Once upon a time I was gifted a beat-up old Honeywell Pentax SLR and started taking photos. Occasionally there was a plan, a project — like with the river cats and the poets — but mostly I just shot whatever looked interesting. Over time it piled up into a loose collection of places, people, and random details that caught my eye. Some shots feel intentional, some are happy accidents, most sit somewhere in between. No grand story — just a buncha photos that ended up here.

Now I’ve got a phone that takes pictures. Incredible. But sometimes I miss the old 35mm — the heft, the chunky feel of the camera in my hands. Setting the f-stop, finding the focus, hearing the shutter click. The little rituals of getting it just right — or messing it up entirely — gave every shot a weight the phone can’t replicate. And you never really knew what you had until you developed the film. But as much as I miss it, there’s no going back. These days, point, click, done. Fast, convenient, a little magical in its own way.