As I mentioned on a previous post I’m revisiting film photography again, particularly black and white. Initially I thought it be more suited to street photography, urban landscape and landscape , but, I’m enjoying a foray into black and white wildlife photography. So far this is highly experimental for a number of reasons.  At the moment I’m having to send my films out to a lab for development as getting photochemicals is ridiculously hard in Australia. So many retailers have no stock and can’t say when they will be getting any. Film photography is undergoing a huge resurgence at the moment and yet the photographic industry is remarkably slow to take advantage of this. Anyway because my film is being processed by lab, likely using D76, a developer I don’t much care for, I’m not quite getting the look I want. My favourite developers for fast film were Rodinol and Microphen. Another way it is experimental is that I’m not yet fixed on a film stock. At the moment I’m trying Ilford’s excellent Delta 3200 and Ilford HP5 Plus pushed two stops. Which ever way I go it still means lots of grain which I want to make a feature of. If I want pin sharp fine detail I can get that with digital capture. When using film I want to use its inherent properties as part of the aesthetic. The use of film grain is  a creative decision to create a certain look.

Couple coarse film grain with the mist we are experiencing most mornings and the shots can take on quite a moody impressionist quality. I’m really enjoying this and will continue with it as long as the weather lasts.

All three of the photos here were taken on Ilford Delta 3200 using a Canon EOS 30 and my Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary lens.