I thought it would be right & fitting to begin my Irish Analog Adventures blog, with an opening post revisiting where I began 20 years ago with 35mm film before digital consumed my world 😉
My very first camera (i.e. something I actually bought, as opposed to something shoved into my hands, and told to photograph my uncles & aunties) was a Canon EOS 3000, with it’s 3 autofocus points. Interestingly enough, I still have it, as a keep sake !
Fortunately I kept some of my original photos from that camera, as I explored and stumbled through the world of photography, and scanned them a few years ago.
What amazes me now, as I look at them 20 years later is: a) where the heck did 20 years go !!, and b) they’re actually not half bad, for somebody who genuinely hadn’t a clue what the difference was between rear-sync and mirror-lock-up !
I remember mostly experimenting with different film: agfa, kodak, fuji, b&w (c41) and startled at how it dramatically changed the printed photos. As you can see in the gallery below, I was dabbling with sepia c41 film, highly saturated agfa film, and then a brief run at fujifilm velvia-esque film too:
It’s quite remarkable when I look at my pencil notes, the vast array of film choice we had 20 years ago from the big players, compared to the stripped-back mainstream choice now vs. the new boutique films on offer.
I was only using my Canon 3000 for 1-2 years when digital cameras started to emerge, and being in the IT industry I got swept along by the technology …
So here we are 20 years later, and I’ve been through all manner of digital cameras: Canon film –> Canon digital –> Fuji digital –> Canon –> Panasonic –> Nikon –> Sony —> Nikon film & digital + Sony digital
It brings me back to the root question … why take up 35mm film again ? The answer is simple: I’ve realised for the first time, that it’s the only form of photography where I’m not staring at an onmipresent led screen, I’m very much in the moment, and having to make more decisions that affect the art of the output. It’s both challenging and a breath of fresh-air !
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Irish Analog Adventures 