Welcome to Roll Call, a series where I revisit film rolls I’ve shot over the years and reflect on what they taught me. Some are gems, some are disasters, and plenty fall somewhere in between.
A few months ago I had the honor of shooting some film for my friends’ wedding invitation. Erica and Monty had a clear vision of what they wanted - soft, nostalgic, colorful photos of the two of them enjoying Prospect Park, shot on Monty’s vintage medium format camera.
(All gear details are listed and linked at the bottom of this post!)
It was one of the first spring days that actually felt like the season—the cherry blossoms were blooming, children were scootering, and there were too many picnics to count.
This was my first time shooting 120 film and I was excited. I’ve wanted to add a Rolleiflex, Mamiya, or something similar to my kit for a while, but I have been hesitant to give myself another item to tote around in my camera bag.
After shooting my first two rolls, I realized that the hardest part was remembering that I only had half as many exposures to shoot through as I was used to.
I love how much deeper the medium format photos feel. Even small imperfect moments feel like they belong in a 90s catalog.
Of course we had Bowie and Stevie join in for a few laps around the neighborhood.
Overall, my first experience with 120 film was a delight. The tones strike a nice balance of richness and softness, with the greens, pinks, and blues being quite vibrant, and the whites staying soft and creamy. The main roadblock of the day was that one of my 35mm rolls came back blank. I haven’t had the same issue since, but it was such a bummer thinking that I had some great alternate angles of each scene, but I didn’t.
So, to that I say: it’s always worth shooting with more than one camera. You never know if your roll will come out the way you want it, or your SD card may malfunction. Regardless of digital or film outputs, having a back up camera can save an entire shoot.
Here’s a peek at how their wedding invitations turned out — with a small square print from our shoot nestled inside.
I’ll leave you with a little iPhone & Fujifilm bts from our shoot. Until next time!
xx Allie
Gear I Used:
Medium Format Camera: Fujifilm GA645
120 Film Stock: Kodak Gold 200 120 Film and Portra 400
35mm Film Camera: Fujifilm Tiara
35mm Film Stock: Kodak Gold 200
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