It is finally feeling like summer is around the corner. Even though we have some lingering rain and gray clouds, the weather has turned toward the warmer side. For me, this is the perfect time to schedule some photoshoots. The temperature outside is tolerable for someone to get naked, the light is nice and subdued, and tourists have yet to arrive at all the easy and popular hiking spots.

This photograph was made with a Mamiya M645 1000s and some Fomapan 400 film. I recently picked up the Mamiya for next to nothing at a local swap meet. For about fifty bucks I figured it couldn't hurt to have another medium format body in my collection. In a very short period of time I've grown to love it and I plan on working with it a lot this summer. I will more than likely write a review of it in the coming weeks.

As for the Fomapan 400 film, I have to admit that it is probably my least favorite ISO 400 film on the market. That is a pretty strange thing for me to type considering the fact that the ISO 100 speed film from Foma is one of my favorites. I'm not really sure how Foma can get one film stock so right and another film just two stops faster so wrong. While Fomapan 100 has a lovely grain quality, is nice and sharp, and has near perfect contrast without me even trying, Fomapan 400 looks mushy, soft, and I almost always have to pump up the contrast in the printing process to get an image to my liking.

Not that I dislike this image mind you. I do wish I had photographed it with Ilford HP5 or Kodak Tri-X instead.