Dustyrobe: Tri-X 400 // Shooting On Film Again

Well, it's been like what, two years since I've shot on film? I actually can't remember when was the last time I shot on film, but I do remember buying a roll of Tri-X 400 to play with maybe eight months back?

It's actually a black and white film, which I've always wanted to try. Colours are distracting after all, so why not just shoot in black and white. It saves me the trouble of worrying about anything related to colours. But with it comes new worries, the blacks and the whites. I have to make sure my model doesn't drown in the background, or if the shadows will cover too much details, etc.

I brought my Nikon FM2 coupled with the 105mm f/2.5 to this film instameet organised by Lutfi. It was now or never, I had to finish this roll of film. Of course, I bought this film originally meant for street photography, but now that I'm doing portraits, I decided to give portraits on film a go instead. So for this shoot, we've got Shirley with us.

Living up to my name of #seandontleaveme given by her

Shooting the shooter because that's a thing

It's a running joke that she's my 5 year old daughter

And I wanted that office lady with an inner child vibe

I am no film expert, so I can't tell you all the detailed stuffs. It's just therapeutic for me to shoot film. I'm stuck on one ISO only, and it's full manual, so I'm constantly changing settings accordingly to the light available. I can't shoot indoors mostly because it's ISO 400 that I'm stuck at so that did kinda suck for me. Manual focusing isn't the easiest thing to do, especially with that hot sun shining on us and I didn't want Shirley to get a heat stroke from waiting too long. Plus, I only have 36 shots on me. I can't afford to waste any shot, because of how expensive film is these days. So every shot has got to count. Some things have to be sacrificed of course, and this case, I took my time framing every shot and focusing. I'd just buy her a drink after. I'm kidding, the model's health is always top priority.

With digital, I can easily shoot 300-400 photos per shoot, and most of it is crap. So I'm extra careful with my 36 shots. It most certainly feels good to take my time with each shot. I'd scout the background, thinking how best to go about using it before I get Shirley to pose. I try not to experiment too much like I do usually, and am merely focusing on getting a good shot. I ain't got no extra films. So I hope you love these shots as much as I do. They really did turn out much better than I thought.

Apparently, making my models squat has become my signature

Absolutely love this one

This one was one of those failed shots, but still #seandontleaveme

Loving that harsh light

Help cause the chair was burning

Now it's #shirleydontleaveme

Kianhao after this shot: "don't tell her anything, let her keep walking"

And you know what? Some times, film teaches you a lesson that you can apply in digital photography. There's actually no need to spam that shutter button when shooting digital. I know, most famous photographers do that and they encourage it. And that certainly is the case for paid work especially, because you don't want the perfect frame to be ruined by a blink, or a twisted foot that you didn't notice. But if you're shooting casually, why not take the time to frame a shot, consider the elements that is being added to or subtracted from your shot. Get it right in one shot. It's much more therapeutic this way, and you have less culling to do afterwards.

Another lesson I got out of it (partially from watching Kodachrome) was that you should use film on photos that you want to keep. I wasted my first two rolls of film on mostly street photography and very bad photos. Most of which I wouldn't keep to be honest. That shouldn't be the case, especially with the scarcity of film in this era. If you ask me, I won't be using my film for planned shoots anymore. I can come up with amazing concepts, but that does not mean I want them kept as hardcopies. Why? Because the people inside don't mean anything to me.

What I'm saying is, I'd rather use film on the people who matter. Family and close friends. I always wondered as a kid why my dad shot rolls after rolls of film of the family, we barely had space to keep that many albums. But now, I guess I do understand where he was coming from. It's these photos that you will take out and flip through, show your kids, your wife / husband, and reminisce.