There are cameras you learn to master and there are cameras that will always be a little rebellious. I’ve been joining in the fun over at 12 Months on Film on Instagram since January of this year. During the month of June, I was feeling especially playful and decided to switch things up. I pulled my old Instax Mini from the shelf and let the games begin! It’s an adorable little camera.

It’s been years since I’ve shot film with this one and I forgot about how feisty it can be. The Instax Mini always reminds me of my beloved Diana F+ and Diana Mini cameras. Always surprising, never boring. In short, it mostly has a mind of it’s own and I love that about it. I played for the month and, in the end, I’m so happy I did. We spent quite a bit of time in the garden together.

I love the instant film size with the mini. They make cute bookmarks and gift tags! I love the vibrant color when the condition is just right. There’s always a little serendipity in what’s captured!

And then occasionally, when I’m trying very, very hard to make a precise image, this camera will not! I’ll have multiple images that some how are nothing close to what I was going for and, therein lies the magic…the feeling of the image.

A hint of red geraniums in each frame…blurry…off centered…just the feeling of it. I’m instantly transported back to summers on my mother’s front porch heavy with red geraniums bursting from the planters. The smell, the heat, the feeling of the soft petals on my fingers as I helped deadhead old blooms. A wave of nostalgia.

I would have sworn this ice cream cone was lined up in the viewfinder, but alas…the Instax had a better idea. The same goes for the pink coneflower and bee balm in the wildflower area.

This camera will sometimes insist on the flash even though I swear I’ve turned it off. I don’t mind. I look at these images and can smell the woodsmoke and taste the s’mores more deeply.

This afternoon I was certain I’d photographed the most beautiful blue sky with puffy white clouds. I was so certain I tossed the image in my bag and didn’t look until I got home.

A minimalist white frame. Shadows from the pergola. Beauty in the simplicity.

June has been a chaotic and busy month in which I’ve been racing from one thing to the next. What I love about this camera is it’s ability to grab my attention and slow me down. It reminds me that not everything is in my control and that’s ok. It reminds me to breathe and to savor the unexpected; to make room for the serendipity of film magic.

~ Laura