Category: Interview

Interview: Nevin Johnson

“I want to make photographs that inspire people. I want to be an inspiration for those who have 9-5 jobs and can’t be travel photographers.”

Nevin’s work is an exceptional example of just how beautiful the east coast can be. His work includes film photography, digital photography, as well as some drone work. If you didn’t know he was just recently get into film, you would never know. His instagram account can be found here.

JM – Why do you shoot film? 

NJ – This is a tough question to answer. Like most people my age, I learned the basics of photography on digital cameras. It wasn’t until later on that I picked up my first film camera. By that time, I had seen a lot of really good film work. The tones, the colors, and the variation between film stocks is what really got me interested in film. The added challenge of shooting a finite number of shots mixed with the style that one can achieve using film is what attracted me to shooting analog myself.

JM – I know you started out your serious photography endeavor shooting digital and have been increasingly moving into film.  Is there a particular reason why?  How much of the time are you shooting film vs digital? 

NJ – This is exactly right. From the moment I shot my first roll, I knew there was something special about film. Set aside the fact you basically don’t need to edit your photos (minus highlight adjustments, tone curve, and minor details), film has a lot of attractive qualities to it. I find it helps me be a more intentional photographer. Given there are a finite amount of shots you can take makes me really think about a specific composition. I also really enjoy trying new film out…its kind of like trying out a new “preset”…each film stock has its own unique characteristics. Those characteristics can play into a given composition if you plan it right. This adds another challenge to the mix, but I look at it as an opportunity to learn which film stocks work well for which situations. As for how much I’m shooting film vs digital, most of the time I’m going out to shoot I have at least one form of film. That is my primary camera, I’m only using digital now as a backup… God forbid something goes wrong with the film, I don’t want to totally lose the composition. My preference is certainly film. I feel the results I get from shooting film achieve a level that my digital simply cannot replicate. 

“Given there are a finite amount of shots you can take makes me really think about a specific composition.”

JM – What is your favorite film?  Camera?

NJ – I’d say my favorite film stock is Portra 800. I gravitate towards the higher speed films because I like the grain. There’s something about Portra 800 that really speaks to my style of photography. Portras 400 and 160 are great as well (the whole portra lineup is wonderful), but 800 really hits it home for me. I like to shoot both 35mm and 120, but recently I’ve been gravitating towards shooting more 120. My camera of choice for this is my Hasselblad 500c.

JM – Would you say that your style has changed since you’ve started shooting film? What was the catalyst for this change?

NJ – Absolutely. Its pretty cliché at this point, but I find it to be true- film makes you think much more about your compositions. You have a finite amount of shots and there aren’t any do-overs. It makes me think twice about my composition and settings. I find this really benefits my photography as a whole. 

JM – What is a personal goal you have for your photography? 

“Composition aside, I feel that a great photo invokes emotion. For me that is through nature, but I know this can be done several ways. I find that most compelling photos tell a story.”

NJ – To be honest, photography is a hobby of mine. I don’t have any aspirations of quitting my day job to do this full time. I do however want to make photographs that inspire people. I want to be an inspiration for those who have 9-5 jobs and can’t be travel photographers. I recently started describing what i do on the weekends as “weekend wandering”…9-5 normal job during the week, and adventuring on the weekend. I live on the east coast so it isn’t quite as glamorous as living in the PNW or the rockies, but I try to find the interesting spots that are within a day’s drive. Inspiring those to find joy in shooting local to where one is, that is my goal.

JM – What do you look for in a photograph?  Is what you find compelling in a photograph different when it’s one of your photographs compared with one from someone else?

NJ – I’ll say that I’m not a trained artist. I’ve never had any formal training in art or photography. My mom is a painter though and I have picked up some tips and tricks from her regarding composition. I try to follow most of the basic motifs- rule of thirds, foreground/middleground/background, etc….But recently I’ve been trying to focus on minimalism and minimalistic photos. If you can make a photo compelling without a whole lot going on in frame, then that is a pretty great photo in my opinion. I enjoy shooting and viewing this style of photography. I don’t feel that I judge my photos any differently than I would critique another’s. I believe it is pretty evident (for the most part) if a photo is compelling or not. Composition aside, I feel that a great photo invokes emotion. For me that is through nature, but I know this can be done several ways. I find that most compelling photos tell a story. So the final note i’ll say about what I look for in a photograph is the story it tells.

JM – What is your favorite shot you’ve ever taken?  What’s the story behind it?

NJ – To be honest this is an extremely tough call.I’ll break it up into digital and film.

NJ – Digital: sunrise at East Point Lighthouse. I got up at 4am and booked it to the lighthouse. It looked like the sunrise would be a bust, but the sun poked through the clouds and lit up the lighthouse in such an incredible way. I was the only one there at the time so I had the moment all to myself. This one sticks out to me as my favorite.

NJ – Film: After a long exciting day of shooting with my wife in Newport, RI, we were on a sailboat for sunset. The wind died down and we enjoyed just floating in the bay, watching the sun go down. This was also my first roll of Portra 800. I snagged this one and it was instantly my favorite. The colors, grain texture, and composition speak to me. It brings me right back on that boat, watching the sunset with my wife.

JM – If someone told you they were thinking of getting into film, what would your response/advice be?  

NJ – Dive head first! Shoot as many rolls as possible and experiment. Be deliberate about what you are shooting, you only have 36 exposure (or less if you shoot 120). Film has changed the way I shoot and continues to inspire me to improve as a photographer. I would hope that film could effect other photographers like it has with me.

More of Nevin’s work can be seen below:

Interview: Seth Gaffar

“I think the big change I have noticed since moving to shooting film is striving to make more authentic images…”

Seth’s work is incredibly interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone who has such tasteful first of the roll shots or light leaks. Much of his work is based on coastal living and captures a life that inspires. I love his work and look forward to hearing what he has to say about film photography. His instagram account can be found here.

JM – Why do you shoot film?

SG – I shoot film for the love of the process and the challenge. I know a lot of people talk about quality or the archival aspect but I just love the whole process of shooting film so much more than digital. I feel that with film you really focus on every shot; there is no looking at the back of a screen to take you out of the moment…

JM – What is your favorite film?  Camera?

SG – I think my original love and the reason I really got into film photography, the Nikonos V, would have to be my favorite camera. 

SG – Although I am a big time Kodak Portra fan and user, that is just so boring. Haha. I actually really love Fuji Superia but unfortunately it is getting harder to find these days. This shot was taken with my Nikonos V on Fuji Superia 400.

JM – What proportion of your shots turn out as you hoped (or better)?

SG – Hmm… That is a tough question. I would say it depends on what I am doing and what camera I am using. It took me a while to figure out the Nikonos. There were a few rolls I shot in the water that were total duds with maybe only a couple okay shots. It is a funky camera with zone focusing and shooting surfing with a 35mm camera in the water, you really have to get closer than you think and wait for just the right moment to click the shutter. I would say now most shots I get I am pretty happy with because I am more patient. I usually swim out with just a 24 frame roll and it might take me two hours or more to finish it.

SG – But lately for instance I have been playing around with double exposures on my mamiya RZ67 and that can be very hit or miss for me.

JM – Would you say that your style has changed since you’ve started shooting film? What was the catalyst for this change?

SG – I think my style has always been and will always be an evolving thing. I think the big change I have noticed since moving to shooting film is striving to make more authentic images and getting away from the super saturated epic sunsets. I have learned to really enjoy the process of being out shooting and I am much more patient now. Instead of going crazy shooting image after image, I wait until I see something I want to capture. In a way I think it trains your eye more than digital photography can.

“I think film has made me really appreciate the happy accidents and the images I get that were not as planned out.”

JM – What is a personal goal you have for your photography?

SG – A personal goal I have for my photography is to capture more authentic everyday moments and to try to capture more of my life through photos. I have been really into shooting landscapes and surfing, but I want to try to have a camera on me more often for everyday moments. I think film has made me really appreciate the happy accidents and the images I get that were not as planned out.

JM – What do you look for in a photograph?  Is what you find compelling in a photograph different when it’s one of your photographs compared with one from someone else?

SG – I think whether it is my own photograph or someone else’s makes a difference. The images I am drawn to have a composition that just pulls you in. I usually find that my favorite photos I have taken have a very clean and minimal composition. 

JM – What is your favorite shot you’ve ever taken?  What’s the story behind it?

SG – I am not sure if I can decide on one favorite shot, but I really love this shot I took of my friend Scott. The surf was really going off and we went out to this little secret spot. I had never seen surf like this in Maine. It was an epic day. After the session I left the roll in my Nikonos and forgot it was loaded. I opened the back before re-rolling it, and I was so worried I had ruined the whole roll! Luckily I closed it quick and just about all the shots were salvaged, and a bunch had some really cool light leaks. This one was my favorites. 

JM – If someone told you they were thinking of getting into film, what would your response/advice be?

SG – Do it! Haha, seriously though it has been so much fun for me. I fell like it really brought a whole new excitement to photography for me moving to shooting mostly film from all digital. It gives you a whole new layer of things to learn, and I just think it is a super fun medium to shoot with. 

SG – I also think it is really cool that for pretty cheap you can get gear that was, and still is top of the line in many respects. There are so many different types of cameras too. Since you can usually sell cameras for what you buy them for, (a benefit unobserved in digital photography) you can experiment with all sorts of gear. You can really find the perfect camera that matches your shooting style.

More of Seth’s work can be seen below:

Interview: Gabriel Maldonado

“Film is alive and no matter how much you plan, it’s going to do what its going to do.”

Gabriel is an amazing portrait photographer out in Orange County, CA. His work is really unique and quite engrossing. I highly suggest you check out his instagram and website.

JM – Why do you shoot film?

GM – I couldn’t afford a full frame digital and I really wanted to start photography after doing video for so long. Then I asked myself why do I want to shoot digital when I’m just going to try and copy the look and feel of film in post. Well we all know you can NEVER copy the look and feel of film. 

JM – What is your favorite film?  Camera?

GM – Hate to sound cliché but it works and it’s never failed me. PORTRA 400. I’ve tried others and the only one that has come close to the love I have for portra is Cinestill 800t.

GM – My favorite camera is my current most recent acquisition, a Leica M6 in classic chrome.

JM – What proportion of your shots turn out as you hoped (or better)?

GM – I’m lucky to get 5-6 usable shots in a roll. And I’m ecstatic if I can get like 11. A lot of the shots I get are good shots but just not stuff I’d use and share – more shareable for the model. 

JM – Would you say that your style has changed since you’ve started shooting film? What was the catalyst for this change?

GM – Yes I would. I’d say I’ve become more patient with my work and humbled by film. Film is alive and no matter how much you plan, it’s going to do what its going to do. All you can do is make sure you set it up to succeed. Framing, exposure, etc…

“I think I’m always proud of the new stuff I do because I feel like every time I shoot I change and get better in other areas where I was previously weaker.”

JM – What is a personal goal you have for your photography?

GM – I’d like to do more commercial fashion work. I’d like to be published somewhere that truly likes my work and not when its convenient to have a new photographer.

JM – What do you look for in a photograph?  Is what you find compelling in a photograph different when it’s one of your photographs compared with one from someone else?

GM – Yeah, I’m definitely more hard on my work. I like everyone’s work over my own work. I’m constantly second guessing myself and I’m always a finger push away from deleting a photo I’ve already published. I’m getting over it though; I think I’m getting better. I think…

JM – What is your favorite shot you’ve ever taken?  What’s the story behind it?

GM – I don’t think I have a favorite at the moment… It always changes. If I had to say, I guess it would be my most recent work. I think I’m always proud of the new stuff I do because I feel like every time I shoot I change and get better in other areas where I was previously weaker.

JM – If someone told you they were thinking of getting into film, what would your response/advice be? 

GM – Buy a scanner and develop yourself. You will save a lot of money. There’s nothing wrong with using a pro lab. I use one . But its going to cost. Just keep that in mind. Oh, and shoot something cheap first then work your way into the pro films like Portra 400. You might end up liking the cheaper stuff more anyway.  And remember – if you shoot with a Leica, Mamiya, or Contax, they’re all just black/chrome boxes and tools. Invest in glass first and a good scanning system.  That will make for a higher quality photo. So go get those old Nikon systems or those canon FD cameras… They’re worth it. 

More of Gabriel’s work can be seen below.

Interview: Gareth Morton

“Film feels random and organic and beautiful. I love how different films have different qualities…”

Gareth Morton is a film photographer based in the U.K.. His work is quite strong and he is quite humble about it. You should check out his website and/or instagram. Recently he started The Ten Shot Project with Rick Davy in which they post ten shots with one theme from one photographer. Please check out the website and instagram.

JM – Why do you shoot film?

GM – This would have to be the first question, ha. It’s one of those that I find most difficult to articulate an answer for. Firstly, it would have to be the aesthetic qualities of film. The colour palette that certain films give as well as the natural grain structure, a by product of the silver in the emulsion. Film feels random and organic and beautiful. I love how different films have different qualities like more or less contrast, more or less saturation, different colour qualities and the way negative film renders from the highlights to the shadows.

GM – Secondly, I like the way film makes me shoot. No screen to distract or check after every image. No shooting 100 frames of the same scene and hoping for the best. I am more careful and considered with film and I truly love the process.

GM – Finally, having printed in the dark room recently, I am not sure there is much that is comparable to that. Developing and printing your own film from start to finish is magical and the qualities of a silver halide print are just beautiful. 

JM – What is your favorite film?  Camera?

GM – Absolute favourite? Kodak Portra 800, especially in 120. The grain, contrast and saturation are just beautiful and I have even shot it in bright sunshine for the certain aesthetic that it gives. I tend to lean towards Kodak for colour negative and always shoot travel on Ektar 100 which is amazing and gives great colour renditions with the added saturation, although it isn’t always ideal for people, I do have images where it works very well. I will be travelling to Vietnam soon and am going to shoot almost exclusively on Portra 400 for consistency and versatility. 

  • Iceland

GM – My favourite camera is a little more difficult as I have had quite a few and still do. Film cameras, unlike digital, all shoot very differently. Different formats, different sizes of different formats. 35mm in normal or panoramic mode with the XPan. 120 in 645, 6×6, 6×7 all the way up to 6×17! (I have never shot 6×17). I think if I could choose one of each, 35mm and 120 it would be my Leica M3 and a Hasselblad 500cm. I had an M2 first and instantly regretted selling it once I did so this M3 is for keeps. Both of those cameras, the Leica and Hasselblad are completely mechanical, no batteries, no electronics, no distractions. Plus, viewing the world through the ground glass of a waist level finder is a beautiful sight. 

“Despite changing tastes for what I seem to be shooting at times, a few things remain constant that I admire in other peoples work and finding what compels me – a cinematic aesthetic…”

JM – What proportion of your shots turn out as you hoped (or better)?

GM – Oh crumbs. I have very low expectations on how my shots are going to turn out so anything that I class as a keeper or worthy of public consumption is a bonus. Every now and then, I get a surprise when something turns out better than I had hoped, but often on a shoot, particularly if I am shooting portraits, if I feel I am on to something and everything comes together in the viewfinder, I get really excited and that comes across to the client. That’s when I cross my fingers and hope it comes back as good as I remember.

  • Alice

JM – What is one thing that you’ve changed in your approach to photography?  What was the catalyst for this change?

GM – Honestly, the biggest change I made to my photography was selling all my digital equipment. I am not anti-digital as far as photography is concerned because the end result is what matters, not what it was created with, but for me personally, once I started shooting film it seemed a natural progression until ultimately, I sold the last of my digital equipment in September 2017 and I have no desire to go back. If I could try and identify the catalyst for this, firstly it would be that I was finding a lot of the images I truly admire were created on film and the photographers I alluded to earlier all worked pre-digital and it you look at their images, they are just beautiful and it’s because of the content, not the medium. I would also say I grew tired with the constant upgrade cycle that the internet leads us to believe is neccassary to produce great photographs. I was in a local, well known photographic retailer with a friend for the first time in a while recently and was absolutely blown away by the vast amount of current digital bodies that are available, all promising amazing things, all largely irrelevant for making better images for the enthusiast. That being said, I still have a yearning for a Leica M6 one day, even though it’s irrational and not needed. Ha. 

JM – What do you look for in a photograph?  Is what you find compelling in a photograph different when it’s one of your photographs compared with one from someone else? 

GM – Despite changing tastes for what I seem to be shooting at times, a few things remain constant that I admire in other peoples work and finding what compels me – a cinematic aesthetic. An image that could be straight from a movie and that stirs emotions with a combination of moment, light and colour palette. I love strong black and white work by the great photographers like Elliott Erwitt, Robert Frank and Vivian Maier who captured real moments in time with such confidence and conviction and I feel this shows in their photos. I love flare. Something that a lot of photographers deliberately try to avoid, as well as chiaroscuro, which is something that other people seem to do very well but I haven’t quite grasped yet.

JM – What is your favorite shot you’ve ever taken?  What’s the story behind it?

GM – Favourite shot? That’s a tricky question as I very rarely hold any of my photos in high regard. That’s why this request to be interviewed was quite a surprise. There are different aspects that I think make certain shots special, whether that’s taking you back to a time and place, or stirring up memories of a loved one or friend that you haven’t seen for a while. I have images that remind me what it was like to be stood in a particular place, therefore I think I would have to go with the sunset we experienced when driving through Glencoe in Scotland. I had been travelling with my two American friends, driving through the landscapes and stopping to take photos whenever we saw something we deemed worthy and one evening we decided to head out for a sunset drive which had been fairly uneventful and the sun had all but set behind us amongst the snow covered mountains and then, all of a sudden, BAM, the sky was on fire behind us with the most magnificent sunset! It blazed through the mountains and into my rear view mirror. I had noticed it and was desperately looking for a pull in to stop the car when a voice from the back seat, my friend, Sarah said as calm as you like, “are we gonna stop or….?” As we pulled over, I made only three frames of this moment and it was the last shot on a roll in the Hasselblad XPan (a camera I bought to try and create the cinematic feeling I described earlier). It was loaded with Ektar 100 so I metered the light, it was fading fast, and set the shutter speed as low as I dare (it was either 1/15 or 1/30, I don’t fully remember) and shot the last frame, as well as two on the same film stock on the Pentax 67ii. Those colours, as well as the memories will stick with me for a lifetime. 

JM – If someone told you they were thinking of getting into film, what would your response/advice be?

GM – Just do it, don’t think about it. I often hear photographers who have only taken photos digitally saying they think it’s going to be hard, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Buy a fairly inexpensive film camera, such as the Canon AE-1 or Nikon, Pentax, Olympus, whatever equivalents, get some film and start shooting. Photography ultimately is about content and light and feelings and stories and moments, not about megapixels and high resolution screens and more frames per second. 

More of Gareth’s work can be seen below:

Interview: Christopher Hamberger

“There is an honesty to film.  Almost all of the decisions to be made in the resulting image happen before or during the shot when you shoot film…”

Chris is a talented film photographer located in Kentucky, USA. His work ranges in style and content but the quality is consistently high. Not long ago he started up the Film Community Map which if you haven’t checked it out yet, you should straight away.

JM: Why do you shoot film?

CH: There is an honesty to film.  Almost all of the decisions to be made in the resulting image happen before or during the shot when you shoot film; whereas in digital there is so much that goes into editing and post.  I suppose I’d describe film as akin to a documentary whereas digital is more “based-on-a-true-story,” full of dramatic exaggeration.

JM: What is your favorite film?  Camera?

CH: I can never pick one!  But I’ve narrowed it down to two:  Portra 160 and Cinestill 800T. Portra 160 is one of the most versatile films I’ve found in terms of how it captures images.  I’ve never taken a photograph with P160 and thought, “man, I should have used a different film for this shot”. Cinestill 800T is an entirely different beast.  This is where I satisfy my urge to shoot at night and in artificial light, usually going for an 80s scary movie vibe.

CH: My favorite camera is a tricky question, so I’ll rephrase it to What Camera Do You Use the Most?  And that would be my Nikon F4 w/ MF-23 databack. It’s a super versatile camera that can do pretty much anything I personally would want it to, from having full control in all-manual to letting the camera make a few decisions – but all while retaining physical dials and switches for everything instead of digital LCDs and menus

JM: What proportion of your shots turn out as you hoped (or better)?

CH: Depending on how disciplined I was while I was shooting, I’d say between 15% and 40%.  And more often than not, shots that I took thinking “there’s no way that turned out” end up being one of my favorites.

“I look for a message, which usually communicates an idea, a story or an emotion.”

JM: What is one thing that you’ve changed in your approach to photography?  What was the catalyst for this change?

CH: I’ve started moving towards gear that helps me shoot.  Originally, I was shooting mechanical SLRs and using my iPhone to meter, but now I don’t mind shooting aperture priority and using auto focus.  While there was a sense of pride in being able to say I always shoot in complete manual, I’m realizing now that I’d rather have a sense of pride in my images and not be worried about how I capture them.

JM: What do you look for in a photograph?  Is what you find compelling in a photograph different when it’s one of your photographs compared with one from someone else?

CH: I look for a message, which usually communicates an idea, a story or an emotion.  It sounds simple, yet 95% of the images I see on Instagram don’t have this; and I’m talking about from the photographers I’ve specifically chosen to follow.  I’m all for putting out content and genuinely engaging with people on social media, but recently I made a decision to err towards the side of being proud of the work I share instead of being “good at Instagram”.

JM: What is your favorite shot you’ve ever taken?  What’s the story behind it?

CH: It’s difficult for me to have favorites, I’m a recovering perfectionist so I overcompensate sometimes by refusing to compare even my own photographs to each other.  That being said, here is what you could call a recent favorite.

CH: The sun had set and the model and I were at our second location:  on the side of a highway at a section where heavy machinery had cut into the rock in the hills.  I used the headlights of my car for lighting to try and instill a familiar sense of traveling at night and the excitement that comes with it.  Her wardrobe was very well thought out, a sensual yet classy look that emphasized the color red and her blonde hair. This image sticks out to me because it has a strong idea of mystery, causing you to create a story in your head.  That and the lighting is just killer – and I mean that, it reminds me of an old school movie poster!

JM: If someone told you they were thinking of getting into film, what would your response/advice be?

CH: Start simple, shooting with a mechanical camera with a meter.  Shooting manual lets you really learn the craft, understand the science and appreciate the art and effort. Most folks would say you should shoot a lot, but that doesn’t help if you always shoot the same subject or in the same environment.  So I’d add to that and say shoot as many different things/situations as you can find, even if you know the photograph in the end won’t be super interesting, it will be a learning experience.  On that subject, humans learn best from mistakes so expect them and don’t get disappointed if you’re not getting what you want yet because eventually you will.

You can see more of Christopher’s work below.

Interview: David Chan

“Once I got the hang of it, it was easy to see why so many photographers are (re)discovering film. The way that light renders on film is simply magic…”

David is an avid film photographer in California. I came across his work shortly after a trip he took to Banff and I was blown away by his work. His panoramic photos made me want an X-Pan (or Fujifilm TX-1), the colors in photos made me want to try Ektar again, and the energy of his work has inspired me to travel and take more photographs.

JM: Thanks so much for doing this.  Your shots in Banff have inspired me to try Ektar again after one failed roll.  I’ve really appreciated all the direction and advice about my trip to Banff and photography in general.

JM: Why do you shoot film?

DC: I took some film and darkroom classes in high school and college, but it wasn’t until about a few years ago that I started seriously pursuing photography as a hobby again after purchasing a Sony a6000 with a 16-50mm kit lens for a trip to Hawaii. I was amazed with the capabilities of that little camera and began to accumulate lenses and accessories for it before completely upgrading to a full-frame Sony system later on.

DC: It was exhausting keeping up with the rapidly evolving technologies after a while, and I was beginning to feel burnt out from spending most of my time in Lightroom, rather than shooting. I must have spent hundreds of hours culling through terabytes of RAW files, watching Youtube tutorials, installing presets, trying to give my images that ineffable “film look”. At the same time, I was seeing more and more photographers that I admired dabble in film, with gorgeous results.

DC: I started looking into film cameras and ended up buying a beautiful silver Olympus OM-2n and a pack of Superia on Amazon. The package arrived minutes before I was set to leave for the airport. I spent the entire flight trying to figure out how to load the film, and not realizing that it needed batteries to operate shutter speeds other than 1/60s. Needless to say that first roll was complete dog s**t!

DC: Once I got the hang of it, it was easy to see why so many photographers are (re)discovering film. The way that light renders on film is simply magic, the tones and colors have a natural richness that is hard to replicate in digital. I find myself being a lot more deliberate and thoughtful with each click, and not having the ability to “chimp” is actually very liberating. Finally, it could be days, weeks, or even months before you see your images. It’s a lot of fun for me to look at those memories again with fresh eyes.

“Sometimes, even those carefully planned shots can turn out like crap, but a random click of the person sitting across from you can blow you away. It’s all part of the fun!”

JM: What is your favorite film?  Camera?

DC: For my favorite film, I’m going to be cliché and say Kodak Portra 400. It’s such a versatile film that works for 90% of situations. Fast enough to use at most lighting, amazing exposure latitude, pleasant grain and tones. It’s the best.

DC: I’ve been lucky enough to have a lot of great cameras to choose from, but if I have to pick a favorite it would probably be my Hasselblad Xpan. It’s a camera that I actually don’t use that often due to its special format and its “slow” lenses, but in the right situation it has produced some of my favorite images.

JM: What proportion of your shots turn out as you hoped (or better)?

DC: I would say about 25%. Being on film and having no way to verify your results, I usually play it safe and take 2-4 frames if it’s something important. Sometimes, even those carefully planned shots can turn out like crap, but a random click of the person sitting across from you can blow you away. It’s all part of the fun!

JM: When do you call a photo ‘finished’?  When it’s printed? posted on IG? scanned?

DC: Well, it’s “finished” as soon as the shutter curtain close, isn’t it? I just hope that I or the lab don’t screw it up after! In all seriousness, I think it really depends on what you are trying to achieve with a particular image. Whether the goal is to post it on social, hang a large framed print on your wall, or email it to your grandma, to me it’s finished once you are satisfied with the result.

JM: Though it’s really tough to choose a favorite photo of yours, I’d have to say it’s one you took at Consolation Lakes (15Sept2018).  What’s the story behind it? Where does it rank for you?

DC: Thank you, it’s one of my favorites from that trip! Such a memorable day. My wife Crystal and I started early in the morning to Moraine Lake with the plan to get some photos and canoe on the lake. As the morning went on, the area became more and more crowded with tourists, waving around their selfie sticks and whatnot. After a while, it was impossible to get any unobstructed shots and we were desperate to get away to somewhere more secluded. We discovered the Consolation Lakes trail and decided to explore despite the large ominous sign that warned of bears!

DC: It was a beautiful trail through the woods that ended with a scramble over some large boulders to get to the lake. My wife being a former gymnast, is much more nimble than I am. I got as far as I am comfortable with while she continued to work her way over the rocks. I had been saving the last frame of Velvia in my Xpan, and decided to use it as she was perched on the large rock in the center. It was one of those rare shots where it turned out even better than planned. I couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out!

JM: What is your favorite shot you’ve ever taken?  What’s the story behind it?

DC: Oh man, that’s a tough one. There are a lot of shots that I am proud of and a few that have received some recognition, but as far as my personal favorite, it would probably be the of Crystal doing her makeup in the mirror while we were in New York. Just a simple, intimate moment captured on black and white film that I hand developed. 

JM: If someone told you they were thinking of getting into film, what would your response/advice be?

DC: Get a full manual camera with a fast prime lens and just shoot, shoot, shoot. Stick with one type of film stock so you can learn the characteristics and have something consistent to measure your progress. Most of all, shoot what you love and have fun!

You can see more of David’s work below.

Interview: Craig McIntosh

“When I made the move from digital to shooting on film I immediately noticed how much it forced me to slow down and actually think about how I wanted to compose the scene or my subject.”

Craig is a film photographer in Scotland. His work is really creative and has helped me to focus on the importance of light and setting up the framing to emphasize light. He also has a website you should check out (he suggests looking at it on a desktop to fully appreciate it).

MH: Hey Craig! Thanks so much for doing this! I really love your style and hope learning more about you can help me start to see light the way you do.

MH: Why do you shoot film?

CM: Film photography as a medium just works for me. When I made the move from digital to shooting on film I immediately noticed how much it forced me to slow down and actually think about how I wanted to compose the scene or my subject. Every photo you take is effectively costing you money, so for me, it doesn’t allow the luxury of shooting hundreds of images and praying that you nailed 1 or 2.  For me, a fully manual film camera just simplified everything.

CM: I like that you can’t view the images immediately – the disconnect between me taking a photo, sending the rolls of film to the lab and then waiting for the scans to be sent back allows me to focus on what’s happening around me. Usually, I shoot a few rolls throughout the month then drop them off at the lab after payday. By that point, I’ve usually forgotten some of the images I’ve taken. Like a kid at Christmas, I get excited when I receive the scans from the lab and I can spend quality time to go through them and consider their effectiveness. This is a feeling I only get from shooting film

CM: Further, I was never particularly fond of the digital process of shooting my images in RAW and then spending time editing the images. I find it to be an added headache and I’m less productive as a result. I select the film stock depending on what I’m shooting that day or what light I’m working with, then I try to do as much work as I can inside the camera. I have faith in my lab to produce the results I want. I will sometimes edit my images however, it’s more quick little touch ups than anything else.

MH: What is your favorite film?  Camera?

CM: I shoot mostly colour C41 film and if I had to choose my favourite stock, it would be Portra 400. I love how versatile it is – for nearly every situation, it produces great results even if it’s over or underexposed. I also love the pastel and muted tones it produces and the skin colours look perfect. I’d say my favourite Black and White film is Kodak Tri-X.

CM: For most of my portrait work, I use my Mamiya C330. I enjoy how close I can get to my subject while still being able to focus in sharp using the bellows, and I like that you get a different look to your portraits purely because you’re shooting up at your subject from the waist instead of at eye level. I’m in the process of upgrading my gear just now, I’ve just purchased a Nikon FM2 to replace my Pentax K1000 that I learned on. I’ve used 5 or 6 rolls through it so far but It’s fast becoming my favourite camera. It’s the small touches that I enjoy, for example, being able to see the camera settings in the viewfinder and having the option to shoot double exposures at the flick of a switch.

MH: What proportion of your shots turn out as you hoped (or better)?

CM: I’m usually pretty happy if I can walk away with at least 3 or 4 images per roll. Naturally over time, you start to figure out how certain film stocks excel and how they react in certain lighting which altogether lends itself to more consistent results. When I began shooting on film, I had the tendency to want to finish the roll in my camera before I would call it a day and head home. This led to me forcing images and subsequently getting poorer results.

CM: I remember in the early days apologizing to the lab for one of the rolls I had shot and had them develop and scan. The results were so poor I felt bad for them going to the trouble of processing them. Maybe it was the early excitement of shooting on film and wanting to see how the images turned out. I now don’t allow myself to do that but it’s all part of the learning process. Currently, I find that I’m quite selective with what I shoot and it’s usually the case that I can be out for a few hours and only take 2 or 3 photos.

MH: When do you call a photo ‘finished’?  When it’s printed? posted on IG? scanned?

CM: I should print my work more often, I usually do it if I’m making a print as a gift. For the better part of 2 years I’ve been shooting everything and anything. So, I generally had the mindset that once I had uploaded the image to my website/Instagram the image was effectively finished. However, at the turn of the year I decided to start thinking of some long-term projects that I have begun shooting over the last month. Periodically I may upload some of the images from the photo series to the fore mentioned platforms. However,  instead of seeing that as the finish line I’m looking more into making long term projects with a bit more substance and purpose.

“I select the film stock depending on what I’m shooting that day or what light I’m working with, then I try to do as much work as I can inside the camera.”

MH: What is your favorite shot you’ve ever taken?  What’s the story behind it?

CM: I’m quite fond of this photo I took during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017. It’s probably one of the first rolls of film I shot on my Olympus Mju ii and it was Kodak Tri-X 400 i used. That camera is tremendous for candid street photography, as it’s so compact and the shutter is so quiet. Every day during the festival I would use my lunch break to go for a wander through the Royal Mile to see some of the free shows and take in the festival atmosphere. I was immediately drawn to the man handing out flyers to passing tourists.  The timing of the photo makes the man look quite mysterious, with clothing comparable to that of film noir. I’ve always thought that it looks like the top half of his body is etched onto the granite stone wall behind him. Meanwhile, you have a moment between the little girl and the lady with the bunny eared cap, which is a look of curiosity and terror. This is one of the first images that I felt creatively proud of.

MH: If someone told you they were thinking of getting into film, what would your response/advice be?

CM: This is based upon my experience with photography, but I would encourage anyone who is thinking of picking up their first camera to choose a fully manual SLR instead of a digital camera. I think that the amount of settings on a basic entry level digital camera can be slightly overwhelming. I learned on a Pentax K1000 which you can pick up for around £100 from Ebay. It’s really easy to use, fully manual and you can pick up additional lenses cheaply. Having 36 frames to use will force you to learn the fundamentals of photography in terms of composition and the relationship between ISO, aperture and shutter speed. Youtube is also a great source for tutorials on anything film photography related, so use that to your advantage. There is also plenty of good budget film stocks out there to get you started on, some I would recommend trying are Fujifilm Superia 400, Fuji C200, Kodak Colourplus, Fomapan 400, Lomography 400, Ilford HP5 400.  Amazon has some good bulk buy options that I use quite regularly. 

More of Craig’s work can be seen below:

Interview: Peter Gotz

“I realized how important portraiture is in the grand scheme of things and how important it is to photograph the people you love“

When I first came across Peter’s IG account, I felt really compelled by his photos – they all feel so genuine. I hope that as I grow as a photographer, I can capture as many moments in such spectacular beauty as Peter has been doing.

JM: Hey Pete! Thanks for agreeing to do this.  As far as film photographers that I only know through social media go, I’d say I feel most akin to your style.  I really look forward to getting to know more about you. 

JM: Why do you shoot film?

PG: There’s a comfort and confidence that comes along with shooting film. You have a certain set of skills and you have to trust in yourself when you pit yourself against a scene. You gotta trust your instincts and get into a flow where you are sure of your composition and exposure choices. Once you commit and capture your image then there is a moment of pride and relief where you can take a breath knowing (or hoping) that you nailed it. Then you move on. When I’m shooting film I am not tempted like in digital to take many pictures of the same subject at slightly different angles with slightly different settings. My digital shooting experience is filled with chaos and double-guessing instead of peace and serenity. Shooting film is definitely a more enjoyable process for me. 

JM: What is your favorite film? Camera?

PG: My favourite B&W film is Tri-X. My favourite Slide Film is Velvia 50. My favourite C41 film is a toss-up between Ektar 100 and Portra 160. Those choices are highly influenced by what my favourite photographs have been shot on.

PG: My favourite film camera is the Nikon F3. I actually thought it was a pretty ugly camera initially but it has definitely grown on me. My collection of Nikkor primes are an absolute joy to use with that machine. Qualms I have about it though: – you can’t see the shutter speed LEDs in the dark through the viewfinder. It also is annoying to operate both the exposure compensation dial and also the mirror-lockup mechanism. There is no single perfect camera out there, only what works for you!

JM: What proportion of your shots turn out as you hoped (or better)?

PG: I don’t think I have ever developed a roll where there wasn’t at least 1 image that I was really happy with.. (That is except for the “Zeiss Crisis of 2017” when my roll came out completely blank from a Zeiss Contaflex that I picked up for $20 from a trunk of an antique shop in Toronto’s distillery district). The reason I stuck with shooting film is that the first roll of film that I ever shot (Ilford XP2 at the Calgary Stampede) was the best SERIES of 36 images that I had ever captured in a row. I flip through those 36 prints and am so proud of the variety, the story, and the quality, whereas if I scroll through 36 digital images in my Lightroom photostream then I just can’t wait to blast past them to get to the film stuff. There’s a certain magic that’s involved in the process of shooting film. I think there’s always going to be a proportion of images that turn out better than imagined, worse than imagined, and exactly how you envisioned. I try not to get too bogged down in it and try to stay humble. As long as I end up with one photograph that I am very proud of as a result of hours of shooting, developing, scanning, and editing, then I think it’s all worth it. The anticipation and delayed gratification is an amazing feeling. It forces you to sit with the images in your mind where they can live with you and the memories of the moment solidify before you ever even see the final developed photograph. Pretty awesome to slow things down a beat and practice some patience and contemplative photography in this Internet age where everybody else needs results yesterday.

JM: It’s really difficult for me to choose a favorite photo of yours.  If I had to pick one, I’d say it’s the one of your wife before you proposed (IG – 06Jan2019).  The mood of it reminds me so much of dozens of shots I’ve taken of Brittany.  Where does that shot rank for you?  

“Essentially the same light that touched your subject touched your film… I think that is so powerful and special.”

PG: Haha thanks! I actually brought my digital kit on that trip to Banff, Alberta, Canada, but made a last minute decision to swing for the fences and to try to shoot my engagement with the Hassy! It was a beautiful moment for us and I’m really glad I made the decision to capture it on a tangible medium which I value so much. I’m sure you’ve heard the analogy before but I really think it’s an important point to mention – when you shoot a portrait of a person on film then that emulsion is actually capturing photons of light that bounced off that person and which are then harnessed through chemical reactions on film.. Essentially the same light that touched your subject touched your film. I think that is so powerful and special. Years can pass by and you can lose loved ones but having a negative of that person to cherish is pretty awesome and special.

JM: What is your favorite shot you’ve ever taken?  What’s the story behind it?

PG: My favourite shot I’ve ever taken is a portrait of my dad. My then girlfriend at the time (now wife) and I were visiting my parents in Vancouver and it was a beautiful sunny day on Granville Island when Sirena, my dad, and I popped into the Granville Island Brewing Company to cool down with some refreshments. It is such a happy memory for me just chatting and sharing stories. I had just picked up a Yashica D TLR (60 year old camera) and had it loaded with some Tri-X that I had decided to push to 1600. I rested it on the table and placed a little booklet under the front legs to angle it upwards a bit. I set my aperture to f4 and my shutter speed around 1/125th and as we were talking and having fun I lightly pressed the shutter release and heard the quiet little leaf shutter click. It was just a genuine experience with my dad rather than a formal portrait shoot. The guy is my hero and I’m really proud of that image. Shooting portraits can be really hard and daunting but it doesn’t always have to be. I think it was that moment that I realized how important portraiture is in the grand scheme of things and how important it is to photograph the people you love. 

More of Peter’s photos can be seen below:

Interview: Matt Seal

Matt was one of the first people I met when I moved to Columbus. One of the first places I wanted to go was the local camera store and as luck would have it, Matt had started working there pretty recently. He was a talkative nice guy who was passionate about film. Eventually we became friends he’s been amazing about helping me get some ideas together for this site.

JM: Why do you shoot film?

MS: I feel like this is a pretty common answer, but I prefer the ways it limits me. Sitting down with a raw digital file and the seemingly endless directions I could take it just becomes overwhelming. I fully admit that this is likely due to my own indecisiveness, but having a solid starting place with consistent colors is just preferable. Other than that, I find I prefer the experience of using film cameras in general – waiting a while to see the photos, using waist-level finders to utilize the huge focusing screens, and so on. I think of many of them as works of art (my Rolleiflex comes to mind).

JM: What is your favorite film? Camera?

MS: If I were given the choice of one camera and one film stock for the rest of my life, I’d take my Pentax 67 and load it with Portra 400. With my means being as humble as they are, my favorite film is the one that I can count on to deliver the most consistent results. I might have made some more stunning images with Velvia 50 or Portra 800, but my old reliable will always be Portra 400. My favorite camera is a much easier question – a Pentax 67 was my first medium format system, and after trying virtually every big name 120 camera, nothing has come close to delivering on exactly what I want more consistently than that camera. Is that just because I’ve used it the most, and I’m missing out on a better system? Potentially, but I’m not about to try and fix what isn’t broken. The 67 handles like a regular SLR and delivers immense negatives that are already at my preferred 4:5 ratio; there isn’t really anything more I could ask. As long as film is around, I’ll be using this camera.

JM: What proportion of your shots turn out as you hoped (or better)?

MS: The Pentax manages 10 frames per roll of 120 film – I think on average I’ll like 2-3 frames from each roll. Sometimes it’s less, and on rare occasions it’s more. Once I spent two days photographing my friends with four rolls of Fuji’s Acros (R.I.P.), and that was probably the highest turnout rate I’ve ever had. I loved almost every single frame. I’m much less cautious when I shoot 35mm, so those results can be all over the board. I’d still say less than half of my exposures usually meet or exceed my expectations.

JM: When do you call a photo ‘finished’?  When it’s printed? posted on IG? scanned?

MS: This one was the most difficult to answer by far. Off the cuff, I think I would say an image is done with it’s printed and frame-worthy, something I wouldn’t make any changes to if I printed it again. After some more thought about where I personally find my work on an image terminating, I’d say it’s once the image is in someone else’s possession. This might just be because I’m a sap, but I’ve found that the most satisfied I’ve felt with any of my work has been when it’s framed and hanging in someone else’s home, or populating the lock screen or wallpaper of their phone or computer. I can easily cut corners and say “good enough” to an image I plan on printing for myself, but giving it to someone else inspires much more care and deliberation. If I’ve printing an image and given it to someone (either at their request or as a gift), and it manages to land a spot on the walls of their home, it’s very likely that I won’t be revisiting it anytime soon.

JM: What is your favorite shot you’ve ever taken?  What’s the story behind it?

MS: The vast majority of my best work was made from 2015 to 2018, and the hard drives containing 90% of those files were destroyed in March of last year (back your files up online, folks). This makes it difficult to look back and actually know what my all-time favorite image is, but I do have a favorite of the images that survived. The image is from my Burke & James press camera, a portrait I took of my father in 2016. He was sitting in my room talking with me about something when the sky cleared up suddenly and the sunset poured in through my window. I frantically set up my 4×5 camera (loaded with HP5+) and, after one test shot on my digital camera, exposed exactly one sheet before the light was gone. It was one of my earliest 4×5 frames, and I’d say I’ve yet to top it. I definitely haven’t had a shot that hectic turn out so well before or since.

More of Matt’s work can be seen below.

Interview: Meagan Mastriani

“When I have a limited number of shots, I choose them more carefully, and I’m relieved of the pressure to capture everything.”

You can find more of Meagan’s work on her Instagram. 

When I was in college I met a guy named James who would become one of my closest friends. Years later he started dating Meagan subsequently we became good friends as well. Eventually, Meagan got James into film and then the two of them got me into film. There’s been no looking back.

JM – Thanks again for doing this.  Without having you in my life, I doubt very seriously I would have have gotten back into film photography.  I’ve always looked up to James and I think you’ve been a huge influence to his creative side and between the two of you, a huge influence on mine.  I think it’s only fitting that you be the first person I ask to interview.  Hopefully, your love for film can influence others as it did me.

MM – I’m happy and flattered you’d want me to be part of your website. It’s an honor. And I feel the same way about you and James, and how we’ve all inspired each other creatively. James always says he wouldn’t have learned to play guitar without you, and now that he’s taught me and we are able to write music together, I feel like we owe that to you! I’m really happy that all of our paths crossed in the way that they did and that we’ve been able to motivate each other to make art.

JM – Why do you shoot film?

MM –  Shooting film feels really freeing. When I have a limited number of shots, I choose them more carefully, and I’m relieved of the pressure to capture everything. I find that when I shoot digital, I often re-do the same photo again and again, trying to get the perfect version. It’s good practice, but it can take me out of the moment. And since I mostly take pictures of my friends and family in everyday settings, it’s nice just to document that one moment, then put down the camera.

“Every day, I feel a little sad and anxious when it gets dark, but those last soft moments of sunlight make me giddy and tingly.”

JM – What proportion of your shots turn out as you hoped (or better)?

MM –  Great question. It’s pretty satisfying if about a third of my shots turn out well. On a roll of 36, if I get about 12 photos I’m really happy with, that’s solid for me.

JM – My favorite shot of yours is probably a shot you took of James and me in a parking garage in ATL back in ’16.  Where does that shot rank to you?

MM – Thanks! Do you mean this one? I have a soft spot for that photo, too. That was a fun day, running around to all those parking garages to see which one had the best view of the city. We kept trying to get up on the rooftops, but I really liked how being inside the garage framed the scene.

JM – What is your favorite shot you’ve ever taken?  What’s the story behind it?

MM – Maybe it’s a tie between a shot of a sunset in Seoul and a portrait of James at a cafe in Vienna? The link between them is they’re both very pink! That gorgeous rosy, dusky light touches something in me. Every day, I feel a little sad and anxious when it gets dark, but those last soft moments of sunlight make me giddy and tingly. I wish that light could last for hours instead of minutes. I guess I should go to Norway or Alaska.

Some of Meagan’s favorite work is below.