I’ve been photographing on rolls of film for long time, ever since I developed my first roll of film in college. But the process of shooting on film with one of my cameras, developing the film and scanning in the negatives was a lengthy process that, at the time, I didn’t have the time for. Plus, I needed to set aside money to purchase a scanner, developing chemicals, negative holders and other supplies and my wages weren’t allowing me that privilege.
I wanted a middle ground between film and digital. Something that could give me immediate results, but still utilized film and my creativity without focusing on camera settings so much.
I then remembered discovering instant photography and my mind filled with memories of family members using a Polaroid camera to snap photos of myself and others. Obviously, I didn’t have one of the many family photo albums with me to view the the photos, But I remembered how amazing it was to use a bulky Polaroid camera to take candid shots of family members, myself included.
So I decided to get my hands on an instant camera when my finances were in order to re-ignite the photographer in me.
After putting off the decision for months (or years? I don’t remember), I finally used a portion of my money to purchase a Limited Edition Fujifilm Instax Mini 70 camera! It was brand new and it came with both batteries and a pack of 10 film sheets for me to start with.
Several days later and I’m in love with this camera. I’ve taken some beautiful images with it and some shots that I considered test photos or failed ones due to the lighting. But just like the Holga 120N and the Diana F+, this camera forces me to slow down and really get creative about what it is that I want to photograph rather than focusing on the camera settings. I also realized that it doesn’t matter what camera I have in my hand; the photo quality is what counts the most. My images speak for themselves!
Right now, I’m doing a project on Monhegan Island using this camera and I plan on getting around 15 to 20 photos for it. So far I have 11 photos, so a few more to go before I can put together an introduction and the writing portions I have in mind. I have a good idea on how I want the project to turn out, but I don’t have much time since I leave the island in less than two weeks. So I’ll work with what I have.
le fleur artsy 