I’ve surprised myself this spring. After years of mostly shooting with film cameras, I’ve gone back to digital.
I haven’t given up on or abandoned film but due to issues with low stock and the increasing cost of film and developing that has made the future of film photography seem suddenly uncertain, I realised I needed something in addition to my analogue set-up so I could continue to do the work I wanted without being held back.
The slowness, the grain and not least the mindful aspect of shooting and working with film has been integral to my work for years. But I have also felt myself increasingly limited by the slowness of manual settings and the less-than-versatile speed of whatever roll I’m shooting, as well as yet more price hikes, and it’s made me think twice about whether a shot should be taken and prevented me from taking chances, experimenting and shooting as freely as I would like without worrying about the risk of failure or the cost involved.
Technology is important to the extent that it will allow me to create the images I want and so I have chosen a camera that can compliment what I’m already working on with film, while giving me just a few more options for creativity and experimentation. I’ve never been a gearhead but in terms of a tool, I’m looking forward to finding out what the new camera might be able to provide as I move forward with photography.
- Lea
London, May 2023