Personal Space – Medium Format
After I got my hands on my new Mamiya 645 medium format film camera, I shot a roll of 120 film. I simply walked around this fair city of Portland, Oregon asking people “may I take your portrait?” Some people said yes, and some people said no. I wasn’t sure what to expect from people, or my camera. I got as close as I could and framed up a simple portrait. The people I approached, regardless of their background, where surprisingly comfortable with me getting inside their personal space (8-inches away) with my camera. The first image I shot was of a young man covered in gray dust during a building renovation on NE Glisen, but it got cut off because the film didn’t advance far enough for the first exposure.
What’s the focal length on your Mamiya? I’ve got an old Fuji 645 wide. It’s got a 60mm lens on it, your Mamiya looks a little wider than my Fuji. Is it the Mamiya rangefinder?
You process the black and white yourself or have someone do it for you?
Mamiya 645 SLR, 120 Kodak 160NC. Shot with a 35mm F3.5 lens. 35 is super wide on a 120 medium format film camera.
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