Episode 15 #Filmfollowfriday with Kami Wittrock | Photographers Create Podcast
Summary
In this conversation, Alison Hatch interviews Cami Whitrock about her experience taking over Film Follow Friday on Instagram. They discuss the film community, the creative techniques they have learned and incorporated into their work, and the magic of Holga cameras. Cami shares her vision for the future of Film Follow Friday and emphasizes the inclusivity and supportiveness of the film community.
Takeaways
Film Follow Friday is a hashtag-based community on Instagram that connects film photographers and allows them to share their work.
The film community is known for its creativity and experimentation with different techniques, such as film soup and light leaks.
Using film as a medium allows photographers to let go of control and embrace the unknown, resulting in unique and surprising images.
Film Follow Friday has not only facilitated creative inspiration but also fostered meaningful friendships and connections among photographers.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
00:52 Taking Over Film Follow Friday
03:23 The Film Follow Friday Community
05:59 Exploring Creative Techniques
07:02 Incorporating Creative Techniques into Client Work
08:19 The Magic of Holga Cameras
10:41 Embracing the Creative Energy of Film
15:24 Building Friendships and Connections
17:29 Future Plans for Film Follow Friday
21:03 Where to Find Cami
Alison Hatch (00:23)
Hey, Kami, thank you so much for being on today. I appreciate it. I am so excited to talk to you. You're another film lover like me, and that is how we connected through Instagram was through our love of film. And I am so excited to talk to you about the film community today.
kamie (00:40)
Yeah, thanks for having me on. I can talk all day about film, so you might have to rein me in, but I'm excited.
Alison Hatch (00:48)
No, I can too. So you'll have to, we'll both have to rein each other in because I could talk about film forever. Let's start with the film community. So you recently took over film, film follow Friday from Liz Glenn, who is amazing. She has her own podcast. If you guys haven't listened to it, it's called Soul Over the Bones. It's fantastic. But she decided it was time for her to step,
put it down.
And I noticed that it was getting thinner and thinner the amount of times that it was on Instagram. So tell me the backstory about how and why you took over Film Follow Friday.
kamie (01:26)
Yeah, so it was kind of just something I've.
have followed Liz and film Follow Friday for a long time, probably almost as long as she's done it. And I know like I just connected with so many people through that group, following the hashtag, seeing other artists work, making friends through it. I looked forward to every Friday and seeing who she shared, what was shared, kind of just what was going on within the community. And I think I don't
I don't want to speak for Liz, but you know, if her life just got busy and yeah, it just kind of got quieter and quieter and I just like really found myself missing it. Um, I would check every Friday to see maybe she'll have it this week. And I just was really craving that again. And so I just really thought about it. Um, I was like, do I start something new myself? Um, you know, what could I start? And then I just was like, well, why start?
from ground zero, she's already created this amazing community of like-minded film photographers who are also like, it's very inclusive and encouraging and I didn't want to lose that sense that was in that community and so I just kind of reached out to her and I was like, you know, this is like way out of nowhere, you might not be open to the idea, but I was just curious if you would...
be interested if I kind of just took over, took the lead on it. And she kind of took some time to think about it. And she was like, yeah, you know, I think it's time for me to just step back and, um, for you to take the reins. So that's what I did. And it's been really fun. Um, I'm still learning and figuring kind of things out how they work for myself, but yeah, it's been really great.
Alison Hatch (03:20)
Yeah, so listeners, if you don't know what film follow Friday is, it's a hashtag. Um, a lot of people say hashtags are dead and I don't agree with that. I think that hashtags are still a way of connecting with other people. And I know in the film community, there's a lot of awesome hashtags to connect with each other. Um, and hashtag film follow Friday is one of them. And so Liz used to take.
images from the hashtag and then share them on her Instagram stories. And it just was a really great way, like Kami said, to connect with different film photographers that you may not have ever come across because of Instagram and how they want to show you what they think they want to show you. And Kami took it over. So Kami, what, like, tell me more about the community that you've met through Film Follow Friday. It had to have been something really powerful for you.
to want to be able to continue this hashtag
kamie (04:21)
Yeah, and you know, kind of like what you said with Instagram, I think sometimes we're just kind of fed the same thing over and over again. And I just always kind of felt like that's what I was getting was just kind of like a lot of the same stuff. And so with Film Follow Friday and kind of seeing what Liz shared, it was just really fun to be able to, there's such like a variety, I think, of people who share stuff in that group, and just seeing like some of that more
Alison Hatch (04:28)
Yes. Uh huh.
kamie (04:51)
experimental stuff and I know when Liz started it that was kind of part of the reason why she started it was to find kind of other film photographers who had that similar voice who you know were maybe trying different techniques or playing around with their style or you know lots of colors or film super you know whatever aspect of that kind of experimental film was and so
I'm inspired by it, you know, seeing people do some like crazy stuff with film. And that's been one of the things I just love the most about learning and using film. It's just like the things people are doing is just so cool and like people can be so creative with it. And I just, I really, we have that sense I think is really strong in that Film Follow Friday community. And so that's what I was really missing when I first reached out.
Liz is just seeing more of that in that community.
Alison Hatch (05:53)
Yeah, I mean, there's lots of different film photographers, but the yeah, the film follow Friday community is definitely the creative bunch. They push the envelope of what film can, should, would, I don't know, like all these different crazy things. So like what techniques have you learned from other photographers through this community that you have tried and liked or maybe tried and didn't like? Like what have you tried from this group?
kamie (06:21)
Yeah, well, film soup, that's a big one, which I love. I love to do film soup, but I think that group is where I maybe first saw film soup. And of course, the first time you see it, you're kind of like, what is this? It's like maybe, what you see. And so that really kind of spiked my interest. And even just playing around with light when I first started learning film and I opened the back of my camera,
heart stop moment like oh no you've ruined it and you know just like going from that of that kind of thought process to like oh no I have to throw this roll away to like oh no like this is I'm now intentionally using this to create something and then there's I mean still stuff on there too I haven't tried that I would love to try you know some of the Polaroid emulsions and all the things people are doing on that with that too so
It's still lots to learn, but those have been some of my favorites.
Alison Hatch (07:24)
Yeah, so you're also a family photographer. Have you pulled some of these creative techniques into your client work?
kamie (07:33)
I have, yeah, just I'm kind of working on rebranding right now, so things feel a little bit up in the air still for me. But yeah, this last year I went actually full film for all of my family sessions. My digital just kind of collected dust, which to be honest would be the way I would prefer it anyways. So yeah, this last year I just kind of started incorporating more of that into my client work.
Alison Hatch (07:52)
Mm-hmm. Same.
kamie (08:02)
some light leaks, a little bit of film soup, as well as doing some stuff with like Holgas and the sprockets and 35mm and all that too.
Alison Hatch (08:11)
Okay, let's talk Holgas. Okay, listeners, if you don't know what a Holga is, it is a plastic camera. Like it's totally like something you should get out of McDonald's Happy Meal. It is that seems of that quality of plastic. There are multiple levels of Holgas, but it's a toy camera. It doesn't have anything fancy, nothing at all fancy about it. And there is like this community that just love it. And I know that you do a lot of Holga stuff and you're in the Holga community as well.
I have yet to fall in love with my Holga. Can you tell me your magic? Like, what do you love about this camera? Cause your images are way better than mine. I just don't think I figured out or me and my camera haven't become friends yet, but like, what is that magic? What does that draw to a Holga?
kamie (09:01)
I think with Holgas I kind of go into it with like no expectations because just like really never know what you're gonna get. I and I think that's what I love about it is just again that like sense of surprise. I almost every time I get a rollback from my Holga I'm like this isn't what I thought it was gonna be but I love it you know so it's just kind of that like fun sense of like freedom.
Alison Hatch (09:06)
Smart.
kamie (09:29)
and I think just being able to kind of embrace like the you know the like spontaneity I guess that can kind of just come out of it and also I mean I love it but it's also the bane of my existence like sometimes I'm like why do I shoot this dang thing? Sometimes I've dropped it and the back's fall falling off and I you know I mean or I've opened and then the rolls come apart I mean it's just like
it can be a headache as much as it is a joy to also shoot on it. But it's a great little camera.
Alison Hatch (10:06)
No, I think that is something that I love about film is honestly, you're letting go of control in some level, like some film photographers, you know, are so, so good. And they only do one thing. And so it's very predictable what their outcome is. But in this like film follow Friday community, it's about creativity. And when you're using film, you are inviting in creative energy.
and you're letting go of control. And I think with Holga, you're like letting go of most of the control and allowing creative energy. And do you feel the same way about film? Like, do you feel this like partnership? Maybe I'm just way too like out there, I don't know, but like inviting in this creative energy and like the universe and what creation wants to work with you and letting go of control and letting film be that vessel.
for whatever it's gonna be. Cause you don't know, like you said, you don't know what you're gonna get when you get back your whole guy. Do you feel the same way about it? Or am I just by myself on that?
kamie (11:11)
100%. I think, I don't, I guess I don't know if this is a huge thing, but I feel like in the film community you hear kind of like that, all the film gods know, right? Like
film gods know what's gonna happen and how it's gonna work and like you think it's gonna be this way but then the film's gonna be like no it's actually gonna be this way and then you get it and you're like oh this is even better than what I could have planned. Sometimes it's not but I feel like most of the times you do get it and it is like wow this is even better than what I imagined but I totally agree. I think it's just like yeah a lessening of the control of it.
and I think that's part of the appeal too. For me at least, that's part of it.
Alison Hatch (11:56)
And I think that's why we're like, digital feels so uncomfortable because we are in love with that process and love with that spontaneity, the film gods or whatever that, you know, partnership. And with digital, digital is awesome. Digital can do amazing things. And I'm not like downplaying digital, but for me as an artist, and it sounds like for you as an artist, digital just isn't the medium for me.
It has way too much control and I can manipulate it so much. And I love this unknown. I love this sense of unknown and letting in whatever is supposed to be let in. And maybe I need to embrace that with my whole.
kamie (14:04)
When I first started as a photographer I was at shooting digital trying to emulate film for a long time and then finally just jumped on the film bandwagon and started to learn. And I feel like that's how I've really come to find my voice is by shooting film because it's just again it's I think just a different process shooting it. With digital myself I tend to just overthink it.
and overshoot and then that in and of itself kind of just wrecks my creativity or even like sometimes even the instant seeing it like can be almost like disheartening to me or I just give up or I just end up being like okay this is good enough versus with film I'm having to kind of imagine it before like before I actually see it so
You know, I might try something a little bit differently, or I might try it multiple times, or I might try it with a light leak, or a double exposure, or you know, just different ways to be more creative than I find that I am when I shoot digital.
Alison Hatch (15:12)
totally.
So I feel
feel like, yeah, with film, I also have noticed
kamie (15:16)
I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to you. So, I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to you. So, I'm
Alison Hatch (15:19)
I need to be more present. I have to be more present in what's happening. And with digital, I'm so behind the camera because I'm like, you can see it right away and you're like checking it and, oh, I should just tweak this a little bit or tweak this a little bit. And when you shoot film, like you said, you have to imagine it. You have to be there with your clients or with whatever creative project you're doing so much more and trusting that you're, that you know what you're doing.
And I feel like digital just is a constant like, oh, you don't have it quite right. It's that like, doesn't allow me to trust my creative process nearly as much as film does. Yeah. Okay. So what, like how with the film Follow Friday, have you created any like really great friendships through it? I know we've talked about all the creative processes that you have tried or.
kamie (15:59)
Yeah, I agree.
Alison Hatch (16:16)
like to try it? I mean, there's so many more. I mean, like cenotypes, I would love to try. I've done it like twice. And I know some people do that with film, but you don't see that a whole lot and other creative techniques, but friendships like the community part of it. Have how do you feel about that? Like have you made some great friendships that have helped change your business or your creative process?
kamie (16:36)
Yeah, I definitely have. I feel like I've connected with probably a lot of the people that I talked to or have had friendships kind of through Instagram. I've met that community and even just like a lot of the people who I follow now for inspiration or ideas or just kind of see what they're up to. A lot of them I've found through that community and you know.
Alison Hatch (16:46)
Mm-hmm.
kamie (17:03)
I've attended some workshops with different people and built even in-person friendships that I feel like a lot of it kind of stems back to that community, the Film Follow Friday community, finding people through that, and even just kind of the experimental film group that is also in that Film Follow Friday. I was going to say something else and then that slipped my
Alison Hatch (17:34)
It happens. Now this is obviously, it just happened to me.
kamie (17:37)
Oh, okay. I was gonna say, and now too, as like, kind of curating it, it's been really fun. I feel like I'm seeing even more of that. Maybe because I'm constantly in the hashtag now, like looking always to see who's posting stuff, what they're posting, and then sharing it as well. And I've had people follow me through that, that...
probably wouldn't have found their account if they if we hadn't had that kind of connection. So that's also been really cool just to see kind of the new friends and accounts that I've been able to connect with through that.
Alison Hatch (18:17)
Yeah, totally the same. That's how we met was through Film Follow Friday. Like I would never come across your account because we live on totally opposite sides of the country. So what do you envision for Film Follow Friday? Do you wanna keep it as it is or do you have like a vision or an idea of like expanding it somehow or changing it or making it your own? Like what do you have for the future for Film Follow Friday?
kamie (18:41)
I'm so glad you asked because I have been, I've been sitting on that. So I kind of started in, it was, I think it was about mid September is when I kind of took over from Liz and, um, of course for all of us that like September, October through Christmas is kind of a little crazy. So I didn't have a whole lot of time to think on it, but the last couple of weeks that have been slower, I've really had this sense of like wanting to kind of really grow the community.
and what the best avenue is to do that. Kind of going along with what you said about like hashtags are dead, which I agree I don't think that they are dead but I do I'm finding that with Instagram it's getting more difficult I think to see things. It's very limiting. I feel like Instagram doesn't always show me things with a hashtag.
Like I'll have a friend that will post something and I'll see they have it, hashtag film follow Friday, but then when I go in the hashtag on Instagram itself, the photo's not there. Or it won't show up for like three or four days or something like that. So it has like its limitations. So I've been kind of trying to figure out, okay, so how can we continue to grow the
what's the best avenue for doing that. So I've been kind of just tossing around different ideas and maybe making it its own page. And then also, maybe, I don't know, like a website feature or a print something someday. These are all kind of long-term big ideas that I've just been brainstorming, so nothing solid yet. But that's kind of the direction I'm hoping to head down with it.
Alison Hatch (20:32)
I love that idea. I love the idea of doing it as like its own page, just as that, that and repost being able to repost it. And I, when I was doing photo native and the hashtag, you know, I am photo native and trying to see images of people had to use that hashtag, it was a pain. It was a pain. You like had to figure out different ways of searching it and stuff to like see it in chronological order, or it just wanted to show you what
kamie (20:52)
Yeah.
Alison Hatch (21:03)
the algorithm wanted to show you, like what posts were actually trending or doing well with the hashtag, which isn't what I wanted. I wanted to see everybody's, like you're wanting to see everybody's. So I love that idea of doing it as its own page, as an Instagram page, that would be super fun.
kamie (21:17)
Yeah, yeah, so keep your eyes peeled because that is likely going to happen. So and then hopefully that too will just be, you know, I've also thought having its own page might help it grow a little bit faster rather than it just being me sharing stuff. Just because I can see how it could get kind of confusing with it being like, okay, you're a person, you're a business, but this is kind of a separate thing. You know, so just having
Alison Hatch (21:22)
Oh cool!
kamie (21:48)
a little bit more division between me and my business and then what Film Follow Friday is I think too maybe would help other people to kind of join in and be active within it as well.
Alison Hatch (22:00)
Yeah, that would be really, really cool. Okay, so is there anything else you want to leave with us? Where can we find you? Obviously use the hashtag filmfallafarday because we said it a hundred times today.
If you're a film user, at least follow the hashtags. You can see the other cool images that people post and get creative ideas, but where can people find you?
kamie (22:15)
I think.
Yeah, so Instagram is probably the best, just at Cammie Whitrock Photography. And then I'm on Facebook and I have a website too, but Instagram is typically the best. And I do just want to say too, I hope people don't feel like they have to be doing experimental film photography or anything like that in order to share on Film Follow
It's like I said, it's a very inclusive and encouraging group and just share, you know, share whatever you're shooting. So even if it's just, you know, a picture of your kids on a snow day or whatever, whatever it might be, don't let anything intimidate you from sharing on there.
Alison Hatch (23:15)
I feel like the film community is so kind and so inclusive. And you've got people who are like crazy professional and they have amateurs and you just have hobbyists and everybody is on the same playing field. And I know that your community is exactly the same. So yes, if anybody, wherever you're at and use the hashtag, cause the community is amazing and so supportive.
Kamie (23:39)
Yes, that truly is. Yeah.
Alison Hatch (23:41)
Thank you, Kami. I appreciate you doing this really quickly with me today. It was really fun to talk to you and meet you in person, sort of. It was really fun. All right, thanks.
kamie (23:53)
Yes, thank
