Recently I came to own this beautiful Canon EOS 3000 SLR camera (top), which was one of the best on the market it its day (circa 1999). How much has changed in the last 17 years, now this dated piece of gear sells for a mere $50.00 in today’s second hand market.
But I see the potential, and I like to learn new skills, plus shooting on film has always interested me. So without hesitation I bought a roll of black and white film and a couple of batteries, then set about learning all there is to know about the ancient wonders of film photography.
I found pretty quickly that it takes a new mind-set, as well as an infinite amount of patience when it comes to film. Choosing your subject, positioning yourself for the perfect angle, adjusting the camera’s extensive settings, achieving correct exposure, manually setting the focus, and of course repeating this entire process numerous times, are all steps involved just to shoot a single frame. After all, there is no way to review your work until after the film has been used and developed, and by then it is too late to make any changes. I learnt very quickly that it is a meticulous process to make sure every shot counts, and I never press the shutter unless I’m 100% confident in the picture.
My goal is to take one shot on film each day, and have the film developed at the end of the month. I’m excited to look back over each shot and remember the details of when and where it was taken, and the story behind it.
In an age where almost everyone has access to a camera: whether it’s their cell phone or point-and-shoot, right up to a professional DSLR shooting 10+ fps; it’s a funny feeling how this project slows down the day a little for that moment in time when I’m taking the shot, conscious and careful not to waste a single frame.
I will share the developed images on my website in the near future, so keep an eye out over on hxlmes.co.nz
