Even before I moved to Utah in 2013, Wednesday nights were pegged as a future favorite. As friends were living in Orem, UT before me, word had been relayed that the local European car crowd hosted weekly get-together's for their like-minded automotive enthusiasts.
Years have passed, the crowds have grown and organization has been refined both in its events and literally into an organization that goes by Utah Association of Euros.
Without delving too deep into recent local history or stories, I'll continue with one specific night; Wednesday, February 21st.
This specific Wednesday's meet was to be held at Mayo Motoren in Salt Lake City.
Mayo Motoren is a local European automotive specialty shop, operated by fellow enthusiast (Volkswagen guy) Mike Wetzel.
I've shot photos with him before (see my automotive portfolio for a photo of him driving a client's E30 M3) so making the short trek up to cover a requested evening for him was an easy, "yes."
As I packed my camera bag prior to heading up I found some inspiration in my recent off-photo obsession; shooting film.
Shooting film is the real raw. It's difficult, unpredictable, and very sensitive, especially with older camera bodies, say before tech like autofocus and in-camera light meters showed up.
At that, I wasn't feeling too risky with my novice hands in the world of film, so I took a different approach.
We live in a modern photographic world of filters, presets, and general copying.
Although, I'm not saying it's a bad thing, perhaps unless one doesn't actually know the ins and outs of production, ie: how an image's look or tones are achieved.
This is all very relative. To each their own liking.
The point I'm making is that there is a trend, coming full circle, as digital shooters and Insta-grammers go for a soft and creamy, often grainy, film-look.
If this is you, don't feel too subjected or spotted, as guess what... I do it too. And to further that point, I really really tried to do it this evening.
Let me explain.
As most of the cars that attend these gatherings are from the 1970's and 80's (and 90's but ignore that part), I again really wanted to find that era's look.
Still shooting with my (not that new) Canon 5D mk2 DSLR, I used a converter to mount my old film lenses manufactured in the 70's and 80's. (For fellow nerds: Canon FD 28mm 2.8, 50mm 1.8, and 135mm 2.8)
The beauty of this is losing the ease of autofocus, and in using older glass I also got the commonly distorted or blurred edges. Even heavy glare from the overhead florescent lighting reared its head heavily, but that's the fun of old equipment translating- work and adjust with what you can and make (hope for) the best of it.
In the end I was fairly unsure of what I had captured, though all my Jason Statham movie watching has trained my resting facial expression not to crack and show doubt.
(I'm hilarious)
In the actual end, some simple but focused editing ensued.
For one, with the handfuls of rolls I've shot through my 80's Canon AE-1, I have a general idea of it's end result after developing and scanning. Faded blacks, grain, muted colors especially in low light. (Obviously this is very relative to what film is used, stay with me)
For two, I have a handy dandy app on my 2015 iPhone with hundreds of pre-loaded filters based on actual film types. No, I did not just paste those on, I dropped a handful of my pictures into the app to choose a film to edit against. FYNI (for your nerds' information) I edited towards a 70's Kodachrome look.
Disclaimer - Film's end result and experience can never fully be copied.
Nonetheless I had fun chasing it.
Enjoy the rest of my images from that night, totaling 36 images. (No that's not all I took, I'm not that precisely good)
PS - If you don't know why 36 photos is significant in relation to film, you owe it to yourself to go shoot a roll!