BENNI

you're out in a field with a camera and one roll. things show up: deer, birds, planes, a fish if you're lucky. take their picture before the light goes.

1. aim drag · w a s d · space

   drag the field around, or look around with w a s d. space takes the picture. thirteen frames, so wait for something worth one. it looks better sitting on a line than dead center.

2. aperture ↑ · ↓

   the f-number is the size of the hole the light comes through. f/2 is a big hole: lots of light, and only the thing you're looking at stays sharp. the rest goes soft. f/16 is a pinhole: not much light, but near and far are both sharp.

3. shutter ← · →

   how long the film gets to look. 1/1000 is a blink: it freezes a jumping fish, but lets in very little light. 1/8 lets in plenty, and anything moving smears into a streak. fireflies and shooting stars like a slow one. everything else, not so much.

4. too darkgoodtoo bright

   the meter the needle

   the needle at the bottom of the viewfinder says if there's enough light. green is good, shoot. yellow still prints fine. red is trouble: too dark comes out thin, then mud. too dark? open the aperture or slow the shutter.

5. goldenbluedark

   film 100 · 400 · 800

   pick it before you start. 100 wants sun. 800 sees in the dark but comes out grainy. 400 is the middle. the light drops the whole time, so you'll be opening up and slowing down as it goes.

6. after darkroom · notes

   when the roll's done it goes in the soup. keep up to four, say what's in each one, write a line under it. you get a contact sheet to keep.