I started with film. I'm old enough to remember the days when there were no other choices. Some of the appeal for me is that layer of nostalgia. But what really drives me toward film is the amount of attention and presence it requires. The Japanese camera that I shoot with was common in the 70s. It's all manual, and it takes some practice to compose with it. It is not efficient. It is not fast; it requires a long commitment. And that is precisely one of the reasons why I like it. Another reason is that there is something grounding about it. It brings me into the present like nothing else. Light is captured by moments suspended in time. It's an experience that transcends the mere act of utility or ease. There's deliberation and thoughtful anticipation. I know I only have 30+ exposures to work with, which gives each frame value and worth. It makes you sensitive to every moment. There's also plenty of anomalies - dust, noise...the stuff of earth, that I really love.

To have a medium that embraces imperfections is a rarity these days. I've felt for a long time that our world worships too much at the altar of efficiency, and because of this, our world is becoming more and more sterile. Sterility has its place, but those places are few for me. Everything about film feels very human, in the best way.

In essence, shooting on 35mm film is a journey from the intangible to the tangible. To take a photosensitive strip of plastic and expose it to light focused by a lens brings each click of the shutter risk, joy, and meaning. It's real and organic; light imprinted to silver halide crystals on the film's surface. The instant gratification of digital photography is gone, and something much better remains: attention, practice, and then - detachment. You end up relying on your rhythms and form. This means that patience will be a result of film photography. Once the roll is filled, it has potential and possibility. Some of the frames may disappoint, but many will transcend expectations. All of this is good practice for life. Photography is a part of my spiritual practice and even my general well-being. It is a perspective that is my own, unique to me. When I feel or sense something, I raise my lens and practice attention and hospitality to the present moment. All of this feels right and good to me...makes me come alive.