Contax 645 Photos Using Lomography Berlin Kino B&W 120 ISO 400 Film

 

(By using the links and/or codes below it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

 

I don’t use my Contax 645 as often as I’d like. Mostly because it’s gigantic and I’m terrified of breaking it. But every time I use it, I’m reminded of how incredible it really is. By far, it is the best (and most expensive!) film camera I own. I posted a full review of the Contax 645 here if you’re interested in reading more about it! I also have a fun YouTube video about it here. Today, I wanted to share a full roll of Lomography Berlin Kino 400 film using the Contax 645. This film is super grainy and cinematic and truly creates a vintage film vibe, if that’s what you’re going for. It reminds me of Dracula or Frankenstein (or any of those old vintage black and white movies) and would be perfect for any sort of spooky Halloween photo shoot. The first few photos were shot in Richmond and the Smoky Mountains, and then the last half of the roll was shot with local Richmond musician, Pat Absent. He is a super talented person and is currently working on his next full-length album!

The grain of this film is what really makes it stand out. With the Contax 645 I often feel that the photos are too perfect, so I love that the Berlin Kino film adds a bit of mystery and intrigue. Plus, I just love black and white film. :) I definitely want to try this film out again in the future. It may be a bit too grainy to use with a camera like the Holga or the Diana F+, but would work well with any pro-level film camera, for sure. Berlin Kino can sometimes be difficult to get your hands on, but you can always try out one of Lomography’s other black and white films, like Lady Grey or Earl Grey. They usually offer these films in both 120 format and 35 mm. Personally, I always love trying out a new film stock. It makes it even more exciting when you get your film processed and finally get to see the images!

WHERE TO BUY

Berlin Kino 120 film on Adorama

Lomography Berlin Kino 400 120 film on eBay

Berlin Kino 400 35 mm film on eBay

OTHER BLACK AND WHITE FILM STOCK BY LOMOGRAPHY

Lomography Earl Grey 120 film on eBay

Lomography Earl Grey 35 mm film on Amazon

Lomography Lady Grey 120 film on Amazon

Lomography Lady Grey 35 mm on Amazon

CONTAX 645 (BODY ONLY)
KEH CAMERA
EBAY
AMAZON

LENS - CARL ZEISS PLANAR 80MM F/2.0 LENS
KEH CAMERA
EBAY

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If you have any questions, I’m always happy to help! You can contact me here, or leave a comment below! Thanks so much for stopping by! You can also check out my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :) Have a magical day!

<3 Myles Katherine

(click to enlarge images)

Kodak GC/UltraMax 400 Color Negative Film Review with Sample Photos in Japan with a Nikon FE2 35 mm Film Camera

In my experience, you can’t really go wrong with any Kodak film. It’s affordable, saturated and reliable. If you’re like me though, you probably want to have at least some idea of what you’re getting yourself into before purchasing film for your camera. So I wanted to share a few of my favorite photos that I took in Japan using Kodak GC/UltraMax 400 Color Negative 35 mm Film. Of course, depending on the camera you use, your images will be slightly different in terms of exposure and sharpness. I was pleasantly surprised by the bright color tones of this film and the full, deep saturation. Before using this film, I hadn’t really heard much about it. It’s not one of those films that people talk about like Kodak Portra or Kodak Gold. But I found the tones to be true and accurate, with beautiful handling in the shadows and in bright environments. I found the skin tones to be lovely as well - not overly orange or off-color. As a 400 ISO film, it is a little bit grainy, but personally, I don’t mind - it gives it that true “film” look. Plus, we had quite a few cloudy days while we were in Japan and the 400 ISO allowed me to get sharp, bright images in lower light environments. I actually find this film to have a cinematic vibe to it too that I wasn’t expecting! I used a Nikon FE2 for all of these photos, which is an amazing camera. You can read more about it here. Or you can watch my YouTube video about the Nikon FE2 here! As you’ll see, I took quite a few multiple exposures with this film and I’m obsessed with how they turned out. There was great detail in the highlights and nothing ended up over-exposed, which is always great if you love creating multiple exposures like I do. :)

I’ve included a ton of sample photos below using Kodak GC/UltraMax 400 Color Negative Film so you can get an idea of how the film handles in various lighting situations and distances. If you have any questions or comments, please share!

Purchase Kodak GC/UltraMax 400 Color Negative Film on Amazon!

Have a magical day! And don’t forget to stop by my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

<3 Myles Katherine

(By using the links and/or codes in this post it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

Kodak GC/UltraMax 400 Color Negative 35 Film Sample Photos

(click to enlarge images)

How to Create Double Exposures and Multiple Exposures with a Holga Toy Camera | 5 Simple Tips and Tricks with Sample Photos!

 

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. 

How Do You Create Double Exposures and Multiple Exposures with a Holga Toy Camera?

This HAS to be my most frequently asked question. If you follow my work you know I’m obsessed with the Holga and multiple exposures (specifically, the Holga GCFN). I still remember the very first double exposure I ever took and the excitement I felt when I realized what had happened. I suddenly felt like the opportunities were endless when it came to photography. I realized that photography didn’t necessarily need to mimic real life. I could create a world that didn’t exist, by merging photos taken directly from reality. That juxtaposition blew my mind and really catapulted my interest in photography.

It might seem intimidating at first when it comes to creating multiple exposures. I think there’s an innate and expected fear that they’re going to be TERRIBLE. That they won’t make sense. That no one will know what they’re looking at. But guess what, that’s FINE! In fact, it’s better than taking the same boring photo that everyone else takes. It takes some time to get used to layering images and understanding how the final product is going to turn out. But even now, with a decade of experience under my belt, I still don’t feel like I have complete control over my multiple exposures. I always have an expectation in my mind and it never quite fits with how I envision them. Either they’re not as good as I’d hoped, or they’re even better. And usually the ones that I’m just messing around with end up being the best. It’s really better NOT to plan. To just try out different textures and faces and landscapes and see how they turn out.

In case you’re having some trouble getting started though, here are a few tips for creating multiple exposures with a Holga camera. The Holga is one of the best cameras, in my opinion, to try out multiple exposures. But first, you have to understand HOW to take a multiple exposure. It’s actually SUPER simple. After taking a photograph, you just simply don’t wind the film advance dial at all. You just take another photo right over top of the first one. And you can do this as many times as you want, which is why I love the Holga so much. A lot of film cameras will automatically advance to the next frame, leaving you without the option to shoot over top of the first frame. The Holga is meant for multiple exposures. It’s very easy to accidentally take a multiple exposure with the Holga too, simply because it is a manual advance camera. So oftentimes, you might nor even mean to take a photo over top of another one, it just might happen. Actually, it WILL happen at some point if you use the Holga. It’s just part of the magic of the camera!

5 Simple Tips and Tricks for Creating Incredible Double & Multiple Exposures with the Holga Toy Camera

Tip #1 - Try out a portrait over top of a landscape!

This is probably one of my main choices for creating double exposures. It usually ends up quite interesting and beautiful. I’ll shoot the first image on the infinity/mountain setting of the Holga and then shoot the second image as a close-up portrait using the single-person setting on the Holga.

Tip #2 - Try asking your subject to move slightly / try a new pose in-between images

This is another go-to for me when it comes to double exposures. It ends up creating very ghostly, spooky images that are incredibly unique and unpredictable. These are often my favorite photos to get back after a photo shoot.

Tip #3 - Try out different close-up textures as your second image

This one is somewhat of a risk, but oftentimes pays off! If the texture is too much, it can sometimes end up being a big indecipherable mess. But other times, it can add a bit of mystery and atmosphere to your photo.

Tip #4 - Try flipping your camera upside down for a second shot of the same subject

This is really fun to try with cityscapes, buildings and landmarks, mostly because they don’t move and you have enough time to plan out your shot.

Tip #5 - Try having your model step out of the second shot, but keep the background the same

This creates a very ghostly vibe, because the model becomes somewhat hazy and somewhat see-through. This is definitely another one of my favorite multiple exposure methods when using the Holga.

I’ve included a few more samples below of my favorite double/multiple exposures I’ve taken over the years with the Holga. It’s gotten to a point where I won’t even buy a camera anymore if it doesn’t have the option for multiple exposures! It’s become a huge part of my process and I feel extremely limited now when I’m not able to create them. If you’re interested in multiple exposures, you should definitely pick up a Holga and try it out! You can also check out my full review and blog post about the Holga here. Or you can check out my YouTube video! I LOVE the Holga. My main advice though is to be patient when you’re first starting out. You can’t expect perfection when it comes to the Holga. It has a mind of its own. But if you’re willing to learn its eccentricities, it will surprise you.

CAMERA:

Purchase a Holga 120 GCFN on Amazon

Purchase a Holga 120 GCFN on eBay!

Purchase a Holga 120 GCFN on KEH Camera

FILM RECOMMENDATIONS:

Lomography 400 120 film

Kodak Portra 160 120 film

Kodak Portra 400 120 film

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Feel free to leave any thoughts/comments/questions/concerns below! Thanks so much for stopping by. And don’t forget to stop by my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

<3 Myles Katherine