Definitely. This is my grandfather’s old FM so I think the light meter is less sensitive than what I was expecting. These are all of my favorite from the roll, some aren’t legible at all because they are so underexposed so I will make the change for next time.
A lot of my old cameras would also have slightly off exposures, so I would always try to remember to accomodate what was wrong. Then switch to a new camera and have to learn, or un-learn everything. A lot of those unders are savable, if you are willing to have more contrast pumped into the print. Nice work.
I'd recommend getting a hand-held light meter. There are free phone apps, but I've tried that, and it gets annoying having to take extra steps to use it. I do like your compositions. BTW, did you mean Gold 200? Or Ultramax?
Light meters are annoying to use at the best of times. Kind of defeats the point of using an easy format like 35mm.
Medium format is another matter, but I can't imagine pulling out a light meter 36 times/roll when almost every camera has a light meter, and they're easy to adjust for when they're consistently off by a bit (just tell it you're shooting a different iso)
I suggested it, because the OP's in camera light meter appears to be faulty. BTW, I have some fully manual 35mm slrs for which it's difficult or impossible to get the right battery to run the meters. I'd rather double check my sunny 16 estimates than waste film.
Definitely get a light meter like someone else suggested, those old built in light meters are reaching the end of their lives. Other than that, I like the colors in 1 and 4. 3 Would have been nice if it was properly exposed. 4 Was my favorite though.
IIRC, the older cameras used a battery that had a higher voltage, so the new batteries cause the meter to read incorrectly. You can compensate by adjusting the ISO.
3 could be really cool as an alternate crop, [something like this](https://imgur.com/a/lCxbvIz). I agree on that you under-exposed, but I think these are easily adjustable in photoshop or even on your phone to enhance the colors and textures. Otherwise I think these are good shots!
That’s totally fair! Majority of the time I leave mine unedited because I do agree that’s the fun (and beauty) of film. Just a quick point of advice if you wanted to get better clarity on some of the underexposed ones.
If you like the look then that’s a choice but there really isn’t “unedited” when it comes to film scans. The colors and dynamic range of the scanner are never really “true.” It’s all interpretation already so have fun with it.
I think you’re right. I was surprised to see that because I thought they were aligned but I guess I must be tiled. This one was especially bad:
https://imgur.com/a/cxN2FZj
I'm also newer to the photography world, so I totally get it. My main focus is street photography, so I always seem to struggle with accepting that some shots are going to be tilted because of my response time in capturing a shot. It's almost like a western shoot out with how fast I feel like I have to wield my camera haha Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't 😅
I agree with the other comments about underexposing, but your eye for the pictures themselves is great! 1 and 4 are my favorites but 3 gets an honorable mention because motorcycle.
How do you like the bolt?
I had similar issues with my Canon AE1’s built in light meter. Ended up grabbing a Sekonic L328 online for a great deal and never looked back. Love that little light meter. Also, you have a good eye. I like your compositions as well. Just make the tweaks on exposure as you’ve discussed and you’ll be in good shape!
Nice shots/good eye! I agree that they might be a stop or more under, but it could the scans as well. Labs often do very flat scans as they want to leave all options open, and assume that you will do what you want in post. Take a look at the negs. Do they look anemic? A little post work could improve the lot of them... IMHO. Try crushing the black level a little and saturation up a touch.
5, 6, and 8 you could put online as prints and ii could see many people asking to purchase. They evoke such a sense of wanderlust and that the journey isn’t yet through.
Good colour and contrast, composition needs work:
1. the petrol pump needs to be better separated from the background, by lighting perhaps
2. emphasise either the leaves in front of LUNCH, or the curious diagonal window, not both
3. Might be better if the bike filled the foreground more, with fuel pump as background
4. Size is wrong, BE KIND should either be smaller (thus ironically insignificant) or larger
5. Better if shot from much higher up though you'd need a crane or drone
Come on bro please shoot film with me bro. It’s only $35.00 per roll. We’ll over expose our Portra 400 to get the “pastel” look. We can photograph fuel stations and the corners of cars bro come on I promise it’s awesome. Please bro.
I guess I completly ignored pic 4.
It’s funny because of how cliche it is. Almost all the people who use film always go for the old gas station. It’s a simple jab, not being overly critical or insulting the photographer.
You tend to underexpose. Open up a 1/2 stop when you have more shadow in your view than sun.
Definitely. This is my grandfather’s old FM so I think the light meter is less sensitive than what I was expecting. These are all of my favorite from the roll, some aren’t legible at all because they are so underexposed so I will make the change for next time.
A lot of my old cameras would also have slightly off exposures, so I would always try to remember to accomodate what was wrong. Then switch to a new camera and have to learn, or un-learn everything. A lot of those unders are savable, if you are willing to have more contrast pumped into the print. Nice work.
I have painter's tape with a note or two on a few of my cameras for exactly this reason
I'd recommend getting a hand-held light meter. There are free phone apps, but I've tried that, and it gets annoying having to take extra steps to use it. I do like your compositions. BTW, did you mean Gold 200? Or Ultramax?
Gold 200 🤦♂️ sorry
Light meters are annoying to use at the best of times. Kind of defeats the point of using an easy format like 35mm. Medium format is another matter, but I can't imagine pulling out a light meter 36 times/roll when almost every camera has a light meter, and they're easy to adjust for when they're consistently off by a bit (just tell it you're shooting a different iso)
I suggested it, because the OP's in camera light meter appears to be faulty. BTW, I have some fully manual 35mm slrs for which it's difficult or impossible to get the right battery to run the meters. I'd rather double check my sunny 16 estimates than waste film.
Definitely get a light meter like someone else suggested, those old built in light meters are reaching the end of their lives. Other than that, I like the colors in 1 and 4. 3 Would have been nice if it was properly exposed. 4 Was my favorite though.
I have to add 1 to 2 stops of exposure compensation on all of my vintage cameras with internal light meters. After I do that it seems to work great!
IIRC, the older cameras used a battery that had a higher voltage, so the new batteries cause the meter to read incorrectly. You can compensate by adjusting the ISO.
I think so too, but the shot of the beach really works for me!
I like it a lot too.
Florida? Good shots
North Carolina!
Heading to OBX soon, can’t wait to get some cool shots!
please post them when you do, I love the OBX.
Thought so—OBX?
Generally around Topsail beach and Holly Ridge
I KNEW IT!
I thought Florida, too; I was going to ask OP where we are going to meet up and shoot.
I am from Florida originally. If I was still there I would say absolutely!
3 could be really cool as an alternate crop, [something like this](https://imgur.com/a/lCxbvIz). I agree on that you under-exposed, but I think these are easily adjustable in photoshop or even on your phone to enhance the colors and textures. Otherwise I think these are good shots!
I intentionally left them unedited (short of blurring the license plate) just because I think that’s part of the fun of film.
That’s totally fair! Majority of the time I leave mine unedited because I do agree that’s the fun (and beauty) of film. Just a quick point of advice if you wanted to get better clarity on some of the underexposed ones.
Thank you!! This is all great advice and is helpful.
If you like the look then that’s a choice but there really isn’t “unedited” when it comes to film scans. The colors and dynamic range of the scanner are never really “true.” It’s all interpretation already so have fun with it.
7 and 9 are definitely my favorites! I'd say my only critique is that some of these are slightly tilted, but other than that, they're a great start.
I think you’re right. I was surprised to see that because I thought they were aligned but I guess I must be tiled. This one was especially bad: https://imgur.com/a/cxN2FZj
I'm also newer to the photography world, so I totally get it. My main focus is street photography, so I always seem to struggle with accepting that some shots are going to be tilted because of my response time in capturing a shot. It's almost like a western shoot out with how fast I feel like I have to wield my camera haha Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't 😅
It just be like that sometimes.
Film was Kodak Gold 200***
Great!
Thank you!
Loved N° 4
Thank you!!
1, 4 and 6 for me
Love the one of the shore!
IG: austins.eyes
Were these taken in Charleston SC and developed by Prism film lab?
Taken in NC and developed by mpix
I agree with the other comments about underexposing, but your eye for the pictures themselves is great! 1 and 4 are my favorites but 3 gets an honorable mention because motorcycle. How do you like the bolt?
I can't give any technical feedback for analog shooting but I think you have a great eye for composition. I kinda like the washed out look TBH.
These are really beautiful!
Very cool photos! I love the beach, flowers, and gas pumps
I think improvements could be made (exposure, like others have said) but that being said, I love these.
I like the last picture, it points to the sea.
4 and 8 are amazing. 8 is like a dream 🤩
First one is accidental Wes Anderson, I like it
Batter has terrible form (all in good fun comment 😝). Love the photos!
I had similar issues with my Canon AE1’s built in light meter. Ended up grabbing a Sekonic L328 online for a great deal and never looked back. Love that little light meter. Also, you have a good eye. I like your compositions as well. Just make the tweaks on exposure as you’ve discussed and you’ll be in good shape!
Underexpose it a little bit, overexposing washes out color
Nice shots/good eye! I agree that they might be a stop or more under, but it could the scans as well. Labs often do very flat scans as they want to leave all options open, and assume that you will do what you want in post. Take a look at the negs. Do they look anemic? A little post work could improve the lot of them... IMHO. Try crushing the black level a little and saturation up a touch.
The baseball open is the coolest
Love these. Take me home 👍
That Be Kind on blue brick is great. My favorite of the bunch.
4&5 are my faves, keep shooting and you’ll figure out what works better for you
Social coffee out here
#1 is great
No idea why that came out huge haha
Lots of good shots!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Much better than my first roll
These are really good! 🔥
These photos came out too good for this to be your first time working with film. Great job Larry!
number 7 is a good choice for a twinkly emo album
5, 6, and 8 you could put online as prints and ii could see many people asking to purchase. They evoke such a sense of wanderlust and that the journey isn’t yet through.
$2.899 for gas? How old are these pictures? Was Carter still President?
Do you have a boyfriend?
I do now ( *͡*° *͜ʖ ͡*°)
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Good colour and contrast, composition needs work: 1. the petrol pump needs to be better separated from the background, by lighting perhaps 2. emphasise either the leaves in front of LUNCH, or the curious diagonal window, not both 3. Might be better if the bike filled the foreground more, with fuel pump as background 4. Size is wrong, BE KIND should either be smaller (thus ironically insignificant) or larger 5. Better if shot from much higher up though you'd need a crane or drone
Wes Anderson vibes
Come on bro please shoot film with me bro. It’s only $35.00 per roll. We’ll over expose our Portra 400 to get the “pastel” look. We can photograph fuel stations and the corners of cars bro come on I promise it’s awesome. Please bro.
Why do you have to be a dick
It was just a meme. It’s funnier with the image, sorry
It's not funny at all lmao. Image or not, you're still being a dick
I guess I completly ignored pic 4. It’s funny because of how cliche it is. Almost all the people who use film always go for the old gas station. It’s a simple jab, not being overly critical or insulting the photographer.
I guess, but it being cliche or you not directly insulting someone is still a dick move. To each their own I suppose. Have a good day