tucson photography — Blog — Ali Bastek Films & Photography | Outdoor, Adventure, & Conservation | Community Based Media in Alaska & Arizona Film & Photography

Micaela - Tucson, Arizona Lifestyle Photography

In March, I took a trip to Tucson just in time to see all the pretty blooms popping up across the desert. Flagstaff's seasons were a little behind Southern Arizona's at the time so I was elated to see signs of spring. I was also excited to see the beautiful neighborhoods in Tucson, specifically Barrio Viejo. Micaela and I ventured around the bright, colorful homes, stopping to enjoy the hidden gems of each street along the way. My favorite part was finding multiple Little Free Libraries. The little libraries seemed to show how much the neighborhood invests in their community and I love feeling a sense of community! Micaela is also majorly gorgeous and I had a lot of fun getting to snap some photos of her. Enjoy!

Tucson Botanical Garden - Film Photography

When I bought my Nikkormat film camera I wanted it for the 50mm lens that came attached and not out of a big interest to shoot film. So, when I decided to start shooting film I was not prepared to really use my camera. Getting the right settings for the photos wasn't the issue, but unloading the film was...

I was saving my film for a special occasion and when my friends and I decided to go to the Tucson Botanical Gardens I felt this was a trip meant for film. Between dodging butterflies diving at our heads and being afraid to move when one landed on us, I ended up coming to the end of my roll. Yet I didn't want the fun of film to end! I had another roll in my bag, so I went off to find a dark place to change out rolls. Since this was my first roll of film in a long time I was okay with my images not being perfect, so the lack of a completely dark room didn't bother me. My real problem began as I was rewinding the film and suddenly I couldn't wind back any further. I could tell the film was still half in the camera, but it was jammed. I kept pulling and pulling and... It ripped!

The bright side is I now know how to rewind a finished roll of film and honestly I find these prints to be really cute. I like the light leaks and the final torn photo. Imperfections can be very fun.