This past Sunday I went on a photography walk with the Alcove Photography Club in downtown Calgary. It was a cold morning but clear, which is about as good as March gets here. These group walks have become one of my favourite ways to spend a weekend with a camera.
Why Group Walks Work
The Alcove club runs these walks monthly, and this was the second time I've joined. I could go out and shoot by myself any time. I do, regularly. But there's something about walking with other photographers that changes the way you see things. Someone stops to photograph a detail you walked right past. You end up in conversations about gear, technique, or just life. It's more motivating than solo shooting, and you come back with frames you wouldn't have taken otherwise.
There were about 15 to 20 of us this time. A good mix of film and digital shooters, all skill levels. Nobody's precious about it. You just show up, walk, and take pictures.
The Route
We met at 10am at the Telus Convention Centre. Incidentally, one of my shots is currently on display there as part of an exhibition called "Passing By: Calgary Moments." It's coming down at the end of March, so if you're in the area, be quick if you want to check it out.
From there we walked along Stephen Avenue, which is always reliable for street photography. The storefronts, the foot traffic, the mix of old sandstone and modern glass. Even on a quiet Sunday morning there's enough going on to keep your eye busy.
We headed up Centre Street, then paused at the Bow with that big head sculpture, Wonderland by Jaume Plensa. It's become one of those Calgary landmarks that every photographer has shot at least once, but it still works. The mesh wire catches light differently depending on the time of day, and with a group standing around it there were some interesting compositions to find.
From there we cut through Chinatown and along the river. The pathway along the Bow River is one of the best stretches in the city for photography. You get the water, the bridges, the skyline in the background. In March the light is low and warm even at midday, which helps.
We finished up at Cafe Gravity for coffee and the kind of photography chat that happens when you put a dozen camera nerds around a table. Lens comparisons, film stock debates, someone showing phone edits of what they just shot. Good time.
Shooting Film on the Walk
On this occasion I decided to bring my Hasselblad 500CM loaded with two rolls of HP5. This is not the practical choice for a fast-moving group walk. The 500CM is heavy, fully manual, and you get 12 frames per roll. Every shot is deliberate. But that's also why I like bringing it out for these walks. It forces you to slow down and really look before you press the shutter.
HP5 is a 400-speed black and white stock that handles push processing well, which makes it versatile for a day where the light might change. I've been shooting more black and white lately and finding that it suits Calgary's winter and early spring palette. The city can look a bit flat in colour on overcast days, but in monochrome the textures and tonal range come alive.
I finished both rolls over the course of the morning. Twenty-four frames for a two-hour walk. That's a decent pace for medium format.
Testing My Film Logging App
I've recently developed an app for logging my analogue frames, and this walk was a great opportunity to test it in the field. The idea is simple. Every time I take a shot, I log the frame number, a quick note on the subject, and the exposure settings. When the film comes back from the lab, I can match each negative to the notes and see what worked.
It's something I built for my own workflow, but I think other film photographers would find it useful too. I'll write more about it once I've ironed out the rough edges. For now, it did what it needed to do on Sunday, which is a good start.
In the Meantime
The film won't be ready for another couple of weeks, so I don't have any shots from Sunday to share just yet. In the meantime, here are some photos I took on a previous walk with my Fujifilm GFX 50S II. Different camera, different look, but the same route and the same club. It should give you a feel for what these walks are like.
If you're in Calgary and looking for a low-key photography community, the Alcove Photography Club is worth checking out. No experience required, just bring a camera and show up. You can find them on Instagram for details on the next walk.