A journey on film, by Simone Piña

"I still shoot film because I realized that I prefer the quality of this photos, the grain, the texture."

Tell us about yourself.

Simone Piña is my name. I'm 22 and I'm from Uruguay. I'm a Graphic Design student.

When and how did the film journey begin for you?

I started to take film photos because I thought it was the best way to learn photography. It's like if you want to learn to play de guitar, you will start with an acoustic guitar. The digital camera has a lot of information that confuses you and they are all different. If you learn to use an analogue camera, you learn to use all of them. I bought my first camera 2 years ago, a Zenit 12xp.

What drives you to keep shooting film?

I still shoot film because I realized that I prefer the quality of this photos, the grain, the texture. I like it when my photos are like paintings, when the lights, the color and the perfect balance of the composition transmit everything, although, I also like the photos that transmit the spontaneous and ephemeral vibe of every day. Currently I use a telemetric camera, a Leica m6. I bought it in November for only 200 dollars.

What cameras and films do you use most and why?

I haven't learned much about films yet and here in Uruguay you don't have much variety. I like to use a 400 iso and forced it to 800 when I need to. I have just finished a b&w Ilfrod this week but it's my first time with this kind of film. I usually buy Kodak color films.

If you had one last chance to shoot film, where would you go?

I think that i would travel to the other side of the world in order to find the most strangers and surrealistic places in earth to shoot the lands and the people who live there. I will take with me my Leica and a few film-shooters mates!

Where do you develop & scan your film?

I develop and scan my films with Richard, an old man who still has his old shop in an old gallery in the capital.

You can find Simone Piña here:
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