The July 2017 edition of the #summerfilmparty comes to a colorful, patriotic, end with a nice roll of FPP RetroChrome 320 (now, after further testing, known as FPP RetroChrome 400).
I went to the parade with an extra roll of slide film in my pocket, intending to feed it to the first camera to go empty. Well, the FE, and 35mm f/2 D, was the recipient, and it did a nice job, overall.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.jamescockroft.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170708-190525-4th-Parade-summerfilmparty-Random-©JamesECockroft-4105-1.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1)
It came out a bit grainy… I really need to re-up my E6 chemicals. I think time has caught up with them, and I did manage to get 10 rolls through this batch, mixed on 8/1/2016. I developed this roll, and the roll from the Sprocket Rocket, on 7/14, so they “lasted” a year… but were really probably done back in November or December.
After my disappointment on Expired Film Day, and further testing during the first #summerfilmparty, I decided to try something with these: after the blix step, instead of going straight to wash, I rinsed and then ran the film through some Ilford Fixer (which probably also needs refreshing, but that’s another story) for 8 minutes. I think it tamed the grain a little bit, but this roll of RetroChrome is a good bit grainier than my first roll. Oh well. I have 4 rolls of slide film in the fridge: another RetroChrome and three rolls of FPP Infrachrome, one of which might get shot for the August edition of the #summerfilmparty, though only Allah knows for sure.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.jamescockroft.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170708-190521-4th-Parade-summerfilmparty-Random-©JamesECockroft-4104.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1)
The parade wound down, as all parades do, and Hana and I walked up to Heritage Park, where the City provided some watermelon for everyone, and a country/blues/eh band was starting up. We ate a bit of watermelon and spat seeds on the ground with some fellow residents, and then started back to the car.
Sadly, I was too busy munching watermelon to shoot anything, so here’s a picture of some fellow citizens at the parade.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.jamescockroft.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170708-190428-4th-Parade-summerfilmparty-Random-©JamesECockroft-4102.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1)
On the way back, we found the flag-lined sidewalk pictured at the top of the page, and I took what I hoped would be a good picture of my darling, adorable wife. Sadly, between the grain and the dynamic range in the scene, she came out less than clear.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.jamescockroft.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170708-190644-4th-Parade-summerfilmparty-Random-©JamesECockroft-4108.jpg?resize=500%2C750&ssl=1)
I have to believe that fresh chemicals would led to a cleaner result. Oh well. Let this be a lesson to me: use E6 chemicals quickly and if a roll is important, send it off to one of the small mail order film developers.
I grabbed a hip shot of a mother and son, and took a few random shots on the way back to the car, and that was it for the 4th.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.jamescockroft.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170708-190649-4th-Parade-summerfilmparty-Random-©JamesECockroft-4109.jpg?resize=500%2C750&ssl=1)
I like his glasses.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.jamescockroft.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170708-190755-4th-Parade-summerfilmparty-Random-©JamesECockroft-4113.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1)
And I like the color in this… the grain is too much, though.
And then it was back to work, back to the usual. I grabbed one quick shot out the window at work…
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.jamescockroft.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170708-190903-4th-Parade-summerfilmparty-Random-©JamesECockroft-4119.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1)
but otherwise didn’t pull the camera out again until late on the last day, when I drug my darling, adorable wife out for a quick walk.
The light was great, and the bit of brown cast typical of the RetroChrome works well at Golden Hour (to be said with the Tina Turner drawl).
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.jamescockroft.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170708-190811-4th-Parade-summerfilmparty-Random-©JamesECockroft-4117.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1)
And that, as they say, was the end of round two of the #summerfilmparty. Overall, it was good fun, and if you’re a film shooter, have a read through the rules, get connected on Twitter, and get ready for the last #summerfilmparty shoot week, August 7-13.
I’m already looking in my stashes to see what I have that qualifies…