Cheap 35mm Battery Independent Camera

What speed film were you using? I usually use 100 outdoors and 400 indoors (although in low light that still might be dark). I think too it can work better to shoot a whole roll either indoors or outdoors to avoid extremes in lighting that you took photos in, depends on where you get it developed if or how much they'd adjust.
 
This was 400 speed generic film from walgreens. I have 4 rolls of 200 speed and and going to use a light meter app next time so my indoor pics aren't so underexposed.
 
Welcome back Noel!
It looks like you are off to a good start. Your first roll served it purpose well showing the camera does work properly and you know the basics to get a photo out of it. You've laid the foundation. Now for the first brick....
I would take a good solid roll of sunny, outdoor shots of things you find interesting. Watch your framing to make sure the bits don't get cut off before snapping the shutter. Look in the viewfinder and ask yourself if others might find the photo interesting and why.
In film photography, every photo counts. You only have a limited number of frames on each roll and unlike digital, each of those frames costs money. Film makes you slow down and look into the viewfinder and say "Do I really want to pay for this?" If so, is everything perfect before pressing the shutter.
Indoor photography without flash is tough. Slower shutter speeds, wider apertures and higher ISO films all throw in variables that are tough while learning the limitations of film photography.
Good luck and keep them coming. Film can be very rewarding.
 
Yeah the camera works great. Thank you again. I am going to take your advice and already have the next roll loaded up. This time I'll also be bringing my phone to act as at least a basic light meter. Hopefully this roll will be done a bit sooner and I will post my results on here. Thanks again for all the advice Rick.
 
Doesn't the meter in the camera work?
 
Welcome back Noel!
It looks like you are off to a good start. Your first roll served it purpose well showing the camera does work properly and you know the basics to get a photo out of it. You've laid the foundation. Now for the first brick....
I would take a good solid roll of sunny, outdoor shots of things you find interesting. Watch your framing to make sure the bits don't get cut off before snapping the shutter. Look in the viewfinder and ask yourself if others might find the photo interesting and why.
In film photography, every photo counts. You only have a limited number of frames on each roll and unlike digital, each of those frames costs money. Film makes you slow down and look into the viewfinder and say "Do I really want to pay for this?" If so, is everything perfect before pressing the shutter.
Indoor photography without flash is tough. Slower shutter speeds, wider apertures and higher ISO films all throw in variables that are tough while learning the limitations of film photography.
Good luck and keep them coming. Film can be very rewarding.

This ^^^ a hundred more times!
 
In all likelihood the meter does work, but I have been using it sans the battery. So that's why I'm using an external meter right now.
 
OK roll two is done. All in all, it looks a lot more consistent. They are well to over exposed. I took your advice, and all but one were brightly lit outdoor pictures. These were all taken in Washington Il (where a tornado hit less than a year ago), and the recovery is still going on. I have been volunteering at a local church and this gave me to opportunity for some great shots. I'm pretty pleased with the roll. Tell me what you think.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/123465849@N08/sets/72157644274945942/
 
You're right - the exposures are a lot better. They're good documentary shots. I think the ones that have the most impact are the ones that are shot at lower angles, or have clearer subjects.

For example, I like the starkness of this one that really highlights those bare trees and the destruction around it:
R1-04318-0008 by puthenveetilnoel, on Flickr

But this one seems to lack purpose:
R1-04318-0010 by puthenveetilnoel, on Flickr

Perhaps it has more purpose knowing the area or what things to pay attention to, but that's why I say "documentary" shots - pictures of the scene for recording it for some practical purpose. But that top one I linked to gets closer to a more artistic purpose I think. The angle is unusual and it conveys something more than just the physical objects in the scene. It conveys the sense of loss.
 
Thanks for the comments.
Yeah a lot of the shots were meant to capture my experience volunteering and not really be artistic. Well that and practice using the meter on my phone so I can be confident in my exposures. The shot with the trees was about as artistic as I tried to get. I'm going to try and make more artistic shots on my next roll, starting with another trip to that antique store and getting some proper exposures.
 
Thanks for the comments.
Yeah a lot of the shots were meant to capture my experience volunteering and not really be artistic. Well that and practice using the meter on my phone so I can be confident in my exposures. The shot with the trees was about as artistic as I tried to get. I'm going to try and make more artistic shots on my next roll, starting with another trip to that antique store and getting some proper exposures.

What's really great is that you are got what you intended to get. You wanted good exposures and focus on the documentary shots, and to try something more artistic with the trees, and that's exactly what you accomplished. That's a big thing :)
 
Definite improvement there. I missed it in the thread, but are you using a meter or are you using a phone app? I used a phone app for a while, but find that a real meter's a bit more convenient.
 
Yeah hopefully I'll be able to do what I want with the more artistic shots I wanna take.
And coop I am using a meter on my phone. Its not the most convenient but I usually just meter once for a light condition and then mess with the settings if I think its darker or brighter. Not the most precise I suppose, but it has worked out so far.
 
I saw this yesterday but found I got more caught up in what the pictures were about, the amount of destruction, than thinking about critiquing the photos - other than noticing that you seemed to have gotten a handle on the exposures. So I guess that accomplished something in documenting the devastation and the recovery process.


I agree that with some I'm not sure what you're trying to show the viewer. In some it would help I think to show a particular house from a slightly closer or different vantage point, to eliminate distractions like part of another building or part of a car etc. I usually like to either have something in the frame if it's part of the picture or keep it out of the frame altogether (or if part of something will be in the picture I think about where it would look best cropped off).

edit - For example #0007 could be straightened a little, probably it was the perspective/angle you were shooting from; and I'd eliminate that black post leaning into your picture to the left - I find something distracting when I'm looking at it wondering - what is that?? lol That one might have worked framed a little higher to not cut off the top of the tree, or even shooting vertically. I agree, the trees were to me striking in showing the devastation.
Some of these might benefit from a little cropping, but shooting film of course I usually try to frame a shot the way I want it - so what's in my viewfinder is what the finished photo will be. I think it takes practice and learning and then you might find your creativity could start to come out more in your photos.
 
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/123465849@N08/sets/72157644200321547/

Hey everyone. Finished my third roll. Tried to get some more artistic shots. Some of them turned out really good i think. (though I did get a little too excited with some and moved the camera too soon I guess.) Oh well, you live and learn. Hopefully the next one will be better. Let me know what you think. Oh and let me know if you still want me to post my new rolls. I have enjoyed getting the feedback. Thanks.

Oh and I haven't edited any of my pictures. I think after my next roll I'll do a batch of edits on the better photos and then make an updated album with the corrected shots.
 

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