Finding and developing rolls of film I found
What have you been up to during the pandemic?
It’s been awhile since I’ve graced the Youtube world. I’ve have a weird 11 months. I replaced another knee, watched small aspects of my life disappear. I miss my friends, I miss laughter, sitting around catching up on everyone’s life. Spending time together enjoying life. Some aspects have been good. I’ve taken this time to truly pay off debt. Am I done? No, I still have debt, but it seems more under control. It does truly help to have such a small space. You really only have so much room.
I daydreamed about a future of travel, exploring new places. Thinking about what my life might be like in 10 years. Will I finally purchase land, build a cabin? Move back to Ohio? Tennessee? Some unknown future dream property in an unknown undefined location?
I’ve gained weight and am now determined to never let this happen again!
I've taken a break from YouTube, have written more blogs, talk about life because it seems to help. It’s a way to release thoughts.
Today however we are stepping back in time and going on a journey to run a very specific errand.
If you are new here; I am Joy, I have been a photographer for 25 years. Recently (Late 2019) I left my job in LA, purchased an RV to travel around the US and document my travels with my two dogs and cat.
Then Covid.
I’ve spent the last 11 months in my home state of Ohio. Living in my 24 ft home on wheels with my two dogs, Charlie & Sawyer and cat Cali. I was working part-time and unfortunately I tore my meniscus and had to undergo my second knee replacement. I have completed my PT and now working on getting my strength, energy and abilities back.
Even though my RV has been parked at my family's home, I did some local travel and one-tank trips around Ohio prior to my knee replacement. I re-explored my backyard. I visited locations in Ohio I’ve never been, or have seen in years, I drove back roads and discovered a love of my home state. I appreciated it’s quietness, the cleaner air. I drove with the windows down as farms slowly flew by me. I drank from the vineyards of Ohio. Found a love of video and capturing short videos showing the simple things in life - 60 seconds of my life during the pandemic.
Since I am here until I can get completely vaccinated (received my first on March 16th). I am one step closer to normal. One step closer to making sure I don’t pass anything on to my parents. One step closer to making sure I’m not a reason someone else gets sick. I wear a mask. In public, everywhere it’s needed. Including PT. Including my therapy, where I sweat and breathe hard. Does it suck? Y.E.S.
Do I still wear my mask? Y.E.S.
I’ll been slowly uploading this small clips to TikTok to share my pandemic life. You can follow my story here >> https://www.tiktok.com/@ayj_adventures
Developing a Legacy
Today we are heading to a local camera shop, Van’s Camera, to drop off some discovered exposed and undeveloped film.
A few years ago, my grandmother passed away late 2018, and prior to that my grandfather passed away in 2005. He was an avid photographer and filmmaker. We were left with miles of 8mm film, a ton of shoeboxes filled with photographs he developed and printed himself in their garage. Decades of memories, in a physical world when everything has become digital.
All of the camera gear & darkroom equipment was left to me as a part of my grandmothers will and wish. Buried in a couple of the camera bags were undeveloped rolls of film. I have no idea what is on them, in fact, I believe a couple may be mine, since I’ve been carrying around a few with me from Ohio to LA (possibly even from Idaho)
After he passed, I spent time to edit the 8mm footage we decided to digitize. I figured out Premiere Pro, watched hundreds of hours of film to create a small digital version, the highlights of my grandparents life. The final film was 30 mins. I’ve decided that a future project is to redo this, change the format and build a different shorter version of The Kern Family. It’s decades of history, our family life and moments showing life in the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s looked like, all of it somewhat frozen in time. He captured a world vastly different that the one we currently live in.
Processing film and stepping back in time.
Developing film in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, it was taken to CVS, Rite Aid, local stores and in some cases it only took an hour. I actually worked at a one hour photo center, CPS Photo in the mall; it allowed you to drop of the film, go shopping and come back and pick it up an hour later. It was perfect. I learned how to read negatives, understand exposure, when to increase or decrease time to get the perfect print.
I learned how to quickly flip through the stack of photos from an order and verify they were all printed with the correct exposure. I’m actually still friends via facebook with one of my co-workers. I also spent 4 years in college, mastering the art of hand-developing black and white film, making my own prints. I had dreams of having my own darkroom someday (which is now in my future cabin floor-plans, using my grandfathers old equipment.)
Processing film today, is 10x the cost and expense it was.
A process that used to cost $5.99+ a roll to have developed, was $12.99 a roll and cost me nearly $80 to have the 6 rolls processed. Not printed, just processed. It’s an additional .26 cents a print. This is definitely not an inexpensive journey.
I am taking you with me as I discover the photos left behind. I am taking you with me as I develop the film and reveal what is on them.
I hope you join me in my photographic adventures.
If you haven’t seen the full video, check out my video on my developing adventures!!
