Today, we’re featuring a lovely Switzerland travel story from Micah Thornton. Here is more from Micah about her first experience shooting film and photographing her time in Zermatt…
I captured these images during a ski trip in Zermatt last winter using my Nikon FM2. I’d only recently started exploring photography, mostly taking pictures on my iPhone, but I’d always loved the romantic look of film, and I figured this trip would be the perfect opportunity to learn. I bought my camera with no prior understanding of film and definitely didn’t know anything about the exposure triangle. I think I made about every mistake one possibly could while first learning to use this camera.
Unaware that the ISO setting should match the film roll’s ISO, I mistakenly believed I could adjust it similarly to a digital camera. Furthermore, I encountered issues such as breaking the spring while rewinding, leading to the film roll breaking in the process. Panic set in when I accidentally exposed the film by opening the camera back. In a rush, I sought refuge in the windowless bathroom of the 700-year-old chalet we had rented. In complete darkness, I struggled to roll and insert the film into a translucent canister, which I then wrapped in foil, the only opaque material at hand.
Realizing my errors in changing the ISO setting and the film mishaps, I initially considered discarding the entire roll. Despite the setbacks, I sent the film for development, expecting the worst. To my delight, the developed pictures revealed a surprising charm. Despite the numerous mistakes, these images remain among my favorite shots taken on film.
Analog cameras and films used: Nikon FM2 (Find at KEH Camera or on eBay) | Kodak Film (Find on Amazon)
Connect with Micah: Instagram
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