Interview with BEATRIZ ROCHA, PORTUGAL

I never leave the house without my camera and when I do, I always wish I had it with me to capture specific scenes and always regret not having it.

I'm excited to have you here, Bellazirt. Please share with us a bit about yourself and your exciting journey into film photography.

Bellazirt: Hi! I’m Bellazirt, I'm a graphic designer currently doing a masters in Creative Illustration in Barcelona. I first discovered film photography when i was 14 years old in school and we were asked to create our own pinhole camera, with a simple cardboard box painted black, with a small hole in the front and the specific photosensitive paper inside and we could only do one shot. So that patience and uniqueness was what got me into it.

What type of film do you use and what camera do you use it with? Why do you prefer these?

Bellazirt: I started with a simple point and shoot and then went up a few cameras until I got to the Nikon FM I have currently and which i love. I always use the Kodak Colorplus 200 or Kodak Gold 200 because I’ve always photographed without a photometer and the Nikon I have right now was cheaper because the photometer doesn’t work so I’m used to calculating the speed and aperture for that specific film and I love the challenge of now knowing the exact numbers.

What do you think film has that digital doesn't have?


Bellazirt: The biggest difference for me is that with a film camera each photo is special because you don’t get 1000 shots of the same thing as you do in digital, you get one, maybe two or three but that’s it because you have a limited number of shots that you don’t have with a digital camera,and that takes patience and practice, so the whole process makes it more special than having 20 shots to choose from.

Do you print your own photographs or are you comfortable having them printed in a lab?

Bellazirt: I have them printed in a lab because I travel a lot and currently live in a shared house so I don’t really have the possibility to create my own lab for now, but would love to do it in the future.

What motivates you to continue making photographs with film? Have you learned anything about yourself through film photography?

Bellazirt: It made me love photography a lot more than when i just shot things with my phone or camera, it helps me look at things differently and imagine how they would look like in those colors and grain so I never leave the house without my camera and when I do I always wish I had it with me to capture specific scenes and always regret not having it.

Are there any photographers that influenced your way of making pictures?

Bellazirt: Yes, i love the aesthetic of the buildings that Teresa Freitas captures, the way Rosie Matheson shoots portraits and my great friend Pedro Mkk who takes the best pictures with the most amazing lights.

Do you see any value or merits shooting with film?

Bellazirt: I do but I don’t really think that what makes the photograph is the camera or the specific film, of course it helps but it also comes from the way you see the world.

What do you think your future is like with film photography?

Bellazirt: I hope in the future I’m able to travel and capture the world through film.  

Do you have any dream film photography project?

Bellazirt: My goal for this year was to go to japan and do a series on the architecture of the busy city and balance it with the peaceful temples, because of the crisis we are living right now I'm not sure I’ll be able to do it this years but I’ll do it in the near future for sure.

Would you like to offer some good words to those who want to try film photography for the first time? What must they learn before venturing into this format?


Bellazirt: I think you should just buy the cheapest camera and film and just go for it. I actually started shooting in film before i even got my first digital camera so there’s nothing to be afraid of, just take it with you everywhere, walk on the beach, night out with friends and have fun.

Photographers around the world are finding ways to keep themselves busy during this lockdown, and coming up with activities to make self-isolation a bit more interesting. What are your ways to keep busy while you have to stay at home?

Bellazirt: During the pandemic, I've been reading a lot, and working a lot on my illustrations as a way of keeping my mind off things and at the same time still being creative.

There's no reason for us not to catch up and follow Beatriz's stunning work on Instagram. Let's check them out!

———

Be considerate. All photographs shown on this page are the sole property of Beatriz Rocha. She devoted her time, and worked hard making these photographs. You know very well it's wrong to copy, download, reproduce, reprint, modify, distribute, publicly display, license, transfer or sell content retrieved from this page in any way, for any public or commercial use or to any commercial source, including other websites, without prior written permission of Beatriz Rocha. Be good. You don’t want to go to jail, do you?

Well now, if you are a passionate film photographer and would like to be interviewed? I’d love to hear from you. Send me an email at mapamelvin@gmail.com with the subject, "Interview me", and share your story, thoughts, and work related to film photography. I’ll get back to you as soon as I receive your request for an interview.

Don't forget to subscribe to this page so you can login and add your comments about Beatriz's work. Be sure to be nice and constructive.

Cheers!

Mel