Hi everyone,
So I am actually Irish but I live in Prague in the Czech Republic. I started taking pictures about ten years ago. Got a canon which I can't remember very well. All I remember is that it loved to eat batteries. I started with landscape and it bored me so I gave up
About 4 years ago my interest was rekindled in photography when I decided to start doing portraits. I found I maybe had a knack for it. Getting the people relaxed, using natural light only in most shoots (used pro studios and built a little home studio but later grew to dislike it) and after about a year of intensively teaching myself and organising tfp shoots almost every weekend, I started to make a bit of money from it. Now people don't make much money in this part of the world but electronics are priced high (maybe higher than Ireland) but I did a lot with a Nikon D7000 and a 50mm 1.8 lens. I stretched it to it's potential I think. Built a portfolio of sorts that got me more customers.
Early this year I wanted a carry around camera then. Maybe thinking I would do street photography more. I got into mirrorless mainly cos of the size and weight and also some of the new tech. This lead me to old Minolta lenses. Again not having tons of money made me have to find other ways to expand. I sold the Nikon gear anyway and invested in Sony (including the necessary adapter) and got those old lenses which I am still in the process of trying out.
While looking for my first vintage lens, I saw a great price on a Minolta xe-5 with a 50 1.7. I thought, what the hell, I'll buy the camera too. I can try film. It's something different for me. Of course I shot a little film before when I was younger so it wasn't totally alien to me. (I am 37). Anyway, little did I know that I would become addicted to the old cameras! But so much pleasure from this! I could have spent the 200 or 300 on one prime lens for the Sony but instead I ended up with 3 Minolta cameras and 4 Minolta lenses.
Some mishaps along the way but that is the wonder of all of this. Honestly, I don't think I am too interested in the modern more automatic (or autofocus) film cameras. I love the fact my srt101 is from the 60s and I have an srt201 and then recently an x700. The lenses are (and I know I should designate MD or MC but).. 55 1.8, 50 1.7, 50 1.4 and 35-70 3.5 (the last one seems to be some kind of gem so far not least cause of the bokeh).
So a kind of love affair. Now it sounds like I am deep into this but not really. It all so fresh to me. My second shoot using the srt101 (alongside the digital cam) is this weekend. I am confident with my subjects, usually models, at this stage but the film cameras of course demand more of me. I need to really pay attention. But I love that every frame counts more. I am tired of coming home with 200 pictures and finding only 3 really good ones then fiddling in lightroom. I take shots I know are not working cause I can. It changes the dynamic too. I don't like checking the lcd in front of the subject. There is something more intimate about using film. I have heard this and agree. Plus it feels more treasured, as it reminds us of the past, it is more valuable than another digital file and exciting to see what the results will be.
So that's the story so far. Great to find this place. Already the folks here have been very helpful.
So I am actually Irish but I live in Prague in the Czech Republic. I started taking pictures about ten years ago. Got a canon which I can't remember very well. All I remember is that it loved to eat batteries. I started with landscape and it bored me so I gave up
About 4 years ago my interest was rekindled in photography when I decided to start doing portraits. I found I maybe had a knack for it. Getting the people relaxed, using natural light only in most shoots (used pro studios and built a little home studio but later grew to dislike it) and after about a year of intensively teaching myself and organising tfp shoots almost every weekend, I started to make a bit of money from it. Now people don't make much money in this part of the world but electronics are priced high (maybe higher than Ireland) but I did a lot with a Nikon D7000 and a 50mm 1.8 lens. I stretched it to it's potential I think. Built a portfolio of sorts that got me more customers. Early this year I wanted a carry around camera then. Maybe thinking I would do street photography more. I got into mirrorless mainly cos of the size and weight and also some of the new tech. This lead me to old Minolta lenses. Again not having tons of money made me have to find other ways to expand. I sold the Nikon gear anyway and invested in Sony (including the necessary adapter) and got those old lenses which I am still in the process of trying out.
While looking for my first vintage lens, I saw a great price on a Minolta xe-5 with a 50 1.7. I thought, what the hell, I'll buy the camera too. I can try film. It's something different for me. Of course I shot a little film before when I was younger so it wasn't totally alien to me. (I am 37). Anyway, little did I know that I would become addicted to the old cameras! But so much pleasure from this! I could have spent the 200 or 300 on one prime lens for the Sony but instead I ended up with 3 Minolta cameras and 4 Minolta lenses.
Some mishaps along the way but that is the wonder of all of this. Honestly, I don't think I am too interested in the modern more automatic (or autofocus) film cameras. I love the fact my srt101 is from the 60s and I have an srt201 and then recently an x700. The lenses are (and I know I should designate MD or MC but).. 55 1.8, 50 1.7, 50 1.4 and 35-70 3.5 (the last one seems to be some kind of gem so far not least cause of the bokeh).
So a kind of love affair. Now it sounds like I am deep into this but not really. It all so fresh to me. My second shoot using the srt101 (alongside the digital cam) is this weekend. I am confident with my subjects, usually models, at this stage but the film cameras of course demand more of me. I need to really pay attention. But I love that every frame counts more. I am tired of coming home with 200 pictures and finding only 3 really good ones then fiddling in lightroom. I take shots I know are not working cause I can. It changes the dynamic too. I don't like checking the lcd in front of the subject. There is something more intimate about using film. I have heard this and agree. Plus it feels more treasured, as it reminds us of the past, it is more valuable than another digital file and exciting to see what the results will be.
So that's the story so far. Great to find this place. Already the folks here have been very helpful.
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