Taking less photos and regular maxxing

Since this is week one i’ll begin with how this newsletter will be organized.

We’ll have 2 sections:

Let’s get to it…!

I want you to take out your phone and see how many photos you have. Personally, I have over 82,263 photos going all the way back to 2013 (that i’ll probably never look at…).

We tend to overshoot with our phones since there’s no effort involved in taking those photos.

But that isn’t the biggest issue here.

Phone photography pulls us away from the moment.

Mostly because of how we use our phones.

Our phones have become these devices that we run our lives and businesses on, so by having a phone around during an intimate moment it kinda ruins the vibe.

Having a beautiful moment and pulling out a phone creates a distraction.

Film cameras solve this. No screen = no distractions.

Also since you only have 36 exposures per roll it’ll keep you from taking photos you’ll never look at. Plus it’s very manageable.

Going on vacation? Take along a couple of rolls of film and just have them printed when you get back.

My first camera was a 1970’s Minolta which I found for just $50 on ebay and it’s fully manual (no autofocus etc).

These days prices range from $60 to $150 for great beginner cameras like the later Minolta models or Canon AE-1 (this is a go-to and I would highly recommend it).

Don’t let manual focus scare you, it’ll come naturally after a while.

This is a question I get asked a lot. No film isn’t cheap but it isn’t crazy expensive either.

The cost of film has gone up significantly over the past few years with most film being around $10 - $14 a roll these days.

Developing your film will cost around $13 in most major cities. Or there are some great mail-in options like the Darkroom film lab for around $13 as well.

So adding up the costs, shooting and developing a roll of film will run you on average of $27 or $1.33 a photo.

The price will help keep you from shooting throwaway photos :)

(If you aren’t ready to commit just yet you can alway try disposable film cameras, they are really fun and are very forgiving to shoot with)

My local cafe (Casita of Brooklyn) is having their 5 year anniversary next week.

So they’re photographing regulars and putting up their polaroids on the wall.

I’ve made so many friends here.

But this wasn’t right away. First I became a regular.

To become a regular you need to invest time and effort first.

Find a spot that can become this.

Most brand chains are not great for this due to the nature of the staff, and customers.

Locally owned spots are what you’re looking for.

Once you find a spot go all in.

Say hi to the baristas. Ask for their name. Find out about their lives. Remember things about them. Tip well.

In time they will reciprocate.

Also become familiar with the other regulars. Make these people your friends.

Modern culture has led you to believe saying hi to strangers is creepy. They made us forget how the world operated before consensual hello’s were a thing.

Keep in mind that it’ll take like 6 months. Trust takes time.

Dennis articulates the benefits of this well:

Now not every place is Casita who reciprocates this so well but as Steve Jobs once said “As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it."

Casita is also a great example of how to create community and a sense of belonging as a business owner.

Getting personal and human is the moat in a very online and AI world.

If you can do this, people will root for your success.

You can find me on 𝕏 and film photos on instagram. If you have any questions or want to say hi, just reply to this email.