The idea I’d like to unpack in this article is based on some of the thoughts I’ve had while reflecting on my role when it comes to making photographs. I think that most of my recent writing has been produced in an effort to untangle preconceptions and assumptions that I seem to have been carrying […]
Tag: 2020 – May
Posted in5 Frames..., Articles
5 Frames… In Copenhagen with CineStill BwXX (35mm format / EI 250 / Nikon F100)
Scrolling through my Instagram feed introduced me to the wonderful world of CineStill. I had been having an extensive internal debate over which CineStill stock to buy and where to shoot it, but a pre-Christmas 2019 trip to Copenhagen ended up forcing my hand. After the usual trawls through the local camera shops (the best […]
Posted inArticles, Opinion
Anecdotal Evidence: Tools to help you see photographically
I’ve been photographing on the street for years and have been keeping notes. They cover everything from the…
Posted in5 Frames..., Articles
5 Frames… In Baku on ILFORD HP5 PLUS (35mm format / EI 800 / Leica IIIf)
I wasn’t ever a big fan of pushing or pulling film; developing prices tend to increase drastically, and try as I may I could not wrap my head around it. However, now that I develop my own film, and after seeing some photos online, I decided to have a shot at it with some ILFORD […]
Posted inArticles, My First Roll...
My first roll… Of 120 film: Kodak Portra 160 in a Seagull TLR
I think that it is a wonderful idea to share the thoughts we have when trying something new. Sharing not only perfection in photography but also personal bewilderment makes one more humble towards others’ results and preferrably one learns things in the process. My first roll of 120 film wasn’t entirely my first ever but […]
Posted in5 Frames..., Articles
5 Frames… Of LomoChrome Metropolis XR 100-400 (120 format / EI 250 / Fujifilm GA645Wi Professional)
Metropolis… some of you may think about the movie directed by Fritz Lang. Today, however, it’s also the name of the newest color film from Lomography. In this short series, I would like to show you my first images taken with this analog film. The LomoChrome Metropolis has been waiting for the first use for […]
Posted inArticles, Featured projects
The Making of Hitchcock’s California: Vista Visions From the Camera Eye
Hitchcock’s California is a photographic tribute to Alfred Hitchcock by Aimee Sinclair and myself, along with an essay by Hitchcock film historian Dan Auiler. The book features a portfolio of eighty panoramic photographs — shot on the Hasselblad XPan system — that revisit locations from the Golden State the legendary director used in filming many […]
Posted in5 Frames..., Articles
5 Frames… Of Fujifilm Fujicolor Pro 400H (120 format / EI 100 / Kowa Six MM)
I recently got back into shooting film. I was more of a casual shooter until 2019 when I picked up my first medium format camera: a Kowa Six MM with an 85mm/F2.8 lens. The reverse viewfinder and square composition were awkward at first, but I grew to like the simplicity and the short rolls. Twelve […]
Posted inLens Reviews
Mini-review: Making portraits with the Lensbaby Composer on film
A few years ago, when I was first getting into serious photography and before I started exploring analog, I purchased a Lensbaby Composer lens for my Canon DSLR. For those who haven’t heard of the Lensbaby, it’s a (rather expensive for what it is) selective focus manual lens. Basically, you decide which part of the […]
Posted in5 Frames..., Articles
5 Frames… Of 1974 expired Kodak Plus-X Pan (70mm format / EI 50 / Hasselblad 503CW)
I am a big fan of the Hasselblad V-system, I tested many different models, many different film backs, but one model remained – the most iconic format 70, which was used during the first Apollo missions! If you’re lucky, you’ll find everything almost immediately, I wasn’t so it took me a while. Finding a film […]
Posted inOlympus film Camera reviews
Camera review: The Olympus XA, Downhill longboarding, Madeira Park and Agfa Vista Plus 200
“Of course they are..” I remember thinking to myself as I read the headline that Agfa Vista films were being discontinued. Why? Because it had just cemented its position as my go-to roll for weekend getaways. An almost perfect companion to the tiny must-pack-with-me Olympus XA that’s always in my pocket for casual trips. Best […]
Posted inArticles
5 Frames… On 50+ year expired ILFORD HP3 (120 format / EI 12 / Agfa Isolette II)
My first foray into medium format photography nearly 3 years ago was a trusty and time-tested Kodak Brownie, however the lack of control and only getting 8 frames per roll of film made me want to try something new. So I hopped onto eBay and managed to find an Agfa Isolette II 120 camera for […]
Posted inKodak Film Stock Reviews
Film stock review: Kodak EASTMAN DOUBLE-X (5222) – 35mm format
Any cinephiles reading this have seen Kodak’s DOUBLE-X 5222 shine its magic even if they didn’t know it. It’s the stock that Manhattan, Schindler’s List and Raging Bull were shot on, as well as parts of Casino Royale, Kill Bill, and Momento. When shot properly, it yields fantastic results. Those familiar with Cinestill’s films may […]
Posted in5 Frames..., Articles
5 Frames… Of ILFORD HP5 PLUS (35mm format / EI 400 / Zorki 4K)
I’d been tempted to try out a Russian Leica copy for some time and finally took the plunge when a Zorki 4K came up on Facebook. It came complete with a non-functioning rangefinder and a very sticky shutter, but a couple of squirts of electrical switch cleaner later and all functions appeared to be working […]
Posted inGuides & How-Tos
Find your perfect Leica or M-mount film camera with the help of this interactive tool & reference data
Enter your criteria and discover the perfect Leica for you based on the features and functionality you need for your photography. It’s that simple.
Posted in5 Frames..., Articles
5 Frames… On the last day before lockdown with ILFORD FP4 PLUS (EI 125 / 35mm format / Robot Royal 24 Mod III)
It was Sunday, I had loaded a roll of FP4 PLUS for the #FP4Party (but of course the party was already finished) in a new to me Robot Royal 24 Mod III. FP4 PLUS is not my usual slow speed film, as I usually go cheaper for that, and it had been a while since […]
Posted inOpinion
Why shoot black and white film for documentary photography?
I’ve already written about using film in general to achieve specific goals in the genres of Street and Documentary photography, which is my chosen pursuit. However, I haven’t gone into much detail on the specifics of why black and white film specifically appeals to me currently for storytelling imagery. The association of black and white […]
Posted in5 Frames..., Articles
5 Frames… At an abandoned warehouse on Fujifilm Velvia 50 RVP (EI 50 / 120 format / Hasselblad 503CXi)
My favourite thing about film photography is the different ‘personalities’ that exist in individual film stocks. I have shot lots of ILFORD black and white and Kodak Portra and a little Ektar 100, each has its own quirks and peculiarities – and to be honest, I haven’t yet come across a film stock that I […]
Posted inGuides & How-Tos
Managing exposure: Using Sunny 16 and the Zone System at the same time
Linking a relatively simple and intuitive method for photographic exposure determination to a highly complicated and comprehensive system for analysing every step for making a high-quality photographic print may seem to be stretching things a bit. But the fact is there are a couple of features of the Zone System that are are very useful […]
Posted in5 Frames..., Articles
5 Frames… At San Xavier Mission with ILFORD Delta 100 Professional (EI 100 / 120 format / Holga 120N)
The Holga 120N, known to be a regular participant in crappy camera challenges around the world and very underestimated, in my opinion. Serving its users with random distortions like image blur, vignetting, and light leaks. The result of an inexpensively built plastic body accompanied by a cheap meniscus lens with an aperture of 60mm. Nothing […]
