The Camera in the Console

The original Olympus Infinity Stylus

Several weeks ago, I was doing some clean-up inside my Ford Escape, and pulled out the old Olympus Stylus that had been sitting in the bottom of the center console storage compartment.  I don't recall how long I had kept it there, but it had a fully shot roll of Ilford HP-5+ in it.  It is the first version of the Stylus, as it has the 35mm f/3.5 lens, and it certainly is a good picture-taker.  I suppose that I had put it in the console so that I would always have a film camera available if I needed it.  That's not a bad idea, of course, and I was smart to use a b&w film to reduce the effects of the ravages of heat in the car.

So, yesterday I developed the roll of HP-5+ that was in the camera, and it must have been in the car at least 3 years.  There were lots of photos from Ann Arbor, a couple from a trip to NJ to record FPP segments, a stop for ice cream in Perry, MI, and some from places I can't quite figure out. The idea of a small camera that's available on a whim is a good idea, but I think I should have kept a small notebook to record where I took the photos.  Of course, maybe if it hadn't been in the car for 3 or 4 years, it would not have been so difficult to remember!

There is something to be said for the developing of a roll of film that's been forgotten about. Often times, we get surprises and find little vignettes that we had forgotten about but were important enough to photograph at the time. Of course, in my case, I photograph so much that's its almost like breathing.  

One of the big advantages of using a smart phone to shoot serendipitous images, is the fact that it records the location data and date of each image file. That's been very useful for me over the years, as I have had to recall where I was at a given time.  While the Olympus infinity doesn't have that capability, it does a good job of recording a scene onto a piece of film.  Of course, looking at the film later, leaves me with questions, and maybe that's a good thing. We need to use our brains to figure out puzzles, and as we age, it gets even more important.  

Here are a few images from the roll of film. The HP-5+ was developed in HC110-B for 6 minutes.

The Huron River in Ann Arbor, March, 2018.

This used to be a fire dept. substation in 1950. On Platt Rd near 
near Packard, in Ann Arbor.

Unicorn Sprinkles, Perry, MI.

King Cone, Perry, MI

From the car, St., Charles, MI

I had a lot of these that I shot while in traffic.

I think this barn is near Sharon Hollow, MI.

Funny, if you look at my post previous to this one, you'll see
 the finished product. Circle K gas station on Stadium  Blvd,
Ann Arbor,

I must have liked the "Hug A Beaver Today" sticker.

Well, there you have it. By the time I finished writing this post, I had figured out not only where most of the shots were taken, but where I was sitting in the car when I took them. I just am unsure of the exact dates, but they seem to all have been taken in 2018-2019.