Amateur Photographer - UK (2020-02-22)

subscribe 0330 333 1113I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI 22 February 2020 31

TODAY’S FILM PHOTOGRAPHERS

Quicktipstostart

shootingfilm

1

Youcan’thidewhenshootingfilm.

Everythingwillappearonthe

contactsheetorPolaroid.

2

Filmmaybeexpensivebutlike

anyluxury,youhavetomake

sacrifices.Consideryourshots

carefullybeforetakingthem,plan

aheadbutdon’tletit become

disabling!If it does,justdo it and

embraceanymishaps.

3

Trydifferentcameras,getto

knowthem– don’tdiscardthem

if theresultsweren’t exactly what you

wereexpecting.

4

Involveyoursubjectin the

processof shootingfilm, make it

a sharedexperience.

5

Exploretheprintingsideof film

photography,getin thedarkroom

andletyourimaginationrunriot.

6

Investin goodfilmstock,tryto

keepyourchoiceconsistent

andrevelin theglorious latitude that

filmprovides.

7

Stopdown;depthof fieldon

35mmfilmcamerasis shallower

thandigitalAPS-Cor Micro Four

Thirdscameras.

8

Checkin cameraexposures

againstanexternallightmeter.

Remember,youwon’tbeabletorely

onmetadatasotakenotesof your

settings.Builda relationship with a

filmprocessinglab.

9

Finally,takea momentto

appreciatethesensationof

windingonthefilm– film

photographyis a choice; love, learn

and always have fun.

Right:A wedding

couplebyNaomi

Goggin

mewasspendinghoursasa kid
rummagingthroughmyfamily
photoalbums.’
Naomiinitiallyshotherclient
weddingsondigital.‘I’dbeendoing
weddingsforthreeyears.AllalongI
likedtheideaofshootingfilmat
weddings.I thinkit suiteda
weddingbutI wastoonervousto
suggestit.I thoughtit wouldbetoo
riskywithallthethingsthatcould
gowrong.’Afteroneclientaskedfor
film, Naomi now always offers it.

Around95%ofherclientswantan

elementoffilmphotography

included,whichhasitschallenges:

‘Youonlyhave 36 exposuresona

35mmrollsowhenit’scomingupto

thechurchceremony,youwantto

changeyourfilmattherighttimeso

youhaveenoughforeachsituation.’

It’salsoa lotheaviershootingboth

filmanddigital.Sheshoots

weddingswithtwoNikon35mm

filmcameras(oneloadedwithcolour

KodakPortra400,onewithKodak

Tri-X 400 BlackandWhite,often

pushedtoISO 1600 or3200)and

oneCanonEOS5DMarkIII(witha

back-upbody).Sheoftenaddsat

leastoneotherfilmcameraintothe

mix– thischangesastowhatshe

happenstoownorbeborrowing,

whichhaveincludeda Holga,a

PlaubelMakina67,Rolleiflex

2.8/3.5andHasselblad500cm.

Asmoreclientsarewantingfilm,

moreweddingphotographersare

bringingit intotheirpractice.‘I

triedtoreplicatefilmwithdigital

butthere’sjusta differentqualityto

both.I thinkfora longtimedigital

wastryingtobeasgoodasfilmand

nowit’sjustgonedowna different

route.It’slikecomparing

watercoloursandoils,they’re

differentmediumsthatreact

differently.InsomesituationsI can

getquitesimilarresultsbutothers

not.Withdigital,sometimespeople

area bitliteralwithwhatthey’re

photographingandnotmore

representative.A blurredfilm

pictureofa brideorflowergirlis

stilla brideora flowergirl,it’s

moreaboutthatimageasa

memoryandsymboloftheday.

Filmbringsa differentfocus,I shoot

withmyheartmore. I look that

little bit closer.’

© EMMA CASE

© NAOMI GOGGIN