2016+

Coming up to 3 years of shooting film, I am looking forward to what the new year will bring. Currently planning another trip o'seas. Back to Europe, starting in Vienna, then onto Munich, Berlin and Scandinavia. Finishing off with a small piece of Russia, Poland and back to Berlin. Final route to be finalised.

I travel for the experience, different cultures, languages, human experience, scenery, food. The rich history and architecture too. An experience collector. Armed with a bag of film and film camera or 3. In colour and black & white. Most likely heading o'seas in 2017. Between now and then, some smaller projects. Maybe some local travel. And of course some exhibitions between now and the end of next year (check out my events page here). An opportunity to meet new people, discuss, maybe even learn something. And of course drinks and laughs.

My goal in the next 5-10 years is to continue to do a lot of travel. So far 13 countries, my next trip will add another 10 or so. Covering most of Europe. After that? I am not sure yet. 

I am also keen on exploring other film camera types, next up will most likely be medium format. A Hasselblad or Pentax. Opening new possibilities of creative endeavour, keeping my creative flow going. New ideas, new techniques, a slightly different point of view based on how the camera reacts to a scene / how I compose the photograph. Shooting medium reduces the amount of photographs per roll from 36/24 to 12/10 depending upon the camera chosen. Slowing me down a bit more, taking the time to consider more carefully each frame.

Then onto large format, perhaps a Speed Graphic, a 1930s press camera. With either the standard sheet film back (hard) or polaroid (easy). Again, a new approach, a new 'look', Don't even get me started on how this all compares to digital. It doesn't even come close. Film cameras date back to the 1800s. About 150 years of development. So many types, formats, lenses, film stocks. So raw, so very different to digital. Not necessarily better, but certainly very very different. And that is the main reason for choosing film.

Let the journey continue.

#TheCreatorClass

I am pleased to announce that I am part of #TheCreatorClass community :) A Community for Creators, by Creators. I look forward to collaborating, the journey and the end result of what is about to shift in my creative life. 

Back in the olden days when I shot digital. A turn in direction lead me to the wonders of analogue photography. Obsessed with light, reflection and form. I hope to create something a little different from my own perspective. Blending technique with the sometimes random affects of a chemical / physical process that is film, the end result? Amazing. 

"A MOVEMENT IN THE MAKING. The Creator Class is a creativity lifestyle channel for those who share their passions for a living. Anchored on YouTube and Instagram, the channel shares the lives, ambitions, and craft of leading content creatives in Music, Style, Adventure, Arts, and Culture. True to the channel’s collaborative premise, all programming is made for Creators, by Creators."

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Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

Technique & Approach #10

Pushing film.

Recently I traveled to Europe (you may have heard) and there were a few situations where I pushed my film. By that I mean, instead of setting my camera to the speed (or ISO / ASA setting) of for example 800, I pushed it to 1600. Let me explain, ISO or film speed is the level of sensitivity or rating a film has. Works in a similar fashion to digital, except it's electronic with digital and chemical with film.

Cinestill 800t, is a perfect match for night time photography with lots of artificial, tungsten or fluorescent lighting. 800t is actually white balanced to tungsten light, whereas most other films are balanced to sun light.

Pushing the film from 800 to 1600 allowed me to shoot at a higher shutter speed, minimising (not completely) camera shake and producing blurry photos. The processing time of the film has to be adjusted to suit how many stops the film has been pushed. For example 100 speed film might get pushed from 100 to 800, which is 3 stops of exposure. 100, then 200 (1st), 400 (2nd) and then finally 800 being the 3rd stop. A stop is essentially an adjustment of exposure. Again, working in a similar fashion to digital.

*Please note that learning about the basics of ISO, shutter speed, aperture would give you a better understanding of the different stop instances.

Casino De Monte Carlo, Cinestill 800t, Canon A1. Aug 2015