I almost completely stopped using film, and transitioned to digital in 2006. I loved the instant gratification and the amount of creative control I had at my disposal through Photoshop. After all, I was "young and hip" (or at least told myself I was) and digital was the "way of the future". With my Minolta Maxxum tucked away in my desk drawer, I began to broaden my photography horizons, learning more about exposure and shutter speed than my film camera had ever afforded me to (because let's face it, in most cases it's cheaper to shoot digital).
I had all but forgotten about my film camera.
Until the day I caught my then five-year-old son dismantling it in his closet.
I was mortified. The camera that had documented my twenties, and the first 3 years of his life, and been the foundation of my photography journey, in pieces. It had accompanied me on many adventures, documented milestones, and here it was, a sad, sad mess.
I was upset for a little while, and then I moved on. After all, I was hearing rumors that film was being phased out, that companies were no longer producing many stocks, and I had noticed most places that once developed locally were no longer offering film services.
So I continued with digital. I created and learned with the convenience of honing my skills by viewing the results of each effort on an LCD screen. And I sort of felt like I was cheating. I wanted to prove to myself that I didn't need to rely on Photoshop, or playback on the LCD to make good images.
And suddenly, I felt a longing for film.
And so there I was, longing for film- because, after all, it's where I had fallen in love with photography, and it just felt like going home in some way.
For Christmas several years ago, my mom gifted me Nikon F100. I love that I am able to use the lenses from my digital camera (D700), and the button placement is almost identical, making it convenient to switch between cameras. This was the first roll of film shot with that camera, and my wonderfully talented friend, Brooke Bikneris, offered to process and scan them for me, as she was delving into learning the art of film development (which is definitely an art, and destined to be the next adventure of my photographic journey). The roll was fresh, my heart was eager, and the processing was perfect. The following images are the results of that first roll shot, as I re-entered the world of film.
Back roads of Mississippi in December, using the Lensbaby Composer Pro and Sweet 35 Optic
Attempted macro shots of snow on a tree stump, with the Tokina 100 2.8
More back roads in Mississippi, after a rare Mississippi snow
My beautiful Sister in-law
My daughter Lily, she was so little then! These shots were taken with a vintage manual focus Tamron 135 2.8 that I scored on eBay for about $70. I still love it, 4 years later.
My handsome Luke.
I can't believe how much the kids have grown since these were taken.
My momma heart loves this so much!
Stargazer Lily macro, with the Tokina 100 2.8, which is an amazing lens!
I discovered Ilford Hp5 some time around 1999, as my college roommate was taking a photography class and her professor had recommended it. It's still one of my favorite films, with beautiful contrast and flexibility, and depending on how it's shot and processed, with relatively fine grain.
Best part? It doesn't cost a fortune.
Until next time-
xoxo Leah
Technical Details:
Camera: Nikon F100
Film: Ilford Hp5 400 (rated at box speed)
Processing: Brooke Bikneris (in home, scanned on Epson)
Lenses:
Lensbaby Composer Pro+ Sweet 35 Optic
Nikon 50 1.4D
Tamron 135 2.8
Tokina 100 2.8
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