Me and a 50 – at a softball game

My goal with my “Me and a 50” project is to show what can be done with a very simple, low cost kit – namely a 35 mm camera with a 50 mm lens. Sometimes I shoot digital but I also like to shoot black and white film. This time I took my Nikon FM3 and 50 mm F1.8 lens with me to my grandaughter’s softball game. I loaded up the FM3 with Kodak TMAX-100 film – my favorite black and white film – hung the camera from my wrist strap, and just attended the game like a normal grandparent. No big telephoto lens, no wide angle, no fancy digital, not even autofocus or auto film wind. Just a very small, sturdy, well built Nikon camera and lens I paid $200 for on eBay a few months ago. Used my thumb to wind the film, used my fingers to focus the lens, and used the built in light meter to calculate my exposure. The roll of TMAX cost me $5 and I processed it at home in my kitchen sink in about 30 minutes – old style all the way.

These are the photos I got from that relaxing, easy, fun afternoon with my grandkids. Without spending very much money at all.