EP279: Dimensional Memories — Konica Big mini HG BM-300 35mm f3.5 with Kodak UltraMax 400

Roll 279 — two rolls left before heading back to Taiwan

Film: Kodak UltraMax 400
Developed & scanned by DEP Lab 2025/8/5
Camera: Konica Big mini HG BM-300 35mm f3.5

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This was the 15th roll I shot in Chicago. We stayed there for 14 days and ended up shooting 17 rolls in total. Based on experience, I have found it helpful to bring roughly one roll per day when traveling. It is a simple way to estimate how much you will shoot without overthinking it. For medium format, I would double that number. And if you are unsure, adding two extra rolls should be enough.

When traveling, it is easy to feel like everything needs to be photographed. But I do not think things only become meaningful when they are captured on film. Sometimes, the experience itself, and the memory it leaves behind, can be more powerful than we expect.

Memories from childhood or youth do not lose their value just because they were never photographed. What really matters is the intensity of the experience, and how much of yourself you were willing to give to it.

For example, when watching a performance, do you open yourself fully and let the experience take over, or do you stay guarded, constantly checking the viewfinder, unsure whether you should press the shutter?

The more open you are, the deeper the experience becomes. At that point, you may not need to take a photo at all. Because something beyond a flat image, a kind of dimensional memory shaped over time, has already been imprinted in your mind.

In the end, the things that do not matter will fade on their own. And I think that is perfectly fine.

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#1
That day, my brother treated us to a meal. We had some really good fried chicken.

 

#2
At some point, I did not notice that the lens on my Big mini had become dirty. The images ended up looking a bit like those taken with a smudged phone camera.

 

#3
During our time in Chicago, we stayed at my brother’s place. The room we slept in had a large, heavy, vertically sliding window. In front of it was a wide window ledge, something I had never really seen in Taiwan. It is exactly what you see in the frame. Because it sits right where the sunlight first enters, anything placed there looks surprisingly beautiful. There is something about that first layer of light.

 

#4
Streetlights in the US are incredibly tall. I sometimes wonder if that is a way to reduce how many are needed.

 

#5
This was an outdoor day. We went to Go Ape, a place where you can climb and move through the trees. It was a lot of fun.

 

#6
The height is about two to three stories. Falling would definitely mean a broken bone, but the safety system is well designed, with ropes keeping you secure.

 

#7
My legs kept shaking. At least, mine did.

 

#8
Staff helping my son with his gear.

 

#9
A note of the date. August 1, 2025.

 

#10
A massive net. If something like this existed in parks in Taiwan, kids would probably go crazy for it.

 

#11
Tried Aquafina in Chicago. Surprisingly good bottled water.

 

#12
After the outdoor activities, we had lunch at a nearby small mall. We randomly walked into a ramen place called Shark.

 

#13
“Shark Ramen.” A very American name.

 

#14
The ramen itself.

 

#15
In Chicago, misuse of accessibility resources is taken seriously. Parking in a disabled spot can result in a $350 fine, roughly equivalent to 11,000 NTD.

 

#16
It was a bit hot, so we got some ice cream. Something about this sign feels very American.

 

#17
Free time at a park near home.

 

#18
A quick test. Using the Konica Big mini HG BM-300 for a selfie… can it capture nose hair?

This is the full set from this roll, shot with the Konica Big mini HG BM-300 and Kodak UltraMax 400. Thank you for viewing.