lens, but a robot camera I picked up at a thrift store CHANGED EVERYTHING to square

from there it was to 6x6 (rollei and hassy) and now to 5"x5" (cropped 5x7)

but yeah... little miracles from the postman

[David Karp]

I love a new box of film. Even an unopened one from out of the freezer. I am very lucky in that I can hop in the car and drive to Freestyle to look at lots of boxes of fresh film!

[bgh]

While I love to get a new box of film in the mail, my exhilaration tends to come once I've loaded the film into my holders, and have a full bag of holders ready to go. That is the wonderful feeling of potential for me.

Upon returning home with a bag full of holders with exposed film, however, the exhilarated sense of potential generally turns to stomach-churning anxiety.

Thanks for starting the thread, John!

Bruce

[Michael E]

Does anyone else get this excited over a package of sheet film?

Not me. I have a life :-)

When I receive fresh LF film in the mail, usually substantially more than a single box, I comfort myself with the thought that I will be using this film long after the pain is gone, the feeling of loss when I pay the (substantial) bill. Maybe I should get a life where I don't have to worry about money. I'm still working on that.