Last September, I went out to shoot for the ‘Northside Ladies Bicycle Calendar’ project. The past 2 years I’ve been involved with this project, I used my own camera to shoot. For a change, we shared a Rolleicord III Type 2 Medium format camera (75 mm lens) among 12 photographers. I’ve never used one before this particular project which made me a bit nervous. I wasn’t able to find a lightmeter for the day of the shoot, so I had to rely on my judgement. I was told it was necessary to get the correct exposure when using slide film. The thing was that I only had 2 rolls of slide film and I needed 2 good shots for the calendar. So the pressure was on to get it right.
I sketched out my idea on paper and organised the outfit, the model and her bicycle for the shoot. I even sewed an obi belt to match the model’s kimono. My shoot was planned to be conducted during the early stages of sunset. I had in mind ‘eccentric’, ‘bold’, ‘colourful’, & ‘stylish’. I imagined a dark-skinned model wearing a kimono against a colourful background. I ended up shooting without really knowing how it would turn out and handed the exposed rolls, fingers crossed. I was so excited when I saw that some shots turned out OK. I was also amazed at how rich the colours came out on the slide film. I was very impressed with the outcome and have decided I will definitely use a medium format camera again. The 2011 Northside Ladies Bicycle Calendar can be pre-ordered here.