For the past few years, I've been seeing photos online with vibrant, pastel colors, sharp details, and a look that I can't describe but gives me a feeling of comfort. All of those photos had a sense of life that DSLR just doesn't capture. All of those photos were shot on 35mm film. So naturally, I wanted one of my own. I contemplated, compared, and researched for months, deciding if it was worth the time and money. Finally, I have one in my possession, the beloved Canon AE-1.
I haven't touched a Canon camera since 2021, when I made the switch to Sony, so this was a fun experience going back to my roots. The AE-1 is fully manual and has an internal light meter, which is apparently something you should have when shooting film. I chose Kodak's Portra 400 as my first roll since it is fairly neutral and the editing of my digital scans will be quite similar to editing RAW photos. Once I had the camera, film, lens, and an A544 battery, I was ready to venture out with my new setup.
The first photo I ever took on 35mm was of my 1990 Mazda Miata. It only made sense to shoot an 'old' car with a camera that had its debut in 1976. I made my way around our driveway, getting photos of Noah's Hyper Blue STI, our (also) blue Crosstrek Wilderness, and of course, a few shots of the various Honda bikes in our backyard. I was also able to snag a few shots of some frogs and toads by the lake.
(I included every photo even the bad ones. This is a learning experience after all!)
Not every photo was perfect, but that's to be expected when there is no screen to see each shot. When shooting digital, you take a test photo, examine it, and adjust your settings accordingly. With film, you set your aperture and shutter and cross your fingers. I was prepared for the whole roll to be underexposed, but luck was on my side this time (or maybe it was just skill, who knows).
Having this camera has slowed me down. It's forced me to be more intentional with every shot I take. There is no immediate gratification when shooting film. You find your subject, set you settings, and snap the photo. You don't get to see it until you've filled the whole roll, developed it, and scanned it. Even then, there's more post processing to see the final photo in all it's glory. It unlocked a whole new world for me to study, learn, and enjoy, and I'm so excited to see all that I get to do with it in the future.
