One week of Shooting Film
First Published July 12, 2018
I am sure you can tell from my last post that I became a big fan of shooting film. The reasoning being, it got me excited to get out of the house and start shooting again on the daily. That’s all I needed to know before purchasing my first film camera!
I decided on the Nikon FM2(1982) with the 28mm F3.5. I may write another blog post on my experience with this setup, but for now, it’s a great performer on the streets. Minus the fact that when I shoot, I try to be stealthy and not disturb the scene I am trying to capture. However, when you hit that shutter button to take the photo, it's as loud as clap in church. You immediately get looks from anyone in a 10-foot radius. Which took some time to get used to.
Besides,This would be the most optimal time to get into shooting film as well, as I am trying to push my photography to the next level and I just so happen to be in Japan, which has the best reputations in buying used film cameras in excellent condition.
So let’s talk about what I’ve learnt after a week of film.
It has increased my confidence in my craft and reignited my passion for photography again. This is where I feel most people struggle to express what it feels like to shoot with film, but it's addictive. It makes you brave and wants to take a different approach in making photos. It also feels like your sense heightens when working with a number of different variables you have to take into consideration,(focus, film speed, camera settings, anticipating the scene,etc.). It breaks that spray and prays mentality and positions you to act with more intention. I also embrace the fact that I only have 36 exposures in a single role. I've got to make every one of those shots count.
I started to see and envision my images differently as I am not approaching them with more calculation. Technical/creative skills are brought right to the front of the line, I get closer to my subjects and I've become somewhat fearless. Maybe because I feel more connected to my subject matter or is it that I am not looking at my screen and I can actually make eye contact, smile and thank them for the photo. It feels like my mind has rewired in a way. Something that makes you want to explore that feeling even more.
Experimenting with different films is the definition of me being a kid in a candy store, It's what drew me into shooting film the most. If you know anything about me, I am obsessed with colours in my images and I often stylize them with film type moods thanks to VSCO presets. So finding a film that was closest to my style has been a great reason to shoot more, but it’s seriously starting to get expensive. I’ve found that film can range anywhere from $5 - $20+ a roll.
There is a fine balance of adjusting your settings from instincts and shooting that fleeting moment. There is very little room for error and you'll never know until you develop that roll of film, so you better out there making photos on your A game. Some of my results have turned out less than desirable being too dark, out of focus or being too slow trying to nail the focus. It truly burns when you don’t get the results you want, but it only encourages you to become more comfortable with your gear. The camera should never get in the way of you making that image.
The excitement of seeing the results you after shooting. I believe I am my own worse critic and after taking a photo with a digital camera, I’ll quickly look at the screen and discount the image I had just made. After waiting a week to see my images, I was able to appreciate the photos I had taken significantly. It felt way more rewarding to look at each frame and take in the atmosphere and look at all the details. What I have now started to do when shooting digital is looking at my images I’ve taken days later. I’ll resist the urge to look at the LCD screen and wait till I fill the memory card up (64GB) before I review them.
The list can go on about what I’ve learnt from shooting film, but those were the most noteworthy take away for me. It’s been a healthy challenge where I’ve discovered a lot and have advanced my photography skills one way or another. I would absolutely recommend anyone who wants to take their photography serious to try shoot film for a week.
