April
18

Tracey’s Birthday Giveaway Time!

Hooray! So it’s my birthday in a couple of weeks and I couldn’t think of anything that I wanted, so instead I want to giveaway a few film cameras 🙂

With digital photography being so popular these days, it’s easy to bypass film photography altogether – but you’re missing out! Film photography has always been a fun hobby of mine, especially with toy cameras. You’ll always come back from the photo shop (an actual bricks & mortar place where film is developed, not the software on your computer LOL) with a stack of great photographs.

My favorite cameras have been the Holga, Diana and Lomo LCA – which is why I have them in store at Stitch Baby + Kids. I prefer 35mm so it’s that much easier to get the film developed but polaroid is also another love of mine.

lca_sunkistblue

3 Tips for Using Film
1. Chase the light! For flash free photographs, make sure you have sufficient lighting. Even with a high ISO film (1600), you might find that your photos are still dark because toy cameras often don’t have light metering or offer manual settings.
2. Go on an adventure! Pick a day where you know there’ll be things to photograph, and go out with your camera to explore.
3. If it’s your first time, don’t fret if your photos don’t turn out the first time. Part of film photography is technique and experience.

On with the giveaway details! I have 4 film cameras to giveaway – 1 x Holga 135, 1 x Black Slim Devil, 1 x White Slim Angel, and 1 x Diana Mini F+. Each camera will come with 5 rolls of 35mm colour film so you can get started straight away 🙂

To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment below, telling me why you want to try film photography or why you love film photography. Remember to leave a valid email address so I can contact you.

For extra entries – use the hashtag #traceysbirthday on Twitter or Instagram to spread the word about the giveway. Blog about the giveaway or film photography and post your link below.

There will be 4 winners – if you have a camera preference, include that in your comment also. Giveaway is open to all readers, and will close midnight Sunday 29 April 2012. Winners will be drawn at random and notified by email. Winners must respond within 3 days, otherwise their spot will be redrawn.

Whether you’ve tried film photography or before, I know you’ll have fun with these cameras 🙂 Good luck and spread the word!


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Fiona • April 18th, 2012 at 1:09 pm

Wow! Happy Birthday! I’d love to try film photography as everyone who’s into it is REALLY into it. So it must be a good thing!

ballet flats • April 18th, 2012 at 1:34 pm

get out of town tracey! that’s so generous of you… karma will pay you back for that in a big way i think 😉

hmmm, i am not overly familiar with film cameras but i think i would like to try it because i think it would make you consider what you’re taking a picture of. because it’s limited with the film that you have as opposed to digital where you can just snap snap snap away. film is permanent and you really need to think about what you’re capturing.

i’d also love to try a film camera just because it’s something a little different and I think i would enjoy the anticipation of the whole developing process…

i don’t really know much about the camera’s themselves but if that’s the four cameras in the image at the top i am totally smitten with the look of the turquoise one.

happy nearly birthday! x

Chantel • April 18th, 2012 at 2:01 pm

I would LOVE to try film camera’s, I have always wanted to give them a go, but never been game enough to try it – if I won one of these beautiful camera’s WITH 5 rolls of film, it would give me plenty of practice and excuses to keep snapping away until I found my groove 🙂

Meggy • April 18th, 2012 at 3:06 pm

I would LOVE a film camera. I actually found an old one the other day but alas it was broken.
I love the nostalgia of it, the memory of going with my grandmother to drop film into the film processing place and then going to pick it up and having lunch while looking through the photos. Sometimes she would find film from months before, the mystery of what was on it and the fact you just didnt know til you went and got it processed. The wonderful thing about film, is that it is taken… you cant edit, theres no deleting there just is that raw and unfilted, unplanned, imperfect, unknown of actual film.

Mill • April 18th, 2012 at 3:08 pm

Oh my God! This is soo cool! Happy Birthday! I’ve been crazy about the DIana mini for quite some time now but then something always comes up and I have to postpone the purchase! I love film photography! There is something almost magical about it, never knowing the results until you get your prints! I’ll keep my fingers crossed!

JC • April 18th, 2012 at 3:27 pm

I love my Holga 120SF, and would love to try a new toy camera! Especially one that uses 135 instead of 120. Happy birthday!

Caren • April 18th, 2012 at 3:47 pm

WOW! colour me camera crazy! This is such a fantabulous giveaway – and a very big happy birthday to you!
I love analog photography – I am more creative when I pop a roll of film in a camera. I also love the surprise at the end of it all – what will they turn out like, will they turn out at all?! Digital photography tries hard to duplicate the essence of analog, but nothing can replace the magic that happens when you use film. The only thing film can’t do is give us instant gratification – but that’s what Polaorids are for. 😉
caren@teachickadees.com

Jade Sheldon • April 18th, 2012 at 4:36 pm

I first fell in love with photography my freshman year of college in my first black and white film class. Because of expenses, I had to give it up. I would love to get back in the swing of things and start using film again.

minh • April 18th, 2012 at 5:00 pm

I love the nostalgia that comes along with film cameras…because digital cameras didnt exist until I was in my late teens, all my childhood photos were captured on film, and so they hold a special place in my heart. I loved that because you could only take a few photos per roll (36 max!) it meant you only captured the very best and most memorable photos. Another reason I love film is that the photos seemed a lot more clearer and were rarely blurry, unlike photos captured on point and shoot cameras these days…sighhh!
🙂

Jen Pearson • April 18th, 2012 at 10:10 pm

Happy birthday! What an awesome competition 🙂

I just completed a street photography course with Eric Kim and felt like a bit of a stalker with my Nikon! I would love a film camera to seem less conspicuous and go back to basics in taking photos! It’s been ages since I’ve done film photography – used to love black and white photography including developing my own prints.

Please pick me so I can put what I learnt in my recent photography workshop into action on the streets! 🙂

Paige • April 19th, 2012 at 12:27 am

Hey Tracey!
Happy Birthday!!!
I love film cameras! They are such a passion of mine.. a way of life really. I have owned a holga for a couple of years but it recently broke! It sucks so much! I think film cameras capture images so much better than digital, because if gives it all the little effects a digital camera cant give. I LOVE FILM CAMERAS! It sucks they have gone out of style, but it just makes it more special for the few of us that still love them to death 😉
xoxox

Carrie • April 19th, 2012 at 12:41 am

Oh, goodness, what a fun birthday giveaway! I started shooting film photography in the early 90s and spent hundreds of hours in the photography lab developing my shots. Unfortunately I developed a slew of chemical sensitivities as a result of that experience and digital photography became a saving grace for me because I didn’t have to develop it myself. Well, here we are twenty years later and how I miss the imperfection and quirk of film. I don’t have access to a darkroom, so I believe a lab would now have to develop for me… and I’ve ALWAYS wanted to try ANY of those fabulous film cameras. In fact, a Holga has been on my wishlist for almost a decade now. I will keep my fingers crossed… and if I don’t win, it’s still a good time for me to reexplore film photography. I so miss photography as an ART… despite LOVING being able to daily document my life and the growth of my daughter.

Dana Beth • April 19th, 2012 at 5:02 am

film is my first love. i remember that rush of opening the envelope to see what your prints looked like. the mystery- the wait- oh so very special. i would love to use one of these with my son- teach him about the days of my own childhood.

Holly • April 19th, 2012 at 6:50 am

Happy Birthday, Tracey! I love shooting with film especially with lomo cameras because I can do crazy things like double exposures or super long images. I love that I have no idea how they are going to turn out until I get the film back from the lab. It is always so fun getting my light box out to see what magic happened on film. I would love to have the Diana camera to add to my collection of medium format Holgas.

Alisha • April 19th, 2012 at 8:34 am

What an amazing giveaway!

I bought a fisheye camera a few years ago and had a lot of fun playing with it on my travels. However, I’d love to try out a Holga…… They’re so dreamy and effective!

urban muser • April 19th, 2012 at 11:42 am

wow, what an awesome giveaway! happy (early) birthday. i have been experimenting with a polaroid camera and impossible film lately but would love to try another film camera soon, especially that awesome diana mini 🙂

MissDirections • April 19th, 2012 at 1:20 pm

Happy Birthday 🙂 (btw, I was referred here from notmyonlyshoes.blogspot.com)

I had my first camera in primary school, it was film and it taught me to think carefully about every. single. shot. I love that about film, none of this “click all over the place with my phone and then edit it to make it look ‘super cool’ and upload it to facebook within 5 minutes” business of photography. Film photography is a true artform and I’d love to relearn it.

I’d happily take any of the cameras off your hands 🙂

Magali • April 19th, 2012 at 7:01 pm

I love film photography because film is an amazing medium. It makes you try harder, because you want each shot to count, to mean something. I have learnt much more about photography after shooting film for ten months as compared to what I learnt shooting digital for three years. And I would love to have a Holga. 🙂

Si Hui • April 19th, 2012 at 8:30 pm

I love film photography because the light and colours and angles just seem to come out… /less/, somehow, on digital cameras. I already have a white slim angel, so I would prefer the Diana mini! 🙂

Dana Davis • April 19th, 2012 at 9:31 pm

I have always loved photography in any form, but there’s something about the physical nature of film/manual that I’m drawn to. With all of the digital options around, people really miss out on the fun and adventure of film. I think it makes you more conscious of what you photography. I would love to win one of these beautiful cameras and capture the world around me.

Marjolaine • April 20th, 2012 at 12:25 am

Hi Tracey,

I am new on your website. I am following Amanda’s blog, ‘Mocking Bird’, on which she spoke about you, your website and your give away. First of all, happy birthday to you in advance 🙂
I just had a quick look around here. I think I will stay a bit longer ! I like photography even if I prefer to keep it just for me. I am quite new to this so maybe shy about it too. I took Amanda’s photography class in August and it helped me so much ! I own a digital camera since March 2011. I have been interested in digital photography for a while and I got a Polaroid camera for Christmas. It is such a different thing than digital !
Anyways, I would love to win one of your toy cameras. And, for sure, I will carry on exploring around here 🙂
Thank you !

Nina • April 20th, 2012 at 1:13 am

Happy (future) birthday Tracey! 🙂

I have always loved photography and started off with film photography, so it always brings back nostalgic happy thoughts for me. My husband bought me a Diana a few years ago for my birthday and I would love a Holga to add to my collection.

I hope you have a wonderful birthday coming up!

Chinwe • April 20th, 2012 at 1:25 am

Happy birthday! I just got into film photography and I love how it slows me down and makes me think long and hard about the shot.

Ann • April 20th, 2012 at 8:15 am

After playing around with all kinds of actions, presets, and other tweaking for my digital photographs, it occured to me: if I’m trying to make my digital photos look like film, why not shoot film? I’m only a few months into film, but I love the unpredictability and slowness of the whole process. I would love to try a Holga…

Rosa • April 21st, 2012 at 1:13 pm

Whenever I pick up my prints from the shop, I tear into the envelope immediately.

Shooting film and getting actual, physical photos is like Christmas morning.

Karessa • April 21st, 2012 at 5:08 pm

Hi. happy Birthday! My cousin lives in Australia, her name is Melissa, not like you would know her. Anyways, I am also a mother of two children. They are great, energetic boys and I love to photograph them, when I can catch them! I am a photographer in training trying to find something I’m passionate about and I love this. There is so much to learn. I love cameras and started with film when I was a young girl. I took photos of my new high tops with neon laces to my aqua green phone. I was trying to find my inner artist. I would love to receive one of these cameras to experiment with and have fun with. My boys are always having fun and now it’s time for me to find something I really enjoy. If you have any book or website recommendations that teach photography I would greatly appreciate it. Well enjoy your special day and have fun with your family!
Karessa 🙂

Zoe • April 22nd, 2012 at 11:48 am

Happy birthday! What a fabulous way to celebrate 🙂 I’ve just finished Amanda’s Shoot by Design course, and would love to be able to put some of what I’ve learnt into practise in film – and maybe take on her film course as well!

Dee • April 22nd, 2012 at 4:32 pm

What a fantastic giveaway! Happy b’dayyy 🙂

I would love to try this as the photos that come out of it always looks so fantastic! I also love the effect that the film gives the photos and how everything looks kind of “old” and nostalgic but classic 🙂

Michelle • April 22nd, 2012 at 11:08 pm

Hello! And happy birthday! I’d love a camera because I am shortly to launch my brand new ‘baby’ – a wedding and portrait photography studio shooting in film only, and using lots of polaroid and ‘toy camera’ images! Yeeha! I’m sure it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but it’s all I want to do. So… I’d love a fun ‘toy’ camera for shooting kids and weddings!

Carly • April 23rd, 2012 at 2:12 am

Hi Tracey

I am a newbie to your blog- it’s beautiful! Hope you have a good birthday. I just adore film and have been experimenting with a camera I was given for my birthday 12 years ago. I love the grain and tones and I love that you can just have fun with it too. The anticipation of opening your newly developed pics is just about as exciting as it gets! The whole process is an adventure.

What a generous giveaway. I hope you get a big birthday cake treat in return!

Boblyn • April 23rd, 2012 at 12:10 pm

Wow.. those cameras are cool….!!!
I just love film photography that no words can express…!! I started to be amazed and mesmerised by it since I was young… Now , I’m starting to fulfill my dreams. I only started to have a polaroid that I bought from a friend and I love it….
Film photography is just so different…!!! It can’t beat digital photography…hahahah….

Well I hope I win one of these… the white one or the one with blue strip is what I prefer…^_^… Thanks for this opportunity…

P.S. Happy Birthday…^_^….

Szappanbubi • April 23rd, 2012 at 11:57 pm

Happy post-Birthday!

*_*
Ohh, I’m not a real pro photographer ’cause I just catch moment in my life or in others and I just try to capture happiness, beauty,love and LIFE 🙂
I’d love to try film photography …because it reminds me when I was really young and eager to explore new things, and I guess I didn’t fear anything 🙂
So these kind of photos as you hold it in your palms and you can SEE-TOUCH-SMELL and FEEL them! For me these are the sense of my childhood 🙂
So then, let give me a try to use it ,again =)

*Thanks*

Christina • April 24th, 2012 at 7:41 am

I love film cameras and film prints. Digital has done away with the waiting and anticipation of film, the excitement when you pick up an envelope full of photos and don’t know exactly what you will find within, the tactile nature of flipping through the developed prints and picking out your favourites. Yes yes, I love film cameras and would love one of these fun cameras to experiment with. 🙂

Phoe • April 24th, 2012 at 11:22 pm

I love film because it’s what I learned on. It’s got more… feeling than digital. Which might be a cliche but only because it’s true.

Luca Tommaso Cordoni • April 25th, 2012 at 12:33 am

Analogic photography is eternal! You can touch it, feel it.
You can always test it an test it and test it, and film always surprise you and never disappoint you. What I can say more… I love Film!

Alice • April 28th, 2012 at 5:09 am

Hi Tracey, I’m here because one blog I read linked to this page, and I found a really nice page! I am a new mum now, I have a 7 months-really-super-beauty-and-smart boy and he is my favourite subject at moment 😉
I am a real photography lover. I have a degree in photography, taken in Milan in 2002… at that time we all worked only with analogic camera and I really miss that flavor, the waiting between the click and the print in your hands! I used to print myself the bw film… oh if only I can have a dark room again…

tomi • April 28th, 2012 at 9:45 am

I love film photography because I remember the excitement and nervousness when picking up the photos to see how they turn out. And I love film because of how it comes out as it is, without any editing – just real expression of the moment.

ps: Happy BIrthday!

C • April 29th, 2012 at 9:17 am

Honestly, I just love the way film looks. I think i makes you think about the shot a little more than digital.

jas • April 29th, 2012 at 9:35 am

ooooo love film! I don’t have a working film camera and I’ve always wanted just a small one to pop in my bag (these look perfect) so I’d love it to be able to capture those small moments with gorgeous light that film allows to you capture.

ms.d • April 29th, 2012 at 10:33 am

Great comp Tracey 🙂

#ibelieveinfilm because it always pulls my heart strings and never lets me down .. ok except when my 2y/o nephew opens up the back of camera and exposes it all 😛 would love the holga 135 🙂

happy biirthday 🙂