The community we have created at FilmProcessing is what makes film photography so special, from total beginners to advanced film photographers who never left the medium, everyone’s individual journey is unique, interesting and something we can learn from.
This week we are showcasing the following story from avid film photographer, Brett – an interesting journey of how he found himself getting into the industry, first hand tips for beginners and how to make the most of the natural world that surrounds us in your photography.
Over to Brett…
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Both the natural and photographic world have an innate way to ground me. From exploring the outdoors on impulsive whims, mindfully giving myself to the land(or sea)scape, to simply escaping the hustle and bustle of my home city.
They’ve both been there to support my exploration of self.
My intrigue with mud, trees and all life forms between started from a very early age. Always connected, always curious. Photography, however, came around the age of 10. I would watch my Dad with his pocket Olympus camera on our family travels around Greece. He’d drive us around in a Jeep to local beaches and ruins. Every once in a while he would pull in to the side of the road to document the sprawling, heat-soaked landscapes with a snap and a click. From then on, I was as attracted to cameras as a tree would be to the sun.
In my teenagehood, I began building a freelance portfolio by capturing contemporary dance pieces. I went onwards into a fine-art photo degree and career specialising in capturing movement arts and community engagement projects with pro-environmental messaging, until my late 20’s. During that time, I barely touched analogue. But the yearning for the slower process of film was always pulling me.
When I began working at FilmProcessing as a marketeer. I felt like a child in a sweet shop. I was very lucky in how I could take film out to trial it and to essentially market it as a product. But the images produced were much more than a means to sell. The moment I entered the space I planned to shoot in, my hands would hug my Praktica MTL5 like roots would soil.
I slowed down… I listened… I looked… I reconnected. The shots birthed from each traversal were a representation of building a relationship between my mind, body and connection to the ecosystem.
Ever since, exploring nature and documenting it on film has gone hand-in-hand. It has taught me to breathe, be still, be mindful, be quiet and to be taken over by creativity, whimsy and childish curiousity. It’s been my source of healing and a way to get back in touch with my truest, most inner self.
Did you know?
We often look to the land to relax from the modern life, and science confirms it works. A study in Molecular Psychiatry found that a one-hour walk in nature significantly calms the amygdala (our brain’s stress center). City walks don’t do this. Escaping to the wild is a literal reset for your nervous system.
You don’t need all day to shift your perspective. Research in Frontiers in Public Health shows that taking just a 5-minute break to photograph nature landscapes significantly cuts mental fatigue. Even a brief moment of connection through your lens leaves your mind immediately more relaxed and calm.
By giving this part of my identity space to play, I’ve been able to reflect that in my imagery. Creating subtle storytelling pieces and quiet moments. Whether it simply be following the journey of my own footsteps or creating a fantastical tale. Even pushing it to a point where I blend analogue/digital disciplines to create something fun!
Throughout the tail-end of my journey it’s been comforting knowing I have a trustworthy and down-right wonderful local lab in my back pocket. A big ‘thank you’ to the lovely lot at FilmProcessing who bring our images to life – you’re awesome!
My tips for exploring the natural world with your camera:
– You don’t need to go far to be immersered in nature. Try your garden, or local park. You could even get inspiration from looking out the window. A spider could be making a home in your window frame. Leaves may be dancing in the wind on a tree outside – it all counts!
– Adopt your childish curiousity and let it guide you. Look for the finer details. Allow yourself to stop and be drawn to that cool beetle or texture on that plant. Don’t just look forward, left and right. Look up and down too! Some of my favourite things, that have inspired the most awe, have been right by my feet or up in the branches of a tree.
– Look after nature the same way it does for you. It’s always best to leave wildlife be, but if you do feel compelled to pick anything up do it gently and put it back the way it was. Everything has a purpose to be there just as much as you do.
– Go alone! If you’re able to and don’t feel too nervous to do so, I challenge you to a solo day trip with your camera! Around local green spaces in your town/city, on a coast path, a hike around larger natural sites (for me that would be Dartmoor).
– From a photographic perspective, I find it’s good practice to leave the social elements behind to just take in what’s around you without distraction. Get sucked in and enjoy the environment.
-From a wellbeing level, if you have some stuff to confront or process, the natural world is one of the best healing tools out there. Nature can hold that space for you to do your best growth if you let it.
-If you do go alone. Plan your route, keep your phone charged, bring plenty of refreshments and tell someone where you’re going before you head off for a trip.
– Try visiting the same place more than once throughout the year. Seasonal changes can be overlooked, but this is where an ecosystem breathes, morphs and adapts. Different colours, textures and species emerge and it’s amazing! Why not document those changes on your camera? Jem Southam’s work is a great example of revisiting to capture time changing a scene – in case you need some inspiration.
– It’s not about perfection! The environment and photography belongs to everyone, however both can feel inaccessible at times. Let’s remove the barrier that every photo needs to be the best one you’ve ever taken, or that this exploration has to be eventful – it doesn’t. Just get gritty, get whimsy and have a great time being a creative creature in it’s happy space… Get snapping!
My beginner tips for analogue photography:
Film photography can feel daunting, but it doesn’t need to be.
If you’re interested in film photography but you’re not sure what camera to buy or film stock to use. My personal recommendation is to start with a reusable point-and-shoot.
It’s good on a budget and takes away the overwhelm of needing to manually focus (just don’t try to get close-up shots!), set the aperture or shutter speed. FilmProcessing have some in stock or you could get one second hand if you are really strapped on funds (eBay/Vinted is your friend). But it’s always good to do a bit of research before you buy so you know what you’re looking for.
For a roll of film, as a beginner I’d always start cheap so you have more room to practice and experiment. Kentmere is a brilliant black and white film stock and won’t break the bank either.
If you want to capture nature’s colours in modest daylight then I’d personally go with Kodak Ultramax 400. The way that it captures greens is just *chef’s kiss*.
A quick guide on ISO
Each film stock will come with it’s own ISO (or less regularly called ASA). Usually you’ll see 100, 200, 400 and 800 ISO. Some rolls will be as low as 50, others as high as 3200 (and sometimes even more!).
The lower the number, the less sensitive to light it is. The higher the number, the more sensitive. So if we are out under a blue blue sky and the sun is beaming, I’d go with a ISO 200 film, like Kodak Gold 200, on a point-and-shoot camera.
If I were wandering about at night with very minimal lighting or in a dark space, I’d go with 3200, like Ilford Delta, on a point-and-shoot, without using flash.
Once you’re used to your point-and-shoot and if you’re wanting to learn more, YouTube is your friend. If you’re stuck, someone else in the world has been too, and there will be a guide video out there for you.
Equally, if you have any questions I’m more than happy to answer if you reach out to me in my DMs on @clean.negs_hairy.legs on IG / Tiktok.
Happy whimsying!
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A big thank you to Brett for writing such a wonderful post on his journey with film photography! To inspire you with your own journey, enjoy some more incredible images below that have been captured by Brett, all developed by the team here at FilmProcessing.
