life in analog
Apr 20, 2022
When the pandemic hit two years ago, a friend of mine who also happens to be a photographer, started shooting and developing his own film. As it turns out, he wasn't the only one - while some people were perfecting their sourdough, others were buying film and perfecting their home darkrooms.
He's still shooting and developing his own film two years later. After seeing many of his photographs and lots of conversations about different films and chemistries, I finally caved to subtle peer pressure, bought a vintage point-and-shoot camera for $7 at an estate sale, loaded it up with a roll of Kodak Portra, and went out to play. It was fun, and I got a few cool images, but I wasn't really driven to do more... until I was getting ready to travel to Rome.
A couple of days before my departure, my friend reminded me that single-use point and shoot cameras were back in vogue. You remember those, right? The fun little disposable cameras you'd grab in Walgreens, in the 90s, that usually came loaded with Kodak Gold? (I know I shot my own fair share of those...)
My friends, those fun little cameras are back. But cooler... as in, Kodak Tri-X cool. Ilford HP4 and HP5 cool. Sexy black and white films in disposable cameras, very cool.
So I hopped on Amazon and bought two, gambling that at least one would make it in time for my trip.
They both did. So they both went along for the trip.
I love digital technology, and I love my Sony mirrorless cameras more than any other digital cameras I've ever owned. They're amazing. The dynamic range is mind-blowing, the low-light, high-ISO performance is fantastic, and the sensor-based image stabilization is exceptional. Peeps, I have HAND HELD photos at 1/4 sec shutter speeds, and they've come out sharp. That's insane! And for the majority of my work, I wouldn't trade digital for the world.
But film... film is a different beast - and shooting a disposable camera that allows no control over aperture or shutter speed, is practically an act of faith when you're used to controlling every tiny detail from behind the lens of a powerful digital camera. No, with a disposable camera, you point, and you shoot, and you hope for the best (and you stick to daylight).
There is some freedom in that lack of control. You're suddenly absolved from having to care about those tiny details. The only thing you have to do is look for an interesting shot - even though you really have no idea how it will come out in the end.
This week's photo is one of those. On my last afternoon in Rome, walking towards St. Peter's Basilica near sunset, the sun and shadows playing, casting shadows, glinting off cobblestones... I knew this photograph was a chance I had to take.
When I looked at the entire set of images after they were developed, this was the first one that stuck out to me - and I sat and cried. Everything about it, the grain, the light, the shadows, felt right. I always say I've done my job as a photographer if someone viewing one of my photographs feels like they were there, in that place, the moment it was created.
When I looked at this image, I was instantly transported back to that moment. I hope you feel that moment, too.
More next time ;)