Mont Blanc Shot on the 1978 Canon A1 & 50mm f1.4 with Dubblefilm Bubblegum (35mm film, ISO800)
This article is a travel blog entry that focuses on vintage photography in the French Alps.
At Martin Creates, professional photography is taken very seriously so, just like most serious professional photographers today, we tend to focus primarily on digital photography. However, it’s also common for professional photographers to explore the world of photography through analogue format as a hobby, or even experimentally on professional photoshoots.
Martin Creates recently invested in a Canon A1 and a 50mm f1.4 FD lens for hobby and travel photography. On this trip to Chamonix in the French Alps, my girlfriend and I visited Mont Blanc for a half-day excursion and we really enjoyed the scenery.
In this article, you’ll find vintage style photos of Mont Blanc using the Dubblefilm Bubblegum film roll. You can order on this film roll as well as many others using Martin Creates’s affiliate link from Analogue Wonderland. When you use this link, you will receive a free roll of film and I will gain loyalty points, at no extra cost.
Using analogue technology is fascinating because we uncover styles that inspire us, and we learn more about the artistic possibilities that we don’t always have full control over. We are also somewhat limited to the number of exposures (photos) which forces us to be creative and intentional with what we capture. By provoking a wider variety of creative results helps you grow as an artist, not just a photographer.
Shooting on film will push you beyond your comfort zone.
Below is an example of the same mountain top taken on the same day, same camera, same film roll and same lens. The only difference was the aperture. I usually change the aperture to see how this impacts the results. In this case, it impacted the colour rendition in various ways.
Just like most professions, the styles and technologies behind the craft are constantly evolving, and so, if we take the example of a Formula 1 driver driving a 1970s Aston Martin in their spare time, we begin to understand the appeal of entering another realm, i.e. the past, to take a break from the modern world.
The vintage results when using an analogue camera are always a big creative win. Any yet, perhaps the biggest creative win is the workflow. Whilst you have more operational expenses with the film roll, you also have much less editing to do. Editing photos is often where workload becomes intense and can become a psychological hurdle for creatives who prefer to enjoy the shooting experience.
Shooting on film is a wholesome photography experience.
Whilst to some extent I play around and try fun shots as well - like this one using a reflection - there are some disadvantages of shooting on analogue and so, expectations need to be managed. At Martin Creates, we often receive requests for analogue photography and whilst it’s a perfectly valid request, we always pre-warn the client about the risks and offer alternative solutions.
Here is an examples of a light leak which is very common and often you won’t know about them until you you develop the photos; potentially days/weeks later. They’re also almost impossible to repair. It takes up about a third of the frame and ruins the photo which is mean to be of a bird going through the French Alps at 4,000m altitude in Mont Blanc.
Light leaks can also be beautiful and bring a timeless feel to any photo. You can see below the red line and the subtle film burn create a natural vintage effect. It’s just not something you can plan for.
This transparent review of my experience using analogue photography to bring creative vibes to my holiday is only the beginning. I hope soon to invest in a medium format analogue camera system as well. Film photography isn't cheap but the emotional reward exceeds the investment in my opinion.
Stay tuned for more analogue photography adventures plus more!
I am a professional freelance photographer and videographer based in London, UK. I started Martin Creates in order to help empower people and brands worldwide. One of the ways I do that is by publishing blogs with free information to help any creatives out there reading this. I welcome you to check out my work on this website as well as my newly launched site martincreatesweddings.com.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out.
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