There is something to be said about taking the time and connecting with the process of loading film into a camera, relying on your own intuition and skills when choosing the settings, and not knowing whether your exposures will be correct until you develop your film. Let’s be honest, in a world where everything is instant it’s nice to slow down and wait for your film to be developed. It’s exciting to see them talk about different cameras and using them in different settings with examples as well as showing that you don’t need the most expensive gear to create cool photos.” Lewis continues. “For me watching film photography YouTubers like Willem Verbeeck and Negative Feedback have done such a cool job of making film accessible for everyone. Influences such as YouTube and other online platforms have also contributed to the medium. Having a limited number of shots really pushes you to make the most of each frame,” he says.
“I like to shoot on film because it keeps you honest and places extra emphasis on setting up a shot or scene. So what has brought on this sudden interest in film again? And is it just a point and shoot arrangement, or are we craving a deeper connection to the art of photography?įor local photographer Tom Lewis, there’s a specialty to film photography that sets it apart. It feels like there are film processing labs popping up everywhere, and even more people pointing a 35mm camera at their food or shooting their local house party. However, over recent time you may have noticed a recent surge in film photography. Then, with the evolution of the camera industry we quickly forgot about developing film and focused on the selfie, taking thousands upon thousands of photos before we got one just right – no errant fingers in sight. Stay up to date with what’s happening in Melbourne here. There would be pics with fingers obstructing the lens or throwaway shots that succumbed to the very tomfoolery that drove you to pick up the camera in the first place. Running around the playground taking pics of you and your friends doing stupid things, then waiting for the photos to be developed, printed and then picked up from your local drug store.
If you’re like me, you grew up taking happy snaps on your Kodak disposable camera. The vinyl revival is a classic example of our lust for previous decades, and as we raid the cupboard for mum and dad’s old records, we’re also digging around for their old film cameras.
There will always be a love for the early eras, the decades which perhaps we missed out on or that we look back on with pure nostalgia, craving what life used to be and look like. Words and image by Leah Hulst We dive deep into Melbourne’s film photography revival and spill the beans on the best spots to get your rolls developed.