I fell in love with photography in the post-digital era. So even though I grew up with film, I never really learned to shoot it, beyond snapshots and disposable point and shoots. But lately I’ve become more and more intrigued by the look, and the more-considered process of shooting film. This year I finally dove in headfirst, and somehow collected a dozen old film cameras along the way. (Apologies to my wife for completely taking over our closet with my toys.) I’m just getting started, but I’m pretty pleased with the results so far. Here are my favorite analog photos from 2019. You can also keep up with the new gallery of 35mm and medium format film photography here.
Santa Monica, California. Pentax 67 | Kodak Porta 400
Point Vincente Lighthouse. Los Angeles, California. Pentax 67 | Kodak Porta 400
SoHo, Manhattan. Canon Sure Shot Owl | 35mm Kodak Tri-X 400
Skaket Beach. Cape Cod Massachusetts. Nikon F-801 | 35mm Kodak Ektar 100
Bowery, NYC. Nikon EM | 35mm Ilford Delta 400
Nikon EM | 35mm Ilford XP2
I love the repeating patterns in this image.
SoHo, New York. Nikon L35 AF | 35mm Fomapan 400
Venice Beach. Los Angeles, California. Pentax 67 | Kodak Portra 400
Flatiron, New York City. Pentax 67 | Kodak Portra 400
Canon Sure Shot Owl | 35mm Kodak TMax 400
DUMBO, Brooklyn. Leica MA | 35mm Kodak Portra 400
Sometimes you get this interesting frame burn effect on the first shot of the roll. Sometimes they’re also serendipitous for the composition. This one has very strange apocalyptic vibes.
West Hollywood, Los Angeles. Pentax 67 | Kodak Portra 400
East Broadway, New York. Canon Sure Shot Owl | 35mm Kodak Tri-X 400
23rd Street Station, NYC. Canon Sure Shot Owl | 35mm Kodak TMax 400
Houston Street, NYC. 35mm Ilford XP2
Smith Street. Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. Kodak Tri-X 400
Greenport, North Fork, Long Island. Canon Demi ee17 Half Frame Camera | 35mm Kodak Gold 200
The Canon Demi is a half frame camera. Instead of taking one landscape-format image on each frame, it takes two portrait orientation ones. So you get twice as many shots on a roll of film. When you get your scans back from the lab, every frame is a diptych.
Smith Street. Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. Voightlander Vito B | 35mm Fujifilm Superia 200
The Cyclone. Coney Island, Brooklyn. Nikon F-801 | Expired 20-year-old 35mm Fujifilm Superia 400