Save a Roll for After You... erm...

[Major Black]

die.

This is an idea I had today. Why not intentionally pull a Vivian Maier and leave at least one roll of film behind for someone to develop after you've claimed your heavenly reward?

I even thought it might be cool to have a site (showing some of the person's final roll, a bit about them) and some sort of arrangement to make sure the rolls get developed.

But... it's a heavy subject and the look on my wife's face told me a lot when I mentioned it to her- but I may intentionally leave a roll or two behind. Not sure how to sort the logistics but, why not?

OK, I think I hear crickets...

[lesged]

Who said you can't take it with you?  You mean they don't have dark rooms in heaven? Then again, I guess it's too warm in the other place and not too much spare time.

Yup, better to leave a roll or two here before the grand exit. Maybe they'll be found in a thrift shop and it will show up in NFf, down the road a piece, by some current member's descendants.

[Mike Kovacs]

Mark, your images yesterday sparked some interesting discussion with a new woman I've been seeing. I've learned that we share the same fascination with graveyards, death and the mark our lives leave behind that many of us here do. I think any other woman might think we're crazy :p

So there will be a Mark Colman photo book showing in the near future She's not a photographer but has some talent as an artist, so we might be visiting some graveyards for more than just teenage hormone purposes LOL.

Sorry, that was a bit of a diversion.

This idea of leaving a silver halide eulogy is a very interesting idea. I agree there are logistics of making sure its actually found, developed and exhibited which obviously rely on you having a solid plan. I suppose you could put it in your will with detailed instructions.

But what I wonder about more is if I had one roll of 120 to do this with, what would be the 12 images to take that would most represent my life and who Mike Kovacs was? I'm thinking that roll might take a LOOOOOONG time to shoot. Stick it in an SL66 back and just carry it around for a 6 months, a year, however long it took.

[Hoosier_Rich]

Heck Mark, not much of a stretch here. I already have a few undeveloped rolls laying around waiting on me, so I can see there being some loose odds and ends laying around as usual.  :rolleyes:

[br1078lum]

I don't know as if anyone would be all that interested in what I might leave behind on an exposed roll of film.  And besides, I usually get them developed as soon as possible because I want to see what is on them.  And yeah, cemetaries are cool for photographic purposes, but I wouldn't want to be caught dead in one.  So if I leave a legacy roll behind, it will be in the camera I'll be holding when I pass on.

PF

[Major Black]

It is an interesting concept. Just leaving film behind is interesting but actually shooting a special roll to be developed after is really special.

So I like the idea but I'm not in the mood to shoot my death roll... yet.
Hmm...

[LarryD]

I have put all my negatives in a large old suitcase already but I will throw in a roll of undeveloped film too.

[Major Black]

I have put all my negatives in a large old suitcase already but I will throw in a roll of undeveloped film too.

I think you need a waterproof suitcase to cross the River Styx.

I think leaving an undeveloped roll behind is a practice every photographer should do.
Now I have to work myself up to doing something worthwhile. If I knew I was going to live to 105, I might take my time. As a show of faith, I'll shoot some sort of slow film. Eventually. Maybe. I should do. OK.

[LarryD]

Well the Microfilm I have from the 60s is still good I used some the other day.

[Mike Kovacs]

I don't know as if anyone would be all that interested in what I might leave behind on an exposed roll of film.  And besides, I usually get them developed as soon as possible because I want to see what is on them.  And yeah, cemetaries are cool for photographic purposes, but I wouldn't want to be caught dead in one.  So if I leave a legacy roll behind, it will be in the camera I'll be holding when I pass on.

PF

Here's an example of what you are talking about:



May 25, 1954  Last roll of film, the road to Thai Binh. This was the last black and white frame Robert Capa shot. With his next footstep he detonated a land mine.

[Julio1fer]

Major, maybe you have been shooting too many graveyards.  But I can't deny it is an interesting idea.

[Major Black]

Major, maybe you have been shooting too many graveyards.  But I can't deny it is an interesting idea.

You may be right Julio. It was the whole Vivian Meyer thing that made me start thinking of it.

Today, I thought that it might be good to save one roll per year. But then, like PF said, I can't wait to see what I've shot.

Maybe I'll do it... but then there's a bit of pressure on whomever is left behind to get it developed, scanned, edited and maybe posted to the web. Hmm... I dunno.

[LarryD]

There is no such thing as too many grave yards to shoot. Now on the other hand; Death is real and sooner or later it will come to meet us.