Okay, so, I’ve been meaning to get back into film photography for, like, forever. It’s just something about the whole process that I find super satisfying. So, I finally decided, “Screw it, let’s do this!” and dusted off my old film camera.
Getting Started (Again)
First thing I did was check if the camera was even working. I mean, it had been sitting in a box for years. Luckily, I found some batteries, popped them in, and… the shutter clicked! Success! At least, I thought it was a success. We’ll get to that later…
Next, I needed film. Obviously. I went online and grabbed a few rolls of my all time favourite film, that’s a classic for a reason, you know? I also picked up a couple of rolls of black and white, because, why not experiment a little, right?
The Actual Shooting
This is where the fun (and the frustration) began. I loaded up a roll of the color film – and I swear, it felt like I was fumbling around in the dark, even though I’ve done it a million times before. Got it in, though!
Then, I just started walking around my neighborhood. It’s amazing how different things look when you’re actually thinking about the shot, you know? With digital, you can just snap away, but with film, every shot costs money, so you gotta make it count. I was trying to be all artsy, focusing on light and shadows, interesting textures, that sort of thing.
- I spent a good hour just wandering around, looking for cool stuff to photograph.
- I tried to get a shot of this stray cat, but it kept moving. Blurry mess, I’m sure.
- I found this amazing old brick wall with ivy growing all over it – that one might be good.
- I took a picture through my car’s side mirror, and I had to do some serious acrobatics to get the angle.
The Waiting Game (and a Minor Panic)
After I finished the roll, that’s when the real waiting started. I took the film to my local shop, the only place around here that still develops it. And then… I waited. And waited. It took, like, a week! The anticipation was killing me.
While I was waiting, I started second-guessing myself. Did I even load the film right? Did I mess up the exposure on every single shot? Classic *, after waiting for what felt like an eternity, I went to get the roll developed.
The Results (and a Lesson Learned)
Finally, I got the prints back. And… well, let’s just say it was a mixed bag. Some of them were actually pretty good! The colors were amazing, that vintage look I was going for. But some of them… oof. Totally underexposed. Like, black. Completely black. I guess the light meter on the camera is not reliable as I thought.
So, yeah, I learned a valuable lesson: always double-check your settings, and maybe invest in a light meter. But even with the duds, I’m still hooked. I’ve already loaded up another roll, and I’m ready to go again. It’s just something about the whole process, the anticipation, the surprise… it’s just way more fun than digital, in my opinion. Might try some black and white film next time!
