Shooting film is different. This is not another story about how wonderful film is and so on. I’m usually a digital photographer but I still love old cameras. It’s amazing because they still continue to work and sometimes cost only a small part of their former retail price. A few years ago, they were state of the art for amateurs and professionals. There was absolutely nothing better.

Today we’re used to make or take photos on digital devices. Digital cameras, smartphones, glasses. You can put a digital camera in nearly every device you can imagine. I’m still waiting for the selfie-refrigerator who works on your personal recap at the end of the year with the best images standing in front of it every morning, still half asleep.

Walking around with an “old” camera feels completely different. At first you’re lost. Questions come up like: Is this photo going to be good? Is it worth to press the shutter? Did I apply the correct settings to the camera? Did I overexpose to much?

These questions arise from the fact that most of the digital cameras work with sensors who need proper exposure to deliver decent results, while modern film is far more forgiving for especially overexposure. Just give it an additional stop or two and meter for the shadows.

You can read this on a lot of websites who deal with film photography but in reality, when you’re out there and don’t have the possibility to check the results, you’re still worried. The only thing that helps is shooting more film. Trying out different exposure settings and checking the results at home after developing your work.

Suddenly you’re at the point where shooting film and working with these old cameras offers you a great new experience. You can walk a new city or a new place only thinking about your next shot. There’s no hardware, editing, checking exposure and all the other things of the digital world we live in. You’re able to enjoy the moment. Talk to the people around you and don’t get distracted by strange camera menus or low battery life. There’s no instant preview, no deleting and every shot counts.

I shot this entire roll on a short trip to Basel in Switzerland with the Hasselblad. Only one camera and a light meter. Not every shot might be a keeper in the end but at this significant moment, it really felt like one. I will get better with every roll. These are the only things that matter. Getting better and having fun making pictures. In the end this is true for both digital and analog photography. Do what ever you want. Have fun and don’t forget that there are still some great and affordable pro-tools out there. Some of them don’t even need a battery…

Thank you so much Kodak Alaris for still making wonderful films at a reasonable price, which helps me trying out all these great old cameras! And thank you Hasselblad for inventing such an amazing tool!

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