Member Moment: Michael Roshko

Michael Roshko is a Film Club Member whose work caught our attention when he submitted to our Best of the Year show. He shared with us a few photos he is proud of so this week we interviewed him about them. Scroll down to see it all! 

PL: What got you interested in film photography?

MR: It’s a funny story actually! I had been bored of shooting with my DSLR for about a year and remembered an old polaroid I had when I was younger and was idly browsing them on eBay when I picked one up for $10! After shooting on it a bit I became hooked, and dived into 35mm shortly after.

PL: What type of camera do you shoot with and what kind of film do you usually use?

MR: My go to camera is the Contax T. Being an aperture priority rangefinder provides an awesome level of control that’s nearly impossible to find in a camera that fits in your pocket, and the zeiss lens provides amazing quality given how small it is. Go to film lately has been expired Portra 400VC, managed to score a whole brick of it and I love the tones it provides.

PL: What are some qualities that you like about both black and white and color film? 

MR: I definitely love to lean towards vivid colors in my pictures, a more saturated/warm film is probably my preference when it comes to color. As for black and white, I really enjoy it because it forces me to reconsider how I take pictures. Usually colors are what draws my eye to a shot, but with black and white it’s more of a focus on how the light highlights a subject, and how the contrast in the scene will work for the picture overall.

PL: Your photos have a strong composition. When photographing, what are you thinking before you click the shutter?

MR: I’m trying my best to visualize how the picture will look with the lens I currently have, keeping in mind potential for flaring since I usually shoot during the day and with older lenses.

PL: When taking pictures, what are some objects or elements or feelings within a scene that inspire you to take a photo?

MR: Being a car guy, cars are one of my favorite things to shoot. I particularly love shooting cars that fit their environments, seeing an old Civic parked on the curb in the city, a Porsche 911 on a twisty mountain road, those are my favorite kinds of settings.

PL: Out of all of these photos, which one is your favorite and why?

MR: I’d have to say the red house - it was the size of a postage stamp in a row of comparatively boring houses and provides a beautiful pop of color to the scene, I feel the lighting and warmth of the Portra 400VC really bring a sense of nostalgia/comfort to the picture.

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