#FilmIsNotDead Evaluation
This project was very enjoyable for me as I was allowed to document a piece of my life not many people know about. It allowed me to give my insight on my own culture through my eyes more literally through my lens. I found the outcomes of this project very pleasing and managed to capture pretty much everything I had in mind. I caught ‘A Defining moment’ and imitated William Eggleston’s shot of a beam of light seeping through a window. All of these after inspection gave me a somewhat proud feeling which I must say did feel good. It was definitely an experience as I shot entirely on film for the first time and it did prove to me that film photography is a skill and something you need to constantly work on to achieve the best quality shots you possibly can.
In contrast, I did struggle with certain aspects in the project for example exposure. As you know getting the perfect light isn’t impossible but it is difficult in dimly lit surroundings especially in London. I think one thing I could improve on is my hate for travelling heavy. I say this meaning my hate for tripods has taken its toll on my work and I am finally seeing it. With a tripod, I could have exposed the photos for longer thus leading to better overall images. Some images I feel could have been very strong had the correct amount of light been let onto the film. Another thing I could improve on is slowing down and not trying to snap every defining moment or every beam of light but wait for quality rather than chasing quantity.
I feel like I stuck to my proposal very closely. I strayed a little bit but never too far. I captured the beams of light and the defining moments alongside the architecture but not exactly how I articulated it. But I don’t feel regretful about it as I feel like my proposal was wishful thinking and the actual shots were just that-the actual shots caught in real life. I mean the minarets were captured and the architecture was documented but not exactly how I stated but I did so in another way which I am happy with. I am happy with the research I done. I feel like that was vital for my succession in shooting. I revisited the same tutorials and step by step guides on how to capture depth of field; shallow and deep, composition and various other tricks that allowed me room to learn more on the way. I applied this refreshed knowledge and have a before and after which made me super proud, although it isn’t anything to do with the project, a lesson learnt remains valuable.
Overall I found this one of the more enjoyable projects and felt a sense of responsibility to portray an image of my idea of culture and values in a world where misunderstanding and prejudgments prevail. Next time I will carry a tripod and will do so with a spring in my step knowing that this is a labour of love rather than just dead weight. I discovered a fondness of film photography and it just makes me feel nostalgic which, is enough for me to give my DSLR a rest for a while.
