How I Shoot Film + My Gear Setup
/Hi, friends! I am so excited today (like every day) to bring you a post about my film gear setup and how I shoot hybrid at a wedding or session!
I’ve been slowly working my way through crafting a journal series about how I use film photography for my business, and hopefully educate some brides and other photographers along the way!
So let’s hop in! First, let’s start with my adorable apron!
So I bought this precious apron at a craft fair at a nearby mall last year! It was handmade by a group of cute farmer ladies, and its original purpose was to carry eggs and garden veggies. DOESN’T THAT SOUND LIKE ME?! And who’s to say I won’t be hauling eggs and fresh veggies in my own garden one day soon!
Aprons like these are things that you don’t think you need until you utilize it one time. And then you’re hooked. It honestly doesn’t have to be an apron, I’ve seen tons of digital photographers sport FANNY PACKS on a wedding day to hold everything from lens caps to memory cards to lenses, and more. I just choose a cuter, more on-brand version. :)
Next is my Holdfast Moneymaker Strap! I honestly don’t know what I would do without this strap. My cameras hang at my sides and are easy to grab, the clips on the bottom of each strap secure steadfastly to the cameras so I’m confident they aren’t hanging by a thread, and those rings up at the top are perfect for attaching up to two or three more cameras if that’s your jig. BUT BEWARE, long haired girls! Your hair will be ripped out by those rings at the top, all for being wrapped around them and so I usually wear my hair up in a sleek pony or bun on wedding days.
Here is what everything looks like when I’m all geared up for a portion of the wedding day and for the complete engagement/portrait session. I’ve got my medium format camera on my right because I’m right-handed, and I want to make it as easy as possible to shoot film. On my left, is my 35mm camera, usually mounted with a 50 1.2 lens, which provides the MOST BEAUTIFUL, creamy, bokeh-rich images that when paired with film, are my dream come true. <3 You’ll also spot my light meter attached to the right side of me on one of those hair-ripping-hooks I talked about earlier. ;P Again, I’m right-handed so naturally, it’s on my right side. It hangs nice and low so I can meter my subjects at a comfortable distance and be ready to move back to my position to take the shot.
In the right pocket of my apron, I keep unexposed rolls of medium format film. I shoot exclusively Kodak Portra 400, but every so often, I’ll bring a roll or two of Fuji Pro 400h along to play with. :)
In my left pocket, I keep unexposed rolls of 35mm film.
In the middle pocket, goes exposed film, a simple wedding day timeline, maybe some lens caps, and my phone. There may be a roll of washi tape in there at any given time because the new lick and stick seal tabs on Portra are a bit shaky sometimes. It never hurts to be extra careful with someone’s precious memories! <3
I also wanted to mention that sometimes I may bring a few rolls of Fujifilm along and if I carry them in my apron, I put all Kodak film- 35mm and medium format- in my right pocket, and Fuji rolls (35mm and medium format) in my left pocket. At this point, I can unload and load film without looking, and I don’t want to grab the wrong film, so I organize my film in my apron this way.
Let’s talk about loading the film during a session or wedding day! This is where the Holdfast strap comes in handy because you don’t have to set your cameras down to load or unload film!
Here is what my film back looks like for my Pentax 645n! It’s a complete back that comes out, and while they can be interchangeable, you have to finish a whole roll before switching film backs.
I roll my medium format film around that little square in my left hand, wind it in tight, pop it back in, and I’m ready to go!
Then, I do the same with 35mm! I just pop the back open, load my film, close it, and I’m ready to go!
Ok, so lastly, I want you to access your imagination and bear with me. On a wedding day, when I shoot digital as well, I’ll usually switch out my medium format for my 5D Mark IV mounted with a 24-105 lens. My little putter-camera, the Canon Rebel t5i is pictured here because the Mark IV is what is shooting these images. (I’d use the Rebel, but my Mark IV has wi-fi and I can use my phone as a trigger, making selfies so much easier…)
I like to use digital alongside 35mm for ceremonies because the Pentax shutter is a bit too loud for such a quiet, sacred event. But as soon as the family formals, newlywed photos, and bridals happen, it’s back to film we go!
I hope you enjoyed this little behind the scenes look at how I shoot film! I also have some wonderful news to go along with the theme of shooting film! I am now offering and accepting students who want to be taught or mentored in film photography, digital photography, business basics, workflows, editing, and much more! You choose what you’d like to learn, and I’ll teach it! Check out the links below to get more information!
