Angela Darley is a Film Club Member and has been featured in some of our gallery shows. The images she has shared with us previously caught our attention so we decided to interview her this week to get to know her and see a larger selection of her photos.
PL: What got you interested in film photography?
AD: My Dad gave me the Canon AE-1 he got for his high school graduation in 1987 a few years ago. I really started using it in early 2021, wanting to pick up a hobby in the wake of Covid. I like having control over how the pictures will look to some extent but also have the anticipation of getting a role developed. I also just really like the look of film in general.
PL: What type of camera do you shoot with and what kind of film do you usually use?
AD: Right now I primarily use the Canon AE-1 but I also have a Lomography Simple Use camera that I like using a bit more casually. That one functions like a disposable but can be reloaded. This year I’ve mainly used Kodak Portra 400 but I’ve been trying to branch out and try different film stocks. I really like the look of Cinestill 800t as well as the simplicity of Fuji Superia 400.
PL: There are a couple of black and white photos within this collection. What are some qualities that you like about both black and white and color film?
AD: That is the only roll of black and white I’ve ever shot so I’d love to experiment with it more. I love the stark contrast black and white has. It makes photographing things like architecture (something I am particularly interested in) very compelling. With color I feel like I can have a lot more control over what the final photograph will look like while still being able to play around with it.
PL: Several of your photos capture people. What do you enjoy about photographing people? What is challenging about it?
AD: I definitely want to experiment with taking more photos of people. It takes a certain level of confidence I’m not sure I have yet with photography but totally something I’m working towards. I feel like every picture I take of a person has its own personality, like I learn something about them from just looking at the picture. Also my friends really enjoy when I take photos of them, so that’s always really fun. Overall, I think taking pictures of people is about capturing their essence and telling a bit of their story.
PL: When taking pictures, what are some objects or elements or feelings within a scene that inspire you to take a photo?
AD: Symmetry is something that’s really intriguing to me every time I take a picture. I’m always looking at the center of the photo and how the rest of the scene forms around that. I also really like taking pictures that feel alive, specifically of people. If I can catch people off guard or while they’re moving I feel like it adds a lot more life to the image. I’m also attracted to any kind of warm sunlight and geometric buildings.
PL: Out of all of these images, which photo is your favorite and why?
AD: My favorite photo is the one with two tall buildings on either side with the blue sky in the middle. It was taken in Rittenhouse Square around sunset on one of the first warm days of the year. It was my first time shooting on Cinestill 800t and I loved how my pictures from that day turned out.
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