Film. It sounds so romantic doesn’t it? True, I’ve been shooting digital since I began my photography journey last year (man it seems like a lot longer ago than that). BUT! I found my hubby’s old SLR film camera in the P Street basement and it’s been a love affair ever since. He was quick to remind me (on multiple occasions) that this was HIS camera. Since middle school. For the math nerds out there that was over 25 years ago. His precious baby that he took to Paris with him on a learning abroad trip. I was instructed to be super careful with it and love it as much as he did. No prob. Well wait…there were a few problems. Firstly, I didn’t know how to shoot film. It’s much different than shooting digital. Then there was the problem with focus. NO AUTOFOCUS? This is no problem with non moving subjects but I’ve been blessed with a 3 year old, an almost 2 year old, and a wild golden retriever ALL of whom never stay still. Ever.
So herein begins my challenge and my journey into being a film shooter.
What is a blog circle? Some “filmie” friends and I chose to help each other on our journeys and share our work in blog land together as a “circle” of blog posts all leading to someone else’s work. Thank you to my CM ladies and our film circle for tutoring me, encouraging me, critiquing me, and most of all inspiring me. I don’t belong in the same circle as you amazingly, talented ladies but I will happily stay until my film work is respectable. It may take a while. At least I am stepping away from pixel city into the tangible history of what photography was built on.
A few BWs from my first role ever shot (Ok so the first one was taken with digital but it was a reminder of the pure awesomeness that is a film negative backlit in your hands).
Isn’t she gorgeous? The actual film I mean. Go try to touch a pixel like that! Impossible.
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HP5 on a Canon AE1 with 50 1.8. No edits.
The grain and dust specs just make film so real and raw.
Lake Tahoe on a dreary day.
French Meadows. Losing another one to “Slip Rock”.
Thought I’d give color film a shot. All Portra 400 rated at box speed (overexposed using the camera’s meter 1-2 stops). Canon AE1 with 50 1.8. Happiest place on Earth.
A few from CM girls’ trip to Pajaro Dunes.
Somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
Still Portra 400. Pismo Beach. I let hubby actually hold “his” camera and I got in a shot. Score, score!
The following Portra 400 desaturated. No other edits. Same gear. Well duh! That’s all I got.
Sorry for the overshare. To continue this film circle, PLEASE come check out Brandy Jagger’s work here. She is simply amazing and actually knows what she’s doing with her film so don’t miss her post! Be back in December with another film circle share!
