Kelly Slater is a Film Club Member and a Student Ambassador. The photos we have seen from her on Instagram caught our attention for their vibrant color and variety of subjects. This week we decided to interview her to see more of her photographs and get to know her better. Scroll down to see it all!
PL: What got you interested in film photography?
KS: The fact that the photos are not instantaneous like taking photos on your phone. In high school I started my film photography career with disposable cameras, waiting weeks to get the photos back. This was the most exciting aspect as most of the time, I forgot exactly what I took. I also like the idea that the photo you're taking on film is usually more intentional than digital photos as you only get about 24 or 36 exposures.
PL: What type of camera do you shoot with and what kind of film do you usually use?
KS: I own about 4 cameras. The one I use the most is my Canon EOS Rebel G. It's a lot of fun, has lots of different settings and I am always pleased with the quality and flash. I also have a small Reto 22mm point and shoot that's super light and easy to take with me. My Pentax however, is my go to for double exposures. As for film, I love Kodak gold film, it's always reliable. I also love shooting Ektar 100 and Portra 800. For black and white, I enjoy Ilford Delta 3200.
PL: Some of these photos capture people. What do you enjoy about photographing people? What is challenging about it?
KS: I love capturing people, friends, and family. I think it's always so fun to capture reactions or specific memories. Sometimes it's challenging to find a model that is willing to fully be raw and express my vision correctly when it is a specific project and vision I am working on. I think overall, photos of people draw my eye more and is something I definitely gravitate towards.
PL: There are a variety of subjects within this collection such as landscapes, street scenes and more posed images. When out photographing, what are some objects or elements within a scene that inspire you to take a photo?
KS: The sun has a lot to do with my inspiration for outdoor photography, when I see the sun hitting a specific subject in a nice way I always take the photo. With that being said, my favorite time to shoot is during golden hour. I am also drawn towards taking spontaneous photos of my friends or family members to really capture a moment. All of my photos have specific memories attached to them which is really nice to have.
PL: There are a mix of black and white and color photos within this collection. What are some qualities that you like about both black and white and color film?
KS: I learned how to develop black and white film in school and really learned to love black and white photography through my class. I would say I definitely still love color more, but black and white allows you to illustrate a specific aesthetic and works really well with specific images. I also think double exposure looks best in black and white. I mainly gravitate towards most of my color photography work because even the clothes I wear are extremely colorful and the ways I decorate my space always utilizes a lot of bright colors.
PL: Out of all of these photos, which one is your favorite and why?
KS: I really love the sunflower photo, that is the most recent photo I took out of the collection. The flash went off when I took it on an automatic setting and I probably wouldn’t have put the flash on to begin with, but I was pleasantly surprised with how it turned out! I love that the flowers are so bright and crisp, and the sky is a nice blue color. I also love how the two flowers are completely different sizes, it gives it a nice variety and natural feel to it.
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