5 frames with a Kiev 60, a Volna 80/2,8 and a Ferrania Orto

Working on a ‘project’ or ‘series’ is a well-known way of giving meaning to the act of taking photographs. It serves many purposes, such as training in a particular technique, familiarising oneself with a camera and/or lens, or exploring stylistic options.

A project is usually planned in advance, though not necessarily in great detail. However, as in the case of these images, sometimes the idea of a common thread linking different images just happens.

I was wandering around the suburbs of my home town with a Soviet-era Kiev 60 and its ‘kit lens’, the Volna 80/2.8, and a roll of Ferrania Orto when I noticed the oddity of a worn-out shoe hanging from a fence made of concrete. I then took the picture with no particular motive and, to be honest, I couldn’t really explain to myself why I was doing it.

A few hundred metres from where I took the picture, I stumbled across another shoe, this time hanging from the railing of a bridge.

and in a rapid succession, I came across this one

this one

And, finally, this one

Before I knew it, then, I had created a series of photos based on the idea of discarded shoes as signposts.

To be honest, since the last shoe was on a platform, not hanging from the railing of the bridge, strictly speaking it does not belong. But since I needed five pictures to meet the requirement for this post, I thought it would be better to add this last one as well. Beggars can’t be choosers.

On the technical side, even if I did not develop the film myslef, the lab did a fair job in handling the Ferrania Orto and the film interacted quite well with the Volna and, for me at least, the overall result is pleasing enough, apart from the problems with focus that affect some of the shots.

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