Monday, July 22, 2024 [2:23 PM]

I called up my brother and asked him if he still had his old digital camera from when we were kids. I felt in a rut. I want to further my skills in film photography but the inspiration isn’t there. I don’t know what subject I want to hone into—and at the same time I know exactly what I want to shoot but I feel timid. Too afraid to click the shutter.

I rekindled with film photography three years ago after a thirteen-ish year hiatus and as a way to play again. To experiment. The medium is sort of built in way where you get what you get. So why have I slowly begun to feel lost in the medium?

My brother’s camera arrived along with a battery charger from eBay. I clicked it in, let it charge, then sorted through my old SD cards. M appeared and asked me if I was up to go to a show later that evening. With an almost immediate yes, I was excited to bring my handed-down digital camera and see if I couldn’t be re-inspired again.

You see, I want to capture everyday moments on film. I want it to be an extension of my work. Another way to document the liminal spaces I encounter. And this sort of night out is exactly where those moments can happen.

With my camera in tow, I truly had a blast shooting on a Canon Powershot SD550. It’s small, lightweight, and no fuss. I wasn’t scared to click the shutter. I didn’t second guess. I let the moment unfold, and my camera tell the story.

I am curious to learn how this camera helps me get better—better at framing images, better at feeling confident shooting, and better at color-grading. I think a lot is on my photography horizon, and I am open to feeling inspired from it again.

Looking down at the lawn with people sitting on colorful blankets.

Looking down from the parking garage at an office building.

String lights frame the summer sky <3 always a favorite.

Mt. Joy lead singer, lead guitarist, and bassist on stage.