Crisis, Crises

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in the midst of shadow ( CD-R King x Centuria DNP 400)

Lately, I haven't been feeling myself. I guess the fact that it's almost the year end  is getting into me. I don't know about you, but I always panic around this time of the year. I feel like I haven't accomplished anything for myself. A year with 12 months is just a wee bit too short to do all the things you want and need. Although I have checked quite a few things on this year's must-accomplish list, I still feel a bit unfinished.

I have a few things on the list that I still need to work on and it breaks my heart that I may have to carry these things on to next year's list.

shining sun (CD-R King x Centuria DNP 400)

I think I'm also a bit pressured that next year I'll be turning 25. I know to some, this might seem young, but I already feel old. I feel like I need to step up my game for myself and for my family. To me 25 is like a benchmark year. You're no longer a teenager and you already have a few years of being an 'adult' under your belt. Just having some 'big' accomplishments will help you feel that you're on the right track to adulthood.

I've never been the "que sera, sera" type of person. I sometimes wish I was, but that kind of happy-go-lucky character has never been in my system. I've always been the worried-like-mom kind of person who wants to plan and be in control of everything. But, life doesn't work that way. Things can go awry any minute.

leaves falling (Smena 8M x Euro Color 200)

I guess what I really want in life is to achieve a lot of things for myself. Nobody can learn how to swim for me. Nobody can learn how to save and invest for me. And, nobody can work hard for the things I want to buy.

I owe it to myself to achieve great things. Sometimes, I just feel like I haven't been pushing myself too hard. There's a voice inside saying I can still do a lot of things and it's just waiting for me to take action.

Ricohflex TLS 401

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The Ricohflex TLS 401 is definitely a sturdy and cool-looking film SLR. It's interesting and can be a good camera to have in one's collection. This one was the boyfriend's and I got a chance to test it before he did.

This camera came out in 1970. What makes this Ricohflex camera interesting is its changeable waist-level and eye-level viewfinder. There's a knob on top of the viewfinder that allows you to change the viewing setting. Although this feature makes the camera bulkier, this can come pretty handy in shooting. You don't need to squat when shooting short subjects, like little children.

The camera gives you a lot of control, being manual. So you have the freedom to up your shutter speed or aperture depending on your needs. With the 1.7 f lens, the camera takes sharp and crisp images. I love how some of the photos came out. This can be a great camera for taking portraits.

My little model wannabe. *

Roadside vulcanize. *

Be careful in loading your film in the Ricohflex TLS 401. It can be tricky and it's quite different to the other film cameras I've used. I wasted around a month of shooting with the Ricohflex thinking that the film was properly loaded. Unfortunately, it wasn't. I wanted to cry and stab myself when I found out I lost a whole month of photos. Aside from that this specific unit had a hazy viewfinder. Focusing your subject can be a challenge and nearly impossible at night.

Kitty eyes. *

I guess the only problem I had with the camera is that it is REALLY heavy for me. I'm a small girl and this camera weighs as much as my usual work handbag. It also looks big on me. This makes it an impractical camera for daily shooting. However, it can be a sturdy camera that can withstand the daily grind, if you're up for it.

* photos taken with Centuria DNP 400 film