I met famous actor and skateboarder Jason Lee and his passion for photography was contagious!
Support, excitement, and approachability from actor Jason Lee
While in LA I went to a new camera shop called Eagle Rock Camera. It’s a hidden treasure filled with hidden treasures. The owner of all people is Jason Lee, an actor who must have a passion for film. I’m basing this off of walking into his beautiful shop and him smiling and approaching me, “Welcome in! Are you looking for anything in particular? If you have any questions let me know!” Pixelated and percolating, his energy abounded. The shop has an amazing collection of hard to find photobooks. To be fair they are usually hard to find as most are in limited runs. I picked one up and he bounced off a conversation he was having with another patron to say, “That one’s awesome!”
The other guy with him was equally engaged with guests. I told them about a photobook I’d recently purchased called The Crick by Jim Mangon by Twin Palms Publishing and he said, “You’re the 5th person to mention that one, I heard it was great, we’re getting it soon.” He called to his coworker, “Let’s see if we can get that one in soon.”
A few minutes later a couple students taking a film photography class came in and said they were looking for a camera. They took the time with them to explain everything they needed as the students were lost.
Another family came in that happened to be from Spain sparking a conversation on a newly revived Italian black and white film stock Ferrania P33 that’s the same stock that was used on great Italian films. “Bicycle Thiefs” was released on it and also used by directors like Fellini. Super cool. I picked up a roll on my way out as well as several photo books. I’ve started diving in slowly and it’s so different to see these collections put together so purposefully and outside of social media. I saw they were selling one of the cheaper black and white film stocks I like a lot called Kentmere Pan 400. I showed him a picture taken on that stock.
He gave me a fist bump. “You’re doing it man!”
Am I doing it?
If I’m not, I’m truly trying. Half frame and any other camera in hand, crossing my fingers I’ve lived life in a way that will allow me to make the photos that are important to the people I take them of.
My experience at the shop was great and it’s amazing to see so much excitement and passion and approachability about something as daunting as shooting film. Making hard things approachable is not only an act of kindness but an invitation to creation and thus an invitation to change yourself and the world. Strike that, reverse it. Strike that, reverse it again. I don’t know, some combination of all of that. You get the point. Gatekeeping is not where it's at.
Have you ever been turned off from trying something new because of somebody? What about being turned on to something because somebody made it easy and provided an onramp? Or just a whole lot of support and excitement? (Thanks Jason Lee.) I want to know your stories.
P.S. One thing that hasn’t left my pocket recently has been my half-frame camera. Double the exposures and simple. To be honest it makes it so easy to just snap a shot and not mind if it comes out. Of course I want it to but I feel like it takes some stress out of it and lets me train my eye in the simplest way. I don’t know why but somehow when it’s low stakes I feel like I have more brain space for it. Or maybe the plastic camera in my hand feels like I’m a kid just out there making frames. Which as it turns out is how a recent photographer discovery I made thinks about it as well. It’s a great way to capture tiny moments during the day and that’s never a bad thing.