Today’s Post by Joe Farace
Joe’s Film Box is different from other subscription boxes you may have seen because you don’t have to subscribe and it doesn’t cost anything. Each month I’ll select two different kinds of rolls of 35mm film from a single dealer/vendor. Since most monthly domestic subscription boxes, not just those for film, sell for around $25 plus shipping. My goal will be to keep the total cost of both rolls of film around that number.
You can treat Joe’s Film Box like a film photography version of Oprah’s Book Club and purchase the film, shoot it and share your results. I’ll purchase the film and shoot it using an appropriate camera that matches the subject matter or the film itself. Then I’ll have it processed and scanned and write a review about each of them or include them in a podcast. That way if you haven’t already purchased the film, you can decide if you would like to try one or both of the rolls in Joe’s Film Box…or not.
Here’s what’s in May’s Joe’s Film Box that has a Lomography theme and I’ve picked film that is are available from several sources but ordered mine from Blue Moon Camera and Machine:
Lomography Redscale XR 50-200 film – 36 exposures ($12.15) is a color negative film that has been given Lomo’s “redscale” treatment. The film is flipped so when it’s exposed in your camera the image-forming light hits the base layer first instead of the emulsion side. This results in images that have a red-orange color cast, similar to placing a red filter on the lens. The intensity of the film’s yellow/orange/red cast varies based on how the film is rated and exposed (somewhere between ISO 50-200.) This is a fun and experimental film that’s perfect for creating images with a different look and feel.
Lomography Earl Grey 100 film – 36 exposures ($8.15) Regular readers know why I picked this film. Lomography Earl Grey is an ISO 100 black and white, panchromatic negative film that is comparable (and according to Blue Moon, “possibly the exact same as”) Fomapan 100 and Kentmere 100. The film has a classic look and feel with even tonality and rich contrast.
When I ordered this month’s film from Blue Moon Camera and Machine* the total cost was $25.62 including shipping. Have you ordered yours yet? Look for film reviews of each of these film stocks real soon now.
*The product shots you see are from Blue Moon’s website. When I received the film, no box was included it was just each film cassette inside a plastic film canister wrapped in bubble wrap. Shipping, on the other hand, was amazing. I ordered the film on Saturday April 30 and my USPS letter carrier handled me the box of film on Monday May 2nd.
If you would like to send me another kind of film to review or any other stuff that could be used for these posts and my videos you can mail it to: Joe Farace, PO BOX 2081, PARKER, CO 80134