SantaColor 100: From Aerial Surveillance to Art – A Winter's Bike Ride to the George Washington Bridge

On a rare sunny winter day in New York City, I embarked on a long-anticipated bike ride to the George Washington Bridge, armed with my Voigtländer camera and two distinct film stocks—Kodak Ektar 100, known for its rich, warm tones, and SantaColor 100, a repurposed Kodak Aero film designed for aerial reconnaissance and clarity over aesthetics. The journey, filled with breathtaking contrasts of snow and steel, was a testament to endurance and adaptation. Along the way, I captured cityscapes from a ferry, navigated freezing paths, and relished a warm meal in the Bronx—only to face an unexpected setback when my vintage Leica Summicron 50mm lens slipped from my numbed fingers onto the cold asphalt. The frustration of that moment forced me to reconsider my approach to gear, leading me to invest in the rugged, weatherproof Canon Sure Shot WP-1, a smarter companion for my cycling adventures. This ride reinforced a lesson in photography and life: creativity thrives on resilience, and the right tools can shape the experience as much as the images themselves. Get full access to Camera Clara at www.cameraclara.com/subscribe