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Film photography feels like my own; it gives me ability to explore unknown things, even the dead now


restinpizza 7 / 15  
Oct 27, 2014   #1
Prompt: What is something you have taught yourself in the last year? How did you teach yourself this new skill or concept and what was the result?

There was a struggle that existed between the moment the button was pressed and when you finally saw your prints days or weeks after. Within this last year, I taught myself how to take pictures with a film camera. I'm always trying to find ways to connect myself to the past, which explains why I have found such a feeling of home in both my typewriter and record player. I had been an avid photographer for quite some time, and even had a position as the Photography Editor for the Yearbook staff. I enjoyed all of it, but something felt like it was missing. I didn't feel as if I could express my creativity to the fullest extent, and that's where learning film photography came in. For those who don't know, film photography is completely different from traditional digital photography. You have a roll of film with about 24 exposures and with each exposure, you manually focus and wind back your reel by pulling a lever. There is a greater feeling of sentimentality when photography is approached this way.

I struggled greatly at first with the mechanics of film photography at first, trying to figure out how the camera worked. I thought I knew everything about photography. This obviously proved me wrong and tested my limits. The film had to be tightly wound within the camera, so that when the shutter would click, the dial would make a full rotation, pulling more and more film out of the roll. My mom laughed at me for a while, because I went through about five rolls (that all ended up being blank) until I finally got the hang of it. It was really frustrating at first, because I wanted nothing more than for it to work. I never gave up though, and I am so grateful that I didn't. And I have beautiful film photography to show for it, despite the frustration that serves as a reminder that I shouldn't give up at anything and that nothing is impossible if you keep working at it.

Film photography allowed me to take a more artistic approach to my photography in yearbook, which I personally believe is the reason our book received such high praise from students as well as critics. Our book the year before was even considered one of the top thirteen yearbooks in the country, an honor that had never been bestowed on our school before. But, with the incorporation of my film photography, it reached a level beyond what it had reached the previous year. All types of people felt the ability to be connected to it.

Film photography felt like my own thing and it gives me solace knowing I have my own little thing that can take me away from reality sometimes. At the same time, people seem to appreciate it as a talent and it gives me the ability to connect with people, just as history gives me the ability to. The dead know things that we haven't found out yet, and film photography gives me the ability to explore those unknown things in the same way, just on a different level.
rizu 1 / 3  
Oct 28, 2014   #2
I struggled greatly "at first" with the mechanics of film photography at first, trying to figure out how the camera worked. You may like this way-

I was struggling with the mechanics of film photography when I got a film camera for the first time. With my knowledge in regular photography I thought can figure out the film camera easily. This obviously proved me wrong and tested my limits. The film had to be tightly wound within the camera, so that when the shutter would click, the dial would make a full rotation, pulling more and more film out of the roll. My mom laughed at me for a while, because I went through about five rolls (that all ended up being blank) until I finally got the hang of it. It was really frustrating at first, but it generated the everlasting thirst in me. With weeks spending on it, I have now beautiful film photography to show, despite the frustration that serves as a reminder that I shouldn't give up at anything and that nothing is impossible if you keep working at it.

I think you should break this sentence into more simple.

Film photography allowed me to take a more artistic approach to my photography in yearbook, which I personally believe is the reason our book received such high praise from students as well as critics. Our book the year before was even considered one of the top thirteen yearbooks in the country, an honor that had never been bestowed on our school before. But, with the incorporation of my film photography, it reached a level beyond what it had reached the previous year. All types of people felt the ability to be connected to it.

It seems bit vague to me-

Film photography felt like my own thing and it gives me solace knowing I have my own little thing that can take me away from reality sometimes.

I would suggest to use more simple sentence.
vangiespen - / 4,134 1449  
Oct 28, 2014   #3
There was a struggle that existed between the moment the button was pressed and when you finally saw your prints days or weeks afte

- Lauren, personalize this line in order to let the reader know that you are talking about your experience from the very start. use the word I and restate the part of the sentence this way; "between the moment I pressed the button and when I finally the prints..."

There is a greater feeling of sentimentality when photography is approached this way.

- This can be developed as a separate paragraph that allows you to explain the way digital photography is less personalized than traditional film photography. You can explain the sense of personalization with every frame shot because you had to manually set the exposure, lighting, flash, focus, speed, and distance. I am a traditional photography hobbyist myself so I know that these are things one does not experience with digital shots. Sure you set the same things, but knowing you can alter it later in the computer before printing leaves a less personalized touch on the photos don't you think? That sentiment should be reflected in the essay.

Overall, the message of your essay is solid and is something that is truly interesting to read about. Film photography is practically a dead field since most people use digital cameras these days. The fact that you are trying to be a purist photographer is something that should impress the reader very well :-)


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