Film Photography Blog | Film Shooters Collective

Barbara Murray

Barbara Murray

Double Exposure Fim Swap | Barbara Murray / katie mollon

Film Shooters Collective members were challenged late in 2022 to complete a film swap project. Here we present the results of one collaboration. In this type of double exposure, one photographer shoots the roll of film, rewinds, and sends to the second photographer to shoot a second set of images. The results are always surprising, often beautiful and sometimes downright amazing.

For this swap, Katie Mollon and I swapped two rolls of film. Each of us shot one roll in areas around their home towns, then swapped by mail. That gave two sets of fun results. Since Katie lives in Detroit and I live in Cardiff by the Sea near San Diego, some interesting juxtapositions resulted.

KATIE : For the first roll, I took photos on a sunny fall day at Elmwood cemetery in Detroit. It's the oldest non-denominational cemetery in Michigan, so it has a ton of variety. I brought along my Lensbaby Omni filters, and experimented with them on each frame. I imagined that this would add to the surreal quality of double exposures.

BARBARA: I shot my images for this roll at a local street fair on a sunny day. Unfortunately the images didn’t line up as well as we would have liked but we still got some interesting results.

BARBARA: I shot a second roll mostly at locations near my house, then sent it to Katie. I tried to emphasize shots that were distinctly local, with a lot of palm trees and some sunsets. I think some of the results from this roll are really spectacular.

KATIE: For the roll I got in the mail from Barbara, I loaded it in my SLR during a photo meetup in downtown Detroit. It was a rather nondescript, chilly day. I was happy to have this roll with me, because I had already photographed a lot of the subject matter several times during the pandemic. Knowing that there would be a surprise in every frame kept me excited to keep composing my shots. Overcast days are great for film swaps, because the skies won't blow out the other person's subjects.

KATIE: Like with most of my work, which is experimental, I liked some results better than others. I will continue to do film swaps, because the ones that turn out the best keep me invigorated about the process! The mysterious qualities about film are what fuels my passion. 

BARBARA: Like Katie, I enjoy experimenting with photography. I think having a general idea what types of images your partner shot, but not an exact image listing, makes the project more fun. But, you’re free to plan a swap in as much detail as you want. Try it yourself with another film photographer and send us your results.

Connect

Film photographer Katie Mollon is based in Michigan. See more of her work & connect with her on Instagram.

Film photographer Barbara Murray is based in California. See more of her work and connect with her on Instagram!

Angela Marlaud : Film Photographer

This feature is designed to introduce you to some of the interesting film photographers whose work we have been noticing. Each feature focuses on just one photographer and highlights their work and their relationship with film.

This month’s featured photographer is Angela Marlaud from Oakland, California. Her work is colorful and instantly interesting. She prefers to shoot with plastic or “toy” cameras because they let the photographer focus on the moment and not the mechanics. In this interview, Angela will tell you in her own words what she loves about film, and how she achieves some special effects like double exposures.

When did you start shooting film, and why?

I was born at the end of Generation X and film was the only way to take photos. There was the ritual of getting your film developed, excitedly flipping through the prints, and putting them into an album. I’m still drawn to the ritual, anticipation, and surprise that comes with film. Instagram has replaced the photo album, but it’s amazing that I can mutually share photos with so many film enthusiasts around the world.

Chinatown Birds

Do you shoot both digital and film?

I started shooting only film in August, 2022. I’ll keep going this way until it gets completely unaffordable. Digital has the obvious time/cost benefit and I’ve learned ‘never say never.’

Fire field

It appears that you’re fond of plastic “toy” cameras. Why do you like them? Do you have a favorite?

I always carry 2 toy cameras around: my Holga and Lomo LCA+. I love both for their multi exposure function. They are also cameras that I don’t have to be too precious about, which helps me be more carefree and experimental with photography.

Concrete River

Much of your work features double exposures. Do you have a specific method for creating these?

I have many methods for creating double exposures. The general rule is to layer the brighter image over the darker one. For example, I’ll take a photo of a black car and then take a photo of bright flowers so that they appear painted on the car. You can also do the film swap method of shooting an entire roll of background/textures and then reshoot the roll with your subjects. Taking the same photo at slightly different angles also makes an interesting psychedelic effect.

Where are the most common locations for you to take photos? Do you especially love particular types of places?

I love places that have been abandoned and taken over by nature and/or graffiti. Most of my photos are from my daily routine: corner stores, neighborhood walks, train stations, parks. My favorite thing about photography is that I’m always looking at my surroundings with curiosity and fresh eyes. Finding a photo op in a place I’ve been to countless times is exciting. You don’t have to go far to take great photos.

What aspect of film photography would you like to learn more about?

How to use natural light and space to improve my photos. Sometimes, I’m so focused on the object itself, that I forget the magic intangible elements can bring to a photograph.

What is your “dream photo shoot”?

My dream photo shoot would be documenting a travel adventure. I recently went on a road trip from California to Arizona and saw so many great photo ops through the car window – I’d love to do a longer American road trip with Portra and Fuji 400. Nighttime adventures in Tokyo/Shanghai/Hong Kong with Cinestill 800T is also on my wish list. Take me anywhere new with a film camera, and I’m a happy camper.

Don’t forget to head over to Angela’s Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/fantastikplastic/ to see much more of her work and give her a follow! Thank you for being our featured photographer, Angela.

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Steve Selvidge : Film Photographer

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This month marks the start of a new feature from Film Shooters Collective. Approximately once a month we will be featuring a film photographer on both the blog and our Instagram feed. The IG feature will be a one day feature exclusively highlighting the photographer’s work and the web post will tell you a bit more about the person behind the photos.

This month’s featured photographer is Steve Selvidge from Memphis, TN. You can see a lot more of his work at his Instagram https://www.instagram.com/SSS_Film_Pix/ . This photo of Steve is courtesy of his wife, Joann Self Selvidge.

In this post we will feature photos Steve has selected himself as representative of his work. As can be seen from the captions he likes to work with a variety of film stocks and cameras.

I asked Steve a bit about his journey as a film photographer and these are some of his replies.

When did you start shooting film and why?

I'm in my 40s, so I grew up with film.  I intentionally started shooting it again in late 2021. I grew up loving photography but was always single-minded in my pursuit of music and guitar.  That's what I do for a living.  When I started checking out the film photography community on IG, I got inspired to dig out my old Olympus 35RC, load it with whatever expired film I could find in my house, and make some pictures.  Something connected inside that was unlike any other thing that I had tried outside of music.

My son has a rare genetic disorder called Prader-Willi Syndrome, and that comes with fairly substantial behavioral issues.  I found that when I was out shooting, or making selections from the scans I had gotten back, all of the noise and stress seemed to go away.  Some people have yoga.  Some people have exercise.  I make pictures with film cameras. 

Do you have any favorite films to shoot with?

Ektar 100, E100, Cinestill 800T, Fuji Superia, Portra 400.


What are your favorite topics or style to shoot (eg., portraits, landscape, street, travel, etc.) ?

I'm drawn to color, contrast, and shape.  The look of my hometown, Memphis.  My favorite topic is that which moves me when I see it.  Occasionally, I get lucky with street photography. 

What type of camera do you use (if you have many like some of our members, choose one or two favorites) and why?

Typically, I will go out with three cameras. A compact rangfinder (Oly 35RC or Hi-Matic 7SII), a full size rangefinder (Leica M2 or Canon P), and some sort of SLR (Nikon F2 or Canon A1, usually with a 50mm)

Many of the images you selected for us are shot on a 400 ISO stock. Why do you like 400ISO?

A lot of that comes down more to the images that I chose, rather than my choice of film stock. Ektar 100 is one of my favorites!  It may also have something to do with the fact 400 ISO tends to be a bit more accessible and affordable compared to some others these days. 

Is there something in particular you look for in creating your compositions?

I would say color, shape, and anything that can catch my interest. When I see something that interests me or moves me, I try to compose and shoot in hopes getting back a photo that really excites me, moves me, or just makes me happy. When I pull it off, it’s exhilarating. 

It seems like there is an underlying current of seeing patterns in the ordinary. What are you thinking when you make these images? 

Sometimes I’m not thinking at all. Sometimes, I’m trying to pull a narrative out of what I’m seeing.

I have always loved photographers that have simply shown the world around them, so I guess that factors in there somewhere. I am very much drawn to patterns. Growing up as a skateboarder in the mid 1980s, I was always obsessed with the graphics, many of which were pattern based. And just as 80s skaters used the architecture around them for something other that what it was designed, so too can that architecture be reimagined into a different image. As a musician, I’ve spent over half my life on tour, often times walking in unfamiliar parts of different cities, staring out of the window of a van or bus. There’s usually something exciting around the next corner, and I try and stay open to that.  

Film Shooters Collective is grateful to Steve for sharing his beautiful images and his thoughts about film photography, and for consenting to be our first featured artist.