Why Film?
(because it’s fun)
Over the past 10+ years, film has managed to always find a way into my workflow and camera bag. What started as a “what if,” for one show, and then a lifesaver when a digital camera died at another, has now become a staple of my work. Medium format, 35mm, color, black and white, reversal (slide) films, I’ve tried a lot of equipment and honed in on what I like.
I still will often take a hybrid approach, bringing a digital camera along (or a film camera along if the digital images are going to be the primary objective for the day, because sometimes that is just how it is).
But, back to film.
Ask me to tell you what it is I like about it, and you’re likely to find yourself on the receiving end of a ramble about image character/rendering, the process, changes in perspective, a different approach, etc. The cameras and lenses I love all have their own subtleties and quirks.
I don’t know if I ever intended to love film photography as much as I do today when I picked up my first medium format camera 10+ years ago, but here I am.
Questions, meet answers:
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I use a combination of 35mm and medium format cameras. Over the years, I've found what works for my style, and what doesn't. For 35mm, I use a Canon EOS 3, a predecessor of today's DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, that lets me use modern autofocus lenses in a film application, I also use a small pocketable point and shoot that is just a fun camera to use.
For medium format, I have, unfortunately for my back and shoulders, grown to love the 6x7cm format. These cameras, while massive, create some of the most stunning images, and some of my all time personal favorites were created on these cameras. Their negatives are almost 5x larger in area than that of a 35mm negative and carry an immense amount of detail. For these cameras, I use a collection of Pentax 67s and Mamiya RB and RZ67s, depending on what I'm covering.
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I can deliver edited scans within 5 days of coverage, sometimes sooner.
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My preferred films are Kodak Tri-X, Portra 400 and 800, Ilford Delta 100 and 3200, and Cinestill 800T. The film I choose to use is often dependent upon the light, the weather, what is being photographed, and the look I am going for.
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I use both 35mm and medium format (120) film formats. The medium format photos are 6x7cm, almost 5 times as large as a 35mm negative.
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I always work with professional film labs, most often, I work with Indie Film Lab out of Montgomery, AL. I have been using their lab for over a decade now (which is wild to think about in its own right) and they get what I'm trying to do. After years of collaboration, they deliver scans exactly how I'm looking to see them, deliver quickly, and are just some genuinely kind, incredible people.
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Everything I possibly can. Truly. Concerts, music festivals, portraits, events, sports, I've even covered a handful of weddings predominantly on film.
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As much as you'd like. Portrait sessions I will usually use 4-5 rolls of film (40-50 images). Concerts and festivals it varies based on your needs, but can range from half of a roll to one full roll/song covered.
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My goal is to deliver your images to you as fast as I (and my lab) humanly can. Photos can be edited and delivered within 10 days.
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My costs for materials, processing, and scanning are baked into the quote I provide to you with zero additional markup. Processing and scanning can vary from $17/roll up to $45/roll, depending on whether we need to use a rush service with the lab to meet any deadlines or if anything in particular needs to be done on particular film rolls.
With the resurgence film has had over the past few years, film prices and lab prices have gone up, but I do my best to keep film within reach while still working with the best labs as well as professional films from brands like Kodak, Ilford, and Cinestill.
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Much like digital photography and raw files, I generally do not deliver negatives to you, only processed and edited scans.
If you would like to have your negatives, I would be happy to discuss that with you.