Analogue Photography
Film Stocks compared
Why use film?
Starting in analogue photography is daunting. Gone are the digital photography triple safety nets of a live updating histogram, being able to check your image on the go, and RAW file manipulation in post. In its place are endless considerations such as cost, fine grain, coarse grain, ISO, push, pull, latitudes, emulsions, colour negative, colour positive and so much more. So why would anyone want to throw off the shackles and give analogue photography a go? I can’t answer that for you, but in a society of instant fixes where so much is available at the touch of a button and flick of a screen, for me analogue photography, where you are forced to wait and slow down, is a fantastic antidote to an instant whirlwind world. Analogue photography makes you consider everything, from shutter speed, aperture, to composition and lighting in a much more deliberate way. When every frame is costing you money and every shot is a guaranteed one off; spending time with each shot will make you fall in love with photography again. It doesn’t replace my digital work, but it is a brilliant supplement.
Film Stocks
For those interested in analogue photography an interesting place to start is by exploring film stocks and pre-visualising your images through the films you may be using to create them. As such I am pleased to provide example shots from various film stocks for you to see the colour, grain, and other qualities of the different stocks. Below for you are links to galleries of images I have taken using the stocks. Most of the images in the galleries below are the first roll of the stock that I put through the camera. More and more stocks are being added all the time as I come across them. If you have a particular favourite then please send me an e-mail using the button below and let me know so I can give it a try. As I have used them I have become amazed at the differences between the stocks and getting to know the ones I do and do not like has been a big part of the joy of analogue photography.
Auckland Town Hall Comparison
The best way to compare film stocks is to see them side by side. All film stocks I have used for the first time start or finish with an image of the Auckland Town Hall taken from the Aotearoa Centre steps. This is for you to be able to directly compare the film stocks and help you decide which on is going to work best for your next project or experiment. Please click below to access this comparison.
All images for this comparison were taken on a 1970s Canonete QL19 on 35mm film. A beautiful compact rangefinder sometimes referred to as the ‘poor mans Leica’.
The film was developed by Splendour in Wellington, New Zealand - https://splendid.nz
