I have many examples of photos that didn’t turn out when developed, and I will try my best to diagnose the cause. I remember being annoyed that some scenery shots were too dark or otherwise compromised, but I also have a few examples of photos that I love precisely because they have a mark that is unique to my camera. This resource helped my figure out what was wrong, and still helps me to this day.
I was in New York a couple of years ago and I felt like a true artiste toting around a film camera as I strolled through Manhatten and Brooklyn. Once I returned and had the film developed, I knew I had to 2) figure out my shutter speed and 2) repair my camera to stop light leaking in. Here are two photos show the issues.
Shutter speed too fast
So this was supposed be Central Park, but all you see are some tree tops. The black bar at the bottom is actually my shutter. I must have set the shutter speed too high and it was coming back to resting position before the film was fully exposed.
Light leak
Notice how on the foot of the photo on the right there is a faded beam of light extending from the edge of the frame. That is because light is leaking into the back of the camera. The next photo below is a hot mess of both of these malfunctions. However, since this is a mural of ODB’s Return to the 36 Chambers album cover in his hometown of Brooklyn, NY, and considering the raunchy style of the album, I think this is a great photo—10/10.
Flare
Lens flares are also a neat part of photography, not only film but digital as well. They occur when light is reflecting and refracting within the lens, usually because the photographer is pointed towards the sun and the light is a little too much for the camera to handle. I try my best now to shoot with my back to the sun; since I had the foam replaced in the film door of my camera to prevent light leaking in, more of my recent photos are mark-free. (See final photo at the end of this post).
Did not match film speed with scene brightness
The above recommended film speed for each condition is from a handy source that I used for my composition blog post as well. I took this picture (below right) in Mexico during a winter getaway (yas) and I realize now that 400ISO was not ideal because it was very bright and sunny; I think I overexposed many of my shots. The higher the film speed, the more light gathering ability the film has, so I should have been using a lower ISO (100-200, instead of 400).
It didn’t help here that I was shooting directly into the sun—I should have been setting my subjects so that the sun was shining on them, rather than on me—but I think I should have planned to bring a lower ISO to Mexico. I guess I’m just used to shooting the cloudy PNW. Although, a couple of photos did turn out amazing if I may say so (see one example below). And I think I know why. This one was shot at dusk with the sun providing the most indirect, natural light. The background is a nice contrast as well; I wonder if that makes a difference?
Scanning error?
This is a neat photo I took a while ago and it has a very unique mark that isn’t visible on any other photo I’ve taken. Down the right side of this photo appears to be a sort of fissure, almost like the film is splitting apart. I still have no idea what caused that, if anyone reading this has any ideas please leave a reply in the comments.
My camera is repaired and recent rolls have been free from light leaks. I enjoy snapping pictures in Victoria; I really like the colours of this Coastal First Nations art that is permanently displayed in front of the Royal BC Museum downtown.
Hey Kevin! I have been really enjoying your blog posts and following the different techniques and products you have gotten from all these different locations. I think this is a great post too! I really like the look of a lot of these “mistakes” and I think they give the photos a lot of personality and uniqueness. I am looking forward to continually following your blog for updates. I hope you’re having a good weekend!