Why Film?

Why Film?

An Interview with Dianna Martin

    Photographing life on film is not an original idea.  I grew up in the 80's when all we had was one film camera, a rented video recorder and home phones.  There is a simplicity, an ease, and connections that have been lost and possibly we are all starving for.  

    I shoot film because it slows me down, I see life, light and moments as art instead of the need to capture (and post / share) It puts me IN the moment instead of BEHIND a camera. 

    This week I did some research by connecting with one of the best film photographers I know, Dianna Martin.  Dianna Is a mother, a storyteller, a creator, and an artist.  She uses film to document both her client work and her family life.  

We began our conversation with the question Why Film? Why choose to capture life on film over digital or iphones? 

Our conversation was long, intimate, passionate, and fulfilling.  Many of the things Dianna brought up I was nodding along in complete agreement.  

Film allows you to think about what you are shooting and how you are shooting.  Having only 24 or 36 images means you can't overshoot.  It is honest, messy, authentic, and if someone blinks, well, then that's now the image, and arguably its a better image, its has truth.  By simply using a roll of film we are pushing again the trend of perfectionism.  

Film has texture, grain, colours, light leaks, imperfections.  These all add to the intimacy and connection to the story each image tells.  There is feelings behind each image, both physical and emotional.    

Film allows you to miss moments.  To let those ones we can't capture; due to rolls ending or lighting dimming and let them pass us by.  We are allowed to sit in those moments as just ourselves and not the story teller behind the camera.  We get to be present.  It is healthy for ourselves to put the camera / the phone down and it is incredibly healthy for our kids.  What must this over shooting, over documenting, over sharing be doing to them? 

The delay of seeing the image allows us to always be time travelling.  We are the keepers of our stories and we are the keepers of the memories.  When we capture these moments on film the are then rolled tightly, shipped away, developed, scanned back weeks or months later.  We are then able to travel back in time.  We see those moments that are now our memories played back to us.  Like a dream we know these times but they have passed us by, already memories.  Film grants us this permission to fall back in love with our past lives, our past selves, our past stories and tell them time and time again.  

  

Dianna had so much insight to give and our conversation validated all the romantic feelings I have towards film photography.  It is a beautiful way to connect our lives to our stories, to capture those memories and to allow moments to pass us by.  

We are made for slowing down. Film slows us down. 

Thank you Dianna you are truly a beautiful soul and artist.  

Find Dianna:

Website: www.diannamartin.ca

Instagram: @diannarmartin