Back to film basics

Last year I bought a Canon A-1 on Craigslist.  After shooting mostly digital photography for two years, I was longing to go back to film.

The A-1 is one of the classic SLR cameras that photography classes still use even today.  When I shoot with it, I definitely feel like I'm using a machine whereas my digital camera is more like a computer. I decided to go with the A-1 because of the older mount system.  I figured I could collect more lenses for a lot less than the current system.  

Although digital photography is convenient, I appreciate the film shooting experience more.  There are no "cancel" buttons and fancy focus screens to aid the artist.  And the images are not "instant," which teaches the photographer the virtue of patience. 

I also love film because I still enjoy using a darkroom.  There's something so exciting about seeing an image show up in the developer. In our current home, I haven't been able to setup my darkroom equipment, but this is a goal of mine in the next couple of months.  I look forward to showcasing some of my custom prints in the near future!