Tag: film photography tips

The Opening of the Film Archives – March 2017 with Kate in the Vines

Posted on Posted in Black and White Photography, Family Life, Film Photography, France, The Film ArchivesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

Hello you! It’s great to have you back for another dive into the archives. Over the past few posts, you might have noticed a recurring star of the series: my Canon AE1. While it’s true I’ve leaned on this camera heavily for many of these moments, I promise there’s more variety to come—even some colour film photography! For now, though, let’s continue exploring these Canon snapshots together. Thank you for sticking with me—it means a lot to me.

This time, I took my daughter Kate for a walk among the vines—a walk I used to do with Killian when he was about her age. Admittedly, it wasn’t the most creative choice for me, but for Kate, it was a brand-new adventure. That’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it.

The day was all about Kate, the wind, and the way it danced through her hair. Unlike me, where the wind barely leaves a trace, it created a beautiful, dynamic subject in her. There’s something magical about how the movement of hair and clothing in the wind adds life to a photograph. I captured some truly memorable shots that I now treasure as priceless souvenirs of a fleeting moment.

Maybe they were some of those famous Kodak moments… Whatever the case, they bring back lovely memories of simpler times. Looking back, it reminds me how the simplest moments—like a walk through familiar vines—can hold so much meaning. Sometimes, what’s close to home can be just as captivating as far-off adventures.

It also reminds us that though we might be in familiar territory, that territory can look entirely different to someone seeing it for the first time. The soft, diffused light that day brought out rich textures in the vines, and Kate’s sense of wonder made even the most ordinary details come alive.

When you’re out with your camera, maybe, just maybe, that’s something to keep in mind. How might your everyday surroundings look through fresh eyes—or through the eyes of someone discovering them for the first time?

Browse the full Film Archives →

The Enduring Elegance of Vintage Cameras: A Personal Journey

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I often find myself discussing the concept of “vintage” with my father during our phone calls. I live in France, while my parents are in Northumberland. The term means different things to different generations. For my 25-year-old son, vintage clothing is anything from the 90s, he even wears a few of my old sweaters from that era. At 52, I’m starting to think of myself as slightly vintage too. And to my 15-year-old daughter, my father, who grew up during the war, must seem positively ancient.

A camera from the 1990s feels relatively modern to me, while those from the 70s and 80s seem older but not quite ancient. Using these older cameras forces me to slow down and be more deliberate. Each shot becomes a considered act rather than a reflex, and there’s something satisfying about that slower pace, even if the cameras themselves aren’t the latest technology.

My own “vintage collection” began with an SLR from the 1980s: an East German Praktica MTL3 that served me faithfully until 2009. After it finally gave up, I quickly replaced it with another. From there, I explored more iconic cameras from the 1970s and 1980s, back when they were still relatively affordable, before the hipsters discovered film photography and the prices started rising.

My exploration didn’t stop there. I began to seek out cameras from the 1960s and even the 1950s. The oldest camera in my collection dates back to 1949! It’s quite vintage, even for me, though perhaps not so much for my father. Each piece is a link to a past era, a tactile connection to history that digital tools can’t replicate.

There was a time during the digital age when people tried to recapture the film aesthetic, and right on cue, apps like Hipstamatic, Instagram, and VSCO turned up. They embraced the nostalgic look of film, but it’s never quite matched the real thing.

Which led me to a simple thought: if I wanted that film aesthetic, why not use actual film and cameras from the eras I admire? I’ve always been drawn to old things, having loved exploring a special drawer at my grandmother’s house filled with genuine relics. My fascination with older technology, particularly when it’s still functional, has never gone away.

So just because something’s old doesn’t mean it doesn’t still work, and it might open up a whole world you didn’t know existed. It can be a bit quirky, but once you get past that, the world’s your oyster.

my daughter contemplating cake
portrait of a young girl

The Opening of the Film Archives – Noirmoutier September 2016

Posted on Posted in Black and White Photography, Camera reviews, Film Photography, France, Landscape Photography, The Film Archives, Travel photographyTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

Welcome back, dear reader, to another delve into the Film Archive from before this wonderful blog that I know you enjoy reading so much. I appreciate being able to share these photos with you in the hope that they may not only please you but also offer insight into an older form of photography, one where concerns about overheating or battery life were minimal. I want to demonstrate how it is still possible to achieve great results with any camera and that the main quality in your photography comes from you, the photographer.

Earlier this year, I was there with my Canon 6D Mark II, but today, we’re revisiting my visit from September 2016. At that time, I didn’t have my Canon, but I did have the Olympus Trip 35 with HP5 Plus film from Ilford. I used that camera quite a lot that summer and continued to use it in September. I might just have to dig it out of my camera cupboard and use it again. Constraints and minimal kit often lead to more creative decisions—just think back to my UK trip, where I only had my X100F with me.

Let’s start with the camera. It’s a small but gorgeous camera designed for the mass market in the 1960s and was still being produced in the 1980s, which attests to its appeal among casual photographers. With relatively few controls, it’s pretty foolproof. I can adjust the film ASA setting, and the selenium cell housed with the lens takes care of the rest, whether it’s aperture or shutter speed. The famous red flag appears in the viewfinder when the camera senses insufficient light. All I need to do is set the focus zone.

I must have bought mine around 2015 or 2016, and it was quite affordable at the time—no more than 50€. It was an iconic camera then and still is today, but as the supply of these cameras dwindles, prices have increased. You can now expect to pay 100€ or more, with some models even reaching nearly 200€. It remains a great camera but might be a victim of its own success, along with sellers’ optimism and greed. Buyer beware—shop around, and you might still find more accessible prices.

As for film, prices have also risen, especially for Kodak film, but Ilford remains affordable, as do Kentmere, Fomapan, and Rollei.

I’ve travelled the same road numerous times, and it always brings me a certain sense of peace. I tend to stop off at familiar spots along the way, and those of you with an eagle eye will recognise some of these locations from other photos in this blog.

But why go to Noirmoutier? Firstly, why not? It’s just over an hour’s drive from my home and is a popular destination for many locals from the Vendée. The island now suffers from overtourism, which has certainly changed its character since 2016. Efforts have been made to manage the flow of tourists, with improvements such as parking, pedestrian zones, clearly marked hiking trails, and numerous bike lanes. It’s a beautiful part of the world, so typical of the Vendée Coast with its pinède and long beaches. However, not everything is about tourism. The island is also renowned for its salted butter made with salt from local salt marshes and the famous potatoes from Noirmoutier. Additionally, there’s a small fishing fleet, as well as the fleet from Le Port du Bec in the neighbouring Beauvoir-sur-Mer.

Why the Olympus Pen EE-S Is the Best Budget Film Camera for Beginners

Posted on Posted in Art, Film Photography, France, Nantes Photography, Street Photography, Travel photographyTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 12 Comments

Why the Olympus Pen EE-S Is the Best Budget Film Camera for Beginners (Even in 2025)

Pentax 17 fever is sweeping the film photography world, and I’ll admit, I was tempted. Half-frame cameras, with their promise of double the shots per roll, sound pretty amazing. But with a price tag of 500€, the Pentax 17 isn’t exactly within my budget. That’s when I rediscovered a little gem tucked away in my camera collection: the Olympus Pen EE S.

This Japanese-made half-frame beauty hails from the 1960s, the same era as the beloved Olympus Trip 35. Like its sibling, the Pen EE S features zone focusing and a selenium cell meter for fuss-free shooting. The lens is an F2.8 22.5mm Zuiko lens. The ISO settings go up to 200 ASA, unlike the Olympus Trip which goes up to 400 ASA. So, despite everything else, it needs light. The half-frame format means you get a whopping 48 exposures on a standard 24-exposure roll. That’s double the shots for your buck, folks!

Now, the idea of twice as many photos for the same developing cost is pretty appealing. But does the Olympus Pen EE S deliver the goods in practice? Stay tuned as I put this vintage camera through its paces and share my findings. Could this be the perfect half-frame hero for those of us who can’t quite swing a Pentax 17? Let’s find out!

Well, for starters, it felt very much like using the Olympus Trip 35. It’s very slightly smaller and weighs next to nothing. The shutter button is almost identical as well. Instead of having four zones for focusing, you have three, but it’s fine, and when you turn the dial, you feel a click as you enter a new zone. You point, and then press. Simple!

Let’s talk about this half-frame shooting experience. When talking about the Pentax 17, “they” talk about how the images are great for sharing on social media. A little like using your phone… This is the mindset that I had when putting in my Kodak Gold 200 to capture those famous Kodak moments in Nantes.

I found it a challenge to get used to the half-frame. “They” say that you have to take your photos as diptychs and remember that the two photos in your full frames are related, not just simple images. The idea is that when the two half frames are put together, you create a story and a suite of ideas, instead of two separate photos. I tried, and the results will show you if I succeeded. I felt that “they” were pulling my leg!

I’ll be honest with you. The idea behind the outing was to test the camera, see how I felt using it, and have a look at the results. It took me out of my comfort zone, which is something rare in photography for me. I was thinking about taking it to the UK with me to record the trip. It takes up next to no space in a camera bag and would allow me to shoot some film while back home. The idea of getting twice as many shots by using just half the frame is attractive. I’m just getting used to the reduced coverage that you get with just using half the frame.

For this outing, I decided to head out towards the Cathedral, and takes some shots of the Voyage à Nantes.

I found myself thinking differently about framing my shots and using my phone as a mental template. As for the resolution of my images, they will be half as much as using my full frame, but were I to print my photos, then I would definitely see a difference. But if they’re just for sharing on social media, then the resolution will be perfectly satisfactory.

The million-dollar question is, will I take it on my trip, and will I use it? Yes, I will. Will it be my main camera? Possibly not. Will it be more like using a new toy? Possibly, even if the toy in question is a vintage 1966 toy…

Here’s what I’ll do. I’ll put some images taken on the X100F, my more modern toy, and let you see how they compare. You’ll see the diptychs and see how the different shooting styles change the outlook and how they change the framing.

These are the X100F photos with editing in Snapseed…

A garden fountain in Nantes photographed on a Fujifilm X100F, shot as a digital reference alongside the Olympus Pen EE-S
Close-up of a garden fountain in Nantes, shot on a Fujifilm X100F as a digital reference comparison to the Olympus Pen EE-S
A large tree in a Nantes garden photographed on a Fujifilm X100F, used as a digital reference alongside half-frame film shots from the Olympus Pen EE-S
arch leading back to the cathedral
The old master's house in Nantes photographed on a Fujifilm X100F, shot alongside Olympus Pen EE-S half-frame film images for comparison
A view through a stone arch toward the cathedral entrance in Nantes, photographed on a Fujifilm X100F as a digital reference
Close-up of an ornate iron fence in Nantes, photographed on a Fujifilm X100F alongside Olympus Pen EE-S half-frame film shots
A view through a stone arch toward the Place Saint-Pierre in Nantes, photographed on a Fujifilm X100F as a digital reference comparison

And these are the half frame images from the Pen EE S… with the editing done in Photoshop using the neural filters to get rid of the scratches on the film.

A street in the Bouffay quarter of Nantes shot on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200 colour film, half-frame format
The Saint-Croix church clock tower in Nantes photographed on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200, half-frame colour film
The garden near the Église Sainte-Croix in Nantes, shot on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200 half-frame colour film
The Sainte-Croix clock tower in Nantes captured on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200, demonstrating the half-frame format's rendering of architectural detail
: The bridge over the moat of the Château des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes, photographed on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200 half-frame film
Trees in the courtyard of the Château des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes, shot on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200 colour film
The Château des Ducs de Bretagne seen through trees in Nantes, captured on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200 half-frame colour film
The towers of the Château des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes photographed on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200, half-frame film format
A person sunbathing in the gardens of the Château des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes, shot on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200
Trees in the gardens of the Château des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes, photographed on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200 half-frame colour film
The Château des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes photographed on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200, half-frame colour film
A second view of the Château des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes, shot on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200 half-frame filmv
An apple tree in the grounds of the Château des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes, photographed on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200
The walkway leading to the Château des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes, shot on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200 half-frame colour film
A tower of the Château des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes captured on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200, half-frame film format
A tree rising above the moat of the Château des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes, photographed on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200
The statue of Duchesse Anne at the Château des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes, shot on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200 half-frame film
A street corner near the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul in Nantes, photographed on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200 colour film
The side entrance of the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul in Nantes, shot on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200 half-frame colour film
A stone arch leading into a garden near the cathedral in Nantes, photographed on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200
The Psalter's House (Maison des Psallettes) in Nantes, shot on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200 half-frame colour film
The Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul in Nantes photographed on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200, half-frame colour film
A wide view of the Psalter's House (Maison des Psallettes) in Nantes, captured on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200 half-frame film
The garden of the Psalter's House (Maison des Psallettes) in Nantes, shot on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200 colour film
A second view of the garden at the Psalter's House in Nantes, photographed on an Olympus Pen EE-S with Kodak Gold 200 half-frame colour film

So what do you think? Worth taking?

Film photography, the opening of the archives

Posted on Posted in Alnmouth, Black and White Photography, Film Photography, Northumberland, The Film Archives, United KingdomTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

Good evening Dear Reader. You may have noticed, and then again, you may not have noticed, that I have created a couple of new pages. Instead of adding article categories to my site in the menus, I have created pages with a carousel showing collections of articles in one specific category. This started with Photography Tutorials, which is a collection of, surprise surprise, photography tutorials. Another one for Travel Photography, one for Camera information, and a final one for articles featuring Film Photography. The idea behind this rather brash move on my part, was to help you find what you wanted to read or discover more easily.

This Meisterwerk of a blog is a work in constant evolution, as I think you may have gathered, especially for those of you that have been with me since the beginning. But what does this have to do with Film photography I hear you ask. Well, when creating the film photography page I realised that there are fewer articles than I first thought. This struck me as a little odd, because at one stage I had a little bit of a reputation as a film photographer, and at one stage was purely a film photographer. This was, of course, before the start of this blog lark in 2019. Between 2009 and 2019 I did a huge amount of film photography that I realised I have not shared with you. Even more so since 2016, when I started developing and scanning my negatives at home.

The beginning of the blog also tied in with the X100F and the Canon 6D Mark II coming into my photography, and since lockdown, I have done only small amounts of film photography. Time to reveal more of myself to you. At least if that’s alright… But this isn’t just about me dusting off old memories. By sharing these photos, I hope to spark a conversation, ignite a passion for film, and maybe even inspire you to dig out your old camera and give it a whirl. Who knows what treasures you might find in your own archives?

Moped with a Jameson whiskey box as a baggage holder. Looks very cool
Taken on the Praktica MTL3 probably with the 50mm Pentacon F1.8 lens on HP5 Plus at box speed in the Quartier Bouffay in Nantes.

So bearing all this in mind, I have a proposal for you. Let’s open the vaults and let’s have a look at the “film archive”. This could be in the form of a series of articles complementing the weekly outpouring of anecdotes or advice, as an addition, or it could be the content for the upcoming weeks. I haven’t decided yet. Let me know in the comments which option you prefer, or if you have any other ideas for how you’d like to see the film archive content. There’ll be shots of Nantes, the UK, England, and Scotland and maybe even Spain, and Portugal. There will be colour and black and white photography too. I don’t know yet. I might not have yet taken into account the magnitude of the task ahead. Everything is open.

On the way to Otterburn in Northumberland with the Pentax ME Super using Portra 160. It was another good day out.

But whatever you decide, I hope you come along for the ride. It’ll be worth it!

Canon AE-1 Program – A Classic Film Camera for Timeless Photography

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I picked up a Canon AE-1 Program a while back, mostly out of curiosity. It came out in 1981, it’s a 35mm SLR, and it’s probably the most common “serious” film camera you’ll find in a charity shop or on a French brocante table for silly money. Mine’s been through a lot of rolls since, and I still reach for it more than I expected to.

The thing that sold me was how it handles exposure. In Program mode it sets shutter speed and aperture itself, so if I just want to point it at something and not think, I can. That’s handy on days when I’ve got my hands full and don’t want to fuss with settings. But it’s not just an automatic box: switch it over and you get full manual control, plus shutter priority and a bulb mode for long exposures. I’ve used the bulb mode for a couple of night shots and it did exactly what I needed, nothing more complicated than holding the shutter open and counting.

Build-wise, it’s a metal body, and it feels like it. Solid, a bit heavy, no creak in the hinges. There’s something about handling an old metal camera after a run of plastic ones that just feels right, even if that’s pure nostalgia talking. The viewfinder is bright and clear with a split-image prism in the middle, so focusing manually is quick once you know what you’re looking for. There’s a hot shoe if you want to bolt on a flash, and a self-timer, which I mostly use for the odd self-portrait when there’s nobody around to hand the camera to.

For the record, here’s what you’re working with:

  • 35mm SLR film camera
  • Program, shutter priority, and manual modes
  • Metal body
  • Split-image prism viewfinder
  • Hot shoe for flash
  • Self-timer
  • ISO 12 to 1600
  • Shutter speeds from 1/1000 down to 30 seconds
  • Aperture range f/1.2 to f/16, depending on the lens

Only real gripe: because it’s so well known and well liked, prices have crept up over the years. It’s not the bargain it once was. That’s the price of being a favourite, I suppose.

Would I recommend it? Yes, easily, whether you’re starting out with film or you’ve been shooting for years and want something you can trust without thinking too hard about it. I’ve had mine for a good while now and it hasn’t let me down once. The way it moves between automatic and manual without any fuss means I can shoot however the moment demands, and that’s really all I want from a camera.

Here’s a straight scan next to a version with a few basic tweaks in Lightroom, nothing heavy. Curious what you make of the difference.

The idea here is to give you a raw image from the film scans and show you what you can get with a minimum of fuss in Lightroom with some very basic edits. What do you think?

And below is a small selection from the last roll I developed, shot in 2022 on the streets of Nantes. More to come, I’m sure, now that I’m back into film properly.