Now why would you shoot digital and then try to make it look like film, when you can start on the right foot, by using film to begin with. Notice the texture…
This image is a sample of my art: shot on instant film. What instant film can generate such imagery? The answer in this case is FP3000b, (the other stock I use - for color is FP100c). The numbers 100 and 3000 represent the ISO, which is the sensitivity of the film (regarding exposure). Note that this film is not integral, but pack film - its predecessor, which is a larger format, and with different chemistry. As each year passes, these film stocks are heading towards extinction as they both have been discontinued. My goal is to make an oeuvre with them, before the clock runs out.
My analog of choice…
The model of camera used for all my film photos here on this site also contributes to the instant film’s professional look. This being the Polaroid 180 Land Camera. Built in the 1960s, these beauties, with bellows, are purely mechanical. That’s right, no batteries needed, and they still can work after all these decades, so take that planned obsolescence! Plus, they are manual in all aspects, giving the shooter complete responsibility over the image. Focus (depth of field), shutter, f-stop, composition (it’s a rangefinder), etc. need to be calculated before firing away the shot. Yes it makes shooting more difficult, but yes it makes it that much more rewarding - when executed properly. Take a look at the rings around the lens. They are for the f-stop and shutter speeds. I use a Sekonic light meter to determine my exposures to set them. Ahhhhhhhh, takes me back to my college days in film school. To compare shooting film to digital: it’s like speeding around in a stick shift convertible vs. hauling your kids to soccer practice in an automatic stationwagon, if you catch my drift.
