This weekend, I wanted to experiment shooting without using a viewfinder or LCD, basically, super fast shutter, preset exposure and focus so I can do some insanely fast photography. Working with a digital camera, on an old adapted manual lens and zone focusing. Definitely a tough challenge!
The results speak for themselves. They suck! And that’s so awesome. Why is that awesome? Because I’ve been struggling since 2019 to find meaning and purpose in my photography. I haven’t had the same feeling I use to have going out to shoot. It was never enjoyable for me, but the today was the first incling of excitement I had. I’m going to keep experimenting and get better at this technique.
One thing about shooting manual I’ve noticed is it allows for imperfections to arise in your work. Digital photography has introduced clinical focus, exposure and color to images, and that’s BORING! What does every photographer want? The film look. But what they actually want is imperfections to make images feel more realistic and convey a certain vibe. Something mirrorless cameras lack.
I still shoot digital, and I refuse to jump on the film photography bubble. I find it dumb that I need to wait for photos to develop and pay everytime. I don’t care how they look, the average person can’t notice between a good filter and film. (fight me)
By adapting older lenses, a bit of image correction, and shooting manual to introduce more imperfections to your images: You can get filmic results with a little practice!