My First Roll of Film – Guest post by Eve North

Do you remember your first roll of film? What camera you shot it with? What feelings you had?

Mine wasn’t that long ago. A few months ago I asked my father for a film camera. He’d already set an example for me with art, music, writing and now photography.

I used to shoot digital. I got my digital camera a couple of years ago. I made short films about rain, I loved shooting nature after rain. When I was 2 years old I had to leave New York and go to Moscow, where I live now. 10 years later I went back with my father with my good Canon. It rained the first night we landed. We wandered around the city taking pictures. Looking back at the pictures I took I didn’t feel anything from them, I didn’t have a connection. Then, I asked my dad for a film camera. My dad, the ”Leica lover” was surprised, but happy.

I received my first film camera on my 12th birthday. Most of my first roll was shot in New York City, my home away from home – Moscow. When I took the last shot on the roll, hearing the film rewinding in the camera was very satisfying. Some days after that we went to the local film lab. I waited over the weekend for the roll to be developed, I was very impatient.

When I saw scans of my photos I was very much excited. I paid a lot of attention to the details of my pictures. In the process I learned a few new photoshop lessons about color correction and cloning out scratches. In a couple of hours my pictures came to life. I was very proud that I was able to do something like this. I liked almost all of them, but my personal favorite is one of a newly-wed couple in the subway. It was incredible how well it came out with so little light down there.

It was pretty random – what I took pictures of. It was just whatever interesting thing I saw. I’m very proud of what I’m able to see and happy I can save what I see. I was shy taking pictures, especially of people. I’ve learned that if you really want the shot, you’ll find the confidence.

Contax G1, 45mm Zeiss, Kodak Ektar

Contax G1, 45mm Zeiss, Kodak Ektar

Contax G1, 45mm Zeiss, Kodak Ektar

I look forward to making more art. This is something I take seriously, I treat my pictures with attention and care.

Thank you, Hamish, for letting me submit to this blog.  All of these pictures were shot with the a Contax G1, a Zeiss 45mm lens and the film is Kodak Ektar 100.