Shoot Film Co.

Look who came through and paid a visit! It's Jonathan Paragas, aka "KingJvpes" on YouTube.

We grabbed some coffee, met some great folks, and talked about our Leica M2, M6, and chatted about film.

He's been sharing his experience with film and bringing us along for the ride in his videos. We definitely need more young, enthusiastic voices willing to share what they learn with the community.

Thanks Jonathan!

Check your light seals and look for flight deals and to get to San Clemente, CA on March 2 -3 for @thedarkroomlab's annual Film Photography Paideia (yeah I had to Google that world but I'm now smarter because of it). Speakers, workshops, inspiration, photo walks, and miles of exposed film.

The Film Photography Paideia is an annual gathering of passionate film community members from all walks of life, drawn together by a shared love of cameras and film. The Film Paideia mission is to bring together film experts and enthusiasts to exchange ideas and share their expertise of the craft. In true paideia fashion, the event is an educational and learning experience covering all aspects of film photography.

A small sampling of the folks involved are:

Trev Lee, The Darkroom

Raquel & Juan Martinez, Beers & Cameras

Michael Raso, Film Photography Project

Mat Marrash, Film Photography Project

Christine Bartolucci, Analog Talk Podcast

Jonathan Paragas, KingJvpes

Mike Bain, Harman/Ilford

Matt Day, Matt Day Photography

Take Kayo, Big Head Taco

J. Grant Brittain, J. Grant Brittain Photography

Megan Barrett, Megan Shoots Film

...and of course me, a minor leaguer swinging for the fences amongst the heavy hitters.

Get your tickets here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/film-photography-paideia-march-2nd-3rd-2019-tickets-53673660363

#filmpaideia #shootfilmco #believeinfilm #filmisnotdead #filmisalive #filmphotography #analogphotography #thedarkroomlab

I am a film photographer in Colorado, USA focusing primarily on travel, scenics, landscape, documentary, etc. It's difficult to summarize my involvement with photography and film because it's such an important part of who I am as a person and an artist. I've been shooting for many years - at times trying to figure out a way to assign greater meaning to justify the compulsion. I travel quite a bit, specifically the Rocky Mountain West, and always have a good many cameras of different formats and flavors with me.

So many things, really - again, it's difficult to summarize but here goes: I think the core attraction is it's a tangible, analogue process. As a result of exposing a roll of film you have something in your hand transcending ones and zeros. If feels more like you've just created something new.

The natural mechanics of shooting film force a more structured, thoughtful approach to each shutter release. There are consequences; costs associated with it, so one tends to pay closer attention to what's in the frame - which to me - is one of the primary reasons for being "out there" shooting in the first place. Being a student of the world, digesting it one frame at a time. There's much, much more behind it, but that's what comes to mind at the moment.


I shoot color and black and white in both medium format and 35mm. An ongoing challenge (compulsion) is to see how far I can push 35mm film.

For my black and white work I've moved back in the darkroom to a more traditional silver wet print process. I gravitate towards the Ilford Delta films, Delta 100, 400, and of course Pan F. For my color work I'm still in love with E6 and have my first rolls of the new Ektachrome ready for the lab.


I'm submitting a series of images made this past September in Badlands National Park. These were all made on Velvia 50 with my trusty Nikon F6. Usually I try to structure visits to such places to have more time, but on this day I was just passing through for an afternoon. As it happened conditions were favorable and I feel like I got the most out of a single roll of Velvia.

In this case a long lens was used to isolate various features within the landscape - something I tend to do a lot of. Finding compositions within compositions. With so much natural subject matter to work with it can be a little overwhelming. But scanning the land patiently in beautiful light is a delightful way to spend an afternoon/evening outside.

Kir Lykkeberg's Website: http://www.klykkeberg.com

Kirk Lykkeberg's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klykkeberg/

All Photos © Kir Lykkeberg. All rights reserved. Published with permission from the photographer.

My name is Kir Lykkeberg and I am currently living in Copenhagen, Denmark. Although I like my Danish origins, I do seem to have a chronic wanderlust, and have, besides Copenhagen, lived in both Paris, Berlin, Tokyo, Dublin and London within the last 5 years.

I have dabbled with film since I started photographing around 6 years ago. For the past two/three years I have been all analog, only using my digital gear for occasional video work.  

In 2017 I finished a BA in Visual Communication with a focus on Photography. Since then I have been trying to figure out what it is that so attracts me to photography, and somehow find my own visual identity.

At the moment I am mostly drawn towards portraits. I really enjoy the interplay between me, the photographer and the portrayed, regardless of it being a planned sitting or someone I stop at the street. Circumstances creates, and I very much embrace the fact that you can’t plan everything in life.

I choose to shoot on film out of a love for the medium, the slow pace it keeps me in, and the odd chances for unknown magic it brings.

Not having endless shots also makes me think more before I press the shutter, which not only comes in handy in the selection process, but also gives me more confidents that I actually know what I am doing, rather than just shoot away and hope something in there must be good.

I especially find film photography rewarding when it comes to portraiture. That fact that neither you nor the portrayed can see the image instantly, seems to keep both more present and in the moment, instead of focusing on the outcome. Also a lot of people find it fascinating with film. I actually had someone I stopped for a portrait, initially saying no, until I took my Rolleiflex from my bag, then he responded; “Oh if it is with that, then it is okay”.

I mainly shoot medium format film, and occasionally polaroid and 35mm. If it is a planned shoot I bring along my Mamiya RZ67 with that incredible 110mm lens. On trips and everyday adventures I normally bring my Rolleiflex 2,8C.

For 120mm I am allover the place, shooting both positive and negative film, I do however tend to shoot in color, and have done so ever since I started shooting film.  

I absolutely love shooting polaroids, especially peel apart on my Polaroid 600SE. I was heartbroken when Fuji announced pulling fp100 of the market, and praying someone will bring it back. My stash is running dangerously low.

When I go exploring a new city or country some of my favourite souvenirs are the pictures I take, especially of the people I meet. Shooting on a mediumformat camera makes it a tad difficult sometimes photographing people without them noticing. My solution therefore is simply to ask them. The first word I learn when facing a new language is usually ’photo’, and amazingly that is often enough.  

The photos here are from my latest trip to Paris, a city that will always be special to me, as it was the first place I lived abroad.

Tell us about yourself:

Hi! I'm Kim Lim, I am a photographer and one of the owners of a film lab in Manila, Philippines. I used to focus on shooting weddings and events but had to retire because I chose to pursue a new found passion, Sunny16 Lab. These days I like shooting street as my own form of contemplation and meditation. I usually wake up early in the morning and take the train to anywhere, put my headphones on and listen to podcasts whilst on the lookout for anything interesting to shoot. My favorite photographers are Ernst Haas and Saul Leiter.

Currently, I am using my time and energy into creating personal projects, usually photo series/essays.

What attracts you to photographing with film?

It's simplicity and delayed gratification. I guess, coming from an all digital system... I got tired of getting all the gears but not really using them. With film, I have a simple point and shoot that I can carry around all the time and the limitation of exposure also challenges me to think whether a shot is worth it or not. The opportunity it gives to do more with less.

What type of gear/film do you tend to gravitate to as of this writing?

Point and shoot film cameras. I have a tiara zoom and an autoboy d5. My all time favorite however is my Contax 137ma. I currently have a stash of Fuji Industrial 100. I might hoard high speed films soon. Cinestill is still one of my favorites... but part of my new year's resolution is not to stay broke whilst shooting film so i am helping myself with budget friendly films... hahaha

Tell us about the work you're submitting.

These are some frames from my current photo series called B L U E. I'm planning to release it March 2019 but hey, first look for themikepadua. :)

I was traveling with my friends whom I haven't seen in a long time. We caught up with how our lives are going and a common experience is that we all went through depression and anxiety. This was completely unplanned, I just thought the pool from the beach resort we were staying was "aesthetically" pleasing so I asked my two friends to model for me. That's it, i thought I'd use the color theme blue as it is often used to describe feelings of loneliness but it is also said that being surrounded by blue gives you feelings of peace.

Shot with Tiara Zoom and Fujifilm Industrial 100 // Western Samar, Philippines.