Episode 01: About One Camera, One City and A New Beginning
BLURRED DREAMS
I’ve always been drawn to photography.
When I was 10 or so, I used to sneak into my dad’s camera bag, pull out his Pentax ME Super, twist on the 85mm lens (il teleobiettivo!) and snap pictures of just about anything, my brother and cousins running wild, flowers in bloom, corners of Rome I thought no one else noticed… I loved it!
Over the years, I picked up different cameras, film and digital. But the truth is, despite that childhood passion, the process never really stuck. Or not for long enough to make it meaningful. I’d shoot a bit, get discouraged, stop for months.
Then, in May 2024, everything changed.
May 2024, Tour Eiffel, Paris — Kodak Portra 400
A VERY SPECIAL GIFT
Paris. This story sets in Paris with my one and only. Paris is a very special place to me. I love stepping out in the streets, It feels like you’re are instantly casted in a movie where something unpredictable is about to happen, unfolding as you walk. It’s like breathing life.
It was my birthday and a few days before leaving, my boyfriend, who is also the most inspiring and fine photographers I know, surprised me by handing me one of his cameras: a Leica M6 with a 35mm lens.
“You should try this one” he said. That’s it.
No other explanation. No instructions. Just trust.
No pressure, of course! I panicked for a second, but as I held it, it felt surprisingly solid and beautifully bare. It was almost calming, with no complicated screen and no distractions. Later I knew the reason he gave me this camera, precisely to keep things as simple as possible. Just a 35mm lens and few beautiful days in the City of Light!
May 2024, Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris — Fomapan 400
EYES WIDE OPEN
The beauty of Paris is overwhelming; there’s no other choice than to look around. People sit at cafés, eat at restaurants and walk around rarely looking on mobile screens.
So I walked. Leica in hand, not really intentional in what I was doing or what film I was using… except for trying to slow down and really see. For once the focus was on not trying to get it right.
On a sunny day, we visited the Fondation Louis Vuitton. If you’re looking for a place to dive into photography, somewhere that clears away all distractions, I can’t recommend it enough. The bold lines, impressive architecture and views of Paris scream black and white to me. I loaded a Fomapan 400 and spent hours getting lost in its shapes and shadows.
May 2024, Le Marais, Paris — Kodak Tri-X 400 (pushed to 1600)
A PUSH FOR BLACK AND WHITE
On the morning of my birthday, which was a a stunning, sunny day — I stumbled across a YouTube video: Street Photography with Film: Kodak Tri-X (feat. Mavis CW) by Sean Tucker.
A must-watch for film photography beginners and not only.
I listened to it while enjoying a delicious petit déjeuner at a café in Le Marais.
Mavis CW talks about black and white film are fascinating. I was completely drawn in by her story and her elegant, deliberate approach to film photography.
She broke down a few simple things. Here are my key takeaways:
Set your camera before you shoot so the scene becomes your only focus
On a bright day, try f/11, 1/500, ISO 400 (pushed to 1600)
Preset your focus between 2–5 meters
Shoot what you love
What struck me most was her consistency, using Kodak Tri-X 40, always pushed to 1600, to increase contrast and flexibility in any light. Her photos are deeply atmospheric. The grain. The elegance. It’s beyond technique.
Ten minutes after watching the video, I was out on the streets of Le Marais, mumbling my new mantra — “11/500/1600”— like a spell - I could hear my boyfriend giggling behind me.
The flea market just starting to unfold, full of life, it felt like the perfect start to an unforgettable day.
That roll came out imperfect. Unclear. A little odd. And I loved every frame.
May 2024, Centre Pompidou, Paris — CineStill 800T
FORUM-1
That happy weekend in Paris holds very special memories and marks the beginning of a new chapter in my passion for photography. More than the excitement of shooting with a Leica M6, it was the start of a new project that for me means largely a commitment to the process, especially the understanding and improving aspects of it. To learn and evolve at every step.
Forum -1 is a journal of this photography path aimed at sharing learnings. It’s planned two ways:
This monthly blog, where each month I’ll share a new chapter of the journey, what I learn, what I get wrong, what surprises me, and what evolves my thinking.
An Instagram gallery @forum_1, where I’ll post the photographs related to each blog. Three posts weekly, throughout the month.
This is the essence of Forum‑1. The project name is a tribute to something I saw in Paris… you’ll find out in the first Instagram post. So, welcome to this monthly diary: a place to explore, experiment, share feedback, thoughts and inspiring mistakes.
May 2024, Les Halles, Paris — Kodak Tri-X 400 (pushed to 1600)
THE ONE BIG QUESTION
Alongside all the excitement, Paris and the Leica M6 left me with one big question.
What is my kind of photography?
I don’t know. I hope to find the answer in the journey. I’m endlessly fascinated by photographers with defined, unmistakable, signature styles. You see a picture and you instantly know who’s behind the lens. How do they do it? One sure thing I discovered that weekend is that my boyfriend’s instinct was spot on: a 35mm lens is my sweet spot. It gives me more freedom to frame the scene and move within it than longer focal lengths.
And I also learned something else, once and for all: film photography is where I belong.
That said, I’m still uncertain about all other directions: street or portrait, travel or architecture, colour or black and white, committing to one film stock or staying flexible. I feel the need to keep shooting to find out.
If you’d like to see how this question unfolds, or share your experience unravelling the same question, follow along the journey and share your toughts, through the next monthly blogs and on Instagram @forum_1.
PULL UP A CHAIR!
Finally, I can’t wait to share this journey with you, and to hear about yours.
How are you answering or did answer to your big question? How are you shaping your style? If you have tips, thoughts, or encouragement, I’d love to hear them. Or also simply if you are not a photographer and curious what a Leica M6 can do in the hands of beginner!
Come say hi here on comments below or on Instagram @forum_1, let’s keep discovering together!
Merci d’être là.
— Francesca