As we arrive in the month of November, we know that the end of the year is just a shy month away. It has been quite an eventful of year filled with high emotions and uncertainties of the future. However, in these tough times, we have pulled through and I believe each of us deserves a pat on the back. So for this month, I want to look back and reflect on my captured moments on 35mm film.
When I first started capturing photos with a fully manual film camera, I had no prior knowledge of handling such manual camera. To be honest, I have taken so much for granted with my DSLR camera by either shooting in Aperture or Shutter modes but hardly on Manual mode. One thing for sure about my attitude and mindset for shooting film is that I have to make every frame counts!
The Sunny 16 Rule
Here comes the Sunny 16 Rule for analogue shooters. It’s basically a guide in learning how to look and analyse the lighting conditions without a dedicated light meter. Most analogue lenses have the Aperture markings indicated on the lens body. The smaller the number, the wider the leaf blades in the lens going to allow light to pass through. This reference card is handy to have, so just put it in your camera bag before you go for shoots.
For this Street Photography shoot, I used the expired Fujifilm Fujicolor Pro 400H roll just to see how the colours would turn out.
Tip: When starting out in film photography, I would recommend you to purchase expired film negatives from your local film stores. Not only it’s cost-saving, but you also don’t have the pressure on getting the “perfect shot” on your first few rolls. If you prefer fresh film negatives, Ilford HP5 Plus 400 (Black & White) and Kodak ColorPlus 200 (Colour) are good starter films too.
Another thing I wanted to work on was the Parallax-Error in rangefinder cameras. This means that whatever you view in the viewfinder for composition, does not equal to how your photos would turn out. It’s one of the curveballs that you’ll definitely need be mindful of while shooting.
The Shoot
One afternoon, I was on my way to attend a meeting around Tanjong Pagar area when I saw the wall murals nearby my destination. How amazing it was that the original architecture was still preserved and standing till today! I have some soft spots for nostalgia, for me, it is worth capturing them on film.
During the walkabouts, my attention was constantly changing and it became hectic to find my focus. Centering myself and a couple of deep breaths later, I opened my eyes and the shophouses with passing cars caught my attention. Click. And my next lot of shots were on and off about the everyday activities that I felt less inspired with.
While commuting back from school, sounds of peak hour traffic caught my attention. It was the passing LRT trains heading into the station. The early evening light was soft, sun-kissing the vibrant blue sky had caught me dead in my tracks. I knew I had to snap this moment soon… but when?
Studying my subject about the timings and sounds it produced to sync with my movement, ensuring that I would nail my shot in my first try. I followed my instincts for the timing and when the next LRT train was about to enter the station, I clicked the shutter button. That’s it. I did smile after that shot. But if I got it right, it’ll be one of my successful shots for the entire roll.
The Verdict
When I got back my roll from the photo lab, I was ecstatic! I GOT IT! It made me reflected on the differences between two sessions of Street Photography – one was with my DSLR camera and this one with an analogue rangefinder camera. With my DSLR camera, I remembered clearly that I was in the “shoot first, review later” vibe of situations. For this rangefinder? Nope. But more of “Study and shoot”. Sure, there were mistakes here and there but at least I know what went wrong and rectify them before the next roll of film loaded. That way, you can increase the rate of usable shots in every roll of film you shoot.
“Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst”
– Henri Cartier-Bresson
There’s no right or wrong way to shoot. I am still learning… and I definitely have a long way to reach my first 10,000 shots with analogue photography. Go ahead and check out famous works by Henri Cartier-Bresson and Elliott Erwitt on their light-hearted documentaries of the everyday.
