It’s almost been a year since I picked up a Pentax MX and tried my hand at analog photography. I am now on my second Pentax after the first broke down, which means that, after tallying up the costs of development, maintenance, film, and other purchases, each push of the shutter averages out to ~$1.25. If, like me, your hit rate is low, the true cost (after discarding unwanted shots) can run higher. Such math isn’t great, but having to pay for every photo has turned me into a more mindful photographer, not only in terms of subjects, but also through a richer understanding of the camera itself. The randomness of analog can be exciting—you never know what you will get, and sometimes, you don’t have much of a say in what it is.

In a worst-case scenario, with equipment breakdowns and a poor hit rate, a decent photographer “only” spends $5 per shot. That might sound like a lot, but relative to what? Each $5 brings something new into the universe, a snapshot of a time and place which ceases to exist as soon as the photo is taken. Contrast this with a typical $5 spent on consumption, which usually removes things from the world under the guise of addition.

These photos were taken on a Pentax MX in Pittsburgh, Nebraska, Minneapolis, Virginia, New York City, and Los Angeles during the second half of 2025.

You can view my Digital Grunge series here as well as 100s of my best photos over the years.

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ANALOG GRUNGE (2025)

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If you enjoyed Alex Sheremet’s ANALOG GRUNGE, consider supporting our film on a great American poet and get patron-only content on Patreon. This will help the growth of this site, the automachination YouTube channel, and the ArtiFact Podcast. Our video essays include an investigation into the death of American journalist Paul Klebnikov in Moscow, the role of white guilt in American politics, and a history of Liberia and Palestine. You can also follow us on Twitter.

More from Alex Sheremet: DIGITAL GRUNGE: Alex Sheremet’s Cityscapes in 4K, CITYBOY: Bruce Ario’s Great American Novel Is Now Available, Before Palestine, There Was Liberia (Hidden History)