For The Girls - Captured Exclusively on 35mm Film
A first look at the gallery + Staying safe while working at public events.
Hey Film Fam, Welcome Back!
Thank you so much for tuning into this Subscriber Special newsletter.
This newsletter includes images that you get access to first. In the new year select images will make their way onto my Instagram and other sites in their full high-res glory - but I want to stress that my Substack gets to see the un-watermarked, unrestricted images before they go elsewhere!
You also get exclusive access to what it was like shooting 35mm Film at an event like For The Girls works, my gear and why I chose it, how the developing and editing went overall, plus any issues I encountered and how I overcome them.
I share my first hand experience with you so you can avoid potentially expensive mistakes and ‘steal’ my secrets to fast track your way to creating your own successful film photos!
To be entirely transparent - This wasn’t a paid shoot, I wasn’t contracted to cover an event on 35mm Film. I wasn’t sponsored and everything was paid for by myself, from the film and chemicals to the fees involved in attending - plus this was a kickass Charity Event for an amazing cause, so of course I was keen to cover the event!
I was 1 of 4 photographers invited to be part of Media hour, most of us shooting on film as the FTG team love 35mm Film, and actually shoot some themselves! Monica, the founder of FTG was an absolute sweetheart and hyped up my work and made me feel super welcomed.
It’s been 4+ weeks of long days of intense labor to process and produce these images. Still - I have enjoyed every second of it because I’m absolutely in love with the art of 35mm Film. I’m really proud of the quality of work I produced and I hope the For The Girls team, and everyone in the car scene enjoys them as much as I do!
With that aside, let’s get into what you’re really here for…
Want to know how to master the art of shooting film at car events? - Get in as Media!
So, maybe you’ve got zero experience and want to break into the scene for the first time, or perhaps you’ve only ever shot events as a spectator and got shoved around and lost in the crowd which has left you with a bitter taste about capturing cars on film - rest assured it’s a total game changer when you’re invited as Media.
Media Hours exist to ensure you - the accepted photographer - have exclusive and unrestricted access to snap whatever you (and the event runners) need within an allocated time period. In this case, there was an hour given to run around and snap away before the crowds were officially welcomed in.
You’ll immediately have more room to move, less people in the way, and you’ll have time to come up with a strategy for what shots you want to capture, the film you want to use, and if you’ve got fun things like filters or multiple bodies with specialty applications - you’ll get a chance to get all your gear organized without being pushed around or interrupted mid shot.
The little badge hanging around your neck is enough for people to clock that you’re there on a mission and move out of your way. Yes, there will always be people there who aren't Media snapping away on their cameras (even when they’re not supposed to) - ignore them, and get to work! Every moment during this timeframe counts.
But how do you even get in as Media?
You have to be on the lookout for event announcements, application dates, and then put together a kickass portfolio to prove you’re capable of capturing images the event runners can use for promotion.
Once you get accepted and you get your email to congratulate you - there’s contracts to sign, terms and conditions to adhere to, deadlines to meet, and requirements galore! There’s a lot of planning and admin work that goes into it. It’s not as simple as applying and hoping for the best - you have to show the fuck up, back up your photography, and ultimately show them why you’re the right person to capture the essence of their event.