INDIA on FILM -Varanasi
Hello world!
This is what i got when fate forced me to pick up a film camera for the first time after years of cozily shooting life through electronic gizmos.

There’s always something going on down by the ghats. And more often than not there is someone bathing in the Gange’s waters.

… even though one may be under the impression that the river’s waters are not quite as pristine as they might be.

Bacterial bathing not quite your thing? No problem: plenty of people offer “Boat ride?”, adding, after a pause “Cheap.”

And, when the rust comes off the fingers, it’s almost surprising to realize there can be photography without a zoom lens. Without a memory card. Without a review screen. What a trip!
While riding a rattly train to Varanasi, someone must have been under the impression that he or she needed my trusty digital camera more than i did. And promptly proceeded to disembark with it in the city of Lucknow. Some luck!
So, out of the bottom of the backpack came the trusty old Nikon EM with a lovely 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor manual focus, fixed focal length lens. That is, no zoom. Also, no review screen. Lots of head-scratching ensued. But it made me think. Of subject matter. Of composition. Of timing. Of the luck none of us can take decent pictures without.
These were taken on color negative film. But while looking at the world in monochrome. All pictures taken with the 50mm lens in february 2014.
Finally, although it’s hard to read anything about Varanasi without someone mentioning death and/or creations within the first paragraph, here we focus on life. And “here” does not mean “in this post”. It means in this entire blog. In this year. And, with any luck, in the next, as well.
Thank you all for being here.
Alessandro Ciapanna
31 Responses to “INDIA on FILM -Varanasi”
Molto belle Alessandro, la pellicola fa sempre bene al cuore del fotografo. Ah, buon 2015
Ringrazio e ricambio di cuore, Sandro. E sono perfettaente d’accordo che la pellicola – in quanto costringe al pensiero – non puo’ che far del bene.
Great photos. Sorry about your digital camera getting stolen. It is probably a great exercise for photographers to get back to basics from time to time and use film.
Thanks, Jeff. Agreed: it is a good idea to get back to basics, although it would be nice if it were a voluntary effort, with no theft involved…
Agreed, it would have been better had it been voluntary.
Una bellissima serie! La mia preferita e’ la foto con ucelli. Ti auguro un meraviglioso 2015!!!
Ehm, questo si era perso nelle pieghe del PC. Con non-c’e’-male di ritardo, ti ringrazio di cuore per il dolce pensiero.
Nice series. My favourite is the birds.
Thanks! That one is definitely among my all-time favourites, too.
Lovely series, love the dynamics in them all!
Thanks, Lesley. I’m with you on that one – there is an unusual dynamics in the goings-on at Varanasi, albeit a rather slow-paced one.
The Nikon did you proud Alessandro. I’m shooting more and more with the X100s, fixed 35mm equivalent. Maybe its time to get tne M3 out again. Happy 2015.
Thank you Andrew. Do get the old M3 out, from time to time. But make sure you remain the rightful owner of all the rest of your gear… All the best to you, as well.
Marvelous 🙂 I am kind of proud cause I noticed it was a film camera right away! What a post to start new year. Auguri ancora!
Grazie, Paula! So true – the grittiness of film is quite unlike anything a digital camera can provide. 🙂
Very Good work! Happy New Year Alessandro!
Thanks, Bente! All the very best in 2015 to you too.
I’m so sorry about your digital camera — but, wow! Look at the results! These images are stunning, Alessandro. And they’re proof that it’s not really the camera or even the lens that makes the image, in the end … it’s the photographer. Your eye and your composition are as beautiful as ever. Congratulations on making the most of a bad situation and ending up with these gorgeous images. And happy new year!
Thanks, Hmunro! Such a nice comment. You never really know – what sometimes seems like a terrible predicament can be turned into an exercise leading into a new kind of creativity. So glad you liked this set.
These are absolutely gorgeous. Thank you for sharing. I’m sad you were pick-pocketed (and a camera, no less!) but your attitude about it brings a smile to my face.
Happy New Year! Can’t wait to see what you do next.
As the song goes – i get knocked down, but i get up again, ain’t nothing gonna keep me down. I’m really glad you liked these and here’s to a creative 2015 to you, too.
Thank you dearly.
Very nice shots; Varanassi is magic. Sad you had to go back to film in such conditions. All the best for 2015.
Who knows, maybe it’s best that way. I really do miss my digital slr, though. Thank you very much and all the very best and brightest in 2015 to you, too.
Foto belle e intense, come sempre. Ti auguro un sereno 2015, Alessandro!
Anna, grazie. Un tuo qualificatissimo commento fa sempre bene al cuore. E alla motivazione. Lieto che ti piacciano.
The easy, languid feel to your photos is such a wonderful treat, thank you Alessandro. So sorry to hear about your DSLR but how lovely to have this trusty gem along with you and your excellent eye!
Thanks, Patti. Easy and languid is right – i could hardly deal with fast-moving subjects, with an all-manual camera and rusty wrists… 🙂
You’ve got some really beautiful tones and details in these recent posts (your blog was reusing to let me comment on the other ones for some reason!) I think there’s an added quality to these with the restriction of your camera, some kind of softness that really suits the scenes..tiny bonus to your awful loss! And absolutely, here’s to life and to living!
Oh, i must have missed this comment, settleandchase! Sorry for the late reply and thank you very much for your lovely comment.
To life!
Beautiful, beautiful. Your words and images, Alessandro. Here’s to life!
I have a lovely Nikon fe I haven’t used in long while, but my old manual 50mm lens comes out often and fits in my digital Nikon; the camera can read the f stops so I just have to focus manually.
But yes, film is alive for sure!
Sorry for the late reply, Karen. One of the reasons i have always stuck with Nikon (after a few years of Olypus om2) is that to this day i can use a 105mm f/2.5 lens my grandfather was using in the 1960s. Of course, i have to focus manually, too. But oh, the joy…