Hey everyone! It's time for another customer Showcase. This time it's Sandy telling everyone about her experience with the 200T. The 200T is a bit of an underrated film stock, so hopefully Sandy's experience will inspire people to try it out.
Firstly, who are you and how long have you been shooting film?
I'm Sandy, and my day job is actually within filmmaking, but I picked up one of my dad's hand-me-down film cameras in 2021 and basically got sucked in!
What camera/s do you use?
My first camera was a Nikon FM3A, since then I've hoarded quite a few more such as a Olympus Superzoom 80G, a Rolleicord III, a Rollei 35B...
What is your photography style or what is it you like taking photos of?
I've honestly struggled to figure this one out myself, I think for the most part I've noticed I tend to gravitate towards small little slices of life - humanity in it's essence, the small little moments that probably get brushed off every day. But there's also a part of me that loves nature and landscapes, especially scenes with bold lighting contrasts.
What made you want to shoot thisishowirollfilm 200T?
I actually tried 200T the first time with Super 8mm filming, I heard how versatile it was, and when it came to exploring Cinefilm, I felt it would be the same. And when it came to choosing a supplier, honestly I liked the fact that thisishowirollfilm was fronted by people who just loved film too, it felt nice to actually branch out from my usual stock and support a smaller business too.
What tips would you give to people shooting 200T for the first time?
I'd say don't really overthink it? As someone who's still learning the nuances of film photography, I think it actually can be quite overwhelming to consider so many different aspects of what each film stock offers. I'm a huge fan of letting the film work it's magic, so I tend not to be too precious about how my film comes out, and trust the process instead hahaha.
What is your next photography goal or experiment?
I've never tried pushing or pulling film, to me I just worry I'll wreck a whole roll of film, but I've seem some great results, and might consider doing it down the line. In terms of subject matter, I'd love to get more into street portraits, meet some interesting people and their stories, it would be a great project to do.
Tell me about the images you have included, how were they shot, where, what made you want to shoot them?
So I've included three images. All three of them were shot with my handy Olympus Superzoom 80G.
The Trees: This was shot in Oslo, Norway. I was abroad on a film shoot then, but of course I don't go anywhere without my camera. We were location scouting the day before the shoot, as we were due to shoot at the same time of day the next day. It's hard to stay focused on the job though when you look up, see these massive towering trees above you, with the golden hour light hitting them in a way that has them glowing.
Summer Drinks: This was shot in Mallorca. I was with a couple of my friends, sat at this beachside restaurant during sunset. I think this photo does a beautiful job of capturing the feel of summer, the warmth of the film, the way there's so many different things happening at different levels - in fact my friends passing a drink across the table was entirely accidental!
The Fjords: This was also shot in Norway, as part of that film shoot I was on. We traveled to a different area of the country towards the end - Stavanger. Again, I took this photo during a location scout, and it's hard to say that this is a job when you get to visit amazing places such as these Fjords. The way the sky reflects in the tiny puddles between the rocks just makes it seem like a portal to another world opened.
Where can people see more of your work?
I often post all my photos on my own Instagram - @sandymatta. I also feature my photography on my own website, sandymatta.com, but it's mixed in with a collection of all my other creative works.
What's one thing you wish you knew when you first started that you wish you could tell your past self?
Might be a bit of a rogue answer but, I wish I told my past self when first shooting to actually just opt for higher-res scans from the outset! Photography isn't a cheap hobby haha, but I think I'd have done a lot more with my photographs if I just had them high resolution from the start - sure I can go ahead and get them rescanned, but it is a bit of an effort and cost now.
Which thisishowiroll film stock are you next thinking of shooting?
I've got a 50D roll that I haven't yet tried, so I'm really looking forward to that! I'm hoping to use it before the days become darker and shorter, where there's less and less light to work with.