Becoming a Confident Photographer

Over the years that I have been writing this blog (since late 2004), it’s become sort of a series of articles about cameras, film, lenses, and some how-to posts.  Occasionally, I dip into travelogues and news about the field.   A few times, I discuss more intangible things.  Back in early November, I visited Manteo, NC and the Outer Banks.  Although we have lived in NC since mid-2019, it was my first trip to coastal NC since our move here, which is a 7-8 hour drive, or 444 miles to Manteo.  It’s been nearly 30 years since I’d been to the Outer Banks, and while I have some memories from that trip, I was never in one place long enough to really appreciate the area, and it was before I was a serious photographer.  

This trip was a good getaway for 4 nights in Manteo, the largest town on Roanoke Island  - and the gateway to the Outer Banks.  I had brought my Nikon F3HP and my Nikon FE, my Fujica GL690, as well as some toy cameras, including the Ansco Pix Panorama and the Lomo Sprocket Rocket.  The only digital was my iPhone.  Early November may seem like an odd time to visit the Outer Banks, but most of the tourists are gone, the weather is usually good, and lodging is a bit cheaper.  We rented a cottage right in Manteo, and everything was walkable to the waterfront. I used the F3 only with b&w film, and the FE had only Kodak Pro Image 100.  Most of the film I shoot is b&w, no matter the format, but having one camera with color for colorful subjects is always a good idea.

Bodie Island Lighthouse, Ansco Pix Panorama, Kentmere 100

On a trip such as this one, I tend to stick to a couple of films, and I chose HP-5+ and Kentmere 100 for the F3.  My main lens was the 35mm f/2 Nikkor, but I occasionally used other lenses when I thought it was necessary - the 24mm f/2.8 Nikkor, 56mm f/1.6 Lensbaby Velvet, 85mm f/2 Nikkor, and the 75-150mm f/4 Series E telephoto.   For the FE, I only used the 50mm f/2 Nikkor.  The only other b&w film I shot was a roll of Rollei RPX 25, on a dramatic windy day along the coast of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. 

Elizabeth II, Nikon F3HP, Series E 75-150 zoom, HP-5

Now, what does the title of this post have to do with the above information?  Well, as I was shooting the scenes that I encountered, I was quite sure that I would get some really good photographs.  I was confident in my equipment and lens choices, I was using films that I had a long experience with, and I was confident in my decisions of aperture and points of view.  This is not always the case for many photographers, and certainly, not true of me years ago.  Confidence really only comes with experience.  Had I used a camera that I was less familiar with, or a different film stock that I was unsure about, a good photo might not have resulted.  

big winds, big waves.  Nikon F3HP, HP-5.

To people getting started in photography, and especially in using film, you should try keeping things simple until you understand the capabilities and limitations of the equipment and films that you are using.  It doesn't just end with the film stock, but how it's developed.  There are a lot of folks that would have had some great images, but screwed up in the film developing.  It's less likely to happen if you are consistent in your film, techniques, and developers.  

Nikon F3HP, Lensbaby Velvet 56, HP-5

Let me explain via my way of working.  I have owned my Nikon F3HP since 2008, and it's still in mint condition because I have certainly taken care with it.  While I have many other Nikon bodies, I'm very fond of the F3 because of the way it handles, and it's very dependable.  Because I wear glasses, I really appreciate the high-eyepoint prism and viewfinder.  So, I see pretty much all of what is going to be in the negative.  Second, the 35mm f/2 Nikkor has become my walk-around lens with this camera, and I know that the lens is going to render things perfectly.  I used Kentmere 100 and the HP-5+ because I like the results with those films, and I have always had good experiences with them in the developing tanks, plus they scan really well.  There have been times when I might try any number of odd films, but on a trip such as this one, I stayed with the tried and true to get the images I wanted.  Was I confident in my ability? Of course, I was.  When I ended up looking at the negatives,  and then the scans, I was really happy to see that everything came out the way I had envisioned.  

Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Nikon F3HP, RPX25

Now, to throw some uncertainty in -- I was also shooting with an Ansco Pix Panorama camera - a toy camera with a 2 element 28mm lens and a 13x36mm cropped frame. I had loaded it with Kentmere 100 - which on a sunny day is perfect, but in the days at the Outer Banks, I had only used it on cloudy days.  I didn't know if anything that I shot with it would be satisfactory.  But, that's one of the joys of using such cameras - any time things work out great with it, it's as if I have been given a gift.  I was confident in my choice of image framing, but to have satisfactory results was indeed, a great thing.  I also shot a roll of Lomochrome Purple in my Sprocket Rocket, which gives me a 24x72mm panoramic negative.  In this case, I really had no idea of how the images might appear, since it’s a strange film, and a pretty simple camera.  But then again, it’s always a bonus when those things work out.  One also has to be able to not over-think things and just let it play out. After I developed the film and scanned it in, it was apparent that while there were a handful of shots I really liked, that film isn’t the best for overcast days.

Bodie Is. Lighthouse, Sprocket Rocket, Lomochrome Purple

Becoming a confident photographer is not always going to result in great images, because well, that’s the thing about photography.  Just when you think you are doing great, it’s always possible for the photo gods to thwart you with any number of things to mess you up - such as setting the camera at the highest shutter speed instead of A (for aperture priority) and not realizing it because you are so enamored with the scenes in front of you.  Forgetting what film was in the camera and using a red filter with a color film,  forgetting to change the ISO setting for the new roll of film, or realizing that after the 36th frame, that the film never got properly seated in the take-up spool, and you have been shooting blanks for the past hour.  Then of course, are the darkroom foibles.  The thing is, each of these missteps are bits of experience, and make one a more confident and more competent photographer.  If any photographer tells you that none of these things have ever happened to them, it’s quite possible that he or she is lying, or that they haven’t been doing it long enough.  

My point is, becoming confident is achieved by using your tools every day, and keeping the process of photography simple.  I can say this, after 20+ years of serious photography-- that while trying different films and developers is perfectly okay, you’ll eventually decide on what films give you results consistent with your expectations.  Stick with them.  The same goes for cameras and lenses.  I’m a poor example of that aspect, but in my years of experience, it’s helped me to be able to know all about different cameras and films, because I do like to educate others about photography.  But in the end, I know exactly what gear that I’ll take to get the shots I want.  

hunting cabin, Alligator River NWR, Nikon FE, Pro Image 100

Having confidence in your equipment is important.  If you are starting out in photography, nothing is more discouraging than a camera that isn’t working properly.  There is a reason why a an SLR such as the Pentax K1000 has been recommended as a starter SLR - there are very few things that can go wrong, because the camera is so limited in its suite of controls - but it does have the basics.  A K1000 isn’t my favorite camera by any means, but one that works properly with a decent lens puts the basic elements of control - aperture, shutter speed, and focus at your fingertips.  You need only to compose and pick the best choice for exposure to make an image.  Use a bare-bones SLR and one or two film types for a year, and you’ll be amazed at how much better a photographer you are at the end of the year - and I mean use it every day, when possible  The same can be said for any camera, whether it is film or digital.  Use it with the same lens, and shoot almost every day, and see how you progress.  

Moon Jellyfish, NC Aquarium, Nikon FE, Pro Image 100

The world of photography is a huge umbrella, with all sorts of niche endeavors, types of equipment, digital and film, alt-process, hybrid workflows, and then types of subject matter.  You cannot possibly do it all, but whatever you do, become good at doing it.  Maybe it’s large format - which is something that I have never really had the patience for.  Maybe you are really into alternative processes, and all the best to you going down that rabbit hole, which is part alchemy and mastering the technical aspects.  I have respect for anyone that chooses to do things the hard way and can produce wonderful images.   That’s what I love about photography - there really is no "best way" - there are just ways that work for the person doing it.  For a long time it was considered that knowing and practicing the Zone System would lead you into producing better results.  I don’t think a lot of street photographers would agree with that, but if you want to use the Zone System, go for it.  There’s merit in knowing enough about it to at least understand it and applying the principles when it seems necessary.  However, millions of photographs have been made without ever thinking about the Zone System. 

  

salt marsh and islands, Manteo, Nikon F3HP, HP-5

Another interesting choice is not just the film size, but the aspect ratio of the images.  Square format (6x6) on 120 film is a favorite for many, but then there are those that prefer 6x7 or 6x9, or 6x17! Each of those negative sizes are different ways of seeing, and the same scene shot in each format has very different qualities.  You may find that you like square format the best, because you don’t have to worry about landscape vs portrait orientation.  

Manteo marina, Nikon F3HP, Kentmere 100

Every choice you make has an effect on the final image, from pre-visualization (if you do that), to camera, lens, film stock, filters, tripod or not, lighting, scene choice, and intangible factors such as mood (including yours, of course), intent of the photograph, and so on.  At some point, the factors that you can control become secondary to the point of the image.  It’s not that they don’t matter - but if you are a confident photographer, you hardly have to think about them, and instead think about the image.  

worn dock, Manteo, Nikon F3HP, Kentmere 100

Manteo, Nikon F3HP, Kentmere 100

If you become confident in yourself and your gear, I think you’ll find that it becomes a lot more fun to go out and make images, and your results will also be more rewarding.  At it’s most basic level, photography is pretty simple. Don’t worry so much about gear - though it is important, but the most important tool in photography is located between the ears and behind the eyes.

Nags Head Preserve, Nikon F3HP, Lensbaby Velvet 56, Kentmere 100