Adelaide Photographers: Film Friday # 1

I have recently ventured into the land of professional colour film. And what a glorious land it is!

I cannot tell you just how much this is stretching me as a photographer. I am learning to be far more careful with composition, and to get my settings right in camera. I am paying more attention to horizontal lines, and to the set up of a shot before I have taken it.

After purchasing a roll of film for $20, and then paying over $20 to have it professionally processed and scanned to disc, it means that each exposure costs me just over $1 – just to click my shutter button.

I first learnt to shoot on a digital SLR – and quickly fell into a habit of overshooting. I knew I could fix minor things in photoshop. I can straighten horizons, I can brighten teeth, I can take 1,000,000 shots of the same thing if I like, just to be able to pick the best shot.

I am thankful to film for bringing me back to the heart of photograph making, in a way. And I feel inspired all over again.

These are some shots from my most recent attempt at working with professional colour negative film.

Film: Fujicolor pro 400H
Camera: Canon eos 500N
Lens: Canon 50mmL f1.2
Settings: various SS and aperture – but mostly shot at +1 or +2 stops

Location: Marino Rocks, South Australia. Just after sunset – 5.00 to 5.30pm.

I really like the tones that film naturally produces – so much depth.

I would like to continue to share other work I produce using film – and will dedicate what will hopefully be a regular slot on a Friday (though not strictly every single Friday) – to ‘Film Fridays’.

This marks the first of hopefully many Friday posts – all centered on my journey of shooting film.

Thank you for following along, and do feel free to leave me feedback – I’d love to read what you think!

x jessica