Grain & Ink

Photography has been one of the best things that has come into my life. I've met so many amazing people and I've been able to see so many places because of photography.

Photography helped me break out of my shell. I was super sky and quite. I wouldn't talk to anyone I had about 2 friends at best. I grew up in a small town where everyone knows everyone and it was full of small minded people. I know most people say that as an insult, but what I mean by that is they're ok thinking and living small. For example, they're so happy having a taco truck parked on the side of the road. With no aspirations of opening a restaurant, then a chain, then a franchise then go global. That would be big minded to me and no, they're so content. I envy it sometimes.

I have these big obtainable unobtainable goals that keep me moving but... it's hard. Sometimes I wish I could live the small minded life, but I just cant.

This is Maria. She's one of the best models I've worked with. She has such a cool attitude and always willing to test my ideas.

One idea I had was to challenge myself in shooting in this space with my film camera and natural light.

The reason why it was a challenge is because this is the best and worst studio I've ever rented.

It was an older house and essentially the owner turned the bedrooms into art studios. At first I thought it was the coolest thing! Each room had a personality, different layouts and mine had its own restroom. It was so cool because I had models and clients change outfits so they could easily change in the restroom.

It was a cool idea on paper but... at the end of the day it was just a bedroom. I had 3 windows which was amazing for natural light that I was able to use to take this photo of Maria. Which limited me to this one wood wall which was amazing at first but then all of my photos had this same wall so it got old quick. And when I started to think about it, I could do this a home for free, I could just use a spare bedroom as a studio.

And it gets worse! I was paying about 500 for a bedroom to shoot, and, that's not the worst part. There were RATS! My cameras caught one at night so yeah I was both sad and glad to let it go and continue doing what I do at home and on location.

I was fangirling HARD about 3 or 4 years ago, I did a mentor call with a photographer I've admired and watch almost every YouTube video he's come out and and I've always wanted to learn directly from him.

His name is Ryan Muirhead, it was amazing to see him on zoom and be able to have a conversation with him. He was so cool and it was exactly like what I thought it would be like to talk to him. He gave me some great advice, there's one thing he said that stuck with me and I had to try it out.

Three days later my model friend is at my home studio helping me test the new things I learned. He said he it can sometimes take up to 2 to 4 hours before he starts shooting by doing this method.

He has a conversation with them to get them to relax and once the moment feels right to take the image. I took about an hour, give or take, to explain what I learned and to test the method and this was the first image I took.

There's more of a feeling and vibe which was different than other images I've taken that are more posed and structured, this was all vibes and feel.

This shoot cost me about 200 bucks!

I don't remember the exact amount this was like 8 or 9 years ago. In San Antonio there was a shooting space called Flower Vault. I think it was about 150 an hour and my buddy and I split the cost plus the cost of the film and developing... I paid a pretty penny for these images lol

And I'm so grateful. It felt cool to walk into a space that is usually full of people to have it to ourselves like a kid in a candy store.

I want to build something like this for me now since one I moved out of San Antonio and two they're closed :(

Sometimes I'm worried about posting the same photo twice because what if they remember it, they've seen it before.

Seeing this image was proof that's not true.

I remember the day, the location, the cameras used.

But I don't remember this shot. I took it, but I dont remember doing it.

There was a heavy pouring

No more breath, nor pain

Rest in peace my best friend 🐶 💔

I hope I don't mess this up.

That's all I was thinking about during this shoot. Even though I've been shooting for 12 years at the time, it was my first film only shoot for a client.

I would offer film to my clients but I always used my digital as a back up/safety net. This was the first time I did bring it. It was just me, my light meter, my Hasselblad and 2 rolls of film. A lot of hope lol.

I thought what if it goes wrong or my light meter gives me the wrong settings or I load the film wrong, so many what ifs.

After I took the first shot I remembered, I've done film only shots for myself before, nothing is going to change or things will not magically go wrong just because I'm not getting paid to shoot.

It was almost like going on a first date, you get and feel nervous but after you get to the date and start the first conversation, it gets easy and familiar from there.

Circa 2014, I and a couple of buddies went to some missions outside of San Antonio. I can't remember the name of them for the life of me lol.

It was my first time doing portraits with film. Back with my Canon Elan 7e. I miss that camera I'm so sad that it broke 😔

It was a perfect day. Over cast and with the dark gothic ish outfit. It was such and awesome day.

Film photography keeps you honest.

One ISO, one black and white type, and I used one light to top it off.

I used to think the "pros" don't use one light or have shadows on the background.

It wasn't until I saw Peter Coulsons work that gave me the inspiration to shoot black and white and use one light.

Adding more "stuff" doesn't make it more better. It's like cooking you don't want to add more spices just for the sake of it.

I love the surprise I get after getting the images back from the film lab.

I've gotten decent at guessing how the images will look but the blue and orange colored lighting took me by surprise but in a pleasant way.

I can't remember which film I used but I know it's Kodak, that's the only color film I buy.

But whatever it was... It's my favorite lol.

The camera was Canon AE1. My ol faithful. I got it for 99 bucks a few years ago and it's still my go to when I do on location portrait shoots.

It's so true when they, it's not about the camera it's about the image. I can't even tell you what film I used nor the settings or ISO. It truly doesn't matter.

It's like cooking, no one cares what stove I used as long as what I cooked tastes good, that's all that matters.

One of my most favorite days is when I just have my film cameras and a bag full of film.

We went to the botanical gardens in San Antonio just to have fun with some film and some looks.

They usually have a photography fee so I took the smallest camera bag I could find that didn't look like we were there to shoot "professional" photos.

I thought I was going to get caught the way she clerk looked at me. I was ready to play Mike the "these are old cameras and I'm a student."

And here I thought you were gone.

It was my first time doing a studio portrait shoot in Austin. This was back in 2023 I believe.

I asked Alanah if she wanted to go up to Austin for a shoot out even hosted by Camera Exchange in their new Austin location.

They hosted a photography meet up to shoot with the models and use their lighting and backgrounds.

I wanted to be "fancy" and I just took my film cameras lol.

This was shot on a Hasselblad 500CM on 400 TriX Kodak Film. And if my memory serves me correctly it was with Godox SL150.

One outfit, camera and roll of film, but so many awesome shots.

Film holds a special place in my heart and I will shoot until either I die or it dies.

So many people say, "it's about the aesthetic" when they talk about film but for me it's like a painter talking about the difference between acrylic and oil paints. Yes you can get the same thing but they look and feel different.

And I will always choose film first but digital still has a time and a place. So I want this account to be about my analog obsession. Where I post the film photos, my writing, vinyl records, cd's, etc.