taking photos

I’ve wanted to have a chat about taking photos for a while now. But, as a total amateur, I’ve always been a bit reluctant to put my total ignorance and inexperience out there. Lately, however, I’m feeling a bit differently about this. Rather than looking to improve, I’m actually quite enjoying being an amateur.  

When it comes to photography, the world is huge. And expensive. This jump in prices is in sharp contrast to when I ordered my Canon EOS 500N on eBay, during the first COVID-19 lockdown. I paid £20 for a camera I absolutely adore. Sufficiently analogue but with plenty of late 90s digital innovations that helped make my journey into 35mm as simple as possible.

Now though, when you’re scrolling through eBay, you’re more likely to find people reselling equipment and even film at extortionate prices. Last week, I saw an expired roll of Kodak Gold (from 1999) going for £30. And if you’ve not used a roll since the early 2000s, let me tell you, it is as insane as it seems. Just a year ago, I was paying £4-6 for a roll of Kodak ColorPlus – my absolute favourite when it comes to affordable film. Now, I’d be lucky to find one in stock anywhere. Scalpers are making a killing on the resale market. For less than £30, I used to be able to buy a bundle of 5 or 6 rolls.

And it’s not all Brexit and inflation either. As the demand for and interest in print photography increases, film manufacturers such as Kodak have openly been struggling to keep up with the demand. Even as they publicly call for Rochester locals to apply for their film manufacturing division, in an attempt to ramp up production. Fujifilm struggling so much that they’ve actually just been buying film from Kodak and rebranding it. Leading to many unhappy about their faves (such as Superia X-tra 400) seemingly disappearing from the market.

Though we don’t know how permanent this madness is, it’s likely that as demand increases, manufacturing will eventually get better. Leading to less stock issues – and hopefully more reasonable prices. But, if like me, you’re not willing to go broke buying out of date film on eBay, what are you to do?

Well, my go-to in the face of this madness has been to turn to possibly the most convenient black and white film still being manufactured. Ilford’s XP2 has become such a staple for me, not just because I’m able to rely on it being in stock, but because of its price and ease of processing. I know plenty of newbies who, like me, are nervous of how they’re going to get a roll of black and white developed. Especially when their local lab might be a Max Spielman in the back of a giant ASDA supermarket. Or a smaller local lab that charges extra for the hassle of hand processing B&W film. 

Ilford (to my knowledge) produce the world’s only remaining chromogenic Black & White film. Meaning XP2 can be processed using the standard C-41 colour chemical process, meaning your local lab should have no problem delivering a speedy turnaround. And if you’re dying to pick up your prints as soon as possible, like me, this is a godsend. 

Shooting in black and white is an entirely different experience to shooting in colour. But that doesn’t mean it’s any more complicated. While I certainly consider the composition of photos a bit more when I’m out on a walk, I am every bit as carefree with my point and shoot if I’m visiting a friend, or out for a coffee with Rob (my partner). In early 2021, I ordered a Canon Sure Shot Z155 and it’s been such a delight capturing so many gorgeous memories without the bulk of an SLR. All of the images in this post are taken on it, using Iflord XP2 35mm.

To those unsure where to begin, XP2 goes for as little as £7 on Analogue Wonderland. They also manufacture their products in Cheshire and so getting hold of them has proven to be no issue. Even while Kodak stock has become increasingly scarce. Some of my favourite photos I’ve ever taken were using this film. My post about my birthday trip to Bangor (taken with the EOS 500N) is just one example of what this stock is capable of. 

When it comes to taking photos, I’m sentimental. I don’t really have an eye for the aesthetic, either. Even if I do love spending hours looking through other people’s beautiful compositions. It’s just not how my brain works. When I’m snapping, it’s usually just something I want to remember forever. And that’s a perfectly valid reason for using film. The experience of dropping a few rolls off (I like to wait until I have at least 3), and getting physical prints, is one of my favourite things to do. 

I love the feeling of opening those little glossy envelopes. I love the lustre of matte photo paper. And I love looking through them, every photo a surprise and a pleasure. For me, it’s almost a ritual. Nothing beats framing my favourites or popping them in a card to send to a friend. When you’re shooting on film, there’s one shot at it, and it’s captured forever. You don’t have to worry about getting it right just because someone else likes to spend hours getting the perfect shot. If you just point and shoot, you’ll still have something to look back on. Good or bad, it’ll mean just as much to you.