that elusive and unique medium:

film.

polaroid

well, i've said it once and i'll say it again: summer is coming! personally, nothing brings back memories of past summers like the photos i have tacked on my walls.

memories

we all can use a digital camera (to a degree) and most of us have instagram in our pockets to add artsy vintage filters to our profile pics, but no 'vintage film' effect can capture the look as well as, well, vintage film! 

but i don't know the first thing about film photography, you cry! how can i ever create effortlessly cool summer photos? it seems like a complex science and depending on the depth you delve into photography, it can be. but i don't want you to do that; at least, not yet. all i want you to do is wander away from the land of peace signs and duck faces and try something new! 

~

a good place to start film photography is with lomography cameras--the holga, the diana and the fisheye are some common ones, but you can even go crazy and get something like the octomat, an eight-lens pop-art style camera!

diana aviator~ find them at uo for around $50

 sold at stores like urban outfitters and west elm, these run from 50-100 dollars. my advice would be to get one that shoots 35mm film, as this can be developed anywhere-even your local walgreens. the beauty of lomography cameras is that all you have to do is point the camera, maybe focus a little, and take the shot! photos come out with a dreamy, loose focus and very often, light leaks--streaks of color on the side of the photo where it was exposed to light.

 the downside to these is that you get what you pay for- they are made of plastic and break fairly easily, and sometimes light leaks can wash out the whole photo. still, it's a good place to start.

a light leak lends a hazy feel to photos

ready to explore more photography? ask your parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, or aged neighbors what they've got in the attic. you'd be surprised at how many people have film cameras stowed away, unwilling to throw away what was once the only way to capture their memories. they'd probably be glad to lend a camera to you- maybe with a shake of their head at how quirky you are.

a canon AE-1 that belonged to my grandfather

the next step is to find a manual of instructions: try the attic, or if not, this site has an extensive list of film camera manuals. now, depending on how old your camera is, this could be a whole new level of camera science that i'm not willing to jump to today. but newer film cameras have automatic meters just like digital cameras. try it out; the most you can lose is the cost of a roll of film!

~ 

no dice in the attic? no worries. 

if you just want to give film a try, you don't even have to buy a lomo camera. just pick up a disposable at the grocery store and take her for a spin with your friends. when you get it developed, marvel at the old-fashioned joy of not seeing your photos right away on a screen. another fun summer idea is the waterproof disposable camera- take it in the pool!

underwater fun

disposable fun-no worries at the beach!

happy shooting~

kelly