Process 062 ☼ Flash Film Photography with Jason Sudeikis of Ted Lasso
GIVEAWAY: Hasselblad 500c camera + 80mm Planar 2.8 + A12 back
Dear friends,
This week’s letter is a special one! Our main topic is shooting indoors on film using an on-camera flash, in this case with a Contax G2 filled with Tri-X and Portra 400.
This week’s PROCESS GIVEAWAY is the biggest one yet with a unique Hasselblad 500c camera + Zeiss Planar 80mm 2.8 lens + A12 combo, courtesy of Fotohandel Delfshaven and fully serviced by Amsterdam Camera Repairs. Whut? Yes!
Using Flash Indoors on Film
For my personal work and projects I am mostly a natural light kinda guy, at times supplemented with continuous light in the studio like in last week’s studio shoot.
For client work I frequently add strobe lights to help control the environment in circumstances where light has to be ultra consistent throughout the shoot and there is a limited amount of time to get every shot we need. It’s sort of an insurance policy.
A few weeks ago I encountered a new situation where neither of those options was going to work. I was invited to document an exciting evening at Boom Chicago, an improv comedy theater in Amsterdam.
I wanted to shoot it on film which meant I had to use an on-camera flash to stay light on my feet and avoid interrupting the flow of the performers. My goal was to be an invisible presence documenting from a fly-on-the-wall perspective.
Let’s start with some images from the pre-show as cast and guests were getting ready.
Every night is a great night at Boom Chicago, but the night in question was extra special because alumni and Ted Lasso creators Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt were in town from the US and scheduled to make a surprise appearance.
After about 30 minutes doors opened and an eager audience streamed into the room to get seated while exuding a delightfully enthusiastic anticipatory energy.
Once the show got started we were all treated to some top notch improv. I switched to digital so I wouldn’t disturb the performance with shutter noise and flash blasts.
After two hours of amazing comedy the theater was filled with elation and joy and as the room cleared out into the after party I picked up the film camera again.
I can only fit so many photos in the newsletter due to technical constraints but you can check out more of the night in the full gallery on my website.
All shot on a Contax G2 35mm with TLA200 flash, on Kodak Tri-X and Portra 400.
Takeaways
I loved these results and can’t wait to try out other film stocks with this camera and film combo, especially the double x cinema film.
My reservations about flash on film indoors being too harsh or distracting were proven wrong. The flash was subtle and I was able to roam the room and document the creative process without getting in the way.
The flash was smart and impressed me by reaching far when necessary and reducing intensity perfectly for nearby shots. Almost nothing got blown out.
I now love flash photography indoors on film and will document the comedy community in Amsterdam throughout the rest of the year.
Thank you to Fotohandel Delfshaven who let me borrow the Contax G2. All film was developed and scanned by my friends at Carmencita Film Lab. Use code “PROCESS” at check out to get a free size upgrade for your scans.
That’s it for this week!
Next week: the process of making hand-prints in the darkroom.
Keep shooting and take good care of yourselves and others.
Wesley
Process Giveaway!
I don’t think I have to explain that the Hasselblad 500c with a Zeiss Planar 80mm 2.8 is a classic. This one happens to be extra special because the good folks at Fotohandel Delfshaven came through with a unique 1960’s model that includes a special demo notation on the body. The camera has been fully serviced by Amsterdam Camera Repair. Many thanks to both for partnering up to make this Giveaway possible!
Something else that’s exciting about this week is that we are changing the way the Giveaway works by making it more fun, more human and more community oriented.
In previous weeks you’ve sent in written answers full of insight, kindness, and creativity. But I was always the only one who could read them which felt like a shame.
Starting this week I’m inviting you to send in your Giveaway answer as a short personal video that will live in a special Flipgrid group for Process.
This week we’ll start by introducing ourselves to the rest of the Process community, by sharing where we’re from, what kind of photography we most enjoy, and what our favorite camera is right now. It’s super easy and takes just a few minutes.
ENTER THIS WEEK’S GIVE AWAY HERE before 11pm EST on May 28th
I’ve already uploaded my own video alongside about 10 early birds who helped test the new system to make sure everything worked. You can watch all those entries already and more as they come in from Buenos Aires to Montreal, London, and more.
I can’t emphasize enough how much fun it’s already been for me to watch these first ones and I can’t wait to meet everyone else. I think you’ll love it too.
One of my favorite things about photography is finding community and belonging with others who love the craft and art just as much as we do. My goal with this new Giveaway system is for Process to play a small part in helping create that feeling.
The winner will be randomly drawn and notified. This giveaway is for Process subscribers only. Subscribe by clicking the button below:
Visit the Fotohandel Delfshaven webshop for all your vintage lens and camera needs, including their new Rental Program. If your camera needs servicing or repair Alan at Amsterdam Camera Repair is your guy. I’ve been a paying customer at both of these wonderful small businesses and their love for photography and cameras is real.
Fotohandel Delfshaven website and Instagram ☼ ACR website and Instagram
Shout out to the team over at Flipgrid for partnering with Process to make this new Giveaway system possible, and to my friend and Process reader Bobby George who helped me set up the Flipgrid Process page so it’s easy for everyone to use.
It’s possible to enter the Giveaway on mobile via the Flipgrid app or on desktop in a browser.
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Hey Wesley, I'm curious who won the Hasselblad.