I’ve lived in this home, in this village, for 23 years now. While part of my heart will always feel like I belong in the city where I grew up, this is home. This is where we raised our children. We have had pets come and go. We have been through hard times and good times.

In February, I set my digital camera to create only black and white images. While I was doing that, I thought it might be fun to try using monochrome film in my Instax square camera. I didn’t get around to using it that month, but in March, the Develop with Light community‘s theme was Home, and I decided to limit myself to photographing home with instax monochrome film.

“It will be easy!” I thought, forgetting that I had rarely used this camera; that it, like most instant film cameras has paralax issues (what you see through the viewfinder is not what you get and you can forget the Wes Anderson symmetry you may have been imaging); that I had just 20 pieces of film; and that I lean more toward longer lenses and closer proximity and shallower depth of field, which is the opposite of this camera.

Reader, it was not easy! I had nine shots in mind, thinking they’d look nice in three rows of three. In between rainy, snowy, and gloomy days I went out several times and only managed to come home with a few photos that I like, more that I just tolerate and a whole lot of discards.

Please don’t look too closely at the differences in white balance and brightness — I’m also still figuring out the best way to digitize these and edit them once they are on my phone or computer

So many discards.

This is a work in progress. I’ve ordered more film. I’ll keep taking photos. I’ll get that ninth photo and replace the ones I’m meh about with ones Iike better. Maybe I’ll share again once I feel satisfied. I’m hoping I learn something about photography or at least about how to use this camera while I try.