Analog, Lo-Fi, or Film. A tale of two cameras.

Learn to let go. No instant feedback. No retakes. Just click, wind, repeat.

Shoot analog. Shoot digital. Take more pictures.

I recently inherited a D70S from my uncle, the professional photographer. No lens, but six batteries. As I hunted for a lens, I remembered in my dad's office, lay a forgotten Nikon FM. Metal camera and lens body. It's heavy, but in a good way; the heft suggests durability and resilience like Harris tweed or shetland wool. It's an acquired taste.

"Grab some black and white film, wake up early, and head down to Georgetown. Shoot some doors", my uncle suggested. I just might.

The 50mm F/1.4- I love the colored aperture labels.

I've enjoyed shooting with this for the past week on the D70S, but it's a bit long for a walk-around lens (on the DX sensor) so I bought a 35mm F/1.8.

Rewind 6 months. Camera-less and bored, I bought a Diana Mini (I refuse to call it Mini Diana) at the start of Fall semester. Not yet willing to buy a DSLR at that point, and unwilling to buy a point and shoot when I had 8MP in my pocket, I finally decided it could be fun to shoot with one of the numerous (and dreadfully trendy) plastic cameras on the market.

Capable of shooting up to 72 pictures in a half-frame format on a roll of 35mm film, I not only had to relinquish control of my photos, but also needed a few months to finish a roll.

Now I shoot mostly full-frame pictures on this.

Using such a primitive device forces you to re-evaluate your expectations. There are a number of times I've been frustrated with the outcome, operation, and limited capabilities of the camera, but I'm starting to realize therein lies the fun of it. There's a time and a place for any camera, but at any time and place you should have a camera.

Think less, shoot more.

Digital or Analog.