Car events were never my main thought when it came to film photography. You used to see most people at car events with digital cameras. The big ol’ zoom lenses and the camera branded straps. It makes sense, film can be intimidating. If you do the process from top to bottom, from shooting, developing and printing. It is a very long and dedicated process. Well, when I formally picked up photography, I was one of them… except for the strap, I never had one of those branded straps. But contrary to what my previous words might sound like, I am not an elitist. Let’s keep it real, shooting digital is cheaper than shooting film.
The Journey
My beginnings with photography were with film. I mean, when I was a kid that’s all there was. I probably had some disposable cameras early in life? And up until 2006 I remember shooting FC Barcelona’s visit to LA on a disposable film camera. At some point after that, in my mid 20’s, I bought a point and shoot digital camera. But photography was never something serious.
My return to film and to photography, was after my Father-in-law let me “borrow” (we all know it is mine now) his old film camera, an AE-1 Program. Flawless. That thing had been stored for a while and still worked like brand new. Since then, I have been using film, with different cameras, for family events and outings but rarely for watch and car photography. My intention, coming back to photography, was to get better at showing cars and watches in social media and mostly here. You see the first galleries I posted here and those were shot with a cellphone. I felt there was a limitation there. But it was probably my brain playing tricks on me making me spend more money on something else. I thought digital was the way to get there.
Film vs. Digital
Film is not better than digital. And digital is not better than film. Both have played a role in my photography journey. Film has taught me to take my time and to learn the exposure triangle better. Shooting a Pentax Spotmatic, or any manual camera can be daunting. You need to either have a Light meter, a Light meter app, or know and trust your instincts and the Sunny 16 rule. There is definitely more physical variables on a film camera, than a digital camera. Digital on the other hand, it gives you as many shots as you can take, depending on your SD card and battery life. Quantity of shots matters. Henri Cartier-Bresson said that the first 10,000 shots are bad.
There has been an increase in people shooting film, and that is great. Although it is definitely, in the long run, the most expensive way to shoot, especially those pricey medium format shots. But there is something about film that might benefit us, photography enthusiasts. Film makes you think about the composition a bit more. In my case because every time I press the shutter button, I know it is an expensive shot hahaha. it might be the nostalgia, the durability of the old gear, or the “look” that film gives. Film is not dead.
Final Thoughts
There is a different challenge in shooting events in film. You cannot see the photo until after you develop the roll. Sometimes the camera might betray you and leak some light, if you are using old cameras. Or like it happened to me, the film might not advance (Expensive-ass blank roll of medium format Lomo 400. See gallery above). I definitely like the challenge of it. Has my photography improved because of it? I believe it has. Whenever possible though, try to carry a digital backup, just in case.
Thanks for stopping by,
DL
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