Filmneverdie Shooters - An interview with Michael Rees-Lightfoot

So Michael, where do you come from & what do you do for a living?

I grew up in Aireys Inlet near Lorne, but I’ve been based in Brunswick for a few years now. I support myself by assisting and shooting small jobs.

How old are you?

25

How did you become inspired to shoot on film?

I started to feel very disengaged with digital and didn’t like the instant results. I have always found I’m more engaged and objective shooting film and just take more care. I shot lots of 10x8 and 5x4 at RMIT and liked how it looked without being manipulated. Also all of my commercial work is shot digitally, so it’s nice for my personal work to have different characteristics.

What format do you shoot? 35mm, Polaroid, 8 x 10 etc

35mm

Why do you like this format?

I think I’m documenting a lifestyle, my life and that of my friends around me. So I always like to have a camera on me, therefore I’ve always been attracted to SLR’s and point and shoots.

Where do you see the future of analogue photography?

The way things are going at the moment I’d say the future looks bright, there’s obviously been a big resurgence in the use of film. But whether that’s a permanent thing or a trendm only time will tell. With the practicality, reliability and ease of digital, it’s hard to say if the revival will continue and film will regularly be used in the commercial environment again. In a time where the ease of digital technology has filled the world with so many terrible images, we can only hope film doesn’t become a past time.