Something interesting has been happening in the last weeks/months I have been using the Fujifilm Instax SQ6 – I have fallen back in love with photography. There is something exciting but at the same time soothing about taking your camera out knowing you have limited shots and equipment not introducing unnecessary complexities. I have often heard old-school photographers speak about this but I can now say I honestly understand 100 percent.
photography – digital vs film
With digital photography, you can take dozens of photos in a short space of time – very useful for getting the shot right, making multiple attempts and also fixing any issues, and refining things in post-processing. While I won’t turn into the type that turns my nose up at modern digital photography I love how I am forced to get everything right in the camera with “film”. I love how there aren’t a million settings, toggles, and buttons – I love how each shot feels more personal and memorable. I love how more of the control is transferred back to the photographer to move their body, frame the shots, and experiment – often with surprising results. My shots with the SQ6 have improved as I have spent more time shooting with it and given it the respect it deserves.
The Fujifilm Instax SQ6 is no old-school film camera. There are no darkrooms needed to develop stills, working with crazy chemicals and fragile equipment. Instead, it’s somewhere in the middle – the best of both worlds in a way – added complexities that make you work for the shot but that dopamine shot when you realize you got the shot after waiting for the instant film to develop after a few minutes. I took the SQ6 along with me when I was shooting clips with the DJI Pocket 2 for my recent “Goodbye Spring, Hello Summer” video project and it’s the perfect companion camera.
loving photography again
I feel like I am new to photography again trekking through mountains and searching for hidden waterfalls like I did once upon a time with the Flickr Jamaica group to places like the Rio Grande Valley, Climbing the Blue Mountains and touring the Port Royal Marine Lab. Leave a comment below or tweet me @jamaipanese with your thoughts of on digital vs film photography.
