‘Back in March, I found myself in LA and, once work wrapped up, took a few days to get lost in California with a camera in hand. I’d been itching to shoot on film again—nostalgia, maybe, or a mid-life crisis—but the urge to put the Phase One away and load some Kodak Portra was strong. So with a film back on my Alpa, off I went.

The weather, uncooperative but great for farmers, turned it into a bit of a scramble for sun. On a local’s tip, I landed in Lone Pine, gateway to the Alabama Hills—never heard of it, but highly recommend if you’re ever out that way. Next came Vegas (via a forgettable Barstow), a place I always want to leave the second I arrive but still find fascinating in its over-the-top way. Then down to Lake Havasu, home of the very misplaced London Bridge, before heading back to LA through the manicured calm of Palm Springs.

It was a ludicrous amount of driving for three days, but worth it. Back home, I relished the slower film workflow—contacts, edits, and the joy of darkroom printing, which I hadn’t done in over a decade. After a couple of wonky test prints, it all came flooding back. And honestly, I loved the results. Maybe we ditched film too quickly when digital took over. It’s hard to beat the convenience, but film—those tones, that softness—still has a soul I keep wanting to revisit. ‘