Discovering a love for film | Grand Rapids Family and Documentary photographer

Just before Covid changed our lives, I dusted off my grandpa’s old film camera. I wasn’t really interested in film, but I was planning to be going to a photography retreat in a little over a month and since one of the topics was film photography, I didn’t want to write it off without trying it.
So I went to a local shop on a surprisingly nice day in February, had someone teach me how to load a roll of film, and headed to the park.
And I loved everything about it. I love the slower pace, the process of planning and then shooting instead of doing it all at once like I usually do. I love the anticipation that came with waiting for scans, I love the colors. I love the challenge and how it forces me to trust what I know about light and angles and depth of field instead of constantly second guessing myself and checking my camera just in case. And when I get it wrong (and there have been quite a few rolls that were totally wrong) I’m learning the most.
So film became my quarantine thing. Something to challenge myself with, to learn, to enjoy. My friends and I texted about the weird things we stocked up on at stores - snacks we don’t usually eat, so many cans of beans and bags of rice, and I stuffed as much film in a box in our fridge just in case.
These are my favorites from my first 10 rolls of 35mm film. For a year that’s been full of so many surprises, I hope this is how I remember it - savoring the moments together and always looking for the light.