Film Fridays! Top 5 Reasons why I enjoy shooting film!
Today's blog post is aptly named Film Friday.. whether it'll be reoccurring feature.. who knows.. but for now.. I'm going to settle a little matter that is often met with peculiar looks, gasped expressions and curiosity!
so Yes.. I still shoot film!
not all the time.. but I do have an extensive collection of camera's, film.. and lenses.. why let them collect dust!
So while you're still sitting in SHOCK & dismay.. and wondering Why on EARTH would I go shoot film??
There's a few reasons..
1. I started on film.. it was the only thing this child of the 70's knew! I know, I know.. but why go back, when you have a freakin' awesome camera! .. You'd be right. I love my big mama camera but there's a beauty in film.. that digital just don't do justice.
2. It's the process.. you appreciate film, in our microwave, insta-image society.. there's something to be savoured when you shoot off a roll of film.. (Heck, you'll even pull my move of looking at the back of your film camera to see the image.. and then give yourself the BIG L gesture on your forehead.... knowing you can't see the image.
3. Film.. takes me back a step.. I have to pause.. check my settings.. think about the light.. the metering.. I'm limited to one ISO (..that's the speed of the film). Basically, if I'm shooting ISO 400 film.. I need to think about my Fstop's and my Shutter Speed.. and make sure that my meter is reading the light correctly... otherwise I may have images that are lookin' a little sad.
Maui, Pentax , expired film ISO 400
4. You have to take your FILM in.. STOP THE PRESSES!!!
Yes.. I have to drive over to the lab.. and take it in! This may seem tedious and insane to some.. but it's really enjoyable! It becomes a thing.. My social self and I love chatting with the lab staff.. then I have to eagerly wait for the lab to call me.. typically in a couple of days it's ready.. then it's my favourite part..
The SCAN! .. scanning your film into digital files.. (that's a whole other reason.. and will only make my list longer!.. so just take it from me.. Scanning! ...mmmm
5.Printing your images...we forget that our hard drives can become corrupt, that our devices can become obsolote faster than..well film. Film is a tangible.. and oh so real! This is my all time favourite thing about film is going through a stack of images that you have sent off for processing.. or you've developed yourself. Printed images...brings you to the moment of when you took that shot.. you relish in it.. It's not forgotten! Do you remember when you sat through a box of old photos, having stories relayed back of who that was.. the styles of clothing.. I'm a complete nostologia freak.. so yes.. I admit I maybe nuts but I sure do love my prints!
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.. oh, I have a million reasons more..don't think I can stop at just 5 reasons why I enjoy film, it gets my creative juices flowing, it makes me pause and think about what I'm doing.. composing, using funky old filters.. the list goes on. But,I do want to say... if you're parents have an old camera, or you find one on the buy/sell group or at garage sale.... take it out for a test spin.. play with it... shoot off a roll of film.. you'll slow down, you'll pause to think about what you're photographing.. you'll relish the moment.. And once you finish off that roll.. you may find yourself.. reloading that old camera..But, I'll warn you it's addictive!
