Embracing the Classics: Shooting on Film for the First Time

Shooting on film for the first time was supposed to be a nostalgic adventure, full of creative potential. But things didn't exactly go according to plan. As I eagerly loaded the film into my camera and set out to capture some shots, I quickly found myself facing one hurdle after another. It turned out to be a journey riddled with unexpected obstacles and disappointments, leaving me feeling pretty frustrated and questioning whether I had any idea what I was doing.

The first challenge? Figuring out how to load the film. Despite having seen it done before, the pressure of getting it right in the moment overwhelmed me, prompting a quick Google search for guidance.

But the hurdles didn't end there. As I began to snap away, my camera decided to act up. Its age wasn't a secret, but the extent of its quirks caught me off guard. For every shot I took, it demanded that I advance the film twice, depleting precious frames with each click. The closer I got to the end of the roll, the more frequent this occurred. I was frustrated at this but knew it was part of the film journey.

After completing the rolls of film and a nerve-wracking wait for development, I was overcome with relief when the photos finally arrived. Out of the 96 potential shots, 71 emerged intact—a small victory amidst the chaos. However, my joy was short-lived.

Upon receiving the images, I made a disheartening discovery: the majority were ruined  by a lack of focus. It was so disappointing. Despite my confidence in mastering manual focus, the reality of the blurry results shook me. Doubt crept in, tempting me to abandon this art form altogether.

But you know what? Despite the setbacks, there's something about shooting on film that keeps pulling me back. It's like this deep connection to photography that I can't shake. So yeah, I might've hit some bumps along the way, but I'm not giving up just yet.