a dabbling in film

In Film
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This spring I started in on the #100dayproject with an attempt to shoot some film every day for the span of the 100 days. I’ve missed a few here and there, but have certainly shot a lot more film than I do on a regular basis. Now, this amazing collaborative is chock full of some pretty incredible and dedicated film shooters. I, very much by and large, am not one of them. I think digital is straight up the bee’s knees, and I don’t think I’ll ever be one of those who leaves my d750, my mirrorless, my phone. Digital has in so many ways brought me to where I am as a photographer. BUT (of course there’s a but), the merits of film are so so many. For me, the biggest piece is that it makes me slow down and really consider each frame. I love the challenge of shooting film, the tricks of remembering just which roll was in which camera and when, the excitement of getting those scans back and seeing if you managed to have at least a handful of keepers from those rolls you sent in so long ago.

I got a few rolls back recently, and was pleasantly surprised! Some were rolls that had been in the bottom of my husband’s uncle’s old camera bag from who knows how long ago, some of it had been lurking in the back of my fridge (along with so many good intentions) for … a while.

I’m hoping to keep on shooting through the end of the project, and maybe even beyond. Just up my film game a bit. It’s funny, really, because I was pretty dang good on my old AE-1, but a big difference is that my main subjects have changed since I was shooting plants and my friends in high school. My four year old and one year old are FAST. Hooee. The slow, meditative, contemplative intent of film is certainly put to a challenge with these two rascals as my subjects. All the more reason to keep on shooting, right?

All the best,
Alison

3 Comments

  1. These are absolutely gorgeous moments from your life. And the magic of film shines in images such as these – where the story is everything. I’m just dabbling in film, too – but pictures like these make me want to try harder and do more.

  2. Alison, this are so good. I love the slowing down part too, especially when your subjects are so adorable, and grow way too fast.

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