So I shot some... film? Bay Area Bucket-full-of-Awesome Photography

So, about a year or two ago my grandmother's health was declining, and she started doing what a lot of people do - cleaning out their closets.  Knowing I was getting that much more involved in photography, she offered me her old Minolta with a couple of lenses.  And I couldn't have been happier.  A few weeks later I went out and picked up a Nikon FG with a few lenses as well.  And for the past year or so, they've decorated the mantle and shelves in our new house.

But a few weeks ago I got a wiry hair up my butt, and decided to see what this film thing was all about.  So I grabbed the Minolta, the Nikon, headed to San Jose Camera, and picked up some batteries and some Kodak 400TX film.  And just to really push my limits, I thought I'd shoot in full manual.  And I'm so happy I did.

Wow.... what a difference it makes in how I compose a shot when I can't see the results on the back of my camera.  And what a unique noise the shutter makes, followed by the winding of the knob to reel in the film.  And what amazing black and white images this film produced.

Here's a few images I snapped about two weeks ago.  I just loaded the second roll of Kodak 400TX into the Nikon FG, so there will be more.  And I'm planning on picking up some Kodak Portra 400 soon for some color action.  According to Ryan Muirhead and Jonathan Canlas, two amazing photographers, the Portra 400 is the bee's knees.

---Here's the first shot I've ever taken in film... that wasn't a Kodak disposable.---