At some point early this year I decided I wanted to find a small, pocketable 35mm camera, so I could take more snapshots on film while out and about. I asked around and it happened that my mum had an old Nikon point and shoot camera in a box somewhere, so this is now living in my bag for those opportune moments.
I've sometimes resisted the contemporary obsession with film cameras - although I use them myself and enjoy doing so. What I struggle with is the idea that a photo is inherently better if it's photographed on film than if it's taken with a digital camera. But - and it's a big one - I do actually prefer the aesthetic of film than the 'default' digital look, and I spend a lot of time trying to perfect softer, more film-like colours and tones in my digital work. Using film just removes that requirement. Sure, I will usually make some minor edits to my film scans to correct white balance and so on, but generally, the starting point is much nicer (in my opinion) than a digital raw file.
Anyway, I recently had my first roll through this camera developed and scanned, and thought I'd share some of my favourites here.
Firstly, I've been spending a few days at Edinburgh Printmakers recently - working on a new print for an upcoming project - and the area around the studio is such an interesting place, going through a phase of development. I often find things to photograph there - here are a few...
Those pipes looked to me a bit like a big metal hand emerging from somewhere down below...
Another day recently (Valentine's Day, actually), my wife and I walked from our home out to Portobello, by the Firth of Forth. A route we've not tried before, and not a route many people walk, probably because it takes you right past a sewage treatment works. Maybe we'll skip that bit next time. It was still nice seeing the views and I took a few photos along the way...
I've also taken a few quick snaps while walking from A to B - usually it's something about the light or some interesting architecture that makes me stop and get my camera out.
Finally, on a quiet Monday recently, I walked to the Botanics to see how it's looking. The answer is: still quite wintery, but there were a few signs of life (snowdrops and other small flowers emerging). I always like seeing how it changes through the seasons, especially when everything comes to life in spring. That will be happening soon - it's already starting to show...
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