A Photo Walk in Frankfurt – Thomas Bendzko
by Thomas Bendzko
Thomas Bendzko reflects on photography after attending the SilvergrainClassics and Leica Gallery photo walk in Frankfurt.
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In 1982-83, my grandfather replaced his Praktica photographic equipment with Japanese Canon equipment. He would have liked to buy apparatus from a red-dot German company which seemed exotic to me, but they were too expensive for him. (He almost never treated himself to anything). He always talked about several thousand Deutschmark for a housing and something about “M” or “R.” I only knew complete cameras. We had an Agfa with flash bulbs — a “housing” already sounded very exotic.
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But Grandpa was not happy with the entry-level AV-1, and in the end splurged on a Canon A1 for more than 1000 Deutschmark. During the Easter holidays in 1983, I was allowed to hold the brand-new camera in my hands and look through the viewfinder, in which luminous digits were to be seen. That was enough, I understood, this was the future — a microprocessor in the housing! Starship Enterprise, here I come! With sweaty hands and feeling deeply impressed, I handed the A1 back to Grandpa. It needed no words; we shared a sense of pride. This was amazing, he had chosen well.
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In 1987, I inherited the camera, and with its legacy came an obligation. So, I began to practice with the A1. It accompanied me until 2004, for 17 years, without autofocus, mostly at 28mm and 50mm. Then it was carefully packed away.
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On February 12, 2022, I put in a new battery and film (Fuji 400 Asa) to revive the faithful Canon on a guided walk sponsored by Leica Galerie FFM and the experts in film photography from SilvergrainClassics. The tactile experience was immediately with me again: load film, fast forward, set ISO, and select program “Auto.” Focus, release, and cock the quick release lever quickly. You feel every single photo.
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The resulting images were developed and scanned by experts in Spain, Carmencita Laboratory. They are largely unedited. And just look, you kids, what you can accomplish with a 40-year-old camera and a 50mm lens (FD 50mm 1:1.4) when the film processing is in good hands! Thank you, Leica Gallery, thank you SilvergrainClassics, and above all…
Thank you, Grandpa.
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You can see more of Thomas Bendzko’s work on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thomas.bendzko.77 and on Instagram at @main_mainhattan
The next SilvergrainClassics photowalk will include practical tuition on light metering. Places can be booked by https://www.eventbrite.de/e/belichtungsmessen-wie-ein-profi-einfach-und-praktisch-erklart-tickets-218723155847. Instruction available in both German and English.
Images © Thomas Benzko 2022.
You might also be interested in this article on photowalks in London. See https://silvergrainclassics.com/en/2022/03/robert-andrews-london-camera-project-photo-walks/