It seems like everyone has a digital DSLR these days. Folks writing blogs shoot digital– you can take more pictures, you can see them immediately, you can put them on your computer easily. Folks traveling shoot digital– except for the bulky camera, you don’t have to carry much. (Certainly not excessive rolls of film and developed pictures.) Beginners shoot digital, professionals shoot digital. So why do I cling so stubbornly to film?
Well, I am madly addicted to this impractical and outdated art.
It began out of convenience– I was given my Pentax for my 13th birthday and so when I started taking pictures, that was the tool I had.
But at some point… I fell in love.
I love the mystery and the unknown qualities inherent in film. I love the deliberateness it requires, thinking about each image before I take the picture, trying to capture what I see in one shot instead of one out of a hundred. I love the way a real film camera sounds, I love the smells of photo lab chemicals, I love the tactile sensation of HOLDING my pictures. Picking up my developed photos feels like giving myself a gift. Film is danger, film is fate, film is magic.
Also, film looks damn good.
I’m determined to continue shooting analogue in Istanbul. Sure, my film took up a third of my backpack. (My BACKPACKER backpack.) Sure, if I’m shooting black-and-white I can’t capture that epic sunset, that electric blue Bosphorus.
But the sacrifice and inconvenience are worth it, for me.
I’ve found a place that develops my film cheaply and beautifully. I didn’t have to explain cross processing to them. (At multiple CVS labs around Boston, I needed to explain that black-and-white film should yield black and white images. Not yellow, brown, or orange, all of which I’ve received at some point.) The people there know their stuff. Also, they can make a data CD of the negative scans, so I have no need for a scanner.
Taking a ferry to Europe to pick up my prints only adds to the romance.
Why would I trade these small thrills and large reward for something CONVENIENT??
Do you have experience with film photography? Is the hassle worth it for you?
4 Comments
thesewalkingboots
June 3, 2013 at 4:30 PMI love your pictures. I am also addicted to film. I only used film pics when I first started blogging. Then I bought a DSLR so that I could blog more often and process pictures more quickly. But I really miss shooting exclusively in film. I’m inspired to do more! Thanks
Katrinka
June 3, 2013 at 10:24 PMThis is something I struggle with! Especially since I will be traveling this summer and won’t be able to post my pictures immediately. But since I seem to be perennially a month behind with my film anyway, it might now end up being such a big deal. I’m glad you’re inspired to shoot more film… there’s just something very special about it 🙂
Stef
December 27, 2014 at 1:35 PMHi Katrina, Your stories and photos are beautiful. Very inspiring for me as I’m planning a year long trip to South America (maybe further or longer) next year. I love film photography and am considering taking only 2 film cameras and my mobile with me. However, i worry about the logistics of film. Do you have any tips for (1) getting film developed abroad (2) developing film yourself while traveling and managing equipment/chemicals (3) transporting lots of film, both developed and undeveloped?
Thanks!
Katrinka
December 27, 2014 at 6:30 PMHi Stef! First– thank you! Next, the film. I travel quite a bit but Istanbul is my base, so usually on long-term trips I don’t get the film developed at all until I get back to Istanbul. That way, it takes up less space and I don’t need to worry about finding a developer. Since you’re traveling for a year (and I’m assuming you mean traveling continuously), I can imagine you might want to get the pictures developed as you go. Major cities should still have places where you can get your film developed, and I usually get the negatives and the scans on a CD so that I can get the pictures on my computer easily. I’ve never carried darkroom equipment while traveling, and I imagine that it would be more of a headache than it’s worth. (Especially if you are thinking of transporting chemicals.)
Generally it’s recommended that you store undeveloped film somewhere dark and cool, but it’s not the end of the world if you can’t. I am pretty sloppy about that, and I’ve never had problems. If you’re flying, make sure undeveloped film is in your carry-on.
Film that’s been developed won’t have any problems, just don’t bend your negatives 🙂
Please let me know if you have any other questions! I can go on and on about this. And enjoy your trip!!