film

    I often get asked why I shoot with film, after all I own a nice expensive camera. Why bother? It's hard to explain to someone who has never experimented with film why I love it so much. Or maybe someone who has used film. Maybe it's personal.  What I can say is that there is something magical about film. Whether you shooting photoshoots, your crazy friends, or just a simple scenery at a family vacation. Once you shoot your roll of film you go get it developed and you can hold them in you hands. Unlike digital these pictures won't get lost in cyberspace. 

     There is something very personal with film. If you allow it to be. They can be locked away in your drawer or tucked neatly into an album. There is nothing secret or bad you're trying to hide. But they are almost like memories. I'm sure some of you think digital can be memories also, and you're right. But, film is different. 

     For me I shoot film during the summer, when I'm most happy. I don't have to worry about school or drama or anything. I don't have test to study for or projects to get done. I can relax and be a kid. And I think that carefree happiness translates through my work. When I get much older I will have these pictures to look back on and take me back in time to these summers. I see them as mini time transporters. 

     Film also carries a simplicity to its pictures. First off I do not have to worry about retaking, because you can not see the pictures you took until they get developed. Second you do not have to worry about editing and getting everything perfect. Most times you will see photographers say "SOOC" which stands for straight out of camera. With film everything is "sooc". They are just raw shots. and there is something special about that.

 

     I have to be careful when I get my rolls developed because they will usually throw away the shoots that aren't usually accepted. Like the two above. If I hadn't said anything they would have been discarded. I find the both of them to be beautiful. I love light leaks because they are random and you don't know which pictures it will happen to, if any at all. 

     My last trip to Hawaii I only shot with film. For the very reasons I've been talking about. I did not want to deal with my 365 or trying to adjust my settings to match the bright sun light on the beach. I didn't want to worry about trying to get my brothers to be models and rigging up some make shift photoshoot to fill a spot. I honestly just wanted to say screw the canon. It's heavy. I didn't want it around my neck, or weighing down my bag. I wanted to wake up and go swimming, build sand castles, and look for shells. And most of all enjoy myself. So that's what I did.

 

     I haven't decided whether I'm going to shoot film once the school year starts or not. I probably will because I have got much more into it this summer than last. If you enjoy photography or even if you have never tried it I would suggest you go and get a simple film camera and give it a shot. 

xx austin