Joy of going manual

Recently, I bought a camera. It wasn't an impulse buy. Working with photographers for so long, i managed to grasp the mechanics behind a shoot, where the lighting goes, the composition. But then being an Art Director, one can only direct according to his perspective, i figured it'll be best if I can get a clearer picture on how it looks behind the lens, to understand the shoots better given from a photographers perspective.

I started doing my research on cameras best fit for my use. Lomo really interest me, but the thought of shelving out rm1000 for a gimmicky-undurable camera with plastic lens (the newer Lomo LCA+) doesn't bode well with me. I really loved the whole idea of shooting by the waist, point and click mantra every Lomo enthusiast abide fiercely to, to get an arty-farty image with deep saturation and contrast ala' Wong Kar Wai style. First of all, I did fiddle with the Diana mid-format camera, developed the films and found nothing turns out right. Everyone can argue that its the whole culture of Lomography, to embrace mistakes like its art and to not worry bout how it will turn out. Out of 12 shots only 3 came out right. The rest are all under-expose and extremely dim, even in broad daylight. Its a marketing gimmick actually, this whole Lomo thing. Its a remake of classic cameras, repackaged with all the glitter and hype to appeal to all artist-wannabes type.

I don't have anything against Lomo fanboys, as I really loved the effect it produces, the vignetting (dark corners on your image) and the colors its produces. Thats the whole reason I venture into photography, to get the Lomo effect. But I am a control freak when it comes to images. I need to be cocksure that my image is gonna turn out how I imagined it without all the faulty focusing and under-exposures.

So I went and purchase an FM2 Nikon. Its super old, its uses film, it looks damn cool. Also Its also a legendary camera as some may claimed with super sharp lens.  I didn't know all that before I purchase it. Well, its off to kick some photography ass then? To learn photography with an old camera is time consuming, modern techniques apply to all DSLR cameras. So its back to the internet with SLR (Single Lens Reflex) research then. I'm desperately trying to experiment and achieve the Lomo effect with different films and slides. Why not just use photoshop?

Certain things are better without Photoshop. Period.

To hold and operate on a film camera is to experience photography from the days of yore. I really like the idea of manually loading the film in and operating the shutter speeds and advancing the film through a lever. Everything just felt real instead of a point and click method which requires zero skill. Handling a manual camera lets you appreciate the finer points of photography to carefully select your subject and to exercise your composition because you can't just delete the damn image if you don't like it. 

I believe to be able to run, one needs to walk first. And thats why I'm taking the first steps to photography with a film camera.