Heather Cunningham is a Film Club Member who has been featured in several gallery shows at PhotoLounge. Her photos are vibrant and have a nice composition. This week we decided to get to know her more and interview her about a group of photos she shared with us during her travels this past year.
PL: What got you interested in film photography?
HC: I always loved taking photos but really wanted to learn more about film photography and the process. I took a class in college where we learned to shoot and also develop and print our own work in a darkroom. Doing all that work for one photo made me more conscious and deliberate when shooting and also appreciate each frame a little more.
PL: What type of camera do you shoot with, and what kind of film do you usually use?
HC: This past year I’ve been shooting most of my photos on a Nikon Teletouch point and shoot, which is great for traveling because it’s so lightweight, but the photos still come out very sharp. For film, I’ll usually use Portra 400 but every now and then I’ll shoot Ektar 100 or Kodak Ultramax.
PL: What are some qualities that you like about color film vs. digital?
HC: I like the way that film captures a certain warmth; the colors and tones can come out so beautifully in a way that is hard to replicate with any kind of digital photography. Each shot, even of the same subject can be so different and I love that.
PL: Many of your photos feature architecture. What do you enjoy about photographing buildings/structures? What is challenging about it?
HC: I really enjoy photographing architecture because while constantly surrounded by it, I feel like sometimes it’s easily overlooked. But if I just take a moment to really look at a building or structure, I find there’s usually more detail or thoughtful design choices to appreciate. And then I try to find different angles to try to highlight that. The challenging part of that could be factors like lighting not being in the optimal spot because a building is obviously not something you can reposition haha.
PL: Your photos have a strong composition. When photographing, what are you thinking before you click the shutter?
HC: Thank you! When finding the right composition I’m thinking about what I want to capture in the frame- Do I want people in it? Do I want to capture the surrounding environment? Or do I want to get closer and really focus on one piece?
PL: Out of all of these images, which is your favorite and why?
HC: I think it might have to be the train station one- I love the contrasting straight lines of the train and platform against the curved waves of the overhang. I love how empty it happened to be except for the lady walking in the distance. The platform and train almost seem endless.
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