Rediscovering the Joy of Film at Bondi Beach
Rediscovering the Joy of Film at Bondi Beach
Running a wedding photography and videography business is incredibly rewarding, yet it often leaves us with little time to indulge in our own creative pursuits. When we do find some free time, we relish the chance to step away from client work and immerse ourselves in photography purely for the joy of it.
The Charm of Film Photography
Despite having access to the latest digital technology, we find a special kind of satisfaction in shooting film. There’s something magical about the process – the anticipation, the tactile nature of the equipment, and the unique aesthetic that film provides.
On a recent sunny winter’s day in Sydney, we took the opportunity to visit the iconic Bondi Beach for some street photography. Armed with our vintage 1981 Canon AE-1 Program and two classic lenses – the Canon 50mm f/1.4 NFD and the Canon 28mm f/2.8 NFD – we set out to capture the vibrant life of Bondi on film.
A Day at Bondi Beach
Bondi Beach is a year-round hotspot, teeming with life and energy. It’s a fantastic location for street photography, offering a diverse range of subjects from bustling cafes to energetic surfers. On this outing, we used Kodak Portra 400 35mm film. Initially planning to shoot with Kodak Ektar 100, the overcast conditions when we set out made us switch to Portra 400. This decision turned out beautifully, as the colors in the final images were stunning.
Shooting Techniques and Gear
We utilized the internal center-weighted light meter of the Canon AE-1, exposing for the shadows to ensure rich details in our photos. By rating the film at 200, we effectively overexposed it by a stop, a useful technique especially in bright, reflective environments like the beach. This helped to avoid underexposed images and brought out the vibrancy of Bondi Beach.
For development, we entrusted our film to Ikigai Film Labs in Melbourne. They consistently deliver fantastic results with both 35mm and 120 film, and their work on the Fuji Frontier scanner brought our Bondi Beach images to life.
Behind the Scenes
To capture the experience behind the scenes, we attached an old GoPro Hero 5 Black to the hot shoe of the Canon AE-1. This setup allowed us to document our shooting process and share a different perspective with our audience. Additionally, we filmed podcasting segments using the Sony A7IV with the Sony 20mm 1.8 G-Master lens. The drone footage was captured with the DJI Mavic Air 2, providing stunning aerial views of Bondi Beach.
Final Thoughts
Our day at Bondi Beach was a refreshing reminder of why we fell in love with photography in the first place. The slower, more deliberate process of shooting on film allowed us to connect deeply with our surroundings and appreciate each moment. The anticipation of waiting for the developed film added to the excitement, and the results were incredibly rewarding.
If you ever find yourself in Sydney, we highly recommend grabbing a film camera and heading to Bondi Beach. The vibrant atmosphere and diverse subjects will keep you inspired, and you’ll likely find, as we did, that there’s never enough film for a short outing.
Happy shooting!
MOMENTS PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM | FILM PHOTOGRAPHER SYDNEY
FOR THE NERDS:
CAMERAS
-Sony A7IV
-Canon AE-1 35mm
-GoPro Hero 5
LENSES
-Sony 20mm 1.8 G
-Canon 50mm 1.4 NFD
-Canon 28mm 2.8 NFD
FILTERS
-NISI VARIABLE ND
-TIFFEN PROMIST 1/8 strength
DRONE
-DJI Mavic Air 2
AUDIO
-Instamic
RECORDER
-Recorded to Atomos Ninja V shot in ProRes 422
STYLE This wedding was shot using both handheld rig and the gimbal. We also like to emulate film when shooting, to achieve this we shoot a flat S-LOG3 profile on a Sony A7siii to preserve highlights and shadows. All colour grading is done by us in FCPX and use Dehancer Pro V2 for grain, additional blooming, halation on a Kodak Endura Glossy Paper print emulation.
