The Frugal Film Project 2023 - cheap film, cheap camera, one year
The Frugal Film project is the brainchild of Sherry Christensen based in Alberta, Canada and she is also the host of the Embrace the Grain Podcast. The project has caught on within the wider film photography community. The idea is to use cheap and cheerful films and cameras to make film photography more affordable. Having come across this project, I really wanted to get involved, so I joined the Facebook Group in early January 2023 so that I could participate.
As I am now a fully-fledged analog film supporter I am looking forward to it.
2023
For my first year, I’m going with the camera that my father gave me a couple of years back, this being a 1950s Kodak Brownie SIX-20 Model C. The film of choice this year is FOMAPAN 400 pushed to 200. I shall be using 35mm film in this 620 camera to produce sprocket hole images, something I want to get into and this project is ideal to pursue this. Some ideas that I have at the moment are listed below, I will populate them as the ideas come to me.
Footnote - Unfortunately during retrieval of the film for the January project the camera's winding button broke, so for February's project and going forward I will be using another Kodak Brownie SIX-20 which my father gave me, this time a Model D. Once again I had a failure on the camera for the May project, again a winding button malfunction. Going forward June onwards I shall be using a Coronet Ambassador 6x9 (1955) box camera, again gifted to me by my father...
January – "My Hometown" (Walsall, UK) - Completed - Images Shown Below
February – "Standing Tall" - Completed - Images Shown Below
March – "Water" - Completed - Images Shown Below
April – "Scotland (Scottish Borders Area)" - Images Shown Below
May – "Texture" - Film Sent To Lab For Developing
June –
July –
August –
September –
October –
November –
December –
Guidelines for the project:
- Camera kit - under $75 USD. This includes a camera, extra lenses, flash, filters, and shipping.
- Film - 12 rolls of cheap film. It must be the same brand and speed. You can’t mix ISO. If you choose Fomapan 100, that’s your film for the year.
- Shoot the roll and post in two weeks. That allows two weeks of development time. First project Jan 31st is the deadline, and Feb 14th is the post date.
January – "My Hometown" (Walsall, UK)
Canal Barges - Walsall Canal | Kodak Brownie Six-20 Model C | f/11, 1/50
Town Centre Hotel - Walsall | Kodak Brownie Six-20 Model C | f/11, 1/50
Walkway - Walsall Arboretum | Kodak Brownie Six-20 Model C | f/11, 1/50
Stream - Walsall Arboretum | Kodak Brownie Six-20 Model C | f/11, 1/50
Boathouse - Walsall Arboretum | Kodak Brownie Six-20 Model C | f/11, 1/50
Boathouse - Walsall Arboretum | Kodak Brownie Six-20 Model C | f/11, 1/50
Boathouse - Walsall Arboretum | Kodak Brownie Six-20 Model C | f/11, 1/50
Entrance - Walsall Arboretum | Kodak Brownie Six-20 Model C | f/11, 1/50
February - "Standing Tall"
Trees - Perry Park, Birmingham | Kodak Brownie Six-20 Model D | f/11, 1/50
Trees & Floodlight - Perry Park, Birmingham | Kodak Brownie Six-20 Model D | f/11, 1/50
March - "Water"
Water Reflection | St. Matthews Quarter, Walsall | f/11, 1/50
Wellington Road Canal | Walsall | f/11, 1/50
Birmingham Road Canal Bridge| Walsall | f/11, 1/50
Canberra Road Canal Lock| Walsall | f/11, 1/50
Birmingham Road Canal | Walsall | f/11, 1/50
Canberra Road Canal Lock | Walsall | f/11, 1/50
Birmingham Road Canal Lock | Walsall | f/11, 1/50
Birmingham Road Canal Bridge | Walsall | f/11, 1/50
May - "Scottish Borders"
St. Abbs Harbour | Scottish Borders, Scotland | f/11, 1/50
Eyemouth Harbour | Scottish Borders, Scotland | f/11, 1/50
St. Abbs Harbour | Scottish Borders, Scotland | f/11, 1/50
